How to Write a Statement of Purpose

When applying to college or graduate school, your Statement of Purpose (also known as a Study Plan / Personal Statement) is a very important part of your application. Many will say it is the most important part of your application, though this is not necessarily true.

If your grades are terrible, a great SOP may not be able to rescue you. If your grades are outstanding, your SOP will be less important. However, if your grades and test scores are pretty good, your SOP may be very important in convincing the admissions personnel to give you a chance. In this case, it is important that your SOP doesn’t have any red flags.

“Red flags” are sentences, words, or errors that warn the admissions officer that you are not a good writer and, perhaps, not worthy of admission. Simple mistakes with punctuation, capitalization, organization, or subject-verb agreement may convince an otherwise charitable admissions officer to pass on your application. Therefore, it may be less important for you to have a great SOP than to have an SOP that is not bad. Here we offer some tips and ideas on how to plan, organize, and write an SOP that may help you get into the school of your choice.

Statement of Purpose – Outline

First, we’ll start with a basic outline of a standard SOP. It looks something like this.

Introduction
Academic History
Work Experience

Future Plans and Conclusion

For each section, plan on writing at least one paragraph. Your final SOP should be something like 4-6 paragraphs, roughly 800 words. In the next few sections, we’ll describe exactly what you should put in each section and give you some ideas about what to write.

Part 1: The Introduction

As with any essay, the introduction is very important in attracting the reader’s attention and setting the tone of the essay. For your SOP, your introduction should include some of the following:

What you plan to study or major in

Why you are interested in this subject
- A personal anecdote from your past or childhood explaining how you became interested in this subject
How your past experience has prepared you for your proposed course of study

Any challenges you may face, and how you plan to overcome them
Why, specifically, you have decided to apply to this department in this university
- Is it famous or reputable?
- Are there specific renowned professors that you want to learn from?
- Do you know anyone who has attended this university?
- If it’s in another country or city, what made you want to study in this new place?

If you can answer most or all of these questions, you have written a very thorough introduction that should give the admissions officer a good idea of who you are and what you plan to do. However, you should be careful not to provide too much information and sound like you are rambling.

Here’s a sample introduction for a Statement of Purpose, for a student who hopes to study Candlemaking in Harvard University (this is, obviously, not an actual major at Harvard, but is rather meant to serve as an example of how to write an introduction using the above points). We’ve color-coded each section corresponding to the points above:

Whether providing light during blackouts, adding a romantic flair to an evening dinner, or just adding a pleasant fragrance and sense of comfort to a college student’s apartment, candles are an important, yet often overlooked part of our lives. This became clear to me when my ailing grandmother requested that we bring candles from her house to her in the hospital so that she could have reminders of home. I have thus long been captivated by the elegant simplicity of candles and all they represent, and this is why I have decided to pursue a master’s degree in Candlemaking at Harvard University. Many esteemed and world-renowned candle makers have honed their craft in the halls of Harvard, and I hope to count myself among their ranks. Although I lack formal training in the art of candlemaking, I am confident that my previous academic and work experiences, combined with my passion for the subject matter, have given me the passion and experience that I will need to succeed in the MA in Candlemaking program in the Department of Wax at Harvard University.

This introduction paragraph is 181 words – so now all you need is 3 or four more paragraphs of a similar length!

Part 2: Academic History

After the introduction, it’s good to write about your academic history, which should include the following:

What degree(s) you have earned
What relevant courses you have taken, and what you have learned from them
Extracurricular activities, especially any leadership or official roles

What you have learned from your experiences (it’s always good to mention the following abilities: leadership, communication, teamwork, organization, cooperation, time-management, grace under pressure, etc.)
How this has prepared you for your proposed course of study

Continuing with our student who wants to study Candlemaking at Harvard University, here is a sample Academic History paragraph:

I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Washington D.C. in 2009. During my four years in the university, I acquired a deep and beneficial understanding of human motivations and behavior in courses such as Stress and Psychology, Effective Communication (I) and (II), Psychology and Behavior, and Psychiatric Practice and Technique. My interest and devotion to the subject matter are evidenced by my overall GPA of 3.6 on a 4.0 scale. In addition to my work in the classroom, I joined the Student Association of my department, and I was elected Public Relations Officer in my junior year. In this role, I was responsible for organizing various activities and securing funds by communicating with various local business leaders. These experiences were instrumental in developing my leadership and communication abilities, and I learned how to work both independently and as part of a group while meeting deadlines under pressure. Overall, I expect that my undergraduate experiences will be immensely useful when in graduate school, as I will be able to draw upon the skills that I have learned and overcome any challenges that I may face.

And there you go: Another 188 words, and your SOP is about half done.

Part 3: Work History

Your Work History, much like your Academic History, should show what you have done, what you have learned, and how this has prepared you for graduate school. You should include the following information:

What jobs you have held, and when
- Were these jobs during your time in school, or after your time in school
- (If you worked while in school, you should stress this, and if your grades were not wonderful, you can use this as an excuse. (Like this: “Due to financial concerns, I needed to work while attending school in order to be able to pay the tuition. Although this required much of my attention and energy and caused my grades to suffer, I learned many valuable skills in the workplace that I feel have made me a more capable and well-rounded person.”)
What are some of your key achievements in these jobs?

What did you learn from the jobs (communication skills, organization abilities, leadership, ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, importance of cooperation and teamwork in the workplace, etc.)
How your work has prepared you for graduate school
How your work has inspired you to apply to graduate school

As you may have noticed, the structure of this paragraph is very similar to the Academic History paragraph. Here, then, is a sample Work History paragraph for our hypothetical applicant to the Candlemaking program at Harvard University:

While attending the university, I took advantage of my free time to acquire practical experience in the workplace. During summer vacations, I worked as a waiter at GoodFoods Restaurants. Although this was a relatively basic and entry-level position, I learned many valuable skills, such as how to meet customers’ requests and deal with their complaints. Through this work, I became comfortable working in a fast-paced and demanding environment, and this ultimately prepared me for my later work.

After graduating from the university, I began working as a Sales Specialist for a local home furnishings company, Wicks ‘n’ Rugs. I greatly enjoyed this position, as it involved communicating with potential and existing customers and introducing various home furnishing products, such as rugs, furniture, lighting products, and candles. It was due in large part to my ambitious work in this company that our sales increased by 30% during my time in the company. Most importantly, my work in this regard rekindled my appreciation of candles, and it was during this time that I solidified my desire to pursue postgraduate studies in Candlemaking. I expect that my work experience, while not directly related to the art of making candles, has provided me with the discipline and abilities that I will need when pursuing my master’s degree at Harvard University.

As with this example, if you have had more than one job, it may be necessary to split your Work History into two paragraphs, in order to avoid writing one very long paragraph.

Now, you’re ready to end your SOP with a good Conclusion.

Part 4: Conclusion

Your conclusion should provide some of the following information:

Why, specifically, you are applying to this university?
- How will attending the program at this university help you achieve your goals?
- What courses are you specifically eager to attend?
- What professors at this school are you especially eager to learn from?
If you are applying to a school in a different city or country, what makes you want to study in this place?

What are your future plans and goals?
- Do you plan to pursue a PhD?
- What are your career goals? What job do you hope to have in the future?

I have decided to apply to the MSc Candlemaking program at Harvard University for several reasons. This is the most prestigious Candlemaking program in the world, and by studying in courses such as Fragrance and Odor, Waxes and Textures, and Candle Making Practicum, I will acquire the skills that I will need to achieve my goals and develop a successful career in this field. Moreover, I am eager to study in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which is known for its rich culture and vibrant academic environment. After completing my master’s degree, I plan to begin working at a multinational Candlemaking company, and it is my goal to eventually become a leading Candle Constructionist, creating fragrant products that can bring joy to people all over the world. Achieving this goal, however, requires that I study in a rigorous academic environment such as yours, among professors who are also leading professionals in the industry. Therefore, I consider your master’s program to be a very important step on my overall career path, and I am thus very grateful for your consideration of my application.

And there you go – your Candlemaking SOP is done. It’s not the most outstanding SOP ever written, but it’s good enough. Most importantly, it won’t raise any red flags, and it may get you into the school of your dreams.

Statement of Purpose

And here it is, in its entirety: a proper, well-written SOP for an applicant to graduate school.

Whether providing light during blackouts, adding a romantic flair to an evening dinner, or just adding a pleasant fragrant and sense of comfort to a college student’s apartment, candles are an important, yet often overlooked part of our lives. This became clear to me when my ailing grandmother requested that we bring candles from her house to her in the hospital so that she could have reminders of home. I have thus long been captivated by the elegant simplicity of candles and all they represent, and this is why I have decided to pursue a master’s degree in Candlemaking at HarvardUniversity. Many esteemed and world-renowned candle makers have honed their craft in the halls of Harvard, and I hope to count myself among their ranks. Although I lack formal training in the art of candlemaking, I am confident that my previous academic and work experiences, combined with my passion for the subject matter, have given me the passion and experience that I will need to succeed in the MSc in Candlemaking program in the Department of Wax at Harvard University.

After graduating from the university, I began working as a Sales Specialist for a local home furnishings company, Wicks ‘n’ Rugs. I greatly enjoyed this position, as it involved communicating with potential and existing customers and introducing various home furnishing products, such as rugs, furniture, lighting products, and candles. It was due in large part to my ambitious work in this company that our sales rose by 30% during my time in the company. Most importantly, my work in this regard rekindled my appreciation of candles, and it was during this time that I solidified my desire to pursue postgraduate studies in Candlemaking. I expect that my work experience, while not directly related to the art of making candles, has provided me with the discipline and abilities that I will need when pursuing my master’s degree at Harvard University.

I have decided to apply to the MA Candlemaking program at Harvard University for several reasons. This is the most prestigious Candlemaking program in the world, and by studying in courses such as Fragrance and Odor, Waxes and Textures, and Candle Making Practicum, I will acquire the skills that I will need to achieve my goals and develop a successful career in this field. Moreover, I am eager to study in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which is known for its rich culture and vibrant academic environment. After completing my master’s degree, I plan to begin working at a multinational Candle making company, and it is my goal to eventually become a leading Candle Constructionist, creating fragrant products that can bring joy to people all over the world. Achieving this goal, however, requires that I study in a rigorous academic environment such as yours, among professors who are also leading professionals in the industry. Therefore, I consider your master’s program to be a very important step on my overall career path, and I am thus very grateful for your consideration of my application.