The statement of purpose, otherwise known as SoP, is no doubt one of the key components that determines the success of an application for admission to a dream college or university. Unfortunately, most applicants do not understand the secret to this important piece of writing in the application process. Writing a compelling and captivating statement of purpose is not a rocket science. As with most endeavors, there are certain Do’s and Don’ts. This article explores ten of the common mistakes that if not avoided can hamper an applicant’s chances of getting admitted to their dream school.
What is a Statement of Purpose?
In simple terms, a statement of purpose (sometimes referred to as the statement of intent or simply an application essay) is a detailed essay that encapsulates an applicant’s background and objectives in life. It avails applicants the opportunity to introduce themselves to the admissions committee in a way that the committee would otherwise not know them through the other application materials. The SOP primarily consists of four key components:
- Who are you? the admissions committee wants to know you. They want to know where you are coming from, your family background, your academic background, and the experiences that have shaped and defined you. They want to have a glimpse into the kinds of challenges you have faced and overcome.
- What have you accomplished? The admissions committee also wants to know a little bit about what you consider your greatest accomplishments. Note that this is not a regurgitation of what is contained in your resume and transcripts. While you may mention in passing some of the accomplishments as reflected in your resume and transcripts, you need to be strategic with this.
- Why this school and program? The admissions committee also wants to know why you decided to apply to their school and why this specific program and not to a myriad of other schools out there.
In telling this story, keep in mind that you will be competing with hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of other applicants like you for a limited number of admission slots. For your story to stand out against the competition, it must be unique and compelling.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Too autobiographical: While the statement of purpose consists of an attempt to sell a compelling story, it doesn’t mean that you should make it autobiographical. There are many details about your life that are unnecessary to recount in your statement of purpose. Make sure to mention only those things that have a direct connection to your intended program of study. Remember, your statement of purpose should not be a condensed memoir about yourself.
Too Anecdotal: Sometimes to tell a compelling story, applicants end up filling their statement of purpose with irrelevant anecdotes that lack substance or a direct connection to the program they are applying. Yes, the admissions committee wants to learn a little bit about you, but they also want to know that you have done your research.
Too Academical: This mistake is the opposite of the anecdotal in point 2. In an effort to impress the admissions committee, some applicants engage in rigorous research about the field of study and lump their findings in their statement of purpose, making it too academical and boring to read. Remember, your statement of purpose is not a term paper. You will do a lot of that when you enroll as a student. By applying to a school, you must feign a level of ignorance even if you think you already know so much about the field of study.
- Unclear Goals: Another common mistake applicants make in writing their statement of purpose is their inability to include clear goals and objectives of study. What do you want to achieve upon the completion of this program of study? The committee is not unaware that sometimes life goals and objectives change due to different experiences. But you must be able to say in simple terms what you aspire to do with the degree.
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Poor Writing: Nothing puts people off when they are reading your statement of purpose like poor grammar and punctuation. Remember, your statement of purpose will be read by a group of professionals who have reached the so-called echelon of their profession as academics. But sometime applicants take this lightly. It may be just carelessness on their part or lack of attention to detail. Since you will not be there to defend yourself or have the opportunity to correct an error in your statement of purpose, it is important that you take time to proofread your work and make sure it follows the conventional rules of grammar and writing. Avoid the use of colloquialism, slangs, casual and inappropriate language or jokes.
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Plagiarism: Plagiarism is using another person’s work or idea without proper permission or acknowledgement while pretending that it is your original work. It is an act of academic theft. Plagiarism is considered the deadliest sin in academia. Note that most admissions committees have a way of checking plagiarism that it will be difficult for you to get away with it. To protect yourself from this practice that can jeopardize your chances of being admitted to your dream school, make sure to do due diligence in citing sources. Avoid the temptation of copying something directly from the internet or borrowing your friend’s past statement of purpose and adopting it as your own.
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Exceeding Word Limit: Most programs give a word limit for statement of purpose and emphasize the need not to exceed it. Exceeding the word limit can put you in trouble because it gives the impression that you don’t understand simple instructions. The flip side of this is to write too little. As a rule of thumb, if the word limit is 1000, don’t submit a statement of purpose that is 1100 words or 600 words. Anywhere between 800 and 1000 words is most preferred in this case.
Rush Work: Sometimes applicants wait until the last minute before they start writing their statement of purpose. Remember, the statement of purpose should reflect your experiences and project your future goals and aspirations. This is not something you can do in one sitting or two. It requires a lot of thoughtfulness and reflection over time. It is advisable that you start putting your thoughts together a couple of months before the application deadline. That way, you can edit, add, remove, reorganize, and put your thoughts together in a coherent manner. If possible, try to engage a second party to read, edit, or critique your work as you go. Successful statements of purpose are those that were written with a lot of processing and thoughtfulness over time.
Unnecessary Flattery: Applicants sometimes find themselves using hyperbole and unnecessary embellishments to describe the school, program, and professors in their statement of purpose. You need to exercise caution in this regard. Be careful with your use of superlatives. Remember, these schools are confident in themselves and don’t need you to boost their self-esteem. What they want to see in your statement of purpose is how you as a candidate fit in their program and how they too can benefit from your candidacy in their academic community.
The Use of Artificial Intelligence: Some applicants are so lazy that they love to cut corners in writing their statement of purpose. The recent growth of artificial intelligence platforms like ChatGPT poses both a temptation and a challenge in this regard. If you are tempted to use ChatGPT to write your statement of purpose, remember that there are computer programs and software that can detect that, and most of the admissions committees use them to verity the originality and authenticity of your statement of purpose.
The above are some of the mistakes in writing statement of purpose that hinder and destroy an applicant’s chances of getting admitted to their dream colleges and universities. These mistakes apply to undergraduate and graduate applicants alike.
If you need coaching with your statement of purpose or application in general, don’t hesitate to contact us at www.admissionexpats.com. Our Team of Experts are ready to embark on this journey with you.
Seth B. Kajang is the Founder and CEO of Admission Expats, a platform that helps international students secure admissions and scholarships to reputable colleges and universities around the world. A graduate of Yale University with versed academic and vocational track records, he brings his experience and expertise in this field. His accomplishments speak for themselves. You may contact one of his Team Members at Admission Expats by sending an email to admissionxpat@gmail.com