SOP stands for Statement of Purpose which is basically an essay that should include the purpose of applying to a particular course or a university. SOP is a document that is mandatorily required by international universities. Your statement of purpose should justify your intentions behind studying abroad. Statement of purpose is written in paragraph format while following the general rules of essay writing.
A standard SOP is usually 800-1000 words long that are usually 2 pages. It uses a maximum 12-point font and is double-spaced in normal margins. The candidate must keep in mind that he/she should not use any colorful text or images while writing SOP and it should only be written with black color text.
Every university will have different requirements for SOP. Some university requires an open-ended Statement of purpose while others will require specific essay question having word limits.
Candidates should know that there is no particular format in which an SOP for MBA must be written by international students. But your SOP must include the following:
This is the first paragraph while writing SOP for my MBA. Candidates while writing the introduction of SOP for an MBA must remember that they are not writing a self-introduction, they should write about their academic field of interest and try writing answers to questions like how and why the academic field interests them.
A few things to include in the introduction are:
After writing the introduction paragraph you must write about your academic background in the next paragraph. This includes all the relevant details and information of your educational background, certifications, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, etc that eventually helped you in gaining skills that make you an equitable candidate for pushing the MBA program.
This is a very important factor for getting admission to an MBA program in any country. You need to have relevant work experience in order to pursue MBA. Your professional background is an important part of SOP for MBA in countries that include- Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia, and all other popular study destinations. It will give an idea about your professional maturity to the admission department. While writing about your work experience you must include the following:
After mentioning your academic qualifications and work experience you must write about your long-term and short-term goals. And should illustrate how doing MBA from that particular university will eventually help you in achieving your goals.
Lastly, you should conclude your overall abilities, skills, qualifications, certifications, and work experience and write about why you are an equitable candidate for pursuing MBA in that particular university and describe what you can contribute to the university and the students studying there.
You should show your interest in MBA to the readers. As we all know MBA is not for everyone you must include the answer to why you are capable and what makes you a good candidate to pursue MBA in your writing. You must tell them why you’re an equitable candidate for pursuing MBA this year. With equivalent work experience, what makes you the right candidate for the program?
While writing SOP you must tell your short as well as long-term goals to the reader. Remember these goals should be realistic rather. You should convince the admission cell of the respected university that you’re focused and serious about your goals. Remember to give them a brief about where you see yourself after completing the MBA program at their university.
You should show the admission team that you’ve done all the relevant research work that needs to be done. Don’t submit the same statement of purpose if you’re applying to more than one university. Every time you submit your SOP for MBA makes sure it’s unique. You should include all your efforts in finding the respective university while writing the SOP. Talk about what you liked about the university and why did you select that university.
As the heading suggests you have to convince the admission team that you are an equitable and correct candidate for the program. While writing SOP for MBA Remember the meaning of SOP it should include the points that include the purpose of your decision of studying abroad. You should convince them that your personality and visions are in line with what the university is offering. Don’t keep your content focused on the academic work only talk about your interests in the extracurricular activities the university has to offer. While writing about how studying at the university will get you close to your short and long-term plans also write about your contributions which means what you can provide to the university, faculty, and the national and international students studying there.
Following are the most common mistakes that are done while writing SOP for MBA:
Before writing an introduction always remember that your first impression is the last impression. Try writing an introduction that will eventually attract the reader and will convince him that you are the right candidate for the program.
If you want to study abroad then a candidate should remember that they have to write an SOP. It is recommended to write an SOP at least a month before it has to be submitted.
The word limit for writing an SOP is usually provided by the respective university. However, if the university has not mentioned the word count you should always contact the admission department of the university for finding details regarding word limits. If for any reason you are not able to acquire information regarding the word limit you should try writing your SOP within 800-1000 words.
Make sure you don’t exceed the word limit as the person reading your SOP may not have enough time to go through the content. But this does not mean that you should write below the word limit as it may make the reader feel that you don’t have enough skills or certifications to write about. Always be concise and crisp while writing SOP as it will help you write more about yourself in the required word count.
Remember that SOP should be written in formal and professional language. It should never be written in informal language as it can diminish your chances of getting admission to the university.
The content and the font you are using should not be flashy. You should not sound boastful while writing about your academics or work experiences remember to be humble, polite, and respectful while writing. The font you are using while writing SOP for MBA should not be flashy it should be decent and professional.
The general format for writing SOP for MBA is:
Generally, every university’s word limit for SOP is different but usually, the word limit for writing SOP is 800-1000 words.
Here is the list of a few things that should be avoided while writing SOP:
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