WHAT IS STATEMENT OF PURPOSE?

Statement of Purpose (SoP) is your chance to talk directly to the admissions

committee.Tomakeyourselfstandoutfromamongamultitudeofsimilarlyqualified
candidates.Toconvincethecommitteethatyouhavethespark,thethirstforknowledge
thatcouldaddvaluetoyourclass.Inanerawherethemajorityofapplicantshavegood
academicrecords,itbecomesincreasinglydifficulttodistinguishbetweenindividualsand
decide who gets the offer of admission. SoP helps the admissions committee to
understandyourstrengths.
InSoP,youmayinclude:
1. Yourstrengths.Itmayinclude,butnotlimitedto:yourpersonality,yourpassion,
yourexcellentcareer,yourwellplannedlife,etc.
2. Howwellhaveyouthoughtthroughgoingtoschoolagain,oraboutthefieldof
studythatyouchoose.
3. Yourcommitmenttofinishingthestudywithexcellence.
4. Whatwillyoubringtoclass,totheschool.Itmayinclude:innovativethesistopic,
network,youresteemedexperience,etc.
5. Reasonwhythecommitteeshouldgrantyouadmissionand/orfellowship.

SoPSAMPLEONE
Desire,Vision&Dreams
"Ourdoubtsaretraitors,AndmakeuslosethegoodweoftmaywinByfearingtoattempt."
WilliamShakespeare.
Thefutureprobablybelongstopeoplewhoseepossibilitiesbeforetheybecomeobvious.It
belongstothoseverytravelerswhopiercethroughthecloudsofoblivionwiththeforceof
theirdetermination.
I've always believed that the answer to my destiny lies in creating the results that I
desire.Totreaduponthehallowedgroundsofasuccessfulandfruitfulcareer,Imust
determine theshapethatmyactionswilltake,andtrustintheirfinality.This,Iam
confidentwillleadmeontotheroadsofmydestiny.
BythetimeIwas10,IrealizedthattheonlythingIcoulddoreallywellwaswrite.When
Irecallmydaysat'Haribhai',(myschooltillgrade10),IdiscoverthattheonesubjectI
performedparticularlywellinwasEnglish.ExcellentgradesinEnglishinschoolhelped
megainadmissiontooneofthebestLiberalArtscollegesinmycountry;St.Joseph's.My
loveforthelanguagealsoencouragedmetotakeuphigherstudiesinBritish,American
andIndianLiteratureandtoday,Iamconfidentenoughtoexpressmyselfinalanguage,
which(althoughnotmymothertongue),isnolongeralientome.
StartingwithsummertrainingathighschoolatRed,anadvertisingmultinationalfirm,I
cantracemyfascinationforAdvertisingandPublicRelations(PR)influencemyinterest
inthesame,whichdevelopedslowlyandsteadilyintoacareeroption.
During the latter half of my graduation years, I was introduced to the dynamic and
metamorphicconsumermarketaswellastheAdvertisingandPRscenarioinIndia.I
realizedtheneedtoadaptmycareerangletosuititseverchangingneeds.Forthesame
reason,ItookupadistancelearningprograminMarketingandAdvertisingManagement
fromMCIUniversity,Bangalore.
Fuelledbythedesiretodelvefurtherintothefieldofmediamanagement,Itookuppost
graduatestudiesin'SocialCommunications'attheLorenPolytechnic,NewDelhi.Ialso
attendedmanyworkshops,includingawellrecognizedandreputed4monthworkshopon
CopywritingconductedbytheAdvertisingAgenciesAssociationOfIndia(AAAI)togain
expertiseinthefieldofcreativecopywriting.
Introspecting today, I believe that my study in the field of Literature, Copywriting,
Advertising Management and 'Social Communications Media' has provided me witha
goodbaseforfurtherstudyinPublicRelations.
AtruepictureofthecorporateworldandanexposuretothemediaenvironmentinIndia
pushmeintothinkingabouttheinteractionbetweenbusinesshousesandprofessional

advertisingandpublicrelationsagenciesforcommercialsuccess.
Today, since the need for corporate communication is inherent in the very nature of
present day industry and the government, the many 'publics' with their conflicting
interests need to be managed by professionals with resultoriented communication in
differentmedia.
TheIndianPRsceneisfaststartingtoresemblethePRscenariointhedevelopedworld.
Thereisagrowingrecognitionoftheneedtocorelatethetraditionaloutlooktowards
public management with the systematic organization and execution of effective
communicationprogramstokeepinlieuwithpresenttrends.
AdvertisingagenciessuchasEnterprise,DY&R,MAABozellandMudrahavespecialized
PR divisions to offer diverse communication services to their clients. Over the years,
severalPRagencieshavealsobeensetupinIndia.ManyPRagenciessuchasBMRoger
Periera,CVShandwickandGenesisPRhaveoptedfortieupswithforeigncompaniesto
globalize their operations, increasing the demand for a wholesome communication
packageotherthanjustadvertising.
Tomymind,arealcareerinPublicRelationscannotbemadeuntilonestudiesit,not
purelyforitsacademicappealbutinthehopethatitwillshedlightonthebestroad
ahead.Sincetheexcellenceofcorporatecommunicationsliesinitseffectiveness,thereis
certainly a need for academically trained professionals who are taught to be more
strategicandtechnologicallycompetent.
However, Public relations in India is only 25 years old and is still struggling with a
growing demand for its transition into a more professional and desired discipline of
business. Except for a few parttime study programs, offered by median private
institutions,thereisverylittledevelopmentofPRasaseparateandspecializedacademic
andpracticalfieldofstudyinIndia.
Since the United States of America is a country known for its schools and advanced
mediasystems,IfindtheneedtotrainmyselfinaspecializedinstituteintheU.S.Aone
thatwillconsidermyknowledgeasasteppingstonetohighereducation,andhelpme
expandmyhorizon.Anadvancedskillincommunicationinclosecoordinationwiththe
rootsofmanagementiswhatIbelieveisessentiallysomethingIwillgain,whenIacquire
amaster'sdegreeinPublicRelations.
AsIbrowsedthroughthelistofschools,Inarroweddownafewselectedonesaccordingto
their course structures.Youruniversity fulfils all myrequirements of awelldesigned
course: adequate facilities, broad curricula, flexible course structures and practical
trainingopportunities.
Iamawarethatintensivestudyinaspecializedfieldisadifficulttasktoachieveand
excelat.ButIstronglybelievethatwhatwepersistindoingbecomeseasierforustodo;
not because the nature ofthethinghaschanged,but becausethe powertodo it has
increased.
Iknowwheretodirecttheforceofmywill,toensurethatmycareerdoesn'tlaywithinthe

ruinsofindecisiveness.Inthisdecisionalone,Ichoosetheonlypaththatshallleadmeto
certainsuccessinyourprogram

SoPSAMPLETWO

Themovementtowardsaglobaleconomyandunprecedentedexplosionoffreetradeand
exchangeworldwidehasbroughtaboutimmenseopportunitiestodevelopnewertools,
instrumentsandmethodologiesinthefieldoffinancialmanagement.Itisthis
challengingenvironmenttowhichIintendtocontributebyevolvingmeaningfuland
optimalsolutionstovariousproblemsoffinance.Thus,mygoalisacareerin
InternationalFinanceand/oracademicresearchwhereinIcouldadvanceanalytical
approachestofinancialmanagement.
Toachievemycareergoals,Ineedtolearnmuchmoreaboutcurrentdevelopmentsand
techniquesinfinance,financialmarketsandfinancialapplicationsandacquirehandson
experienceoffinancialanalysis.AMaster'sDegreewillprovidemewiththeoretical
understanding,anindepthideaofpracticalapproachesinaidingmanagerialdecision
makingandresearchskillstoenablemetodevelopanexpertiseinthecoreareasof
financialstrategiesandglobalcorporatefinancialoperations.Iwouldliketoprobe
specificproblemareassuchastheapplicationofquantitativeanalysistounderstanding
variousissuesinglobalfinanceandimprovingdecisionmakingandeffectofincreasein
globalcommunicationsoninternationalfinancedecisions.Myresearchinterestsare
Foreignexchangemarkets,hedgingforeignexchangerisk,internationalcapital
budgeting,corporatefinancialstrategyincludingmergersandacquisitions.
Strongquantitativeskills,familiaritywithcomputerapplicationsandexperiencegained
whileworkingonvariousschoolprojectshavehelpedmetodevelopsharpanalytical
abilitiesandhavegivenmetheconfidencetotackleadvancedproblemsonamacrolevel.
Inaddition,theexperiencegainedwhilemarketingDarwinBugTrapsorwhilestudying
themarketingstrategyofTasteeIcecreamandadvancedlevelqualificationsinFrench
havedevelopedgoodinterpersonalandcommunicationskills.Ilookforwardtoapplying
theseabilitiestotheimmenseopportunitiesavailableatHyderabadUniversity(HU).
IhaveselectedtheM.A.programofHUbecauseofitsoutstandingfacultyandresearch
facilities,emphasisonacollaborativelearningenvironment,flexibilityincurriculum,
studyabroadopportunityandaglobalperspectivetovariouskeyissues.Ihopetobecome
apartofthisdynamicculturewhichwillgivemealeadingedgetoworkeffectivelyin
diverseteamsandsituations.

SoPSAMPLETHREE

Outstandingacademicperformanceinmyschoolandcollege,activeparticipationin
academicaswellasextracurricularactivitiesandworkexperiencehavehelpedto
developstrongquantitativeandanalyticalabilitiesandgoodleadershipand
communicationskills.Thesehavepreparedmetohandlecomplexproblemsandhave
givenmetheconfidencetopursuegraduatestudies.
ParttimeemploymentsinceNovember1994asasalesexecutivewithDarwinInc,a
companymanufacturingpesttrapshasbeenarewardingexperience.Myresponsibilities
includecontactingandapproachingprospectivecustomers,procuringordersandfollow
upwithexistingcustomers.Ialsotakeactiveinterestinorganisingandmanaging
promotionalactivitiessuchasexhibitionsandseminarsofthecompany'sproducts.These
effortshavepaidoffasisevidentfromthelonglistofsatisfiedandregularclients.Their
feedbacktothecompanyhasresultedindevelopmentofnewermodels.Myinterpersonal
andnegotiationskillsarenurturedbythisemployment.
TwomonthsasasummerinternwithTasteeIcecreamLtd.gavemeaunique
opportunitytoworkinalargeorganization.Iwasassignedtostudythemarketing
strategy,especiallyascomparedtothoseofnewentrantslikeBaskinRobbinsandWalls,
andrecommendappropriatechangesforimprovingtheperformanceofthecompany.With
theliberalizationofIndianeconomy,competitionhasincreasedmanifold.Therefore,my
studyemphasisedcompetitivenesswithrespecttocoststructure,pricingpoliciesand
quality.Thishashelpedmetounderstandtheimpactofglobalizationonmarketscenario
andimportanceofbeingefficienttomaintaincompetitiveadvantage.Iamhappytosay
thatanumberofsuggestionshavebeenwellacceptedandimplementedbythecompany.
Inaddition,recently,asapartofourprojectwork,we,agroupof3classmates,were
assignedtosubmitareportonAIDSawarenessinthecityofCoruscant.Theproject
entailedcollectingprimaryandsecondarydata,analyzingitandrecommendingeffective
AIDSawarenessprograms.ThisprojectwasparticularlyfulfillingbecauseIlearnt
variousaspectsinvolvedinresearchworksuchasworkingundertimeandcost
constraintsandanalyzingandquantifyingthesubjectivityofcertainresponses.Our
projectreporthasbeengreatlyappreciatedbythefacultyandhasbeenselectedfor
presentationtoTheAlderanianStateAIDSAwarenessSociety.
FluencyinFrench,participationininterculturalexchangeprograminFranceandvisits
toUSAhavegivenmeanunderstandingofdiverseculturalaspectsandparallel
differencesthatexistbetweentheWesternandEasternSocieties.Hence,through
practiceandformaltraininginlanguages,communicationhasbecomemystrongest
characteristic.AdvancedlevelqualificationsinFrenchhasresultedinateachingposition
atAllianceFrancaiseinmycity.Inaddition,tutoringchildrenintheirstudieshashelped
metoidentifytheirdifficultiesandhasmotivatedmetopresentinformationinaway
thathelpsstudentsdiscoverideasontheirown.

ThisbackgroundhasassistedinidentifyingacademicintereststhatIwouldliketo
pursueandIamsurethattheMSMBAProgramofHyderabadUniversitywillgivemea
leadingedgetoworkeffectivelyindiverseteamsandsituations.