Students make a number of mistakes while writing SOPs, some of which can be quite costly. In this post, we will cover five of the most common ones.
🎯 Lack of Focus
The biggest mistake students make while writing an SOP is the lack of focus. Many students try to write about everything they’ve ever done, and it ends up being a laundry list instead of a statement of purpose. Your statement of purpose is not the place to list all your accomplishments but to focus on the most important ones that will help you get into the graduate program of your choice. To make sure your statement of purpose is focused, ask yourself these questions: What is the main message I want to communicate?
✍️ Not Proofreading
Another common mistake is not proofreading it. While it may seem like an obvious step, it is also the most important because a single spelling error or grammatical mistake can completely derail the admissions committee’s impression of you. If you do not have time to proofread it, have someone else do it for you. This can be another student, a professor, or even a parent.
A disastrous way to write an SOP is to start without checking the requirements. This is important, as different colleges and different graduate programs have different requirements. Not checking the requirements can make the statement look generic and unspecific. Furthermore, students should take time to write several drafts of the SOP, as this will help them hone their writing skills and make the statement sound more polished and professional.
📐 Inappropriate Length
Ideally, the length of your SOP should be between 500-1000 words. It should also be double-spaced with 1-inch margins. If a graduate program has specific guidelines, make sure to follow them. For example, some programs may want you to answer specific questions, while others may give you a word limit.
📝 Not Separating it From CV
Many students make the mistake of thinking that their SOP is just a resume or cover letter. While it is important to have one, your SOP should be separate from your resume. Your SOP should be focused on explaining what you are best at, and what will help you get into the graduate program of your choice. To make sure your statement of purpose is focused, ask yourself these questions: What is the main message I want to communicate?
To conclude, there are a number of mistakes students make when writing their SOP. Some of these mistakes can be quite costly, and can lead to a wasted opportunity. In this post, we have covered five of the most common ones. Make sure to focus your statement of purpose, proofread it for mistakes, and make sure to check the requirements of the graduate program you are applying to.
The best way to avoid making these costly mistakes is to subscribe to my YouTube channel, where I will be posting more videos on how to write a great SOP. I have already posted a few videos where I review my subscriber’s SOPs.
https://www.youtube.com/c/sadiakhaf92
Your Chance to Get a FREE CV review
I’m opening another round of submissions but this time for CVs. If you would like to get your CV reviewed on my channel, please send me a pdf version no more than two pages long in reply to this email.🔻
❤My Favourite Things
🎬YouTube Video:
Here is the video in which I reviewed my subscriber’s SOPs if you want to check it out.
📕Book:
I’m listening to “Anne of Green Gables” on audible. I started the book a few days ago, and then watched the entire Netflix series based on the same book, but now I am back to listening to the audiobook because I feel like this is more satisfying.
🔍I’m Learning:
I am learning to paint on the iPad and following YouTube Tutorials from Jame Julier Art Tutorials https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesJulier-Artist I am using an iPad 7th gen with Apple pencil 1st gen and I use a free app called Sketchbook from Autodesk on iPad. It’s pretty similar to Procreate. I sometimes post my progress on paintings on Twitter, so feel free to connect with me there to have a chat about art.
Also, here’s a free wallpaper I made on iPad. This is currently my iPhone wallpaper. Feel free to reply to this email with any requests/inspirations, and I will try to turn it into wallpaper.
I see that you’ve made it to the end. If you liked this blogpost, check out the other stuff I talk about on my YouTube Channel. Don’t forget to subscribe!😉
