Guide to Statement of Purpose (SOP) Writing for Study Abroad

Planning an MBA or MS from abroad? What differentiates your application from the next person is your essays. Here's a guide to help you write winning statements of purpose and essays.

Studying Abroad brings with it excellent opportunities and advantages for students from India. While the experience in itself is an added advantage in this highly globalized economy, the academic infrastructure and research facilities add to the many virtues of a degree for a foreign university. Not to forget, it is perhaps the best way to find employment abroad. With many companies preferring students from local universities, being a student in that country would surely be an added advantage. Also, studying abroad makes you highly eligible for numerous companies, across the globe.

With that said, it is hardly a wonder that every year thousands of students from India reach out to universities abroad. However, getting admitted to a university, especially a top university abroad, is not easy and in no way a small investment. To begin with, top foreign universities are seeking talented students who not only shine academically but also bring in the right attitude. Different from the traditional merit-based system in India, all students are open to applying to universities abroad, not just those who are academically very bright. The subject choices are wider, and the abilities are judged on more than one scale of achievement. Many students apply but only a few are shortlisted and fewer still are selected. This is in part due to the academic performance and also to perhaps the most alien aspect of the entire Study Abroad Applications process, and that is Essay Writing.

As many students would know, applying to universities abroad often requires a whole lot of documents which include one or more essays, written by the candidate himself/herself. These essays are used to distinguish one candidate from another. With most of the countries following English taught courses, these essays are also an excellent way to judge the student’s actual ability with the language. User-based research, conducted by Shiksha.com, also found that this written document is also perhaps the most difficult aspect for students applying to universities abroad, and perhaps with good reason. So, here is a guide to de-mystify the application essays or the Statement of Purpose (SOP), and help you with the writing bit of your study abroad applications.

Before we further define the types of essays, we would like to include that essays refer to any write up required by universities abroad as part of your application. This could be a question-based paragraph or a standard essay, asked of you. Also, these would vary from university to university and course to course. The actual length may vary but the essays range between 100-1200 words. For ease of understanding, we are classifying the different write-ups on the basis of their word limit. Read: Bonafide Certificate: Meaning, Format, Application Letter

The different types of essays based on their word limit are:

1. Very Short Answer Questions/ Write-ups (30 – 200 words)
2. Short Answer Questions/Essays (200 – 500 words)
3. Long Answer Questions/Essays (More than 500 words but less than 800 words)
4. Full-Length Essays/SOP/Personal Statement (More than 800 words)

Generally, the Full-Length Essays are also referred to as Statement of Purpose (SOP) or Personal Statement. This is a standard document required by the majority of universities, across various courses. The other alternative varieties are usually asked by universities for their more selective programs/ courses like the Full-Time MBA. This is not a rule, however, and universities might ask for either or all of the essays, in one way or another.

Very Short Essays/Answers

Let us start with the shortest write-ups that can be asked for. These essays can form either a part of the general essay form or could be modified as a separate essay question, to be written and attached with the main application. Either way, what distinguishes these essays is the stringent word limit. In simple words, these are typically a line or a paragraph and not an essay (by definition). However, since they are more or less asked for in almost all applications, we will try to give you some guidelines for writing them.

Some sample questions:

1. Describe yourself in 30 words or less to the class of 2017.
2. You have to introduce yourself to your peers in 50 words or less, what is the one word you would like to associate yourself to and why?
3. Briefly explain your reasons for choosing this university.

A few universities might ask you to explain your joy of getting selected in the program by means of a tweet. Others might simply ask you to mention your career progression, any specific incident related to team management or leadership, or perhaps talk about your accomplishments. The basic point is that the universities could ask you anything under the sun, and limit your response to less than 100 or say about 200 words. What the universities are essentially seeking out of you for these essays is how you are able to present your point of view in limited words.  

The key to nailing these answers is:

1. Unless otherwise specified, keep the answer as plain as possible. Obviously, if you are asked to write a tweet, you need to be creative. Other than the obvious ones, keep the answer to the point.
2. These answers are not the best places to explain your stand. State the obvious, with as little emotion as possible. The key to these questions, especially if they are a part of the standard application form, is to get to understand your profile. Be clear and concise.

Avoid using complex or long sentences. When the word limit is a big constraint, using punctuation and short sentences to convey your point

SAMPLES*

If you were on an elevator with your dream company CEO or angel investor, what would you tell him/ her about your professional ambitions and goals? (150 words maximum)

In an elevator with an Angel Investor, for a precious 2 minutes, I would simply talk about how I envision revolutionising the Solar Power Sector in India. I truly believe that a self-sustainable ecology is crucial to a developing economy. As such, when my country is on the precipice of growth and development, this is the time when people should get bullish about the opportunities in the renewable sector. A stable government and excellent opportunities for green technologies is something every investor is excited about. My own experience in green technology and my latest research in capitalizing on solar power should be an interesting conversation. Not to forget, I would surely tell him how I aspire to be the front runner of Green Technology in the country and how my project makes commercializing solar power exceedingly feasible.

Please describe your short term (3 years) career goals (200 words).

Within a span of three years, I perceive I would have gained the necessary experience along with the right competitive edge to foray boldly towards my family business and take on the responsibilities of the same. As my family has been into retail for a long time, post-Master’s, I wish to work with a top retail chain like Amazon and learn all about the e-commerce giant and its working.

Three years’ time would be ideal for me to effectively implement my learning from management school. By day to day practice and problem management, I am sure to be able to improve on my skills and train my mind and personality to take on challenges of the real world. Moreover, I aspire to gain insight into the economics of competitive markets, especially in the e-tail segment and hone the skills required for the same. This time would also be crucial for me to further the professional network that would help me achieve my long term goals. Thus, these three years would be stepping stones to later success.

 

Short Answer Essays

Falling into the second category or type of essays are the short answer questions. Usually limited to a word limit of just under 500 words, these essays give the candidates a bit more space to express their life goals and gain insight into their profile. Often used by Management Schools for their Admission Essays, these are perhaps the trickiest set of questions/essays and involve a bit more technique and creativity. To begin with, the universities have limited the answer to about 500 words or one page in length (sometimes double spaced, with a minimum 12 point font size). Here are a few standard questions that are asked under this category

1. Narrate an important leadership incident.
2. What are your two most significant accomplishments?
3. If you could change two things about yourself, what would these be?
4. State an incident when you failed in life and what you learnt out of it.

Essentially, the above questions try to gauge the person’s character and abilities as a team player and a leader. What is important to note is that while a 500-word essay for narrating only one incident would give the candidate the necessary word limit, usually questions are based on two parts. It would be then divided into narrating that incident and reasoning about it (read examples 3 and 4 above). For instance, in a class ‘failure’ question, the university is looking not merely at what you saw as a failure in your life, but also how you dealt with it, what you learnt from it, and how well you can talk about it. Here are a few dos and don'ts:

• Avoid using anecdotes and quotes; they only take up precious space and do not give you any special brownie points. Often students believe that using a proverb/ quote is essential but that is a myth. Unless and until you are seeking admissions to a creative writing or journalism course, these are mere words, and best avoided.
• Keep it conversational and casual but formal and sober. Do not try to be too humorous; everyone may not understand your jokes and hence, it could be risky.
• Stick to the question. Often students talk about everything to get to their leadership experience and keep explaining about their job and job role. The university can get an idea of your job by your resume as well. They need to know the incident focussing on what they asked - so talk about that.
• Keep it short and within the word limit. Needless to say, this applies to all questions. Remember, the entire idea of the exercise is to understand/ assess your ability to express yourself in a limited manner and space. They also want to assess how well you follow instructions. So, exceeding the word limit is an absolute no-no.

SAMPLES*

Give a specific example of when you have had to test your leadership and teamwork skills. (300 words)

In my previous organization, I was part of a cross-functional team, responsible for preparing a proposed bid for a new product. My team was tasked with primarily creating the backend interface to support the product delivery. We were running for a deadline that was barely 2 weeks away when to my shock, I found myself left alone. My manager had to rush to his hometown for a family emergency. While I was the technical person and could manage the team briefings, my manager, being product manager, was the liaising officer. Without proper coordination between the three teams he managed, the on-time delivery of the product sample was a big risk. I tried to focus on my work but soon all my fears came true. The lack of a leader really affected our till then streamlined project, and communication started to lag. Deciding to take on the responsibility myself, I stepped up to the role.

I started by calling a quick meeting of all the teams concerned, informing them about the unavailability of our manager. Establishing a dialogue, I quickly addressed the bigger issues and promised a quick response from my team. My willingness to repeatedly change technical designs, to accommodate the other team’s concerns, inspired others to innovate as well, to optimize their own designs. Reaching out to the team members, I was able to dispel their fears and put the teams back in sync. Finally, we were able to salvage the situation and succeeded in delivering the sample in time for the bid.

Please describe your short-term and long-term career objectives, and how you expect our program to contribute to them. (Not to exceed 500 words)

The world is forever changing and that change is driven by technology. New and improved techniques, gadgets, and software are changing the way we live; and I want to be part of this change. In the short term, I aspire to take up mid-level leadership positions like _____________, at organisations such as ___________, where I can provide robust business plans, which can cater to the new, borderless, ever-connected world while maintaining environmental sustainability as its core value. Eventually, I aspire to lead an MNC like ______________ as its CEO or CTO, mentoring multiple teams for the company’s growth.

After completing my engineering, I joined XYZ Corporation, Bangalore, as a Software Engineer, and from there on the journey has been quite exhilarating. Quickly moving from an executive to a manager, I managed multiple roles and learnt a lot on the way. Most importantly, I was able to innovate and adapt effectively. My two-year off-site experience, in France, was a further boost to my career and growth. It was an excellent learning curve and opened up myriad global opportunities for me. Moreover, the new perspective gained by working in a culturally vibrant team helped me evolve further. All this has effectively helped me obtain success in my field at a relatively young age.

Moving ahead, however, I feel that my work has limited my scope of growth. While it is challenging, it does not help me understand how to further market myself. Also, as the teams burgeon and move beyond national boundaries, I strongly believe that I need to further reinvent myself, and improve my own understanding, of the industry I am in. As such, formal education is the answer that would help me in understanding the core concepts of product visioning and branding. Correct product delivery and marketing knowledge would significantly impact my career growth, and also help me utilize my skills better. Hence, I believe that an MBA at this juncture would be the right step ahead.

An MBA degree from ABC University, City, State, is an excellent choice, more so, given my unique requirements and expectations from this course. The celebrated faculty, small class sizes, and the multi-cultural community make it extremely attractive to me. My lack of formal understanding of the management discipline would be better addressed by the small class size. ABC’s team-based MBA approach, in which I would be very closely working with a team, would be the best way to develop and refine my abilities in team building and management and would come in handy for achieving my long term aspirations. I also look forward to learning under the tutelage of skilled faculty like Mr. _____________ and Ms. _______________, who have immense real-world industry knowledge to share.

Thus, the MBA program at ABC University is the best available program for me to develop and perfect the attributes, which would help me achieve my career goals, and provide me with an enviable network and resources.

 

Long Answer Essays

These, along with full-length essays or the Statement of Purpose, are usually long answer type questions and can be anywhere upwards of 500 words to about 800 words. We distinguish these from the Statement of Purpose or Full-Length Essays because these are usually theme-based questions. By that, we mean that these questions can be based on specific goals and objectives, and would hence be dealt with in a different manner. Usually asked by most B-Schools, these are generally one of two in number and more creative than a statement of purpose or a full-length essay. Here are a few question types for these kinds of essays

• If you could be anyone other than who you are, who would you be and why? (max 600 words)
• You met your country’s Prime Minister in an elevator. Share what you would like to talk to him about and why. (600 words)
• Do you believe moral ethics and business ethics are different? Share your point of view in not more than 750 words.
• Share your two qualities that would add value to the institutes. Also, share one weakness that you wish to address while you are here.

Simply put, these are more often than not conditional essays or essays that seek you to express your point of view. They could also be case study based or asking about moral ethics versus business ethics or something as simple as asking you to share your favourite leader’s name and explain why. In other words, these are plain and simple essays. Universities can also ask you to talk about your career progression or your strengths and weakness. What is important to remember is that these are questions that seek creativity from you. For straight questions, the pointers remain similar to the previous types of essays. However, for the ones that seek a bit more information into the kind of person you are or your thought process, here are a few pointers on how to answer them.

1. Keep it honest. More often than not students try to think of the best possible answers that would show them in a brilliant positive light. What they tend to forget is that variety is what the universities are looking for. Be honest about yourself because that would help you express yourself in the best manner.
2. Avoid using negative terms and stick to the narrative.
3. In questions that ask you why you would decide or why you decided, try to limit your narrative to about 40 per cent and use 60 per cent of the word limit to explain your ideas/viewpoints. For instance, in a question about an ethical dilemma, if it is for 500 words, use about 200 words to explain the incident and 300 words to share your decision and reasons for why you took it.
4. Do your research. Often, students come to pick up the more famous names like Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln or Steve Jobs, when asked to write about the leader than inspired you. Our advice is to do a bit of reading and research. Often, writing about the rather less obvious names would make your essay more interesting to read. This does not mean that you cannot write about Gandhi or Abraham Lincoln. If you have been truly inspired by them, then follow point number one, be honest.
5. When asked to list out your strengths or weaknesses, try to give incidents that validate the same. Simply saying I am an honest person is not enough. Share an incident that would highlight your integrity and make it more evident. 

It is healthy to share your failures…remember, a true leader is often the person who can effectively overcome his/her past failures and keep moving ahead!

Also, being creative does not mean using extremely difficult words and breaking into a quote every now and then.

SAMPLES*

Assume you are evaluating your application from the perspective of a student member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Why would you and your peers select you for admission, and what impact would you make as a member of the Kellogg community? (600-word limit).

There are three distinct points that truly stand out in this particular application, and while, as a general overview, it is a rather unassuming application, we would like to stress these three things.

To begin with, the excellent academic record calls out. What is exceptional about that, though, is the humble beginning and the ability to rise to occasions, even when not everything was provided on a platter. Growing up in a small village, where the family had to scrape through to provide a decent meal and education to the 5 siblings is one thing. It was all hard work and dedication that propelled the applicant (me in this case) from an incognito life to one in the fast lane.

The second, obviously, is the ability to quickly adapt and stand out. From a village to a metropolitan city, I quickly adapted to life and was able to deliver effectively. I was chosen as the head of the student council of my college, was the campus brand ambassador, for a national daily, and even went on to contribute effectively to the placement cell, on campus.

Finally, what stands out about this candidacy, is the inventive zest and the determination to make a difference. My decision to go back to my village with a handful of my college friends and assist in remodelling the village showcases my belief that we are our own destiny. Our combined efforts helped bring better water facilities to my village and also helped the farmers. The education program we initiated continues to enrich the lives of many families and bring economic independence for them.

All these attributes highlight my candidacy and bring about a person who is determined, focussed, and uniquely innovative. The implementation of ‘e-chaupal’ (e-community) in our village, and the setting up of a placement centre for seasonal farmers, has truly assisted in improving the living conditions in the village further. This also talks about the high sense of giving back to society. All these characteristics sync well with Kellogg’s ideology.

In sum, my achievements, work experience, and the unique life I have led have enabled me to effectively improve my personality. The zeal to be my own worst competitor has helped me set milestones one after another. However, while I managed to do all that, I have always been a most curious student and let life be my best teacher. As such, these teachings bring a unique mix of determination, risk-taking ability, innovation, and effective leadership, to the table. I will bring my perspective and skills to the cohort and seek to learn and utilize the perspectives and skills of others while applying this learning in a work-based scenario. I believe that Kellogg is the ideal place for me, where I can hone my skills, interact with people from across the globe, be guided by excellent faculty members and alumni, and also, in return, contribute to the institution, to make my time there, memorable for me and my peers.

Please share one or two examples from your past experience that best illustrate(s) how you will contribute to this highly engaging and hands-on learning environment. (600 words)

The best aspect of being in the army is that every day brings forth a new experience that not only tries you but forces you to think not as a person but as a team. This has been extremely evident in a lot of my experiences, more so, when I was serving with the UN Peacekeeping Force, in the jungles of Congo. Belonging to a tropical country like India, you would think would prepare me for the dense and humid jungles of Congo, but that was a far cry. Furthermore, the troops from around the world presented a unique cultural mix. While everyone was working towards the common goal…of fighting the rebel forces, we were also trying to overcome cultural hurdles. The language was a major issue, and it was during that particularly trying time that the best of me came forth.

Just before the start of a particular mission, I was asked to induct a faction of the Congolese army into my unit. Not only were they all fresh recruits, but none of them was fluent in English. As the COO, it was my duty to facilitate their proper training and it was crucial that we were able to effectively utilize their common knowledge, and overcome the cultural divide.

The training started, and though we were patient, and I tried everything in the rule book, to train them, I felt a certain depression in the forces. They lacked enthusiasm and appeared quite morose. Neither words nor actions could excite them. It was then that I realized that before implementing a solution I had not truly understood the problem. Wanting to figure it out, I tapped on the local sentiments, trying to understand their situation, and a rather unique problem surfaced.

Every country has its own unique social setup, and so was the case with Congo. A rather large country with almost no means of communication and widespread jungles, the societies had found their own unique communication system. They simply tagged everyone along. In order to avoid a lack of information, the family members had come up with a way to be informed. They would simply move with their entire group, wife and children, even into the battle areas. The Congolese forces were desolate after learning that this was not possible with the UN forces. So, the constant worry about their family was the core reason for their state of mind. Once I understood this, I could figure out a better plan of action.

We focused on the de-induction plans and could convince them through the possibilities. Such was the situation in which I effectively tapped into my past experiences of interacting with the locals, utilising my interpersonal skills and focussed approach, with empathy, and a deep understanding, and emerged successfully. The operation went smoothly with no casualties on either side.

I would bring such a unique combination of strategy definition, seeking effective solutions and building teams out of a diverse group of individuals to the XXX MBA. I am certain that I would be able to effectively lead the team to understand the problems faced by such countries, how relief is such a matter of concern and how by being humble and becoming a part of a community we can find the easiest solutions to the most confusing situations. More importantly, I believe my ability to effectively lead a multi-cultural team would also assist in not only adapting but helping my peers adapt to such groups.

 

Full-Length Essays

These are, as the name suggests, full-length essays and are of 800 words or more. The most common form of the full-length essay is the Statement of Purpose (SOP) or Personal Statement. They are essentially essays that are asked by the widest number of universities across a host of courses. They are also famously referred to as the Admission Essays. These could be question-based essays or a student could simply be asked to present his/her statement of purpose. Again, the questions could be specific in nature or could be rather vague. While the straight questions are the elaborative form of previously mentioned essays, a Statement of Purpose is completely different and must be handled in a certain manner. Here are some key pointers for writing an effective Statement of Purpose:

• Do not wait too long to share your purpose. Often students start by narrating their entire life history before getting to the basic answer, i.e. what do you want to do in life and why. Answer the first part or rather ‘state’ your life’s purpose or goal in the first paragraph itself.
• Avoid quotes. People think this is imperative to add a creative touch but that is a myth.
• Divide your life into small parts and present it in different paragraphs. This is a simple enough technique and helps you space out your statement of purpose. Ideally, besides the introduction and conclusion, the SOP should have about 6-7 paragraphs. We have also added a template for your reference.
• Be careful about grammar and punctuation. Remember that using fancy words is not a judge of your abilities. Be technical but use simple English to present your background and achievements. For instance, a software engineer, applying for a Master’s in the subject, may use programming language names. Similarly, a botanist can also use scientific names. When you do use them, though, do italicize them to ensure proper punctuation.
• Decide a chronology and let it flow. Do not keep jumping from your school to your college and back to your school. Try to keep the flow in a systematic, chronological order to ensure better readability and understanding.
• Try to talk about incidents in your life that have been turning points for you; these could be failures as well. Students believe that they should not talk about their failures but that is not true. Talking about setbacks also helps the reader connect with you on a personal level.
• Dividing your long essays into smaller paragraphs of about 200 words each makes it more cohesive and comprehensible. Avoid writing long sentences or long paragraphs.

SAMPLES

"XXX's mission statement is "We educate global leaders who create sustainable prosperity worldwide". As the second half of this mission is driven by our graduates, how do you foresee yourself living out this mission after graduating from XXX? Are there specific organizations or companies that serve as an example of sustainable prosperity for you?

The world is in constant flux and the biggest reason for the same is the wide disparities. Not of cultures and thoughts but in fact of the economies. There is an ever-increasing divide between the rich and the poor. And I for one believe that until and unless the corporate and the capitalists start doing their bit for the society, we would not be able to continue with the growth of any economy.

I believe that economy is effectively linked to ecology and agree that holistic development of the human race cannot be achieved if we solely focus on economic development and forget about the environment at large. Tackling the problems at the macro level, I envision bridging the gap, by seeking better cooperation between the developed nations and the developing countries and focusing on creating platforms that would assist and give equal opportunities to all. This is where I seek to exploit the global ideology and resources at XXX, particularly the expertise of the faculty and the alumni.

At XXX, I wish to corroborate my vision of an impartial world through the knowledge and wisdom that I would gain. I am sure that armed with the skills that I learn at XXX, I shall be in a better position to bring about change and strive for a fairer world. I aspire to set up a group of budding managers, from across the globe; they would effectively create funds and organizations aiming at various aspects of sustainable growth and corporate social responsibility. To begin with, I would aim at setting up a global network and would start with the issue of our environment.

Growing up in a typical defence family, I was lucky to have a life filled with adventure. The constant transfers across the country not only excited me, but they were also the best learning lessons of my life. Soon I realized I had a knack for learning languages and adapting to the society I was in. More importantly, it helped me retain my humility and easily adapt. Furthermore, as a volunteer at XXX, I worked over the weekends and took part in various activities and field trips that aimed at sensitizing the people about the local flora and fauna. Our major effort went towards organizing interactive sessions and presentations at the local schools. It is very important to inspire and educate the future generations for I believe that they hold the beacon of hope. This belief has inspired me to be a constant patron of the Greenpeace community as well and I regularly monitor and express my opinion on the petitions that Greenpeace files. The entire planet is our home and one must learn to respect it and use the resources in a thoughtful manner. Wastage and pollution are killing our planet and we can’t possibly believe that we can live if the planet dies. My respect for the endeavours of WWF and Greenpeace Society is immense and I wish to forever be associated with them and do my bit.

I also feel that my company, XXX is a pioneer in understanding the responsibility towards society and I feel that their dedication is worth a mention. Constantly motivated to give back to society, XXX has a dedicated Corporate Social Responsibility engagement and I am an active member of the same. Recently, the flash floods in Leh (Ladakh), motivated many of my peers and colleagues from the XXX Biker Group to step in and help the families that were thrown mercilessly down the river. Such combined efforts further cemented my belief in concentrated growth endeavours. The company also has a committee that deals with various issues such as employee relief and ideas that touch almost every aspect of the company.

One of the ideas that were picked was to get motion detector lights installed in the washrooms to cut electricity consumption and I am proud to say that my role was commendable in the initiative. I am inclined to further increase my level and scope of involvement at XXX. I aim to devise ways that people would be able to use technology that can not only make their life easier but also make the planet a better place to live.

An individual with a mission, I am not walking the road that leads to a dead end. My aspiration for the world is a global workplace that would simultaneously aim at achieving equilibrium. I believe that Mother Nature is a potent force that can effectively make or break any company. No amount of technology can save a human from the wrath of nature if he was to step on the wrong foot. Now is the time for all of us to unite and undertake the responsibility of restoring the equilibrium. Working collaboratively is the only way forward for if one was only working singularly; he would only be erasing the past mistakes and would not be left with any time to further implement corrective strategies for the future.

We all have a moral responsibility towards our future generations along with a bigger responsibility of teaching our generation and the next and helping them in ensuring that our mistakes are not repeated. XXX’s philosophy gels perfectly well with my ideology and I believe that such a stance is the only way forward. The thought and idea of organizations working in tandem, of true globalization not merely for profit but also for the betterment of the society on a whole is what growth is all about. And I stand tall for I believe that I am already part of that moment and wish to continue this journey with my peers at XXX and make it a success for many to follow.

In short, XXX would provide me with the right amount of knowledge and skillsets with a unique pool of resources in which I can tap and bring about the amalgamation of individual endeavours on the economic and environmental front. By working towards unifying the two, I would be able to bring about the requisite sustainable development. I believe that I stand only as an individual at present, but once I graduate from XXX, I would be part of a huge group, and in that unity is the answer to the future problems.

SOP FORMAT

Paragraph 1: Introduction

Start the SOP with an anecdote (an instance) on what inspired you to opt for MS in that particular program. Provide your source of motivation and whether there is a story or incident related to it. For this purpose, you have to think back to an important event in your life or other personal experiences that affected your academic or professional choices. Select an appropriate story that is relevant to the theme of your program.

Paragraph 2: Academic Background

Give a background of what all that you have learnt at college, and through projects till now show your proficiency in the subjects. What has been your learning experience as well as how it has motivated you to pursue advanced study in that particular field.

Paragraph 3: Research Work/ Other Practical Experiences

Discuss your practical experiences in detail. (projects, research, seminars, conferences, publications, additional courses, workshops, industrial trainings, internships)

Paragraph 4: Work Experience

Give details of any work experience you may have

Paragraph 5: Why MS? Why now?

The SOP should have details on why you want to pursue masters in this subject and also why at this point in time? Write the names of any research area or area of specialization of your interest. (name them)? What skills do you want to enhance through this program? What skills do you need? How will an MS help you to achieve your goals?

Paragraph 6: Post MS Career Goals

How does your background lead to a short term specific goal?? Means what you want to do just after completing MS, what kind of a work profile? What kind of a company (name them)? What kind of work do you want to do? This can be industry jobs, research jobs or a combination of both. Also discuss what exactly you want to do in that job (role, designation). Specific long term goal? -- Leading from your short term goal, what do you want to do in the long term?--i.e. 10-15 years from now where do you see yourself? How do you see yourself contributing to the industry or the world at large?  You have to be very specific. (This is what the SOP is all about (after all it is a goals essay). Give more technical information.

Paragraph 7: Why this particular university?

Some specific features of the university that suit your requirements. Add names of any faculty (at least 2) and their research areas in this program (give names), research labs/centres, clubs, activities, subjects in the curriculum/electives, and also the scope of these in enhancing your profile. For these details, you need to visit the university and program website.

Paragraph 8: Extracurricular Activities/ Community Service (Optional)

Write a paragraph about your extracurricular activities and volunteer work. How have they helped you to evolve and whether you feel that based on your background you can contribute to any student organization/ program in the university?

Paragraph 9: Conclusion

End with 3-4 lines of conclusion to show your preparedness for the task at hand.

(Try to make this draft of about 800-1000 words)

 

SAMPLE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Encountering systems like Amazon’s recommendation engine while shopping online which eases shopping by suggesting items for you to buy or Gmail’s spam filter which determines a message is a junk or not, by processing an incoming mail through algorithms, taught me that ultimately it is about using the data in creative ways to generate business value. While developing software applications, I have analyzed traditional data processing applications, which are now facing challenges in scaling and manipulating. Large data sets are switching to non-relational databases at a huge rate as data sets are growing rapidly and data now include rich data types, for example, animated gifs, tweets and podcasts. The desire to dive in at a granular level to mine and understand complex behaviour and inferences, to gain in-depth knowledge of the subject, propels me to apply for a Master’s in Computer Science. 

During my Bachelor’s, I gained a lot of application-oriented knowledge through the comprehensive curriculum, relating to different modes of communication of data like wireless, mobile, satellite and data communication and networking. This interest within the field bagged me a summer internship with Airtel, Mumbai (Jun-Aug 2013), where I got my first real-time experience in planning and distribution of optical fibre cable over a PAN India network.

The liberal arts approach of my university also exposed me to various fields of extensive research in computer science through courses like introduction to logic, data structure, fundamentals of computer science and applications, where I got familiar with various technologies like Java, SQL and the concepts of object-oriented programming in designing dynamic software systems. During a project in the Embedded Systems course, I worked on an 8051 microcontroller platform to develop Home Automation System, using C++. This spiked my interest in getting in-depth knowledge of software applications. While researching the project, I saw that at a greater pace, businesses were being pushed to adopt digitalization as it helped businesses in achieving a global platform through software solutions. After completion of the project, I started exploring this domain and began developing static websites for advertisement purposes by taking references from online tutorials and the developer’s community.

After my Bachelor’s, to gain exposure in software development, in order to strengthen my knowledge and learn how enterprise applications are developed, I joined PQR Limited, Indore (a CMMI level 5 IT services company), as an entry-level software engineer (in Dec 2014). In the intensive three-month training that followed, in the first two months, I was trained in J2EE technologies; in the third month, I integrated Single sign-on authentication with AuthO to company portals.

Further, I also got the opportunity to work on an e-commerce website, Oriental Trading Company, where I implemented the core API’s of java like reflection and multi-threading, and concurrent programming in the programs, to make optimal use of multiple CPU’s. I also got several modules, which needed code optimization and restructuring in some cases. Studying the project architecture gave me an overview of building high performing, scalable, enterprise-grade eCommerce applications and also helped me in achieving a thorough understanding of the MVC framework and major design patterns. Apart from working on project related technologies, I always kept myself updated with front-end technologies like HTML, CSS, bootstrap, JavaScript and AngularJS; this kept me engrossed in building single-page web applications.

Aiming for a challenging career, I believe that a Master’s degree in Computer Science would widen my prospects and help me achieve the required knowledge and skills required to accomplish my future goals. It would help me achieve my career goal of pursuing research in Computer Science. These two years of getting professional experience have been scintillating and diverse. After building a solid foundation in this field, I think this is the right time to take up higher studies; it will help me acquire research-oriented knowledge of big data, and I have always strived to choose a career in research. It stimulates me and the thirst for knowledge keeps me going. This, I believe, makes me an apt candidate for this dynamic field.

Post-Master’s, I would like to cultivate a strong base in algorithm development and technology in order to solve analytically complex problems as a data scientist at organisations like _______ or _____________. In the long term, I wish to return to India and set up a consultancy. Here, I would work as a business consultant, where I can cater to businesses by surfacing hidden insight from their data sources and provide strategies to solve core business problems, which will enable companies like ____________ and ___________ to make smarter business decisions.

The Master’s degree in Software Engineering at ABC University, at XYZ California, is my first choice for a host of reasons. The university has a history of vast and pioneering advances; I admire and value the academic life there. ABC has been quite active in fostering research and development in computer science. I would be able to gain immense knowledge that would allow me to make my own contribution to the field. The department offers several courses related to my interests such as Cloud Technologies, Virtualization technologies, and Enterprise Distributed Systems provided under the specialisation field of Cloud Computing and Virtualization, which I am eager to pursue. I also look forward to studying under skilled faculty like Prof. _______ and Prof _____ and imbibing from their knowledge and experiences. All these factors have led me to choose MS in Computer Science at your university.

Extracurricular activities, which have served to maintain a healthy mental balance, have always been a significant part of my life. Apart from academics, I was a member of the Rotaract Club of my college, where I contributed by helping to organize tree plantation drives and actively participated in Blood-donation and clothes donation camps. I have also participated in intra-university table tennis tournaments and was a member of the organising committee of our college techno-cultural fest, ‘Elan 2012’ (Dec 2010 – Dec 2013).

Finally, I am confident that my earnest aspirations will become a reality if you consider my application for admission to the Master’s program in Computer Science favourably. I assure you that I will abide by the high standards of your university and will be a worthy student throughout. I look forward to being a valuable contributor both as a student and as an alumnus later.