How to write the best SOP for MBA ?

As the full form of SOP reveals, a Statement of Purpose is an essay that states a candidate's purpose of applying to a particular course in a particular University. The essay seeks to understand and analyze the candidate's life, the motivations for the chosen career path and his/her goals.

WHAT IS A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE?

The Statement of Purpose is the being the most important part of your application, will tell the admissions committee who one is, what is it actually that has influenced one's career path so far, one's professional interests and where one plans to go from here.

The Statement of Purpose (SoP) is a type of essay question that helps put the other pieces of one's application into context. It helps the candidate to show the adcom why one wishes to enroll in the program and what role it will play in the candidate's career.

Very Often the candidates preliminary concerns while writing a SoP includes as to how to write an SoP and what should it actually include.

So let's start-off by considering what to include in your essay.

While there's no set rule or format or formula to adhere to, and whereas you want your essay to have a tint of authenticity and uniqueness, there are several points that the admissions committee would be looking for the candidate to address in his/her SoP, which includes some of the following points:

Showcase your interest

It's important for the candidate applying for a particular course to communicate and convey why he/she wants to enroll in the said program., Where most of the programs want to avoid admitting students who aren't likely to succeed. It's often less of a question of whether or not one can do it, but is of whether or not one will thrive, prosper and possibly ace in the said applied program.

I also take the sheer privilege of guessing and assuming here that no one out there is applying to PG school on a whim. But there is no ambiguity that all of you've put more thought into it than just "this will be good for my career goals." And that is what exactly you need to show the committee as to why you want this.

And this is not it but it also rolls down to being Not only answering the basic query of why you want this, but also it should state and include why now? The SoP should mention and explain why is it better for you to do PG this year rather than waiting until you have a few more years of work experience? Are you on to switching career paths? Are you really committed to the required years of PG school, or are you just feeling lost and looking for some direction?

Your SoP should not leave the committee in any ambiguous situation guessing about your motives. But whereas precisely should show how this fits your life path at this particular point in time.

Specify your goals

Any PG programs per se want to admit candidates who have thought seriously about where would they end up after the completion of the course.

One thing to remember particularly: it is a belief that the success of alumni adds to the prestige (not to mention the rankings, admission rates, and tuition prices in subsequent years) of the school.

Your SoP shall emphasize on the basis fact that:

You know your star is rising; and you just need to tell it to the adcom where it's going.

More importantly, you will want to answer how this course will help you achieve those goals.

Also, include both your short- and long-term goals. Show the admissions team what you plan to do immediately after you complete the course, as well as where you see yourself decades from now. However whilst discussing goals, it is pertinent for you to balance ambition and realism: starting your own company or growing up to the ranks of a large company are great goals, but becoming the CEO of Apple may be a tad bit far-fetched.

Show your research

Each PG program is different and will impact your career path in different ways and manners. Even if you're applying to more than one school, don't just copy and paste your SoP for every application.

Write an SoP essay that's unique and different to each program. More importantly, when writing a statement of purpose, keep in mind that it demonstrates and showcases your understanding regarding what the school is all about.

What is it about the school that draws your attention towards it? And that what is it about the school that interests you in it. It shall show that you have done thorough research about the school you are applying to and that you not just know but are completely aware of how this specific program is likely to be a good fit.

Communicate fit

No one is guaranteed admission to a PG program, even if you achieved a perfect score on the GMAT/CAT or etc. The admissions team wants to know what you particularly can bring that is new to the table in comparison to other candidates. Your SoP shall project your abilities on how do you align with the school's values and culture?

Show your plan of action and your track record

While writing an SoP you need to be very specific and concise about your game plan. Don't just possess any presumption or assumption that you will have the path to your career handed to you. You are expected to show the admissions team the steps that you will take to reach your goals. It should state and suggest the ways of your active involvement and the active role which will be played by you in your education and adaptability to the changes along the way.

Not only that, but think about what you will bring to the school and other students.

Apart from this, it shall showcase how will you contribute to the experience of the students in the school?

Whether you will participate in clubs at school, and do you have a track record of doing so during your undergraduate degree?

Will you work as a team and contribute to their education and career goals as well? What mark will you leave on the school when you graduate? Will you be an alumni they can be proud of?

It may seem too early to be thinking about some of these questions. But if you don't have a clear plan, the admissions team may think that you aren't ready for an MBA program yet.

Mistakes to Avoid when Writing an MBA Statement of Purpose

Since the SoP is an open-ended question, you can say you have some freedom in how to structure your essay and what to include. There generally isn't a word limit (or a minimum, for that matter), so you'll have to use your best judgment in deciding what to cut out and when to wrap it up. But whereas "A statement of purpose should be between 500 and 1,000 words," says Pierce. He advises that students use a traditional font at a readable size (11- or 12-pt) and leave enough whitespace in the margins to make the statement easy-to-read.

Don't tell, show instead

This is your chance to tell the admissions committee about yourself, in narrative form, beyond the resume, test scores, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. It should not introduce you but should discuss what you are about to discuss in your SOP. Use real examples and dig into some detail. One example in great detail is more effective than many examples with very little substance.

You need to show it through your SoP to the admissions team on and about how have you applied your skills to your career and how you will continue to do so in their PG program they are offering. Whereas a lot of students don't do this: they just list facts, such as "I studied at university X and then I worked at company Y for Z years."

Don't make this mistake -

You can be an active narrator of your own life and get the adcom build interest and invest in your story. You can illustrate it with examples, rather than just mentioning simply with facts. There are various approaches you may adopt and apply to go about your essay; some can be referenced with the ones given below:

Start writing your SoP early and spend enough time on brainstorming new ideas.
Focus on self-motivation, passion, and potential.
Write only in an active voice.
Use formal, not conversational style.
Write persuasively.

Your statement of purpose shouldn't have any spelling or grammatical errors.

Use strong, clear, and concise writing.
Avoid cliches and repetitive language.
Stay away from overly informal language.
Keep a positive and confident tone.

Title the SoP

In general, no, you don't need to put your name on your SoP. The reason is that your statement is a part of your larger application which already has your name throughout it. However, it is important to look at the specific requirements for the program you're applying to, which includes a strong introduction to your essay.

Opening a statement with a quote is not encouraged unless you are sure that it adds value or creates a connection to the statement. For instance, you cannot just quote your favorite literature quotes if you are applying for a degree in science!

Why do we need a statement of purpose?

The statement of purpose is important because the admission committee wants to know if you are an eligible candidate to be studying in this course or not. They want to be certain of the fact that they are not giving an opportunity to you by denying a more deserving candidate the chance.

The Personal Statement or Statement of Purpose (SOP) remains the most important element of the admissions process. It allows the admissions committee to peek into your background, almost a narrative to your entire application. In essence, a well-drafted statement of purpose could downplay certain weaknesses.