A Great SOP: Demystified

Some simple rules

• Unlearn what you have
learnt while writing a
covering letter for a
resume
• Create a “hook”
• Avoid hackneyed
phrases: I love
electronics
• Be vivid, specific,
dynamic
• Avoid being boastful
• Address setbacks
Structure
• Passionate hook
• Segué to your background in the field
• Specific classes by title
• Related extracurricular activities
• Any publications or other professional
accomplishments in the field
• Conference presentations/publications
• Explanations about problems in your
background
• Why you have chosen this grad school
You should appear to be…
• Passionately interested in the field
• Intelligent
• Well-prepared academically and personally
• Able to take on the challenges of grad school
• Able to have rapport with professors and fellow
grad students — in other words, collegial
• Able to finish the graduate degree in a timely
fashion
• A potentially outstanding representative of that
grad school in your future career
You need to stand out from
the crowd
An example of a hook
• Sitting comfortably in an aircraft, you send
an email at an altitude of 30,000 feet in the
sky. Within minutes your email crosses the
troposphere and reaches your office on
land. A decade ago, this scenario would
have seemed impossible but thanks to
“Connexion Technology by BOEING”,
today, this is possible. And it was my
introduction to this technology which I
learnt during my internship in Air India Pvt
Ltd that locked my interest in wireless
networking and communication.
An example of an ending…
• A graduate program abroad, I understand,
is demanding and full of challenges. But
with the diverse experiences I have had
coupled with self-confidence, I am sure I
can successfully accomplish this course.
With knowledge as the tool and dedication
as the accessory, I assure you that I would
strive to emerge as an asset to your
university.
It’s not about the
statement of
purpose
It’s about the
purpose behind the
statement!