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• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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Not sure what graduate schools are looking for in a statement of purpose? Looking at successful graduate school statement of purpose samples can help! In this guide, we’ll orient you to what makes a great statement of purpose or letter of intent for graduate school. Then we’ll provide you with four successful statement of purpose examples from our graduate school experts. We’ll also provide analysis of what makes them successful. Finally, we’ll direct you to even more helpful examples that you can find online!

The Graduate School Statement of Purpose: An Overview

A statement of purpose (also called a letter of intent or a research statement) introduces your interests and experience to the admissions committee. For research-focused programs, like most PhDs and many master’s degrees, your statement of purpose will focus primarily on your past research experience and plans. For more professionally-focused graduate programs, your statement of purpose will primarily discuss how your pursuit of this professional program relates to your past experiences, and how you will use the skills from the program in your future career.

A statement of purpose for grad school is also where you sell the admissions committee on why you belong in their program specifically. Why do you fit there, and how does what they offer fit your interests?

What’s in a Great Grad School Statement of Purpose?

Here are the essential elements of a strong graduate school statement of purpose:

Clear Articulation of Goals and Interests

A strong statement of purpose will clearly and specifically lay out your goals in undertaking the program and what you hope to accomplish with the degree. Again, for a research-focused program, this will focus primarily on the research project(s) you want to undertake while you are there. For a more professional program, discuss what interests you within the professional field and what skills/knowledge you hope to gain through the program.

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You should be as specific as possible in discussing what interests you. Use examples of particular phenomena, tools, or situations that you find exciting. If you are vague or say that everything in the field interests you, you run the risk of seeming unfocused or not actually that passionate.

Don’t worry that being too specific will box you into a particular research area or subfield during your entire tenure in graduate school. Your program understands that interests change—they won’t be pulling out your research statement to cross-reference with your dissertation proposal!

Evidence of Past Experience and Success

A great graduate school statement of purpose will also show programs that you have already been successful. They want applicants that will be able to follow through on their research/professional plans!

To this end, you’ll need to provide evidence of how your background qualifies you to pursue this program and your specific interests in the field. You’ll probably discuss your undergraduate studies and any professional experience you have. But be sure to draw on specific, vivid examples.  You might draw on your thesis, major projects you’ve worked on, papers you have written/published, presentations you’ve given, mentors you’ve worked with, and so on. This gives admissions committees concrete evidence that you are qualified to undertake graduate study!

Interest and Fit With the Program

The third essential ingredient to a great statement of purpose is to clearly lay out why you and the program are a good fit. You should be able to identify both specific reasons why your work fits with the program and why the program suits your work/interests! Are there particular professors you’d like to work with? Does the department have a strong tradition in a certain methodology or theory you’re interested in? Is there a particular facet to the curriculum that you’d like to experience?

Showing that you and the program are a match shows that you chose the program thoughtfully and have genuine interest in it. Programs want to admit students who aren’t just passionate about the field. They want students who are genuinely enthused about their specific program and positioned to get the most out of what they have to offer.

Strong Writing

The final essential piece of a strong statement of purpose or letter of intent is strong writing. Writing skills are important for all graduate programs. You’ll need to demonstrate that you can clearly and effectively communicate your ideas in a way that flows logically. Additionally, you should show that you know how to write in a way that is descriptive but concise. A statement of purpose shouldn’t ever be longer than two pages, even without a hard word limit.

Admissions committees for humanities programs may be a little more focused on writing style than admissions officers for STEM programs. But even in quantitative and science-focused fields, written communication skills are an essential part of graduate school. So a strong statement of purpose will always be effectively written. You’ll see this in our statement of purpose for graduate school samples.

Real, Successful Statement of Purpose Samples

In this section, we’ll present four successful graduate school statement of purpose examples from our graduate school experts, along with a brief commentary on each statement. These statements come from a diverse selection of program types to show you how the core essentials of a statement of purpose can be implemented differently for different fields.

Note: identifying information for these statements have been changed—except for example four, which is my statement.

• Statement of Purpose Sample One: Japanese Studies MA

This statement of purpose is notable for its great use of space and its vivid descriptions. The author is able to cram a lot into about a page. She discusses how she came to her two primary research interests (and how they are connected). She integrates this discussion of her interests with information on her past experiences and qualifications for pursuing the course of study. Finally, she includes details on her goals in pursuing the program and components of the program that interest her. Her examples are specific and fleshed-out. There’s a lot very cleverly included in a small amount of page space!

Additionally, the language is very vivid. Phrases like “evocative and visceral” and “steadily unraveling,” are eye-catching and intriguing. They demonstrate that she has the writing skills necessary to pursue both graduate study and her interest in translation.

• Statement of Purpose Sample Two: Music MM

This sample is fairly long, although at 12 point Times New Roman it’s under two pages single-spaced. The length of this statement is partially due to the somewhat expansive nature of the prompt, which asks what role music has played in the applicant’s life “to date.” This invites applicants to speak more about experiences further in the past (in the childhood and teen years) than is typical for a statement of purpose. Given that this is for a master’s degree in music, this is logical; musical study is typically something that is undertaken at a fairly young age.

This statement does an excellent job describing the student’s past experiences with music in great detail. The descriptions of the student’s past compositions and experiences performing new music are particularly vivid and intriguing.

This statement also lays out and elaborates on specific goals the student hopes to pursue through the program, as well as features particular to the program that interest the student (like particular professors).

• Statement of Purpose Sample Three: Economics PhD

One of the first things you’ll likely notice about this statement is that it’s a little on the longer side. However, at 12 point Times New Roman font and single-spaced, it still comes in under 2 pages (excluding references). It makes sense for a PhD statement of purpose sample to be longer than a master’s degree statement of purpose—there’s more to lay out in terms of research interests!

The writing style is fairly straightforward—there’s definitely a stronger focus on delivering content than flashy writing style. As Economics is a more quantitative-focused field, this is fine. But the writing is still well-organized, clear, and error-free.

The writer also gives numerous examples of their past work and experience, and shows off their knowledge of the field through references, which is a nice touch.

• Statement of Purpose Sample Four: History of the Book MA

This is actually my statement of purpose. It was for a program that I got accepted to but did not end up attending, for a Master’s in the History of the Book. You’ll notice that the two essay prompts essentially asked us to split our statement of purpose into two parts: the first prompt asked about our research interests and goals, and the second prompt asked about our relevant experience and qualifications.

I’ll keep my comments on this graduate school statement of purpose sample brief because I’ll do a deep dive on it in the next section. But looking back at my statement of purpose, I do a good job outlining what within the field interests me and clearly laying out how my past experiences have qualified me for the program.

Obviously this statement did its job, since I was accepted to the program. However, if I were to improve this statement, I’d change the cliche beginning  (“since I was a child”) and provide more specificity in what about the program interested me.

Deep Dive Analysis of a Sample Statement of Purpose for Graduate School

Next, we’ll do a paragraph by paragraph analysis of my statement, statement of purpose sample four. I’ll analyze its strengths and suggest ways I could shore up any weaknesses to make it even stronger.

Essay 1: Academic Interests

To refresh, here’s the first prompt: Please give a short statement that describes your academic interests, purpose, objectives and motivation in undertaking this postgraduate study. (max 3500 chars – approx. 500 words)

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Paragraph 1

Since I was a child, my favorite thing has always been a book. Not just for the stories and information they contain, although that is a large part of it. Mostly, I have been fascinated by the concept of book as object—a tangible item whose purpose is to relate intangible ideas and images. Bookbindings and jackets, different editions, the marginalia in a used book—all of these things become part of the individual book and its significance, and are worth study and consideration. Books and their equivalent forms—perfect bound, scrolled, stone tablets, papyrus—have long been an essential part of material culture and are also one of our most significant sources of information about the human historical past. Through both the literal object of the book, the words contained thereon, and its relationship to other books—forms of context, text and intertext—we are able to learn and hopefully manage layers of information with which we would otherwise have no familiarity.

First, the good: this paragraph does a good job introducing my academic interest in the book-as-object, and shows off pre-existing knowledge both of the study of material culture and literary theory. Additionally, the language is engaging: the juxtaposition of “tangible” and “intangible” in the beginning and phrases like “perfect bound, scrolled, stone tablets, papyrus” lend life to the writing and keep the reader engaged.

If I were to go back and improve this paragraph, first, I would absolutely change the first sentence to something less cliche than talking about my childhood. I might try something like “My love of books is a multifaceted thing. I don’t only love them for the stories and….” Second, I would chill out on the em dashes a little bit. Three sets in one paragraph is a little excessive. Finally, I might actually cut this paragraph down slightly to make more room word-wise later in the statement to discuss what specific things about the program interest me.

Paragraph 2

Furthermore, blogs, webcomics, digital archives, e-readers, and even social media sites like tumblr and Facebook have revolutionized the concept of the book by changing how we share and transmit ideas and information, just as the Gutenberg printing press revolutionized the book all those years ago in the fifteenth century. Once again there has been an explosion both in who can send out information and who can receive it.

This paragraph briefly and effectively introduces my other main academic interest: how new technology has changed the concept of the book-as-object. The tie-back to the printing press is a nice touch; it’s a vivid example that shows that I’m aware of important historical moments in book history.

Paragraph 3

I am deeply interested in the preservation of the physical book, as I think it is an important part of human history (not to mention a satisfying sensory experience for the reader). However I am also very concerned with the digitization and organization of information for the modern world such that the book, in all of its forms, stays relevant and easy to access and use. Collections of books, archives, and information as stored in the world’s servers, libraries and museums are essential resources that need to be properly organized and administered to be fully taken advantage of by their audiences. My purpose in applying to the University of Edinburgh’s Material Culture and History of the Book is to gain the skills necessary to keep all forms of the book relevant and functional in an age when information can move more radically than ever before.

This paragraph actually has a focus problem. Since it covers two topics, I should split it into two paragraphs: one on the integration of my two interests, and one on my goals and interests in the program. I could also stand to expand on what features the program has that interest me: professors I’d like to work with, particular aspects of the curriculum, etc.

In spite of these things, however, this paragraph does a good job clearly integrating the two academic interests related to the book I introduced in the first two paragraphs. And the language is still strong —“satisfying sensory experience” is a great phrase. However, I’ve been using the word “information,” a lot; I might try to replace with appropriate synonyms (like “knowledge”) in a couple of places.

Paragraph 4

Additionally, I intend on pursuing a PhD in Library and Information Sciences upon completion of my master’s and I feel that this program while make me uniquely suited to approach library science from a highly academic and interdisciplinary perspective.

This final paragraph offers just quick touch on my future goals beyond the program. It’s typically fine for this to be relatively brief, as it is here, just so long as you can clearly identify some future goals.

Essay 2: Relevant Experience

The second prompt just asked me to describe my relevant knowledge, training, and skills.

As a folklore and mythology student, I have gained a robust understanding of material culture and how it relates to culture as a whole. I have also learned about the transmission of ideas, information, stories and pieces of lore among and between populations, which is an important component of book history. Folklore is also deeply concerned with questions of the literary vs. oral lore and the tendency for text to “canonize” folklore, and yet text can also question or invert canonized versions; along with this my studies in my focus field of religion and storytelling have been deeply concerned with intertextuality. One of my courses was specifically concerned with the Heian-period Japanese novel The Tale of Genji and questions of translation and representation in post-Heian picture scrolls and also modern translations and manga. In addition to broader cultural questions concerned with gender and spirituality both in historical Japan and now, we considered the relationships between different Genji texts and images.

This is a strong, focused paragraph. I relate my academic background in Folklore and Mythology to my interests in studying the book, as well as showing off some of my knowledge in the area. I also chose and elaborated on a strong example (my class on the Tale of Genji ) of my relevant coursework.

I also have work experience that lends itself to the study of the book. After my freshman year of college I interned at the Chicago History Museum. Though I was in the visitor services department I was exposed to the preservation and archival departments of the museum and worked closely with the education department, which sparked my interest in archival collections and how museums present collection information to the public. After my sophomore year of college and into my junior year, I worked at Harvard’s rare books library, Houghton. At Houghton I prepared curated collections for archival storage. These collections were mostly comprised of the personal papers of noteworthy individuals, categorized into alphabetical folders. This experience made me very process-oriented and helped me to understand how collections come together on a holistic basis.

This paragraph also has a clear focus: my past, relevant work experience. Discussing archival collections and presenting information to the public links the interests discussed in my first statement with my qualifications in my second statement. However, if I were to revise this paragraph, I would add some specific examples of the amazing things I worked on and handled at Houghton Library. In that job, I got to touch Oliver Cromwell’s death mask! An interesting example would make this paragraph really pop even more.

Finally, in my current capacity as an education mentor in Allston, a suburb of Boston, I have learned the value of book history and material culture from an educational perspective. As a mentor who designs curriculum for individual students and small groups, I have learned to highly value clearly organized and useful educational resources such as websites, iPad apps, and books as tools for learning. By managing and organizing collections in a way that makes sense we are making information accessible to those who need it.

This final paragraph discusses my current (at the time) work experience in education and how that ties into my interest in the history of the book. It’s an intriguing connection and also harkens back to my discussion of information availability in the paragraph three of the first statement. Again, if I were to amp up this statement even more, I might include a specific example of a book-based (or book technology-based) project I did with one of my students. I worked on things like bookbinding and making “illuminated manuscripts” with some of my students; those would be interesting examples here.

This statement is split into two parts by virtue of the two-prompt format. However, if I were to integrate all of this information into one unified statement of purpose, I would probably briefly introduce my research interests, go in-depth on my background, then circle back around to speak more about my personal interests and goals and what intrigues me about the program. There’s not really one correct way to structure a statement of purpose just so long as it flows well and paragraphs are structured in a logical way: one topic per paragraph, with a clear topic and concluding sentence.

More Statement of Purpose Examples

We’ve provided you with four great graduate school statement of purpose examples from our graduate school experts. However, if you’re looking for more, there are other sample letters of intent and statements of purpose for graduate school online. We’ve rounded up the best ones here, along with some strengths and weaknesses about each example.

Majortests Statement of Purpose Sample

This is a fairly straightforward, clearly written statement of purpose sample for a biology program. It includes useful commentary after each paragraph about what this statement of purpose is accomplishing.

• This statement of purpose sample is well-organized, with clear topic sentences and points made in each paragraph.
• The student clearly identifies what interests her about the program.
• The student proactively addresses questions about why she hasn’t gone directly to graduate school, and frames her professional research experience as a positive thing.
• She gives a tiny bit of color about her personality in a relevant way by discussing her involvement with the Natural History Society.
• In general, discussing high school interests is too far back in time unless the anecdote is very interesting or unusual. The detail about The Theory of Evolution is intriguing; the information about the high school teacher seems irrelevant. The student should have condensed this paragraph into a sentence or two.
• While this statement is cogently written and makes the candidate sound competent and well-qualified, it’s not exactly the most scintillating piece of writing out there. Some of the constructions are a little awkward or cliche. For example, the “many people have asked me” sentence followed by “the answer is” is a little bit clunky. This is probably fine for a STEM program. But just be aware that this statement is not a paragon of writing style.

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UC Berkeley History Statement of Purpose Sample

This is a graduate school statement of purpose example from the UC Berkeley History department’s PhD program, with annotations from a professor as to why it’s a successful statement.

• The author is able to very clearly and articulately lay out her research interests and link them to past work she has successfully completed, namely, her thesis.
• She is able to identify several things about the program and Berkeley that indicate why it is a good fit for her research interests.
• She addresses the time she spent away from school and frames it as a positive, emphasizing that her use of time was well-considered and productive.
• Her writing is very vivid, with excellent word choice and great imagery.

While very well-written and engaging, this sample statement of purpose for graduate school is a little bit on the long side! It’s a little over two single-spaced pages, which is definitely pushing the limits of acceptable length. Try to keep yours at 2 pages or less. Some of the information on the thesis (which comprises over half of the statement of purpose) could be condensed to bring it down to two pages.

Pharmacy Residency Letter of Intent Sample

This is not technically a sample letter of intent for graduate school because it’s actually for a pharmacy residency program. However, this example still provides illumination as to what makes a decent graduate school letter of intent sample.

• This is a serviceable letter of intent: the writer clearly lays out their own goals within the field of pharmacy, what qualifications they have and how they’ve arrived at their interests, and how the program fits their needs.
• The writing is clearly structured and well-organized.
• The main weakness is that some of the writer’s statements come across as fairly generic. For example, “The PGY-1 Residency Program at UO Hospitals will provide me with the opportunity to further develop my clinical knowledge, critical thinking, teaching, research, and leadership skills” is a generic statement that could apply to any residency program. A punchier, more program-specific conclusion would have amped up this letter.
• While the writer does a decent job providing examples of their activities, like working as a tutor and attending the APhA conference, more specificity and detail in these examples would make the statement more memorable.
• There’s a typo in the last paragraph —a “to” that doesn’t belong! This is an unprofessional blip in an otherwise solid letter. Read you own letter of intent aloud to avoid this!

NIU Bad Statement of Purpose Example

This is an ineffective graduate school statement of purpose example, with annotations on why it doesn’t work.

As you might imagine, the main strength in this document is as an example of what not to do. Otherwise, there is little to recommend it.

• The annotations quite clearly detail the weaknesses of this statement. So I won’t address them exhaustively except to point out that this statement of purpose fails at both content and style. The author includes irrelevant anecdotes and lists without offering a decisive picture of interests or any particular insight into the field. Additionally, the statement is riddled with grammatical mistakes, awkward sentence structures, and strange acronyms.
• You’ll note that the commentary advises you to “never start with a quote.” I agree that you should never start with a freestanding quote as in this example. However, I do think starting with a quote is acceptable in cases like the Berkeley history example above, where the quote is brief and then directly linked to the research interest.

Graduate School Statement of Purpose Examples: 4 Key Points

Graduate programs ask for statement of purpose to hear about your interests and goals and why you think you and the program would be a good fit.

There are four key elements to a successful statement of purpose:

• A clear articulation of your goals and interests
• Evidence of past experiences and success
• Interest and fit with the program
• Strong writing

We’ve provided you with four successful statement of purpose samples from our graduate school experts!

We also provided additional statement of purpose samples (and a sample letter of intent) for graduate school from other sources on the internet. Now you have all kinds of guidance!

What’s Next?

If you’re looking for more information on graduate school , see our guide to what makes a good GPA for grad school .

Not sure if you need to take the GRE ? See if you can get into graduate school without GRE scores .

Want more information about the GRE? We can help you figure out when to take the GRE , how to make a GRE study plan , and how to improve your GRE score .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Ellen McCammon

Ellen is a public health graduate student and education expert. She has extensive experience mentoring students of all ages to reach their goals and in-depth knowledge on a variety of health topics. View all posts by Ellen McCammon

Developing a Thesis Statement

Many papers you write require developing a thesis statement. In this section you’ll learn what a thesis statement is and how to write one.

Keep in mind that not all papers require thesis statements . If in doubt, please consult your instructor for assistance.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement . . .

• Makes an argumentative assertion about a topic; it states the conclusions that you have reached about your topic.
• Makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of your paper.
• Is focused and specific enough to be “proven” within the boundaries of your paper.
• Is generally located near the end of the introduction ; sometimes, in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or in an entire paragraph.
• Identifies the relationships between the pieces of evidence that you are using to support your argument.

Not all papers require thesis statements! Ask your instructor if you’re in doubt whether you need one.

Identify a topic

Your topic is the subject about which you will write. Your assignment may suggest several ways of looking at a topic; or it may name a fairly general concept that you will explore or analyze in your paper.

Consider what your assignment asks you to do

Inform yourself about your topic, focus on one aspect of your topic, ask yourself whether your topic is worthy of your efforts, generate a topic from an assignment.

Below are some possible topics based on sample assignments.

Sample assignment 1

Analyze Spain’s neutrality in World War II.

Identified topic

Franco’s role in the diplomatic relationships between the Allies and the Axis

This topic avoids generalities such as “Spain” and “World War II,” addressing instead on Franco’s role (a specific aspect of “Spain”) and the diplomatic relations between the Allies and Axis (a specific aspect of World War II).

Sample assignment 2

Analyze one of Homer’s epic similes in the Iliad.

The relationship between the portrayal of warfare and the epic simile about Simoisius at 4.547-64.

This topic focuses on a single simile and relates it to a single aspect of the Iliad ( warfare being a major theme in that work).

Developing a Thesis Statement–Additional information

Your assignment may suggest several ways of looking at a topic, or it may name a fairly general concept that you will explore or analyze in your paper. You’ll want to read your assignment carefully, looking for key terms that you can use to focus your topic.

Sample assignment: Analyze Spain’s neutrality in World War II Key terms: analyze, Spain’s neutrality, World War II

After you’ve identified the key words in your topic, the next step is to read about them in several sources, or generate as much information as possible through an analysis of your topic. Obviously, the more material or knowledge you have, the more possibilities will be available for a strong argument. For the sample assignment above, you’ll want to look at books and articles on World War II in general, and Spain’s neutrality in particular.

As you consider your options, you must decide to focus on one aspect of your topic. This means that you cannot include everything you’ve learned about your topic, nor should you go off in several directions. If you end up covering too many different aspects of a topic, your paper will sprawl and be unconvincing in its argument, and it most likely will not fulfull the assignment requirements.

For the sample assignment above, both Spain’s neutrality and World War II are topics far too broad to explore in a paper. You may instead decide to focus on Franco’s role in the diplomatic relationships between the Allies and the Axis , which narrows down what aspects of Spain’s neutrality and World War II you want to discuss, as well as establishes a specific link between those two aspects.

Before you go too far, however, ask yourself whether your topic is worthy of your efforts. Try to avoid topics that already have too much written about them (i.e., “eating disorders and body image among adolescent women”) or that simply are not important (i.e. “why I like ice cream”). These topics may lead to a thesis that is either dry fact or a weird claim that cannot be supported. A good thesis falls somewhere between the two extremes. To arrive at this point, ask yourself what is new, interesting, contestable, or controversial about your topic.

As you work on your thesis, remember to keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times . Sometimes your thesis needs to evolve as you develop new insights, find new evidence, or take a different approach to your topic.

Derive a main point from topic

Once you have a topic, you will have to decide what the main point of your paper will be. This point, the “controlling idea,” becomes the core of your argument (thesis statement) and it is the unifying idea to which you will relate all your sub-theses. You can then turn this “controlling idea” into a purpose statement about what you intend to do in your paper.

Look for patterns in your evidence

Compose a purpose statement.

Consult the examples below for suggestions on how to look for patterns in your evidence and construct a purpose statement.

• Franco first tried to negotiate with the Axis
• Franco turned to the Allies when he couldn’t get some concessions that he wanted from the Axis

Possible conclusion:

Spain’s neutrality in WWII occurred for an entirely personal reason: Franco’s desire to preserve his own (and Spain’s) power.

Purpose statement

This paper will analyze Franco’s diplomacy during World War II to see how it contributed to Spain’s neutrality.

• The simile compares Simoisius to a tree, which is a peaceful, natural image.
• The tree in the simile is chopped down to make wheels for a chariot, which is an object used in warfare.

At first, the simile seems to take the reader away from the world of warfare, but we end up back in that world by the end.

This paper will analyze the way the simile about Simoisius at 4.547-64 moves in and out of the world of warfare.

Derive purpose statement from topic

To find out what your “controlling idea” is, you have to examine and evaluate your evidence . As you consider your evidence, you may notice patterns emerging, data repeated in more than one source, or facts that favor one view more than another. These patterns or data may then lead you to some conclusions about your topic and suggest that you can successfully argue for one idea better than another.

For instance, you might find out that Franco first tried to negotiate with the Axis, but when he couldn’t get some concessions that he wanted from them, he turned to the Allies. As you read more about Franco’s decisions, you may conclude that Spain’s neutrality in WWII occurred for an entirely personal reason: his desire to preserve his own (and Spain’s) power. Based on this conclusion, you can then write a trial thesis statement to help you decide what material belongs in your paper.

Sometimes you won’t be able to find a focus or identify your “spin” or specific argument immediately. Like some writers, you might begin with a purpose statement just to get yourself going. A purpose statement is one or more sentences that announce your topic and indicate the structure of the paper but do not state the conclusions you have drawn . Thus, you might begin with something like this:

• This paper will look at modern language to see if it reflects male dominance or female oppression.
• I plan to analyze anger and derision in offensive language to see if they represent a challenge of society’s authority.

At some point, you can turn a purpose statement into a thesis statement. As you think and write about your topic, you can restrict, clarify, and refine your argument, crafting your thesis statement to reflect your thinking.

As you work on your thesis, remember to keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times. Sometimes your thesis needs to evolve as you develop new insights, find new evidence, or take a different approach to your topic.

Compose a draft thesis statement

If you are writing a paper that will have an argumentative thesis and are having trouble getting started, the techniques in the table below may help you develop a temporary or “working” thesis statement.

Begin with a purpose statement that you will later turn into a thesis statement.

Assignment: Discuss the history of the Reform Party and explain its influence on the 1990 presidential and Congressional election.

Purpose Statement: This paper briefly sketches the history of the grassroots, conservative, Perot-led Reform Party and analyzes how it influenced the economic and social ideologies of the two mainstream parties.

Question-to-Assertion

If your assignment asks a specific question(s), turn the question(s) into an assertion and give reasons why it is true or reasons for your opinion.

Assignment : What do Aylmer and Rappaccini have to be proud of? Why aren’t they satisfied with these things? How does pride, as demonstrated in “The Birthmark” and “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” lead to unexpected problems?

Beginning thesis statement: Alymer and Rappaccinni are proud of their great knowledge; however, they are also very greedy and are driven to use their knowledge to alter some aspect of nature as a test of their ability. Evil results when they try to “play God.”

Write a sentence that summarizes the main idea of the essay you plan to write.

Main idea: The reason some toys succeed in the market is that they appeal to the consumers’ sense of the ridiculous and their basic desire to laugh at themselves.

Make a list of the ideas that you want to include; consider the ideas and try to group them.

• nature = peaceful
• war matériel = violent (competes with 1?)
• need for time and space to mourn the dead
• war is inescapable (competes with 3?)

Use a formula to arrive at a working thesis statement (you will revise this later).

• although most readers of _______ have argued that _______, closer examination shows that _______.
• _______ uses _______ and _____ to prove that ________.
• phenomenon x is a result of the combination of __________, __________, and _________.

What to keep in mind as you draft an initial thesis statement

Beginning statements obtained through the methods illustrated above can serve as a framework for planning or drafting your paper, but remember they’re not yet the specific, argumentative thesis you want for the final version of your paper. In fact, in its first stages, a thesis statement usually is ill-formed or rough and serves only as a planning tool.

As you write, you may discover evidence that does not fit your temporary or “working” thesis. Or you may reach deeper insights about your topic as you do more research, and you will find that your thesis statement has to be more complicated to match the evidence that you want to use.

You must be willing to reject or omit some evidence in order to keep your paper cohesive and your reader focused. Or you may have to revise your thesis to match the evidence and insights that you want to discuss. Read your draft carefully, noting the conclusions you have drawn and the major ideas which support or prove those conclusions. These will be the elements of your final thesis statement.

Sometimes you will not be able to identify these elements in your early drafts, but as you consider how your argument is developing and how your evidence supports your main idea, ask yourself, “ What is the main point that I want to prove/discuss? ” and “ How will I convince the reader that this is true? ” When you can answer these questions, then you can begin to refine the thesis statement.

Refine and polish the thesis statement

To get to your final thesis, you’ll need to refine your draft thesis so that it’s specific and arguable.

• Ask if your draft thesis addresses the assignment
• Question each part of your draft thesis
• Clarify vague phrases and assertions
• Investigate alternatives to your draft thesis

Consult the example below for suggestions on how to refine your draft thesis statement.

Sample Assignment

Choose an activity and define it as a symbol of American culture. Your essay should cause the reader to think critically about the society which produces and enjoys that activity.

• Ask The phenomenon of drive-in facilities is an interesting symbol of american culture, and these facilities demonstrate significant characteristics of our society.This statement does not fulfill the assignment because it does not require the reader to think critically about society.

Drive-ins are an interesting symbol of American culture because they represent Americans’ significant creativity and business ingenuity.

Among the types of drive-in facilities familiar during the twentieth century, drive-in movie theaters best represent American creativity, not merely because they were the forerunner of later drive-ins and drive-throughs, but because of their impact on our culture: they changed our relationship to the automobile, changed the way people experienced movies, and changed movie-going into a family activity.

While drive-in facilities such as those at fast-food establishments, banks, pharmacies, and dry cleaners symbolize America’s economic ingenuity, they also have affected our personal standards.

While drive-in facilities such as those at fast- food restaurants, banks, pharmacies, and dry cleaners symbolize (1) Americans’ business ingenuity, they also have contributed (2) to an increasing homogenization of our culture, (3) a willingness to depersonalize relationships with others, and (4) a tendency to sacrifice quality for convenience.

This statement is now specific and fulfills all parts of the assignment. This version, like any good thesis, is not self-evident; its points, 1-4, will have to be proven with evidence in the body of the paper. The numbers in this statement indicate the order in which the points will be presented. Depending on the length of the paper, there could be one paragraph for each numbered item or there could be blocks of paragraph for even pages for each one.

Complete the final thesis statement

The bottom line.

As you move through the process of crafting a thesis, you’ll need to remember four things:

• Context matters! Think about your course materials and lectures. Try to relate your thesis to the ideas your instructor is discussing.
• As you go through the process described in this section, always keep your assignment in mind . You will be more successful when your thesis (and paper) responds to the assignment than if it argues a semi-related idea.
• Your thesis statement should be precise, focused, and contestable ; it should predict the sub-theses or blocks of information that you will use to prove your argument.
• Make sure that you keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times. Change your thesis as your paper evolves, because you do not want your thesis to promise more than your paper actually delivers.

In the beginning, the thesis statement was a tool to help you sharpen your focus, limit material and establish the paper’s purpose. When your paper is finished, however, the thesis statement becomes a tool for your reader. It tells the reader what you have learned about your topic and what evidence led you to your conclusion. It keeps the reader on track–well able to understand and appreciate your argument.

Writing Process and Structure

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Getting Started with Your Paper

Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses

Generating Ideas for

Creating an Argument

Thesis vs. Purpose Statements

Architecture of Arguments

Working with Sources

Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources

Using Literary Quotations

Citing Sources in Your Paper

Drafting Your Paper

Generating Ideas for Your Paper

Introductions

Paragraphing

Developing Strategic Transitions

Conclusions

Revising Your Paper

Peer Reviews

Reverse Outlines

Revising an Argumentative Paper

Revision Strategies for Longer Projects

Finishing Your Paper

Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

How to Proofread your Paper

Writing Collaboratively

Collaborative and Group Writing

1:1 Mentorship for Top-30 Masters/MBA Schools

Statement of purpose (SOP) done right! [with Samples]

Statement of Purpose (SOP) or Personal Statement forms a crucial element of the graduate school application process. For the uninitiated, a Statement of Purpose is an essay that introduces YOU to the Admissions Review Committee (AdCom). It contains your accomplishments, career plans, and reasoning of why you think a particular graduate program is the ‘right fit’ for you. 

Nearly every respectable graduate program in the world, be it a Master of Science, Engineering Management, MiM or MBA requires applicants to submit a Statement of Purpose while applying.

The AdComs put a lot of value on a candidate’s SOP, evaluating their ‘intent for applying to that program’ and whether it resonates with the University’s mission and objectives.

Jared Pierce, associate director of enrollment services at Northeastern University, says a strong statement of purpose can be the deciding factor in a graduate student’s admission.

“Your statement of purpose is where you tell your story about who you are and why you deserve to be a part of the [university’s] community. It gives the admissions committee the chance to get to know you and understand how you’ll add value to the classroom,” he says.

Clearly then, you will have to construct your statement of purpose which tells your “story” rather than list out your “achievements”

So, how do the applicants go about writing the SOP? Which experiences are viewed favorably by the AdCom, and what should be avoided. In this blogpost, I touch upon the effective strategies that if adopted, can transform your SOP into your story.

STEP – I: Decoding the types

Let’s start by clearing out a few things about the Statement of Purpose. They go by different names — Personal statement, letter of intent, letter of motivation, mission statement, elevator pitch, video sop…. The list is too long! Each of them serves a different purpose and should be written within the frameworks of the university guidelines.

Perhaps the first step you should do before you start writing your SOP is to prepare an outline and use it as a roadmap.

To be honest, this is not a very popular step with most of the students. They imagine that this “extra” step will add time and complicate their application process when in fact, creating an outline can not only help streamline one’s essay writing but can also go a long way in boosting the resulting essays’ effectiveness.

By organizing your thoughts in the form of short phrases and key terms, you will observe that your story unfolds more easily. Moreover, it also ensures that there are no gaps of information in what you are trying to convey. This translates to a more persuasive final SOP and, in most cases, fewer rounds of editing and revision.

Sample Outline A

• Passion for chess – coaching and playing
• Volunteer activities with Greenpeace 
• Love of Shah Rukh Khan films
• Managing literature conference at IIT, Mumbai
• Love of biking – Sunday bike rides with “team”
• Semester exchange in France 
• Travel to 21 countries – Iceland, Russia and Peru highlights
• Close relationship with grandma
• Budding love of cooking
• Love of Mumbai

Once a sample outline has been prepared, it is now easier to construct a structure for the statement of purpose.  

STEP – II: Break it down

Building upon the outline, each SOP needs to be structured so that it logically fits in the narrative.

Many clients that we have encountered confuse ‘structure’ with ‘chronology’. When asked to write a draft of the essay, they present their achievements in chronological order, thinking that this will give the essay a proper structure.

However, your experiences and how they have translated and shaped you into what you are today, may or may not be chronological. Thus, you have to start your essay with the most significant one and connect the dots from there.

The Admissions Review Committee is looking out for very specific things in your application. Unless you break it down, it will be an arduous task to explain them your story. And no one wants a confused AdCom guy in their life.

What is the Admission Committee looking for?

The simple answer would be – what makes you, YOU.

But if only things were so simple. What they are really looking for is how you fit into the overall scheme of things at the University.

Broadly, there are 5 factors they are trying to evaluate you on:

– Why have you applied for that particular program?

– What kind of skills do you have to succeed in that program?

– How do you want to leverage your university connections to network and contribute to the school community?

– How are your professional goals aligned with the program outcomes?

– Why are you the ‘best fit’ for the university?

Your statement of purpose or letter of motivation should talk in brief about all these points.

Even for the most practiced of writers, crafting a successful application essay can be an uphill task. So, trust us on this – Most of the SOPs that we read make us go….

Ideating and then organizing thoughts into outlines for essays will facilitate this process, as we illustrated in Part 1 of this guide, and now we will offer a few basic steps that will help you create and refine your drafts.

STEP- III: Tell your story

As we discussed it earlier, your statement of purpose is not merely an instrument to present facts from your life to the AdCom. Infact, it’s a platform to tell your story. Of who you are, and how has your experiences shaped you. You should therefore focus on narrative writing (which primarily describes) rather than expository writing (which primarily explains). In a narrative, the central facts about a situation are not just bluntly introduced, but are presented in a way that lets them speak for themselves and paint a rounded picture of an experience.

Consider the following examples:

My upbringing in a family full of entrepreneurs made me acquainted to data analytics early in life. When I supported my father’s organization, where they manually used to analyze data and predict delivery date & raw material ordering, I helped them develop an automated system with the use of pivot tables and slicers, that can be used together to visualize data and create easy to use dashboards.

Coming from a business background and having an undergrad degree in Information Technology, it was only natural for me to have a formidable combination of – entrepreneurial streak and technical expertise. My formative years were spent engaging in insightful dining table discussions with my father, pertaining to our business-related products and services. As a result, I was presented with several opportunities to understand the legal, commercial and technical aspects of our business. However, the opportunities that I loved most were the technically challenging ones that had the potential to impact our business positively. One such opportunity that I got was to review and remodel our existing data management system, which had severe limitations in terms of performance and scalability.

Which one of the above example do you think creates a more compelling image of the person you are reading about?

While example A is vague in terms of details, example B has a lot of specifics. It creates a holistic picture of the candidate and evokes imagery for the reader, which is more compelling. Thus, leaving out important details is detrimental to the health of the essay.

STEP – IV: Connect the dots

A good story is as good as its parts. Details, which are crucial to the development of the story, if left out does not reveal the entire picture and leaves the readers confused.

As you write your essay drafts, check each sentence to make sure that it includes a key part of the story you are telling. If you can remove a sentence and your essay still makes sense, that line is unnecessary and should remain deleted. However, if your narrative suddenly becomes unclear, that is your proof that the sentence in question is not superfluous and that you are on your way to creating a profoundly connected narrative.

Having a keen interest in operations research motivated me to work on my bachelor’s thesis: Efficient utilization of weight and volume capacity of a fleet of goods containers. The objective here is to build an algorithmic model for transportation of goods, cargoes, and shipments by utilizing the maximum load and volume capacity of the containers. The study is being carried out with a view to enabling the freight companies in reducing cost and enhancing operational efficiency. I have identified the constraints posed such as categorization of goods according to their suitability, shortest route according to the consignments, delivery of goods within the prescribed time, maximizing the profit and providing customer satisfaction, and successfully developed a mathematical model for the intercity transport, using shortest route and minimum cost per volume using traveling salesman and transportation concepts. Moreover, I am also trying to implement algorithm theory and computational complexity theory to solve the combinatorial problem considering the constraints faced.

Notice how the dots are getting connected.

1st sentence – Having a keen …. – Provides a justification to work on the bachelor’s thesis in Operations Research based on the interest of the applicant.

2nd sentence – The objective here is to build an algorithmic model…. – Clears the aim of the the project and gives idea to the AdCom about the scope of the project.

3rd sentence – The study is being carried out …. – End goal of the project is described.

4th sentence – I have identified the constraints… – talks about problem/constraint identification that the student is trying to resolve

… and successfully developed a mathematical model… -highlights the solution to the given constraints.

Leaving out any sentence written in this paragraph would be eliminating a key detail, and thus will confuse the reader about the project. In short, the story will be difficult to follow.

STEP – V: Create a ‘hook’ in the Introduction paragraph

Sometimes the most difficult part of writing a strong essay is determining the best way to start it. Even when you have a strong outline in hand, crafting those first few words or phrases can be challenging. To help you over this hurdle, we offer a few strategies for beginning your essays.

Maintaining a mystery

This is one of the best ways to grab the attention of the AdCom.

There are only a few rare moments in life, interspersed within our chaotic daily routines, during which we find our true calling. And those moments generally come like a blitzkrieg, inspiring us to make choices which define who we eventually become. I encountered one such moment, as a part of my internship with Bless Foundation, an NGO which strives to alleviate the sufferings of the underprivileged.

(Selected at University of South California, MS in Computer Science).

Do people shape cities or do cities shape people? Irrespective of the order of transformation, I am of the belief that city landscapes impact our daily lives in a significant way.

(Selected at TU Delft, MS in Architecture)

While watching the digitally remastered and coloured version of 1960 Bollywood classic ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, then shot in monochrome, I realised that I was less concerned about the cinematic brilliance but more about certain stats I read about the movie.

(Selected at Cornell University, MPS program in Applied Statistics)

The main stage was set while I enthusiastically waited in the crowd for Guns N’ Roses to surface from behind the spotlight. It was an absolute dream for me to witness the band live in concert, after having grown up and getting inspired by Slash and his musical eccentricities. As they emerged on stage and plucked the first strings, I was transported in a trance of hedonistic pleasure. Surprisingly, it was not the music that had the greatest influence that night.

(Selected at Stanford, MS in Computer Science)

In all of the above examples, the first few lines draw the reader into the essay and make him ask the question, what happens next? This approach is a sure shot way to indulge the AdCom into reading your application in full.

Strictly avoid: Clichés

Let’s be honest here. The AdCom knows when clichés are coming. And no one likes them. Consider this for example:

Being an ardent fan of the Marvel Universe, I believe that if we have the thirst for knowledge, ability to rectify the errors and better our skillset like Ironman and if we have grit, perseverance and will to do good for the mankind like Captain America, then we can win any battle and achieve something great. I tried to follow these ideologies while working on all my projects and technical papers.

My profound interest in mathematics, computers, and problem-solving became the basis for furthering a career in Computer science. In order to broaden my horizons of technical acumen, I joined Oracle after completing my undergrad. This allowed me to develop a clearer vision about pursuing a career in my field of Software Engineering.

It’s safe to say that introductions like these should be avoided at all costs as they have been read by the AdCom a million times. You don’t want to be the million plus one candidate.

Lead with your best

When you are pitching your application to the AdCom, it is highly recommended that you start your essays with your most compelling experience. Do not follow a template of chronological detailing of your academic records and professional achievements. Show your best foot forward. You do not always have to outline your history to create context for your narrative.

Example A (Student Version of her internship)

Due to these rewarding experiences and key learnings acquired from projects, I secured a position as a Developer at Barclays India, which has been exhilarating from the onset. In a span of four months, I underwent intensive training in several technologies like Java, JavaScript, Embedded JavaScript, Spring Framework, Servlets etc.

Example B (Gradsmiths version)

At Barcalays, internship not only meant exposition to multimillion-dollar client portfolio, but also getting intensive training in tools like Java, JavaScript, Embedded JavaScript, Spring Framework, and Servlets.

Example A exhibits significant backstory, but the most important parts that she learned new technologies was mentioned after the third line. In example B, this happens right in the second line, and is smartly packaged for the reader.

This introduction—just one sentence long, rather than four—introduces the reader to the individual’s high- level position right away and is therefore much more compelling and effective.

Step – VI: Don’t put extra information in your essays

Although it seems to be a no brainer, most students end up doing this. They provide irrelevant information in their essay, which makes it a boring read.

Consider this:

My final year project was ‘Analysis and Design of a high rise building with R.C Shear wall’. This project was done by 4 undergrads. In the initial phase, a 3-storied building is designed in ETABS software using Dead and Live load. In the next phase a 15-storied building with shear walls considering Earthquake and wind load is designed under G. A. Bhilare Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Pune. Seismic design parameters like story drift, lateral displacement was studied and shear forces, axial forces, bending moment were interpreted. This project increased my understanding of ETABS and improved my skills .

In the example above, there are too many details like the no. of storey of the building and name of the consultants, which are not required. It adds on to the word count and makes it a slow-developing paragraph.

Revised version

To gain more understanding of structures and the mechanics of forces at play, my final year project focused on the analysis and design of a high rise building with R.C Shear wall. In association with three other undergrads, we worked to design a 3-storied building, followed by its higher version in ETABS software using Dead and Live load. Carefully monitoring the shear walls considering Earthquake and wind load, we studied Seismic design parameters like story drift, lateral displacement. All this culminated under a sponsored industry project in collaboration with top architects of the city. This experience helped me to analyse complex structural models with loads, and design them in the most sustainable way, a skill which I am confident will prove beneficial during my graduate studies.

Step VII: Honour the word limit

Although we can assure you that no one will toss your application in the trash if your essays exceed the school’s stated word limits a little, in general, sticking as closely as possible to these limits is the best plan. Doing so indicates to the admissions committee not only that you pay attention to and can follow directions (which reflects positively on you as a potential student who will be required to follow numerous guidelines throughout the course of the MS program) but also that you are willing to put in the work required to convey your story effectively within the stated parameters. Also, you show respect for the school as well as for the admissions readers, who must sort through thousands of essays each week. A good rule of thumb is to not surpass the school’s requested word count by more than 5%, though of course, the fewer extra words you include, the better—and minimizing any risk of a negative impression resulting from exceeding the set word count is best.

Step VIII: Answer the question

This is our most obvious rule yet, but one that must be stated nonetheless: make sure that you answer the question the school is asking. Sometimes candidates possess a great story and really want to “spin” it for a particular essay prompt. Other times, applicants work and rework an essay so much that when they are done, they do not realize that they have changed their initial story entirely and the resulting essay no longer addresses the school’s question. Not answering the question is one of the admissions committees’ biggest peeves. In addition to indicating an ability to follow directions on your part (if not an outright attempt to withhold information), not answering the question asked means that you have not provided the information the admissions committee is specifically seeking and needs. So, regularly revisit the essay prompts as you revise your essays, ensuring that you are on track and providing a topical response.

Step IX: Customize your responses

It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to customize your essays for your choice of University. Many a times, we have seen that one SOP is sent to 5 different universities, with just a few line changes.

To us, this is a very easy and a lazy approach to essay drafting. Moreover, the AdCom through their years of experience of reading SOPs figure out whether you have followed a template or not.

Your short and long term goals should be aligned with the research areas and expertise of the University. AdCom loves to see how the university can help you realize your personal and professional milestones.

A common point of contention among students is whether or not to include the names of professors. In our opinion, you should go beyond name-dropping and identify key research areas where you would like to work. This creates a better representation of your academic interest and underlines your motivation to apply for the program.

It is important to understand that the AdCom is looking for unique and interesting candidates, who contribute to the campus and community. Thus, desire to work in student clubs, campus organizations, or community service is viewed positively. It shows that you have a multi-dimensional personality and go beyond your academic interests. Another quirky thing to add is why the location of the college is important to you and your goals. It can be the vibrant startup culture of the place, proximity to tech centers or Silicon Valley, or even the music vibe of the place.

Step X: Read, Re-read, Proofread. Repeat.

If you have followed all the steps above, and drafted your statement of purpose, great work done! Now will be a good time to send it to your friends, relatives, colleagues, and anywould who would care to read it.

You will amazed at how many grammatical errors get discovered. And we don’t even want to get started on the formatting bits.

Your goal, before sending out your statement of purpose should be to make it as error-proof as possible. This can be achieved by proofreading it multiple times to check for nasty little bits of flaws that hides furtively behind the pompous words and achievements.

The Statement of Purpose is perhaps the hardest thing you will encounter during your application stage.

The good news is that the process does not seem so overwhelming when you break it down into simple, actionable steps as described above.

At Gradsmiths, we have come across more than a thousand essays and SOPs, some brilliant while some total disasters. What really saddened us was that the same mistakes were being repeated in every other document, which motivated us to compile these steps that we follow into this post to draft an awesome statement of purpose.

Statement of Purpose (Samples and formats)

Statement of Purpose that got accepted to UPenn MS in Computer Science

Sample Statement of Purpose that got accepted to MS in Mechanical Engineering, Arizona State University

Statement of Purpose that got accepted to Cornell University’s Engineering Management program

Enjoyed the blog? Why not drop in your e-mail address below, and we send more such tips and strategies straight to your mailbox.

WE DON’T SPAM.

If you have got the time, do check out our FREE E-book on ‘Biggest Mistakes you make in your resume’. It contains some super pointers on how to modify your resume and make it fit for a graduate school application.

Interested in talking to a Gradsmiths expert on how to go about your essays? Book your calendar here.

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How to write a thesis statement + examples

What is a thesis statement?

Is a thesis statement a question, how do you write a good thesis statement, how do i know if my thesis statement is good, examples of thesis statements, helpful resources on how to write a thesis statement, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement, related articles.

A thesis statement is the main argument of your paper or thesis.

The thesis statement is one of the most important elements of any piece of academic writing . It is a brief statement of your paper’s main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about.

You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the question with new information and not just restate or reiterate it.

Your thesis statement is part of your introduction. Learn more about how to write a good thesis introduction in our introduction guide .

A thesis statement is not a question. A statement must be arguable and provable through evidence and analysis. While your thesis might stem from a research question, it should be in the form of a statement.

Tip: A thesis statement is typically 1-2 sentences. For a longer project like a thesis, the statement may be several sentences or a paragraph.

A good thesis statement needs to do the following:

• Condense the main idea of your thesis into one or two sentences.
• Answer your project’s main research question.
• Clearly state your position in relation to the topic .
• Make an argument that requires support or evidence.

Once you have written down a thesis statement, check if it fulfills the following criteria:

• Your statement needs to be provable by evidence. As an argument, a thesis statement needs to be debatable.
• Your statement needs to be precise. Do not give away too much information in the thesis statement and do not load it with unnecessary information.
• Your statement cannot say that one solution is simply right or simply wrong as a matter of fact. You should draw upon verified facts to persuade the reader of your solution, but you cannot just declare something as right or wrong.

As previously mentioned, your thesis statement should answer a question.

If the question is:

What do you think the City of New York should do to reduce traffic congestion?

A good thesis statement restates the question and answers it:

In this paper, I will argue that the City of New York should focus on providing exclusive lanes for public transport and adaptive traffic signals to reduce traffic congestion by the year 2035.

Here is another example. If the question is:

How can we end poverty?

A good thesis statement should give more than one solution to the problem in question:

In this paper, I will argue that introducing universal basic income can help reduce poverty and positively impact the way we work.

• The Writing Center of the University of North Carolina has a list of questions to ask to see if your thesis is strong .

A thesis statement is part of the introduction of your paper. It is usually found in the first or second paragraph to let the reader know your research purpose from the beginning.

In general, a thesis statement should have one or two sentences. But the length really depends on the overall length of your project. Take a look at our guide about the length of thesis statements for more insight on this topic.

Here is a list of Thesis Statement Examples that will help you understand better how to write them.

Every good essay should include a thesis statement as part of its introduction, no matter the academic level. Of course, if you are a high school student you are not expected to have the same type of thesis as a PhD student.

Here is a great YouTube tutorial showing How To Write An Essay: Thesis Statements .

How To Write a Statement of Purpose for Graduate School

Congratulations! You’ve chosen a graduate program , read up on tips for applying to grad school , and even written a focused grad school resumé . But if you’re like many students, you’ve left the most daunting part of the application process for last—writing a statement of purpose. The good news is that the task doesn’t have to feel so overwhelming, as long as you break the process down into simple, actionable steps. Below, learn how to write a strong, unique statement of purpose that will impress admissions committees and increase your chances of getting into your dream school.

What is a statement of purpose?

A statement of purpose (SOP), sometimes referred to as a personal statement, is a critical piece of a graduate school application that tells admissions committees who you are, what your academic and professional interests are, and how you’ll add value to the graduate program you’re applying to.

Jared Pierce, former associate director of enrollment services at Northeastern University, says a strong statement of purpose can be the deciding factor in a graduate student’s admission.  

“Your statement of purpose is where you tell your story about who you are and why you deserve to be a part of the [university’s] community. It gives the admissions committee the chance to get to know you and understand how you’ll add value to the classroom,” he says.

How long should a statement of purpose be? “A statement of purpose should be between 500 and 1,000 words,” Pierce says, noting that it should typically not exceed a single page. He advises that students use a traditional font at a readable size (11 or 12 points) and leave enough white space in the margins to make the statement easy to read. Make sure to double-space the statement if the university has requested it, he adds. 

How to write a statement of purpose: a step-by-step guide

Now that you understand how to format a statement of purpose, you can begin drafting your own. Getting started can feel daunting, but Pierce suggests making the process more manageable by breaking down the writing process into four easy steps.

1. Brainstorm your ideas.

First, he says, try to reframe the task at hand and get excited for the opportunity to write your statement of purpose. 

“Throughout the application process, you’re afforded few opportunities to address the committee directly,” he explains. “Here is your chance to truly speak directly to them. Each student arrives at this process with a unique story, including prior jobs, volunteer experience, or undergraduate studies. Think about what makes you you and start outlining.”

When writing your statement of purpose, Pierce suggests asking yourself these key questions:

• Why do I want this degree?
• What are my expectations for this degree?
• What courses or program features excite me the most?
• Where do I want this degree to take me, professionally and personally?
• How will my unique professional and personal experiences add value to the program?

Jot these responses down to get your initial thoughts on paper. This will act as your starting point for creating an outline and writing your first draft.

2. Develop an outline.

Next, you’ll want to take the ideas that you’ve identified during the brainstorming process and plug them into an outline that will guide your writing. 

An effective outline for your statement of purpose might look something like this:

• An attention-grabbing hook
• A brief introduction of yourself and your background as it relates to your motivation behind applying to graduate school 
• Your professional goals as they relate to the program
• Why you’re interested in the specific school and what you can bring to the table
• A brief summary of the information presented in the body that emphasizes your qualifications and compatibility with the school

An outline like the one above will give you a roadmap to follow so that your statement of purpose is well organized and concise. 

3. Write the first draft.

Your statement of purpose should communicate who you are and why you are interested in a particular program, but it also needs to be positioned in a way that differentiates you from other applicants. 

Admissions professionals already have your transcripts, resumé, and test scores; the statement of purpose is your chance to tell your story in your own words.

When you begin drafting content, make sure to:

• Provide insight into what drives you , whether that’s professional advancement, personal growth, or both.
• Demonstrate your interest in the school by addressing the unique features of the program that interest you most. For Northeastern, he says, maybe it’s experiential learning; you’re excited to tackle real-world projects in your desired industry. Or perhaps it’s learning from faculty who are experts in your field of study.
• Be yourself. It helps to keep your audience in mind while writing, but don’t forget to let your personality shine through. It’s important to be authentic when writing your statement to show the admissions committee who you are and why your unique perspective will add value to the program.

4. Edit and refine your work.

Before you submit your statement of purpose:

• Make sure you’ve followed all directions thoroughly , including requirements about margins, spacing, and font size.
• Proofread carefully for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Remember that a statement of purpose should be between 500 and 1,000 words. If you’ve written far more than this, read through your statement again and edit for clarity and conciseness. Less is often more; articulate your main points strongly and get rid of any “clutter.”
• Walk away and come back later with a fresh set of eyes. Sometimes your best ideas come when you’re not sitting and staring at your computer.
• Ask someone you trust to read your statement before you submit it.

Making a lasting impression

Your statement of purpose can leave a lasting impression if done well, Pierce says. It provides you with the opportunity to highlight your unique background and skills so that admissions professionals understand why you’re the ideal candidate for the program that you’re applying to. If nothing else, stay focused on what you uniquely bring to the classroom, the program, and the campus community. If you do that, you’ll excel.

To learn more tricks and tips for submitting an impressive graduate school application, explore our related grad school success articles .

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Editor’s note: This article was originally published in March 2017. It has since been updated for thoroughness and accuracy.

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15 Winning Graduate School Statement of Purpose Examples

Featured Expert: Dr. Shiti Malhotra, PhD

Here’re the top 15 graduate school statement of purpose examples that got their writers accepted! In this article, you will learn how to increase your chances of getting into graduate school by submitting a statement of purpose that stands out among thousands! Let’s get started! 

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free initial consultation here <<

Article Contents 12 min read

Graduate school statement of purpose example #1, this graduate school statement of purpose got 5 acceptances.

“Architecture is the will of an epoch translated into space.” I was 16 when I first read this quote by Mies van der Rohe, and, back then, I thought I really understood what it meant. Thinking of this quote one summer evening, as I walked around my beloved New York City, I was inspired to commit to a future in architecture. At that early stage, I cherished romantic ideals of designing grandiose buildings that would change a city; of adding my name to the list of architectural geniuses who had immortalized their vision of the world in concrete, steel, glass, and stone. It was in college that I became passionately interested in the theoretical design and engineering concepts that form the basis of architecture, while also exploring in greater detail the sociological and economic impact of architecture.

The true breakthrough for me took place in my sophomore year of college, when I was volunteering at The Bowery Mission, a women’s shelter situated in Queens, New York. The shelter was in a poorly ventilated building, with an essentially non-functioning air conditioning system. The little bit of relief for the people who stayed there was a small park nearby, a patch of green between suffocating buildings. One day when I was working the afternoon shift there in the peak of summer, I looked out to see bulldozers in the park. It was being torn up to make room for yet another building. I saw that completed building a year later – a grey block of steel that did not utilize any of the original park space. Witnessing this injustice, while learning every day about how climatology, materials technology, and engineering mechanics intersect with urban planning and architectural design, ignited a passion for sustainable design in me. [BeMo2] How can we, as architects, minimize our harm to communities and eco-systems? How can we design buildings with a view to sustain long-term energy and resource efficiency without sacrificing immediate economic viability? What are the eco-conscious solutions that architects can put forward to address the environmental changes of the 21st century? These were the questions that plagued me then and I have pursued the answers to these questions throughout my academic career so far.

I found the answers to some of these questions in the robust curriculum I pursued at ABC College of Architecture, New York. I took up advanced coursework in Engineering Mechanics, Surveying, Soil Mechanics, Steel Structures, Model Making etc. which helped me hone my technical skills. As my interest in sustainable architecture developed, I became curious about the social and anthropological impact of architecture. I studied Art History, African American Literature, Anthropology, and Cultures of Ancient Greece, which helped me develop a deeper understanding of the socio-ecological impact of architecture and ethical responsibilities of architects. With this strong background of academic exploration, my architectural philosophy continued to evolve. I became interested in cutting-edge design techniques and their application to sustainable design. In my junior year at college, I participated in the New Dimensions of Architecture conference held in New York City, presenting my own paper on “Analyzing the Implications of the Weiszman Design Theory for the Sustainable Architecture of the Future”. In fact, it was at this conference that I met Professor Richard Wright, the esteemed architect and professor emeritus at the Architecture department of XYZ University. Talking with him was one of the most enlightening moments of my life. We discussed our shared passion for ecologically efficient and socially cohesive architectural solutions, and he introduced me to the works of Leonard Nieman, Mary Andrews, and other cutting-edge green architecture firms that are making a real contribution to ecologically sustainable urban planning.

In fact, the possibility of learning from and working directly with Professor Wright is one of my main reasons to seek admission into your M.Arch program. His innovative design theories have a tremendous potential for sustainable architecture solutions. I would love to learn from him and collaborate with him to continue to explore my interest in these topics. I am also deeply interested in the scope of studies afforded by your wide-ranging curriculum that focuses on the latest architectural innovations as well as socio-economic evolutions in architecture. Moreover, for a budding green architect, nothing is more attractive than your quarterly line-up of seminars and conferences that frequently feature the names of the architects at the forefront of design innovation. With my strong academic background in both the technical and socio-economic aspects of architecture, and my focused passion on sustainable architectural solutions for the future, I think I am a perfect candidate for your master’s program. This education is exactly what I need to launch me into the next phase of my career, where I hope to gain experience at one of New York’s top green architecture firms, working on problems of low-budget housing, eco-friendly factory designs, and organic city planning. Eventually, I hope to specialize in sustainable, low-budget urban planning for socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.

It’s funny to think how far I’ve come from my early romanticized ideals of what it meant to be an architect. Those sunset walks around New York city from my teenage years, surrounded by the works of Mies van der Rohe and Rem Koolhas, inspired in me an awe for the cultural power an architect can wield. It was an early lesson that a building can both represent and transform spaces. Today when I walk around my beloved city, what I see are the innumerable missed architectural opportunities to organically inhabit and improve any given space with sustainable design. And now, when I consider Mies van der Rohe’s famous quote, I no longer think of my own petty will or the limited scope of individual genius; I think of the will of an entire generation committed to saving our planet with teamwork, collaboration, and true passion, and how grateful I am to be a part of this generation of architects. (998 words).

Click here to read this grad school statement of purpose example.

Graduate School Statement of Purpose Example #3 - Public Health

Graduate school statement of purpose example #4 - history, graduate school statement of purpose example #5 - anthropology, graduate school statement of purpose example #6 - mechanical engineering, graduate school statement of purpose example #7 - religious studies, graduate school statement of purpose example #8 - international relations, graduate school statement of purpose example #9 - social work, graduate school statement of purpose example #10 - petroleum engineering, graduate school statement of purpose example #11 - public health, graduate school statement of purpose example #12 - education, graduate school statement of purpose example #13 - bioethics, graduate school statement of purpose example #14 - musicology, graduate school statement of purpose example #15 - nuclear engineering.

A graduate school statement of purpose provides the admissions committee with a way of understanding more about you as an applicant and is a very common graduate school requirement . This essay gives them the opportunity to assess your suitability for their particular program and institution.

A statement of purpose is not a cover letter or a resume , although it contains elements of both. Finding the right fit between an applicant and a graduate program is crucial for both parties, and your statement of purpose is your opportunity to explain to the admissions committee why you believe this graduate program is right for you. 

“I found the graduate school statement of purpose to be the hardest application component, as I was not sure which experience to include and which to exclude. Additionally, it was difficult to know how to present me as a unique candidate; someone who will be a good fit for the graduate program. My biggest advice for writing the statement of purpose is to keep a balance between academic and non-academic aspects of your background.” – Dr. Shiti Malhotra, Ph.D.

With this in mind, it is important to use the statement of purpose as a way of showcasing what led you to graduate school and your chosen program, and what you hope to achieve if accepted. Here’s a quick list of what should be included in your grad school statement of purpose:

• Why you are pursuing a PhD, Master's, or other graduate school program
• Why you are interested in a field more generally and the program specifically
• How you have prepared yourself academically and professionally for a career in this field
• What you will contribute to the program
• Your future career goals and how the program will help you achieve them

How to Write a Graduate School Statement of Purpose

You need to lay some groundwork before you even start drafting your statement of purpose. Here are the steps you need to take to prepare yourself.

#1 Set Aside the Time

Just as many other aspects of the graduate school timeline , preparing and writing a statement of purpose is not a quick undertaking. Since the statement of purpose itself will also require several drafts before reaching its final form, always keep in mind that this is not something to leave to the last minute!

Ideally, you should give yourself 6-8 weeks to write your statement. You will not be working on it every day, but you should leave lots of time to send out drafts to others and to give yourself a break from the writing process to come back with fresh ideas.

If you are currently in school or have a full-time job it may make sense to start this process even earlier to ensure you don’t rush.

#2 Research Your School and Program

Visit the school’s website and pay close attention to any mission statements or values that are stated. Visit the pages dedicated to your department and program of choice to glean clues regarding their academic culture. Key things to research are: faculty that align with your research interests, specialized equipment or institutes that are of interest to you, and areas of expertise or targeted areas of growth that you could contribute to. Not only will this come in handy while writing your SOP, but this research will be useful down the road for answering questions in your grad school interview . 

#3 Brainstorm How and Why You Would Fit into the School and Program

It’s not enough to want to attend a particular school just because of their good reputation or nice location. While learning about your program of choice and its faculty, you should be constantly reflecting upon how and why you would fit in as a member of that community.

Think about what you can contribute to the school and how the program will help you achieve your career goals. Remember that graduate school is a both an academic and a professional program. Schools want excellent academics who will excel in their programs, but they also want students who are willing to learn and have something to gain from graduate school.

You can review common grad school interview questions such as “why do you want to do a PhD?” or “Tell me about yourself” when trying to brainstorm ideas. 

If during your research you have discovered a faculty member whose work sounds intriguing to you, reach out to them to introduce yourself. Forming a direct connection with a faculty member could significantly boost your candidacy, especially if the faculty member is willing to supervise you or write you a graduate school recommendation letter . Plus, you can mention your interest in their research in your statement:

"My advice for writing [a statement of purpose] is to always include some specific faculty members and their research that was interesting to you. Look into their research! Find some recent publications that you can offer some ideas for!” – Dr. Hanlin Liu, PhD, University of Toronto

#5 make a list of any requirements.

Every program is unique. Make sure you understand the specifics of what they are looking for, e.g. length, emphasis, any required formatting guidelines. Many graduate schools will provide prompts to make your writing process easier.

Make sure to read the prompt carefully, as they provide clues as to what the admissions committee expects to see in your statement. Grad schools can receive many applications and you don’t want yours to be weeded out early because you make a simple mistake.

#6 Choose Experiences to Include

“the hardest part was narrowing down my experiences into a concise impactful narrative. the biggest advice for a sop is to highlight specific experiences that align with the specific program/research you are applying for.” – dr. reem sabry, phd.

To make this process simpler, make a short list of which experiences and achievements you would especially like to highlight in your statement. Ideally, include 1 to 3 experiences in your SOP. Note down specific examples of achievements you want to highlight. Make sure your experiences reflect WHY you are pursuing a graduate degree.

Make sure the experiences you choose align with the program’s mission and culture. Think of your accomplishments and strengths in relation to what you know about the school. Do they value research? Share your top undergraduate research experience . Does the program tout the importance of community? Discuss any community service you have participated in. 

How to Structure Your Graduate School Statement of Purpose

When you are ready to write, take a moment to review the length requirements. A statement of purpose is typically between 500 to 1,000 words long.

The statement of purpose should have a clear introduction, main body, and conclusion. Going through each section we can give you tips on how to make sure your statement of purpose gets you accepted!

Introduction:

You need to grab your reader’s attention. Start with a compelling first sentence: choose an anecdote, a quotation, or jolt the reader with a gripping personal fact. Your opening statement would make a reader stay with you to the end.

The second half of your introduction should provide a brief snapshot of what you will cover in greater detail in the main body of your statement.

If you find yourself struggling to write your introduction, set it aside until you have written the body and conclusion of your statement, since you will then know how the introduction could tie it all together.

The main body of your statement should highlight 1-3 formative experiences that led you to grad school. Avoid making your statement of purpose just another grad school CV – you need to create a narrative!

The amount of detail you go into will depend on the program and whether or not you are applying to a masters or a PhD . Make sure you tailor your statement of purpose to the program you are applying to. The more research-intensive your program is, the more research should be included. Whereas if you are applying to an MBA program you might want to emphasize your professional experience.

Remember, it’s more important to show why you are a great candidate, rather than simply talk about it.

Conclusion:

Your conclusion needs to tie everything together and should leave the reader wanting to know more about you. Try to leave your reader with one last compelling thought or insight as you reflect upon what enrolling in the program would mean to you.

You could speak about the current challenges faced by experts in your discipline, and your own eagerness to become more involved in contributing to the field.

Otherwise, your conclusion might also be a good place to address your future career plans. You could end by specifying how the program will help you achieve your professional goals such as working in the industry after academia , especially if you can link it a specific aspect of the program itself.

Be prepared to write and re-write your statement as many times as necessary! Carefully review your statement after every draft to look for areas you could improve or elements you might need to add or replace. ","label":"Important Note:","title":"Important Note:"}]" code="tab6" template="BlogArticle">

Checklist for Submitting Your Statement of Purpose

Click here for the checklist..

---------------------------------------------

A strong statement of purpose offers a compelling narrative about your interests, abilities, and experiences, to show the committee that you are a strong applicant and the right fit for their institution and graduate program.

A graduate school statement of purpose usually ranges between 500 and 1,000 words in length. Be sure to check the specific requirements stated by the program as you prepare to apply.

A graduate school statement of purpose should contain an introduction, a main body based on 2 or 3 experiences, and a conclusion. Your statement should be clearly written and well-organized to help the reader follow the flow of your narrative.

A statement of purpose should include four main elements: your research interests in your chosen field, your academic and professional preparation, and your career plans. 

No! While they may have similar components, a research interest statement is a more specific document that only mentions research, while your SOP may include a more holistic view of yourself.

You must never plagiarize your statement of purpose. Avoid using clichés and tired phrasing to keep your writing original and fresh. It is also important to favor clarity over artfulness, so be sure to avoid using overly-fancy language so that the focus is always on the substance of what you’re saying. Also avoid technical or overly specialized language unless absolutely necessary, and be sure to define any technical or specialized terms that you must use.

Yes, your statement of purpose should be tailored to each program you apply to. However, you can use the main structure and likely some of the experiences and examples between schools.

Yes! Graduate school, more so than other professional schools, is all about individual fit to a program. It is important to showcase your unique abilities and fit for the program in your statement of purpose.

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Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions, 19 comments.

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Ablie! Thank you for your comment! We are glad you found this helpful!

Ayman Alfadil

Thanks a lot for your information. If my intended field of Ph.D. research is quite different from my previous research experiences, what am I suppose to do to link my previous interest with the new one? and Is it possible to have feedback on my writing?

Hello Ayman! Thank you for this wonderful question! It is not a problem that your previous research experience is not related to your new PhD interest. Even if they are not related in theme, it is important to showcase how your previous research experience honed your skills as a researcher. Demonstrate that the expertise that you acquired throughout your research history can be easily translated into this new field. Do not forget to give the admissions committee some sense of how you got interested in this new field, but it is not a problem that you decided to switch disciplines/interests. And of course we can help you with feedback on your writing. Please contact us for a free initial consultation (https://bemoacademicconsulting.com/Contact-Us.php) and we can discuss how we can help you make your statement the best it can be.

Ayman Alfadil, you are the winner of our weekly draw. Please email us by the end of the day tomorrow (June 19) at content[at]bemoacademicconsulting.com from the same email address you used to leave your comment to claim your prize!

Joana Smith

This is indeed the best Statement of purpose ever ,I love everything written here! It has really help me thank you!!!

Hello Joana! Thanks for your comment! We are glad you enjoyed this article!

Asra Tabassum

Hi...I want the sample for statement of purpose (for masters) where the student changes his filed/background/majors from science to IT... Atleast one sample which helps me to write my own. Thank you.

Hi Asra! Thanks for your comment and suggestion! We will try adding this kind of example as soon as possible!

Segun Abiri

I am so much in love with the way you make a big and difficult task simple. As a practitioner in adult education in Nigeria with over 6 years of experience, I intend to further my experience by having a Masters program in Canada. Problem is, my first degree is not in education, but Arts - Philosophy. I hope to scale through. Thank you for this great write ups.

Hi Segun! Thanks so much for your comment! We are glad you enjoyed the article. When you apply to a Master's program in Education, you do not need to have an undergrad degree in education. Your first degree in liberal arts will be a perfect fit for an Education graduate degree. Good luck and let us know if we can help you any further!

Chika happiness nwachukwu

Hi,indeed is the best statement of purpose ever,please I want the sample for statement of intents for masters,where the student changes his field,background/ majors from accounting education to educational foundations that will help me write my own. Thank you.

Hello Chika! Thanks for your comment! We will keep your request in mind when we update this blog! Thanks!

Hi, I wonder if you can only help me with SOP edits? Thanks.

Hello Bob! We can absolutely help you! Please contact us here https://bemoacademicconsulting.com/Contact-Us.php to schedule your free initial consultation.

Nwabueze Kewulezi

Hi, this is the best article on SOP I have read. Please, I need your advice. I am very passionate about teaching. I studied English, but my M.A. thesis is related to pragmatic. How do I relate both to my deep flare for education?

Hello Nwabueze! Thanks for your comment. Try to reflect on what connects your educational and professional background to teaching? Just because your MA thesis is not related to education, it does not mean that it cannot inform your love for teaching. Try making connections between your experience in the MA and what you want to do next. Hope this helps!

Samuel Frimpong

Can i get samples of these write-ups in Music?

Hello Smuela! Thanks for your comment. When we update the blog, we will make sure to keep your request in mind.

Chisa Amadi

Good morning, please I want to start up personal statement but don't seem to know how to go about it am applying for Agricultural science soil and water option. Please I will need a guide. Thank you

Hi Chisa! Thanks for your comment. Please feel free to reach out to us to discuss how we can help you with your personal statement! Look forward to hearing from you!

hey, thanks for the clear explanation, can you please help me write purpose statement for a journalism degree course

Hello Lucy! Please feel free to reach out to us to discuss how we can help you with your statement of purpose. Hope to hear from you!

This piece is extremely helpful

Hi Frimpong! Thanks! Glad you found this helpful!

Thank you for sharing this useful tips on SOPs.

Hello Anne! Thank you so much for your comment. Glad you found this helpful!

Elif Ülkü Türkoğlu

Thank you so much, this will be super helpful for my MA applications.

Hi Elif! Thanks for your comment! We are glad this is helpful!

Raphael Barrack Wangusu

Currently struggling with SOP preparations..i pursued Law for my bachelor degree and i wish to apply for masters scholarships in CANADA, UK, SWEEDN and USA. Thank you.

Hello Raphael! Thank you for your question. Please reach out to us for a free strategy call to discuss how we can help. 

Amazing content! I've never seen it explained the way you guys did it here!! Thank you!!!

Hello Joy! We are very glad you found this helpful!

It made me understand clearly what i have to do. thank you

Thanks Tumie! Glad you found this helpful!

i cant find any sop become related to food science. I really need a sample to help me. Could you help me please

Hello Shabnam, thanks for your message. We will keep your request in mind for when we update this blog.

I have enjoyed reading every bit of this document. I am so enlightened by it. Thank you.

Hello Michael! Glad you found this helpful! Thanks for your comment. 

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How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement: 4 Steps + Examples

What’s Covered:

What is the purpose of a thesis statement, writing a good thesis statement: 4 steps, common pitfalls to avoid, where to get your essay edited for free.

When you set out to write an essay, there has to be some kind of point to it, right? Otherwise, your essay would just be a big jumble of word salad that makes absolutely no sense. An essay needs a central point that ties into everything else. That main point is called a thesis statement, and it’s the core of any essay or research paper.

You may hear about Master degree candidates writing a thesis, and that is an entire paper–not to be confused with the thesis statement, which is typically one sentence that contains your paper’s focus. 

Read on to learn more about thesis statements and how to write them. We’ve also included some solid examples for you to reference.

Typically the last sentence of your introductory paragraph, the thesis statement serves as the roadmap for your essay. When your reader gets to the thesis statement, they should have a clear outline of your main point, as well as the information you’ll be presenting in order to either prove or support your point. 

The thesis statement should not be confused for a topic sentence , which is the first sentence of every paragraph in your essay. If you need help writing topic sentences, numerous resources are available. Topic sentences should go along with your thesis statement, though.

Since the thesis statement is the most important sentence of your entire essay or paper, it’s imperative that you get this part right. Otherwise, your paper will not have a good flow and will seem disjointed. That’s why it’s vital not to rush through developing one. It’s a methodical process with steps that you need to follow in order to create the best thesis statement possible.

Step 1: Decide what kind of paper you’re writing

When you’re assigned an essay, there are several different types you may get. Argumentative essays are designed to get the reader to agree with you on a topic. Informative or expository essays present information to the reader. Analytical essays offer up a point and then expand on it by analyzing relevant information. Thesis statements can look and sound different based on the type of paper you’re writing. For example:

• Argumentative: The United States needs a viable third political party to decrease bipartisanship, increase options, and help reduce corruption in government.
• Informative: The Libertarian party has thrown off elections before by gaining enough support in states to get on the ballot and by taking away crucial votes from candidates.
• Analytical: An analysis of past presidential elections shows that while third party votes may have been the minority, they did affect the outcome of the elections in 2020, 2016, and beyond.

Step 2: Figure out what point you want to make

Once you know what type of paper you’re writing, you then need to figure out the point you want to make with your thesis statement, and subsequently, your paper. In other words, you need to decide to answer a question about something, such as:

• What impact did reality TV have on American society?
• How has the musical Hamilton affected perception of American history?
• Why do I want to major in [chosen major here]?

If you have an argumentative essay, then you will be writing about an opinion. To make it easier, you may want to choose an opinion that you feel passionate about so that you’re writing about something that interests you. For example, if you have an interest in preserving the environment, you may want to choose a topic that relates to that. 

If you’re writing your college essay and they ask why you want to attend that school, you may want to have a main point and back it up with information, something along the lines of:

“Attending Harvard University would benefit me both academically and professionally, as it would give me a strong knowledge base upon which to build my career, develop my network, and hopefully give me an advantage in my chosen field.”

Step 3: Determine what information you’ll use to back up your point

Once you have the point you want to make, you need to figure out how you plan to back it up throughout the rest of your essay. Without this information, it will be hard to either prove or argue the main point of your thesis statement. If you decide to write about the Hamilton example, you may decide to address any falsehoods that the writer put into the musical, such as:

“The musical Hamilton, while accurate in many ways, leaves out key parts of American history, presents a nationalist view of founding fathers, and downplays the racism of the times.”

Once you’ve written your initial working thesis statement, you’ll then need to get information to back that up. For example, the musical completely leaves out Benjamin Franklin, portrays the founding fathers in a nationalist way that is too complimentary, and shows Hamilton as a staunch abolitionist despite the fact that his family likely did own slaves. 

Step 4: Revise and refine your thesis statement before you start writing

Read through your thesis statement several times before you begin to compose your full essay. You need to make sure the statement is ironclad, since it is the foundation of the entire paper. Edit it or have a peer review it for you to make sure everything makes sense and that you feel like you can truly write a paper on the topic. Once you’ve done that, you can then begin writing your paper.

When writing a thesis statement, there are some common pitfalls you should avoid so that your paper can be as solid as possible. Make sure you always edit the thesis statement before you do anything else. You also want to ensure that the thesis statement is clear and concise. Don’t make your reader hunt for your point. Finally, put your thesis statement at the end of the first paragraph and have your introduction flow toward that statement. Your reader will expect to find your statement in its traditional spot.

If you’re having trouble getting started, or need some guidance on your essay, there are tools available that can help you. CollegeVine offers a free peer essay review tool where one of your peers can read through your essay and provide you with valuable feedback. Getting essay feedback from a peer can help you wow your instructor or college admissions officer with an impactful essay that effectively illustrates your point.

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Statement of Purpose Examples

When applying for admission to a higher education institution, your reference letters and academic transcripts provide the admissions committee with crucial information about your academic achievements. However, a statement of purpose delves deeper, presenting you in a holistic manner by highlighting what distinguishes you from other applicants and why you’re an ideal fit for their program. Including a well-crafted statement of purpose in your application could be the pivotal factor that secures your spot at your desired institution. In this article, we’ll explore the intricacies of this essential document and offer some statement of purpose examples for reference.

Statement of Purpose Examples & Templates

Statement of purpose examples are illustrative documents often used as a reference by aspiring students and professionals alike. When applying to an educational institution, job, or internship, these statements accompany the main application to provide a comprehensive perspective on the applicant, encompassing not just their academic credentials but also their motivations, experiences, aspirations, and suitability for the program or position . Here are some useful examples to help guide you in crafting your own.

Academic Statement of Purpose Example

An Academic Statement of Purpose (SOP) is a formal document often required by universities or research institutions during the admissions process. It provides insight into an applicant's academic background, motivations for pursuing a particular course or research area, and their long-term goals. This statement serves as a written representation of the candidate's aspirations and suitability for the program, helping the admissions committee assess the applicant's fit and potential contribution to their institution.

Phd Statement of Purpose Example

A PhD Statement of Purpose is a formal document submitted by applicants to graduate schools, primarily to express their intentions, motivations, and qualifications for pursuing a doctoral degree in a specific field. It provides the admissions committee insights into the applicant's academic background, research interests, professional experiences, and aspirations, aiding in evaluating the candidate's suitability for the program. Typically, it's used during the admissions process for PhD programs at universities and institutions.

Statement of Purpose Grad School Example

A Statement of Purpose for Graduate School is a document that outlines an applicant's academic background, professional experiences, research interests, and future goals as they apply to a specific graduate program. It serves as a written testament of an individual's motivation and suitability for advanced study, offering the admissions committee insight into the candidate's fit for the program. Typically submitted as part of a graduate school application, this statement provides context for the applicant's achievements and aspirations, helping universities evaluate their potential for success in their chosen field of study.

Statement of Purpose Example

A statement of purpose example provides the reader with a clear and concise framework of how to effectively communicate their intentions, goals, and motivations for pursuing a particular course, program, or position. By analyzing a well-crafted example, the reader can discern the essential components, structure, and tone appropriate for their intended audience, thus aiding in the creation of a compelling and personalized narrative. Furthermore, such examples can offer insights into the specific experiences, achievements, or aspirations that can be highlighted, ensuring that the statement not only fulfills its basic requirements but also stands out in a competitive pool. This statement of purpose example is available in Word and PDF.

What Is a Statement of Purpose?

A statement of purpose is a crucial component of both academic and professional applications. It serves as a detailed narrative that presents an applicant’s motivations, aspirations, qualifications, and suitability for a specific program, role, or institution. This document goes beyond merely listing educational backgrounds and interests; it delves deeply into the applicant’s unique experiences, achievements, and any relevant professional endeavors that reinforce their candidacy. In an academic context, the SOP offers insights into the applicant’s passion for their chosen field and their aspirations within the program and their future career.

Meanwhile, in a professional setting, it can highlight one’s drive, career trajectory, and alignment with a particular role or organization. Given its importance, it’s paramount to note that institutions and companies might have distinct guidelines for these statements. Therefore, before drafting, it’s essential to review any provided instructions to ensure alignment with the desired length and content expectations.

Why Is a Statement of Purpose Important?

As already mentioned, a statement of purpose sets you apart from the other applicants. If you are all applying to the same program, chances are you have pretty much the same qualifications. A statement of purpose is more personal. It gives you the opportunity to explain why you are the ideal candidate. Here is what your statement of purpose tells the admissions committee:

• Your inspiration: Why are you applying to this particular program? Why have you chosen this institution as the place where you will pursue the program?
• Your background: How have your experiences prepared you to pursue this program? What are your plans if you get accepted?

Subject: Statement of Purpose – [Your Full Name]

Dear [Recipient’s Full Name],

I am writing to express my strong interest in [Applying for the position, Admission in the academic program, Grant Application, etc.] at [Name of the University/Company/Organization]. I believe my academic background, professional experiences, and personal skills make me a strong candidate for this [Job/Program/Opportunity].

I am a [Your Current Occupation, or Status like Student, Job Title, etc.] with a major in [Your Major or Area of Study/Expertise]. Throughout my academic journey and professional career, I have developed a deep interest in [The specific field/area that you are applying for]. My interest in [this field] was triggered by [mention an experience, event, or aspect that sparked your interest in this field]. Since then, I have been committed to deepen my knowledge and skills in this domain.

At [Your current university/organization/job], I [describe a project or responsibility you undertook, emphasizing the skills you used or developed and any significant achievements]. This experience not only enhanced my knowledge in the area of [specific field/area] but also equipped me with the practical skills necessary to excel in a professional setting.

One of the most impactful experiences during my academic/professional journey was when I [describe another significant project or role and the impact it had on you]. This reinforced my passion for [specific field] and my commitment to contributing meaningfully to this field.

In addition to my academic/professional experiences, I have also honed essential skills such as [mention a set of soft skills, e.g., leadership, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, etc.]. I believe these skills will be beneficial in contributing to [the university/organization/company] and will further assist me in achieving my long-term career goals.

As for my future aspirations, I aim to [mention your long-term goals and how you plan to achieve them]. I am confident that being a part of [university/organization/company] will provide me with the right mentorship and learning environment to make significant strides towards these goals.

I am particularly attracted to [university/company/organization] because of [mention specific features, resources, or opportunities offered by the institution that attract you]. I believe that with its [mention specifics such as curriculum, culture, approach, reputation, etc.], I can grow both professionally and personally.

In conclusion, I am excited about the prospect of joining [the university/company/organization] and am eager to contribute my knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm to your prestigious [institution/company/organization]. I am confident that this [job/program/opportunity] will be a stepping stone to fulfill my career goals and aspirations. I look forward to the possibility of discussing my application with you further.

Thank you for considering my application.

Sincerely, [Your Full Name] [Your Contact Information]

Statement of Purpose Example for Graduate School

Dear Admissions Committee,

I was standing over the open hood of my grandfather’s Series 490 Chevrolet when I realized that I wanted to commit my life to Mechanical Engineering. Watching the jumble of parts I did not yet understand and realizing they made the car move intrigued me beyond anything I had ever experienced until then. Since then, I have dedicated my academic and social pursuits to becoming an engineer.

I joined Berkley High School in 2025 and maintained a 4.0 GPA during my four years there. I took on advanced Math, Science, and Engineering classes, clearing them with high scores. Outside of school, I worked weekends and holidays at O’Neal Motor Works, where I continued to learn more about cars.

Getting into MIT has been a lifelong dream, and I believe it will help me realize my fullest potential as an aspiring engineer. Besides being the best engineering school in the country, it has a comprehensive research program that will quest my thirst for information and discovery.

As an engineer, I plan to focus on developing intelligent, environmental-friendly, and renewable auto parts. I believe engineering should be used to preserve the earth and move us toward development. If I am chosen to join your program, I will pursue this plan fearlessly.

Statement of Purpose Writing Service

Subject: Statement of Purpose for [Your Full Name]

My name is [Your Full Name], a [current role or position] at [current company/university/organization], and I am writing to express my interest in [apply for a job, pursuing a particular course of study, joining a particular organization, etc.]. With a deep passion for [specific field of interest], it is my ambition to [explain what you wish to achieve].

I am motivated to [apply for this job/course/etc.] due to [explain your reasons and how it aligns with your goals]. My passion for [specific field of interest] was ignited during [mention a particular event or experience]. This led me to pursue my [degree, career, or other relevant achievements] in [specific field], which further solidified my interest and resolve.

During my tenure at [past or present job, academic institution, or volunteer experience], I [provide specific examples of your responsibilities and accomplishments]. These experiences not only refined my skills in [mention specific skills] but also provided a practical exposure that underscored the importance of [explain what you learned or how it impacted you].

Furthermore, I have also been involved in [additional activities such as research projects, volunteer work, etc.], where I [explain what you did and what you achieved]. I believe these experiences have prepared me well for [the position or course you are applying for] by [explain how your past experiences make you a good fit].

What particularly attracts me to [the position/course/organization you are applying for] is [mention specific aspects that attracted you]. I am impressed by [mention something specific about the position/course/organization that impressed you], and I believe that [how you think you can contribute or benefit].

My long-term goal is to [explain your long-term goal], and I am convinced that [the position/course/organization] will provide an excellent stepping stone towards achieving this objective. I bring with me [specific qualities, traits, or experiences] and a strong commitment to [explain your commitment in relation to the position/course/organization].

In conclusion, I am eager to contribute my skills and experiences to [the position/course/organization] and grow both professionally and personally. I am confident that my background, passion, and dedication make me a strong candidate, and I am excited about the possibility of bringing my unique contributions to your esteemed [team/department/university/organization].

Thank you very much for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to further discuss how my background and skills would make me a valuable addition to your [team/department/university/organization].

Statement of Purpose for Editing Service

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, Zip] [Your Email] [Today’s Date]

Subject: Request for Professional Editing Service

Dear [Editor’s Full Name or Editing Company’s Name],

I am writing this letter to express my interest in employing your professional editing services for [Type of Document – Manuscript, Thesis, Dissertation, Essay, etc.] entitled “[Title of Your Work]”.

I have chosen [Editor’s Name or Editing Company’s Name] specifically because [provide reason(s) why you have selected them – their reputation, a recommendation, their specialist knowledge in your subject area, etc.] I am confident that your professional assistance will significantly enhance the quality of my work.

The main objectives I wish to achieve through this editing service are as follows:

• Clarity: Ensuring the [document/essay/report/thesis, etc.] is clear and unambiguous.
• Consistency: Checking that the style and tone remain consistent throughout the [document/essay/report/thesis, etc.]
• Accuracy: Correcting any grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors.
• Structure: Ensuring the content is logically organized.
• Syntax and Language: Enhancing the sentence construction and improving the vocabulary used.

The [Type of Document] is about [Briefly describe the content or the subject of the document. This helps the editor understand what your work is about and how best to approach it.]

The [Type of Document] is approximately [Number of Words or Pages in Your Document] and is intended for [Describe the intended audience of your work, e.g., general public, academics, professionals in your field, etc.]

The timeline I am working within for this editing service is [Your Preferred Timeline or Deadline]. I believe this timeframe will be sufficient for your team to thoroughly review my work.

Enclosed with this letter are [Specify what you’re sending along with the request – e.g., part of the manuscript, table of contents, style guide, etc.]

I kindly request a quotation for your services based on the requirements stated above. Also, please provide details about your terms of service, confidentiality agreement, and any other necessary protocols or procedures.

I look forward to a favorable reply and a rewarding collaboration with [Editor’s Name or Editing Company’s Name]. I am confident that your expertise will greatly improve the quality and impact of my [Type of Document].

Thank you for considering my request.

Best regards,

[Your Name] [Your Contact Information]

Statement of Purpose for MBA

[Your Full Name] [Your Mailing Address] [City, State, ZIP] [Your Email Address] [Today’s Date]

[Recipient’s Full Name] [Recipient’s Title] [University/College Name] [University/College Mailing Address] [City, State, ZIP]

I hope this letter finds you well. My name is [Your Full Name], and I am writing to express my sincere interest in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at [University/College Name]. With a deep passion for [mention your specific interest areas in business, such as finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, etc.] and a profound interest in [mention any specialized aspects of the MBA program that attracted you, like strategic management, international business, digital transformation, etc.], I believe that an MBA degree from your esteemed institution will provide an unparalleled boost to my career.

Over the years, I have developed a strong inclination toward the business field through my experiences in [mention your past job roles, internship roles, projects, etc.]. I graduated from [Your Undergraduate University] with a degree in [Your Undergraduate Major], where I not only honed my understanding of [mention any relevant courses or skills related to business], but also developed an interest in [mention a specific aspect of your undergraduate study that sparked your interest in business].

My professional journey began at [Your First Job/Internship Company], where I worked as [Your First Job Title]. Here, I [mention any significant contributions or achievements you made during your job role that demonstrate your skills and strengths]. Following this, I joined [Your Second Job/Internship Company], where I took on the role of [Your Second Job Title]. In this position, I [mention what responsibilities you undertook, the projects you worked on, and what you achieved during your tenure]. These experiences solidified my interest in the business field and underscored the importance of an MBA degree to advance my career.

However, I have always believed in the continuous expansion of knowledge, and so, after [number of years in your profession], I have decided to further enhance my skills and broaden my global perspective through your MBA program. I am particularly attracted to [mention specific resources, opportunities, or aspects of the MBA program at the university/college that you find appealing, like faculty, curriculum, case study approach, etc.]. Moreover, the diverse and international cohort of the MBA program at [University/College Name] will give me the opportunity to learn from various perspectives, which I am incredibly excited about.

Upon graduation, my goal is to [describe your short-term and long-term career goals. Be specific and realistic about what you want to achieve after obtaining your MBA degree]. I am confident that your program will equip me with the comprehensive understanding and practical skills necessary to achieve these goals.

I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to your prestigious program and am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to further discuss my candidacy and am available at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely, [Your Full Name]

Statement of Purpose for PHD

[Your Full Name] [Your Current Address] [City, State, Zip] [Your Email Address] [Today’s Date]

Admissions Office [University Name] [University Address] [City, State, Zip]

Dear Members of the Admissions Committee,

I am writing to apply for the Ph.D. program in [Specific Field of Study] at [University Name]. With an unwavering dedication to research and a commitment to the advancement of [Field of Study], my academic and professional experiences have provided a strong foundation for my Ph.D. journey.

Growing up in [Your Hometown/Country], I was [a relevant childhood experience that led to your interest in your chosen field]. From then on, I was certain that I wanted to contribute to [the field of study/its specific area]. My desire to pursue advanced research in this field has only grown stronger with time, prompting me to apply for a Ph.D. program.

As an undergraduate at [Undergraduate University Name], I studied [Major] and undertook projects in [Specific Areas]. My academic performance resulted in [Honors/Awards/Recognitions]. My interest in [Field of Study] was sparked due to [Specific Events/Projects]. I believe that these experiences have given me a broad understanding of the field and its various nuances.

Following my undergraduate studies, I pursued a Master’s degree in [Field] at [University Name]. My thesis, “[Thesis Title]”, focused on [brief explanation about your thesis]. This research experience, under the guidance of [Advisor’s Name], allowed me to delve deep into [specific topic] and solidified my resolve to further my research in this area.

In terms of professional experience, I worked as [Job Title] at [Company Name] for [Number of Years], where I [explain briefly about your job role and any specific accomplishments]. This professional stint enhanced my practical understanding of [Field of Study] and enabled me to apply the theoretical knowledge gained during my academic years.

The reasons why I am particularly interested in [University Name] include [mention specific faculty members, resources, or research areas that drew you to the institution]. I am keen to work with [Professor’s Name] given their outstanding work in [Specific Area]. I believe that joining your esteemed program will allow me to collaborate with top-notch faculty and fellow students, further expanding my knowledge and research capabilities.

Going forward, my research goal for the Ph.D. program at [University Name] is to [Describe the proposed research plan, potential research question(s), and possible implications of the intended research]. I am confident that my academic background and passion for research make me a suitable candidate to achieve these objectives.

Lastly, I want to express that my dedication to [Field of Study] extends beyond personal aspiration. I aim to leverage my research and contribute significantly to our understanding of [Specific Area]. I am excited about the opportunities that a Ph.D. from [University Name] will offer and look forward to potentially contributing to your academic community.

Thank you for considering my application. I hope for the opportunity to further discuss my suitability for the Ph.D. program during an interview.

[Your Full Name]

Social Work Statement of Purpose

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, ZIP] [Your Email] [Today’s Date]

[Admissions Committee or Name of the person (if known)] [University or Organization’s Name] [University or Organization’s Address] [City, State, ZIP]

Dear [Admissions Committee or Name of the person],

I am writing to express my interest in applying for the [specific Social Work program’s name] at [University or Organization’s name]. With my extensive background in [mention relevant work, academic background, or personal experience], I believe that I am well-equipped to contribute meaningfully to your prestigious program.

Ever since I was [a specific age or event], I have been deeply moved by the potential of social work to transform individuals and communities. My passion for social work was sparked by [describe an event, person, or experience that influenced your interest in social work]. This experience left an indelible mark on me, and it has motivated me to devote my professional life to helping others.

My academic studies in [your major or related field] at [your University or College’s name] provided a strong foundation in [mention specific skills, theories, or areas of knowledge that are relevant to social work]. Notably, my coursework in [specific courses or projects] has allowed me to explore [describe what you have learned or achieved]. I graduated [mention graduation year] with a GPA of [your GPA], which I believe reflects my commitment to academic excellence and continuous learning.

In addition to my academic achievements, I have honed my practical skills through [describe any internships, volunteer experiences, or work experiences relevant to social work]. For instance, during my tenure at [organization’s name], I was able to [mention a specific achievement or experience and how it contributed to your development as a social work professional].

I am particularly drawn to the [specific Social Work program’s name] at [University or Organization’s name] because of its commitment to [mention a specific aspect of the program that appeals to you – this could be their teaching philosophy, the research interests of the faculty, the structure of the program, opportunities for fieldwork, etc.]. I am confident that this program will equip me with the advanced skills and knowledge needed to make a significant impact in the field of social work.

In the long term, I aspire to [describe your career goals and how this program will help you achieve them]. I am eager to bring my unique perspectives and experiences to your program, and I am convinced that I will add value to my classmates’ learning experiences and the broader academic community.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to [University or Organization’s name] and to the many communities that your graduates serve.

Sincerely, [Your Full Name]

Business Statement of Purpose

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, ZIP Code] [Email Address] [Phone Number] [Today’s Date]

[Recipient’s Name] [Recipient’s Position] [Recipient’s Company Name] [Recipient’s Address] [City, State, ZIP Code]

Subject: Statement of Purpose for [Business Name]

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I am writing to express my intention to [state the specific purpose such as establish, expand, or collaborate on] [business name]. I am [Your Name], [Your Role/Position] at [Your Current Organization/Company Name or mention if you’re an entrepreneur or a startup founder].

The business industry I wish to penetrate is [Industry name] and my business will [describe briefly what your business will do]. Having meticulously studied the market trends, customer needs, and competition in [target location], I have observed a viable opportunity for [describe the unique selling proposition or key differentiators of your business].

With the rise in [mention the trends or needs that your business is capitalizing on], our proposed solution is to [mention how your business plans to serve this need or capitalize on this trend]. The proposed name for our business is [Business Name], reflecting our core values and commitment to [describe what the business name represents].

Our target market primarily comprises [describe your target audience, their age, gender, profession, interests, etc.]. The demand for our services/products is influenced by factors such as [mention factors like seasonality, market trends, economic performance, etc.].

The purpose of this venture is not solely profit-oriented. We aim to contribute to the [industry name] industry by [describe how you aim to contribute to the industry or solve a particular problem in the industry]. We also strive to create employment opportunities and foster an innovative and inclusive work environment.

Our short-term goals include [mention short-term goals]. In the long run, we envision [mention long-term goals]. Our financial projections indicate that [give an overview of financial projections].

To turn this vision into a reality, we are seeking [mention what you’re seeking – could be support, partnership, investment, etc.] from your esteemed [organization/company]. We strongly believe that your [mention what the recipient can offer e.g. expertise, network, financial resources, etc.] can significantly contribute to the success of our business.

Attached is a comprehensive business plan which further details our vision, operational plan, marketing strategy, competitive analysis, and financial projections. I would be glad to provide any additional information you might need or meet in person to discuss the proposal in more detail.

Thank you for considering our proposal. I look forward to the possibility of working together to make [Business Name] a success.

[Your Name] [Your Position] [Your Contact Information]

Statement of Purpose Outline Template

• Introduction 1.1 Briefly introduce yourself: [Your Name, Your Profession or Current Status] 1.2 Indicate why you are writing this statement of purpose: [Specific Purpose, e.g. applying for a job, graduate program, research grant, etc.] 1.3 Highlight what motivated you towards this opportunity: [Short Narrative or Incident that Sparked your Interest]
• Background 2.1 Detail your educational background: [Your Schools, Major(s), Relevant Courses, Academic Achievements] 2.2 Discuss your professional background if applicable: [Your Previous Job Titles, Workplaces, Duties, Achievements] 2.3 Any additional skills or experiences that make you a strong candidate: [Certifications, Languages, Soft/Hard Skills]
• Your Interest 3.1 Elaborate on your specific interest in this opportunity: [What About this Job/Program/Grant Attracts You] 3.2 Discuss how this opportunity aligns with your future goals: [Your Career Goals, Long-Term Vision] 3.3 Talk about the specific components of the opportunity that resonate with you: [Any Specific Course, Research Area, Job Responsibility etc.]
• Why You? 4.1 Discuss why you believe you are a good fit: [Your Unique Traits, Skills, Experiences] 4.2 Highlight how you can contribute to the job/program/institution: [What You Can Bring to the Table] 4.3 Share any accomplishments or experiences that exemplify your suitability: [Specific Achievements or Experiences that Prove Your Point]
• Your Plan and Vision 5.1 Detail your short-term goals if you get the opportunity: [What You Plan to Achieve/Contribute in the Immediate Future] 5.2 Discuss your long-term vision relating to this opportunity: [Your Long-Term Goals, Where You See Yourself] 5.3 Talk about how you plan to achieve these goals: [Specific Steps or Strategies]
• Closing 6.1 Summarize why you believe you’re the best fit for the opportunity: [Recap of Your Main Points] 6.2 Express your enthusiasm for the potential to join the program/job/institution: [Personal Statement on Your Excitement] 6.3 Thank the reader for their consideration and time: [Gratitude Statement]

Please Note: Each section should be written in a coherent and logical manner, ensuring a smooth transition between the sections. Remember to keep the overall tone professional and make sure to proofread the statement for clarity, grammar, and punctuation. Ensure the statement authentically represents your goals, experiences, and personality.

Before You Begin

You only have one opportunity to impress the admissions committee, which means you should get your statement of purpose right the first time. To do this, you must start preparing early by:

• Researching the institution to which you are applying (through the school website) and familiarizing yourself with their vision, mission, and values.
• Going through the statement of purpose requirements and instructions and noting down the recommended length, content, and due date.
• Contacting the appropriate school authority to ask for clarification on the instructions you don’t understand.
• Identifying possible mentors from the school faculty page and contacting them.
• Begin working on your statement of purpose 6 to 8 weeks before the due date so you can write, edit, and re-edit it until it is perfect.
• Preparing a list of the qualifications and experiences you will highlight in your statement.
• Making copies of all relevant documentation.

How to Write a Statement of Purpose

A statement of purpose holds the same format as an academic structure. The information should be presented in an easy-to-follow manner and divided into the following segments:

Introduction

The introduction should capture the reader’s attention and convince them to keep reading. It should briefly introduce you to them and layout the basis of what you will cover in the body.

The body should go into detail about the preview provided in the introduction. Try to focus on 2 or 3 experiences and explain how they have informed your decision to join the program. As you outline these points, address the following four elements:

• Your interest in the program and institution
• Your academic preparation and professional experience (e.g., internships)
• Your qualities, strengths, and weaknesses
• Your career plans

Remember to be specific, providing examples where they apply.

Lastly, your conclusion should summarize everything you have written and tie it in with the impact joining the institution will have on your personal and professional life. It should also leave the reader intrigued and wanting to learn more about you.

Statement of Purpose Do’s & Don’ts

• Start early
• Maintain notes of the experiences and achievements you will use in your statement.
• Provide a summary of your achievements
• Be specific to the program and institution
• Write honestly
• Avoid grammatical and spelling errors
• Present an image of yourself with which you are comfortable
• Be interesting, passionate, and unique
• Elaborate possible areas of concern such as a failed test
• Proofread, edit, and re-write your statement until you are satisfied with the draft.
• Have two or three people read your statement
• Read your statement before the interview so you remember the content.

Don’t:

• Overlook the statement of purpose
• Let someone else write it for you
• Wait too long to start writing it
• Highlight achievements that are not relevant to your application
• Go off-topic
• Be too general in a statement being sent to a particular institution.

The typical statement of purpose is between 500 to 1,000 words long. However, many institutions provide specific instructions about the preferred length of the statement of purpose. Check the provided requirements and adhere to them.

Technically, no. Your statement of purpose is part of your application which has your name. However, you can include your name if the program instructions call for it.

It is not necessary to sign the statement of purpose because it will be attached to your application letter, which will bear your signature. Nonetheless, there is no law against it.

Some things you should keep out of your statement of purpose include: Contractions (mustn’t, shouldn’t, isn’t, don’t) Slang and colloquial expressions that are not used in formal writing. Statements you would not repeat in a one-on-one interview Exaggerated accounts of your role during an internship program Controversial opinions (unless they are directly related to your area of study)

Final Thoughts

A statement of purpose is a personal essay that should set you apart from the crowd of applicants. It should offer a view of your full range of achievements and experience, explaining how getting into the school will help you achieve your dreams. Finally, it should be entirely about you, to the point, and written per the school’s instructions.

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11 Tips for Writing a Powerful Statement of Purpose [Sample SOP Included]

By Jitta Raghavender Rao • GradSchool Admissions

The Statement of Purpose is probably one of the most misunderstood aspects of graduate applications. Most students pass it off like it is just another essay about themselves, and naturally, write monotonous stuff that doesn’t stand out. That is why, the university admissions committee puts a hefty weight on statement of purposes and their structure  – they want to see whether you take the interest in letting them know how much you want to study at their university.

Most Statements Of Purpose Start Off Like This:

“I am applying to the Master of Science program in Something Engineering at the University of Example because I believe my technical skills will blossom at your program as it is a place where I will be challenged and where I can develop my scientific and technical knowledge.”

Or Like This:

“I am honored to apply for the Master of Science program at the University of Example because for as long as I can remember, I have had a love affair with science. Since I was a kid in school, I have known I wanted to be a scientist/engineer.”

Now, almost 99% of the statements are structured similarly, and often times, students copy-paste, and edit statement of purposes from their seniors or friends, making it sound even more generic or irrelevant to their applications. If you want to stand out from the crowd; if you want the admissions committee to remember your essay at the end of the day, even after going through hundreds of applications; if you want to gain that extra advantage by being somewhat special and unique, you will have to draft a great statement of purpose.  Great, but original .

How Can Your Statement Of Purpose Stand Out From The Crowd?

How do you write a great statement of purpose that sounds original, but at the same time gives the admissions committee what they are looking for? Simple. Basically, every university expects a student  to answer to some basic questions  that the admissions committee has. They may not ask you openly, but  these are generally what they expect you to answer:

• What you want to study at graduate school?
• Why you want to study only this degree?
• Why do you want to study at this particular college? What do you like in us?
• Why did you choose to study in this particular country? What do you like about it?
• How much and what kind of experience you have in your field?
• Is your experience related to you choice of degree?
• If you are already experienced, what additional skills are you planning to gain from the degree?
• What you plan to do with your degree after graduation?
• Would you choose to end up with a job or take up research?
• What are your expectations from both the graduate program, and the university?
• Would you like to study or do research under any particular professor? If yes, why only them?
• How can you contribute to our university and our program? What specific skills do you bring to the table?
• Apart from work and education, what are your hobbies, interests, and habits? What are you like, as a person?
• What do you understand about our student community and culture? Why do you think you will fit in?
• What is that one unique aspect/characteristic about you that we should know? Why does it matter to us or to the fellow students of your class?

Now, these are the questions you will have to consider before starting off with your statement of purpose. Write down answers separately to each of the questions asked above, and try to build a story that the admissions committee would love to read. Remember, unlike an MBA program, you won’t be having any personal interviews for a graduate program, so  the only way to impress the admissions officers is by telling your story through the statement of purpose . You will have to convey your story in the best possible way, such that the committee finds you interesting enough. And if you are interesting enough to them, you will end up with not only admission, but also a decent scholarship as well .

Strategies to Write a Powerful Statement of Purpose

It is important that you follow a specific strategy when it comes to drafting your statement of purpose. Though most students write whatever comes to their mind, or whatever they see on the internet, you are not most people.  You would want your statement of purpose to sound brilliant, and original . And for that, you’ll need some strategies.

1. Write Stories. Not Statements

If given a choice, would you prefer reading a novel or a newspaper?

A novel, without a doubt. Do you know why?

Because while a newspaper gives you mere news and some eye-catching headlines, a novel tells you a story; a beautifully written piece of  literature that you will be emotionally connected to . It brings those humanly feelings out of you, and involves you in its storyline. You imagine yourself in place of the narrator/character, and understand why he/she has done that, or taken such decisions. We remember stories much easier than statements.

Because stories connect to us, statements don’t.

For example, most people say this:

“I used to work in a multinational software company in the development team, and I had to do the same job every day: code stuff. There was nothing new for me to learn at work, and there was nothing very exciting about going to the office. One day I decided that I had to get out of there, so I applied to college to study higher courses and get a better job.”

Doesn’t that sound like most stories? Albeit, a very normal story? Instead, how about saying this:

“Late in the night one Monday, I had found myself in the middle of a deserted office, and fifteen thousand lines of code. Full of caffeine in my bloodstream, and an empty life beyond office, I realized that the computers started coding my brain, and controlling my life. No longer wanting to let the machines feed on me, I decided that college would be my salvation.”

Both the stories come to about four lines. But which narrative do you think will keep the admissions committee reading? Which story do you think will be remembered by them even after reading 5000 applications?

Think again.  Do you want your statement of purpose to read like a novel or a newspaper?  If the former is your answer, then you need to put in a lot of effort to tell your story. Think about ‘why’ you want to study what you want to study. Is there a strong reason behind it? Is the reason emotional, economical, or any other? Think hard, and you will find a connection. The reason might not seem obvious in plain sight, but when you think hard enough, you will understand that  there is strong reason why you want to study a particular course/degree.

Now, when you have found this strong reason, tell it as a story. Write a short, but great narrative about what made you make this choice. About why you have chosen to study this course at this university. Impress the committee with your creative storyline, and you will reap the benefits big time.

2. Quantify Your Stories

Even though we asked you to write a story, you will have to remember that  your story should not read like a thesis . It should rather serve as the best source of information about you. And when it comes to information, numbers play a key role. Your story should be not only qualitative, but also quantitative. And that means,  your story must contain measurable quantities  instead of just stories, so the reader can understand the depth of it.

For example, if you have worked for a local NGO teaching math to primary kids, you could say:

“During my engineering days, I helped a local NGO by joining as a math tutor, where I taught basic math concepts to school children.”

Now even though this sounds really good, it doesn’t give the reader the entire picture and they certainly do not know how much of an impact you made on those children.

So,  you could change that bit to something like this:

“During my second year of engineering, I joined ‘Teach Math’, a local NGO, where I was a part of the Math tutoring team. For a  period of 10 months , I  taught basic math  like algebra, geometry and arithmetic  to more than thirty  5th and 6th grade students. And every single student I taught to,  secured an A  in math that year. I’ve never been prouder in my life.”

Do you see the difference? These numbers suddenly give a whole new perspective to the readers, and their respect for you is suddenly multiplied. That’s the power of numbers;  they add authenticity, and authority to your stories . If you can quantify your stories properly, and show the results instead of just actions, the committee will not forget your name. You can use the same strategy for the rest of your story, no matter what it is about.

Whether it is a research project you did, or a college fest you organized, or a college sports team you led, whatever it is, add numbers to your stories, and make them sound more realistic, and more beautiful.

3. Be Specific

You have to make sure that whatever you say in your statement of purpose, you need to be very specific with it. Don’t just say something because you think it will impress the admissions committee. Whatever you say,  you have to really dig into details . Be introspective. Don’t just say “I chose this degree because I love this field.” Explain clearly why you love this field, what made you decide that you want to work in this field for the rest of your life, what skills you are trying to amass, why it completes you as a person, etc.

Don’t beat around the bush like you normally would, when you talk to your friends. Don’t use ideal sentences like ‘I want to change the world’ or ‘I want to find my inner self’ or any of those cheesy lines. Just be straightforward and always to the point, but not so much as to come off as arrogant. Find your reasons and then  find a nice, memorable way to say it .

Grad school admissions officers require the statement of purpose not just because they want to find about you and your dreams. More importantly,  they want you to think for yourself , as to why you are taking such a life-changing step; why you think this is the best thing that can happen to you; and why you think you truly need it to succeed in life.

The ‘why’ is always profoundly important , and also an extremely difficult question to answer, which is why, if you can find answers to all the whys, then you are almost in.

4. Customize Your Essay

One of the biggest mistakes students make is to prepare a basic template for their statement of purpose, and if they are applying to more than one university, they simply change the relevant names and details. But the rest of the statement is an exact copy.

This is never a good idea, because though they might seem quite similar to each other, every university is vastly different from the others. Each of them has a diverse set of characteristics that define them, and their  cultures, methodologies, visions, values, mottos, strengths, weaknesses , etc., vary greatly. These things are much more important than the departments, or university rankings, or number of Ph.D.’s or other materialistic qualities.

So, if you are applying to multiple universities, you need to factor in all these qualities of every university, and customize your statement accordingly. Mere changes in names and details won’t suffice. You need to tailor your essay such that the admissions officers think you will fit in well into their community. Remember,  every student community is like a family , and if you give hints that you cannot fit into a family or their culture, you may not be welcomed easily.

Speaking of cultures, different countries obviously have different cultures, but even a large country like the US has different cultures in different parts of the country. So, before you begin writing, try and research the general culture within the region in which your target university is, and learn something about it. It may also help in aiding your decision process;  if a culture doesn’t attract you much, then there’s no point in wasting an application .

5. Use a Formal But Conversational Tone

Nearly all statements or essays come under two categories:  The super formal, and the super friendly . The first category is when you write a statement of purpose that is so formal, it looks like you are writing to your lieutenant in the military. The second one, of course, looks like a casual email to a friend. Now, when asked which one seems like a better choice, most students say the formal way is the way to go, and super friendliness is a big no. And still, a minor set of applicants think they can outsmart the admissions committee by sounding friendly, welcoming, and funny.

But, on further reflection, you would understand that  neither of the approaches is ideal . And you are right, neither of them is right. Like we talked about it already, your statement of purpose should read like a novel: slightly formal language, but still a tinge of fun and uniqueness. That is what you need. A conversational tone is the best and the safest way to go. Write like you are talking to someone, but avoid using casual language.

Imagine you are talking to your dean, or the director of your college . What would your language be like? That’s how your statement of purpose should sound. Now, occasional humor is okay, but you shouldn’t try to sound too funny or too smart. No intentional jokes or funny lines should find their way into your statement. After all, it’s a statement of purpose, and  the purpose is to pursue a graduate degree , not to impress people with your sense of humor. So, if what you write brings a smile on the readers face, then it’s perfectly alright. But  it shouldn’t make them throw away your application  because you didn’t seem serious enough to them.

6. Decide How You Want To Portray Yourself. And Learn How to Portray Indirectly.

You must see that the statement of purpose serves as a medium to convey your attitude, your personality and your character. Alright, those are some heavy words, and it can actually be difficult to them on paper. So, what you can do is,  learn what your statement of purpose should portray you as , in terms of a few criteria, which tell the admissions committee that you are:

• Very passionate about the field of study you have chosen.
• An Intelligent student who can withstand the academic workload of a graduate program.
• Well-prepared academically and personally, and eager to study new courses.
• Able to take on the challenges of studying at an international graduate school.
• Able to build and maintain a good rapport with professors and fellow grad students.
• Able to finish the graduate degree within time, and graduate with a good percentage.
• A potential remarkable representative of that grad school in your future career.
• A successful alumni of the grad school who in the future can help in recruiting graduates.
• A responsible alumni who in the future will help raise funds for the grad school, to spend on research, infrastructure, facilities, student scholarships, etc.

These are basically the parameters that grad school admissions officers look at, when they decide who is joining their class.

Now, you might be wondering that the statement of purpose can only be as long as 1000 words, and that there’s quite a lot to cover in that little space. This is where your writing skills should come in. You simply can’t just go ahead and write “I am very passionate about the field of study I have chosen.” That is the last think you would want to write. What you should instead write is a sentence that indirectly means the same. You will have to choose your words wisely so as to indirectly communicate your “passion. You can use brief examples to show why you are so passionate about it.

For example,  you can say something like:

“My grandfather was a car mechanic. I remember when I was nine, he took me to his garage for the first time and showed me how he could repair my damaged bicycle so I could ride it again. When he passed away a few years later, he left me the entire garage. It was a turning point in my life. Some of my best days were spent inside the garage, where after coming back from school, I tried fixing various appliances in the house. That was what led me to choose to be a Mechanical Engineer.”

The above paragraph speaks volumes about you as a person and your passion for Mechanical Engineering without you actually saying it.  Any admissions officer in the world wouldn’t reject an applicant with such a deep reason , and such a wonderful story behind him/her. Now, remember, you don’t have to lie. Try and remember stories from your life that have shaped your decisions. And connect them beautifully to your goals and dreams.

Now similarly,  your “intelligence” can be conveyed by how you write . The quality of the statement of purpose, the organization, expression, etc. of your statement tells how intelligent you are. Demonstrating knowledge of the field, and using related jargon shows that you are “well-prepared”. Showing what you have done already describes your ability “to take on the challenges of grad school”. Your grades and your previous performance prove your ability “to finish the graduate program in time”. Being a “future remarkable alumni” can be implied by your being a commendable representative of your previous institutions, like your high school, or undergraduate school. Similarly, you will have to try and represent all the qualities mentioned above in an indirect, but powerful way.

7. Don’t Create Stories. Be Yourself

Because we asked you to write stories, there would naturally be an inclination to “create” stories out of thin air. Do not do this at all.  Write great stories only if you have great stories . Some people might come from normal backgrounds, who had normal lives, and probably didn’t achieve anything spectacular. It’s completely okay.  If you don’t have anything great to write, don’t write it . Be normal, and write normal stories.

It is better to be normal than to pretend to be someone you are not. The admissions officers are expert psychologists, and  they can spot a true applicant from a false applicant  with just one reading. So, you will badly hurt your chances of getting into your dream school if you try to be someone else. Just be yourself, and write only about the things that have happened to you, and the things that you are passionate about.

For instance, saying “I love research” just because you think they will like it, isn’t going to help you a lot. Whatever you say just for the sake of it, won’t appeal much to the committee, as  they would look for relevant evidences in your stories and in your past . So, don’t even think about fooling the committee with a false storyline. Try and be yourself throughout the essay.

8. Address Your Problems

The Statement of Purpose is a great opportunity for you to address some of your problems. If you have had any problematic academic background, or a gap year in your career, or if you had any work-related problems, you can address them on the statement of purpose in order to reassure the admissions committee. You must  try and be as honest as possible , and talk about your problems in a matured manner.

Instead of trying to defend yourself, you can point out the actual reasons that led to the problems, but more importantly, you should highlight ‘how’ you overcame the situation, and ‘what’ you have learnt from the experience. For example, let’s say that you got all C’s or all D’s in one semester. This normally isn’t the kind of academic profile a good grad school would want from you, unless there is a strong reason behind it. So, take some time and  dedicate a few lines to explain whatever happened .

If you had a health problem during your semester exams, or if you faced any emotional setback during that time, if you experience any personal loss, or if you had to take up additional family responsibilities other than studying, you can mention that in your statement. But, more importantly, you should not forget to demonstrate how your grades have been steadily improving since then, and that you now have a decent grade-point average in the discipline.

If you can spin this story well enough for the committee to empathize with you, then  your story will enhance the admissions committee’s image of you as a matured student , with the abilities to “take on additional challenges” and “to finish on time”, even when things are against you.

9. Do Your Homework

This is one very important point you should exercise while you are writing a statement of purpose. You should be thorough with the details of all the universities you are applying to, and list down all the things you like about each university, before you write the essays.

Most students simply write generic sentences like “I am impressed by the importance your university gives to research” or “I would like to study here because you have 100 Ph.D.’s and 20 Nobel prize winners.” etc. No, that is not how you do it. The admissions committee knows how great their college is;  you don’t have to remind them again and again . But, you should let them know what exactly you like about them, that you so badly want to be there.  The specifics are really important .

For example, you could say something like this. (Excuse the random jargon, it is only to give you an idea.)

“I would fully utilize the resources that the Wallenberg Hall provides, as I am particularly interested in the field of molecular chemistry. The special 24/7 laboratories provided for student research on molecular processing is exactly the kind of opportunity I am looking for, as I could totally see myself working in the labs day and night.”

And something like:

“I especially want to study under Dr. Mark Adams, Ph.D., as I have been an avid follower and admirer of his work in the field of quantum chemistry, which is not only the field I would choose for my research study, but also is a topic that I am zealous about, personally. I would be more than honoured if I can earn a spot in his research group.”

Do you see how professional it sounds? Such things show how well prepared you are, and how eager you are to study at that university. Now, to write something like this,  you obviously need to do lots of research  both online and offline, and be very thorough about the college, its facilities, courses, and professors. Yes, it is very difficult, but you better believe it is completely worth all the hard work.

10. Proofread, Edit, and Re-edit. Ask Friends and Family To Grade Your Essay

Another mistake students make is, they try and keep their essays to themselves. Maybe they are shy, or maybe they think their friends and family aren’t necessarily experts on the subject. So they think there’s no point in asking friends and family to critique on their essays. Wrong. Your statement of purpose speaks about you as a student, as an individual. Yes, there is technical slang involved, and yes your family members may not be experts on that. But,  they sure are experts on ‘you’ . Which is exactly why you should approach them.

They can not only give you additional points to add, but they can give you  valuable stories about your childhood  or schooling days, which you probably won’t remember. Plus, it’s very easy to say something about others, but at the same time, it’s painfully difficult to describe yourself to someone. Which is why someone very close to you, like friends and family, can describe you accurately. You will get  new perspectives on your stories , which sometimes are better than your own versions, and including them in your statement of purpose will do you a lot of good. Also, remember to proofread your statement time and again, and keep on re-editing content until you, your family and friends think you have the best statement in the world.

Remember that your statement of purpose is a  literary picture of ‘you’ as a person , and it is representing on your behalf. So, make it a top priority to avoid typos, misplaced commas and semicolons, overused quotes, being too wordy, using too many complex words and sentences, and being too straightforward. Be careful.  Be a perfectionist when it comes to writing . It shows how much you care about going to a particular college. And, once you are done with everything, do not forget to ask your friends and family to grade your statement of purpose, and ask them to criticize it accurately, so you can avoid submitting a less than perfect copy of your statement.

11. Take Advice From Professors.

If you know a professor at your undergrad institution, don’t hesitate to approach him/her for advice regarding your statement of purpose. They are of course very experienced prospects, and they might have seen thousands of statement of purposes and students in their careers. So, it wouldn’t hurt to ask for their opinion. Plus, since unlike your family, they are technically sound, they can also provide you valuable insights on how to project your technical expertise and project works in the statement.

After all, a  professor knows what another professor looks for in a prospective student , so it would only help if you approach your college professors. And, if they are really close to you, you can  also ask them for a really good letter of recommendation . So whichever way you look at it, there are only benefits for you.

Checklist for a Powerful Statement of Purpose

Here’s a basic checklist designed to help you draft a flawless Statement of Purpose. Make sure you write in an organized manner, and cover your points in a proper order. We have given this checklist so that you can write your statement of purpose without confusing yourself and the readers. Following a meticulous order like this will  make your statement of purpose a lot better to read and understand  about you and your story. Feel free to add anything else to the list if you think it will boost your chances, but remember to not write too much because you would then be exceeding the word limit. 

Organization:

• Introducing yourself in a unique manner.
• Demonstrating your passion for the field.
• Story about your background or experience in the field you’ve chosen.
• Description of your academic background in the field you’ve chosen.
• Specific classes or special courses you have taken, that are related to your field of interest.
• Some of the professors you have studied under, especially if they are well-known in that field.
• Co-curricular and Extracurricular activities in the field of you interest.
• Publications or other professional accomplishments in the field (perhaps conference presentations or public readings)
• Any community service or leadership experience while in college.
• Explanations about problems in background (if needed)
• Explanation of why you have chosen the specific grad school and other related questions as discussed in the beginning of this article.
• Mention what you like about the university you are applying for, and why: facilities, infrastructure, etc.
• Mention names of one or two professors in that school and what you know of and appreciate about their work, and why you want to study or work under their guidance.
• Specific features of the grad program and the university, which attract you personally. And why.
• Get advice from several of your professors, family, and close friends. Ask for stories about yourself.
• Proofread and edit; ask friends and family to proofread for you as well.

So, those are some strategies and tips for you to write a powerful statement of purpose, impress the committee, and thereby ace the admissions process. Make sure you do every one of these things, and you won’t be far away from the college of your dreams. Do you have any strategies that worked well for you? Do let us know in the comments section.

We almost forgot!  We are giving away a sample Statement of Purpose for download, so you can get an actual glimpse of how the aforementioned tips and strategies have been incorporated in a real Statement Of Purpose. But remember, this should serve only as an inspiration to  your own  Statement of Purpose, but not a source to copy from. Close to 10000 students check this space regularly, and if every single one of them uses the same phrases in their own statement of purposes, very soon, everyone will be held for plagiarism. So, try and copy only the framework and the organization, but not the actual content. Happy Writing!

Download your free sample SOP now:

Download Sample Statement Of Purpose

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127 Comments to “11 Tips for Writing a Powerful Statement of Purpose [Sample SOP Included]”

I am confused about a question that why you want to pursue MS in CS ? I don’t have any research paper for technical work. But i have solid final year system project. and i want to go for higher education.

Need Help….

It’s a question many students face when applying for a Computer Science program. In your case, if your final year project is related to Computer Science, try and emphasise how doing that project made you realize your interest for Computers. If you have any relevant work experience (software) then it will be easy for you to convince them about your choice of study. If you are applying for a top program, this is really important.

Try and build stories around your interest for computers, and use all the techniques given above. If you are still unsure, then maybe you should take a break, work for a year or two in a relevant field, and apply again. But, if you really want to go ‘now’, you should emphasise your project really well. Be positive! Good luck! 🙂

Hi Sachin, Thanks for useful insight on difficult doubt. I have tried hard for my SOP. i need someone could just refer it so i could get more correction and may help me build a good SOP.

If possible give me your mail-id. so i could mail to you !!!

I sincerely appreciate the time and the effort you put to carefully explaining these steps, I am really grateful.

Thank you for all you do.

I have mailed my SOP on mentioned Email-Id. Could you please let me know any improvements in my SOP asap…..

Just sent you a mail with steps you should take to improve your SOP. Let me know if you need help! 🙂

Just had a look around your suggestion. I would surely work around it. But I am confused which content to be removed because I have had much extracurricular activities and projects too!

Still I will concise it and will make improvements soon.

Thanks a lot!

Hi Jitta/ Sachin,

I have revised my SOP. Made necessary changes as suggested by you, Jitta. Thanks for your help! 🙂

I sincerely appreciate the team that up this wonderful work together which I we take my time to follow accordingly but and I get a direct SOP format on my mail or something to prove read for me when done with it

Sachin yar , why you guys do not send the pdf man . I get a message that I will be delivered on the mail but I never receive it

Geat advice. Thank you so much!

Where is the sample sop? Can you please give me the download link?

The download link is available right at the end of the blog post. Hope you have found it already.

The essay is not available from the download link. I received one sample sop as a .vcf file which is not opening.

Paul, I just checked and the download link is working. Mind trying again?

Ok im trying again . but i told you that i got the mail after i clicked on the link. the mail has a .vcf file attached, which is not opening.

Could you check your email? We have sent you the direct download link. Happy Studying! 🙂

got it 🙂 Thanks so much 🙂

Awesome! Would love to hear how it helped you 🙂

Hey Sachin,

Thanks for the article! I really appreciate it!

I have already confirmed my email but can’t download the sample SOP.If you can send me the direct link as you did with “shaoni paul”, this will be nice .

Please re-enter your mail id and you will taken to the download page. Let me know if it doesn’t work 🙂

I hope you find the sample SOP helpful!

Just sending a .vcf file and downloading the same. Tried it twice.

Hey Keerthi,

I am sorry to hear that you had to go through this process twice. I just checked and it looks like your email isn’t confirmed yet. Please re-enter your email and make sure you confirm your subscription. You should receive an email with a link to the SOP after a few minutes. Let me know if you don’t receive this mail 🙂

Hello, what is an ideal length for SOP? Please reply quickly as I need to finalize my SOP within this week. This article helped me a lot. Thanks in Advance.

Shrawan, there is no definitive ideal length for a statement of purpose. It entirely depends on the course you are applying to. For instance, if you are applying for an engineering school and send a 5 page SOP, the admissions committee may conclude that you are unable to express yourself concisely. And if you are applying for a literature school and send a 1 page SOP, that would again be a disaster too.

The general norm is a two to three pages statement of purpose. If you are going beyond that, it just means you are writing things that are totally unnecessary and would only act as a hindrance to your admission.

It was great to me~ It’s so helpful~

This article was really helpful and readable. It was very surprising that your article actually answered what I was asking inwardly! I think you just have an insight into a person’s mind! Thank you very much 🙂

Thanks for the kind words, Sarah, I’m happy to hear that the article helped you answer your questions.

Let me know if there is anything I can do 🙂

Hi Thanks for your useful post. I made my SOP based on your tips and I emailed it now. Could you please kindly review my SOP and give notes about it? I’m in a hurry, because I’m going to apply tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow for universities where their deadlines are 5 Jan. So I appreciate if you do me the favor urgently 🙂

Hey Ali, Please check your inbox and let me know if there is anything else I can do 🙂

The blog is excellently written and I am confident that it will certainly help me with my personal statement. Thanks.

Thank you very much for the article. It was very useful! Last year, I applied to a couple of grad schools and got rejected, which I believe was in part due to my weak SOP. This year, I’ve tried to improve it and would be grateful if you could please review it for me, and let me know of its flaws. Thanks. Keep the good work going.

Thanks for the write-up. I really need the sample SOP. Thank you.

I really needed some advise and you really provided with excellent explanation and SOP. And want to tell you thank you very much for all this. Now I know what was the biggest mistake in my prior SOP and why University did not admit me. Thank you very much again!!! ^_^

Excellent information with unique content and it is very useful to know about the information based on blogs.

Hi, Thanks for such a wonderful article being made. It helped me in stating the exact way of writing and proposing in the way the reader expects….. Thanks a lot…. 🙂

Thank u immensely for that great inside on SOP,I HV a better idea now on what to write.

There’s definitely a lot to know about this issue. I like all the points you made.

Thank you very much For such a creative blog,its much helpful. I really found answers of my all questions in this pretty written blog and it really awakened my mind to show that creativity which i had once before 3 years. Thanks once more dude.

it’s really helpful, thank you!

These tips are damn cool and intuitive hope so this will push me to touch zenith

This is the best blog i have seen so far that fully explains how to write a SOP. Most blogs show you a lot of wordy stuff which forces you to copy since you don’t understand the structure instead of writing something original for yourself. With this information, it really bring out the saying; “Teach a man how to fish rather than giving him fish…” Thanks for all the help.

Thank you for the tips and strategies am hopeful to write a good SOP and I have just started preparing my SOP and will continue to seek for your guide indue course.

This article is quite amazing and full of insight. I am going to take to the above instructions with due attention to details.

Thank you so much! Very helpful.

This blog is excellently written, wished I found you earlier.

High sachin, Thank you for your wonderful explanations on how to write a powerful SOP, To be sincere with you I really understand everything that you just explained and how you articulated it, I believed that it’s really going to help me a lots but the issues that I am having right now is that I don’t know if it’s actually possible for a computer science undergraduate that is currently in final year now at University to apply for any scholarship to pursue his MS in CS because I don’t have any research work though I’m still doing my project work

Thank You So Much For Helping The World.

Happy to help, Adikalie! Glad to know you found it useful. 🙂

Thank you so much for this guide.

Hello plz when can I get a reply yet?

Hi, Thank you for this wonderful information on writing SOP. It covers everything I was looking for

Very informative…Thanks.

Hy. Thank you, it is very helpful. now, I work on my own SOP for student exchange and this article solved my problem.

Simply wonderful!

Thank you for sharing this great source of information! I will prepare my statement accordingly!

Hi, I find this article really impressive and useful.I hope this will help me a lot writing my SOP.

GOOD JOB HERE.

Thanks for the detailed tips

Thanks for the detailed tips. Am so grateful for this.

This article is so informative! Thanks a lot for such useful tips! Some students underestimate the role of the statement of purpose and as a result, they get rejections. So, without an appealing, error-free, interesting and sweet SOP it is almost impossible to get a place at grad school or any other institution. Some students prefer writing this piece of paper on their own while others consider hiring professional SOP writers to help them out and make their lives a bit easier. Anyway, as the author said, a statement of purpose is a chance to impress the assessing committee and distinguish yourself from the crowd. Let’s do this 🙂

Fantastic SOP guide! I’m gonna apply to top universities this year so it’s going to be useful.

Hi! the instructions are amazing and gave me great insights on how to write my ideal SOP! Thank you so much!

Hello The post was wonderful and so much helpful

Thank you very much

What a nice guidance… Thank you… I like the way you explain

Sop writing is not a piece of cake but you have jotted down all the points in beautiful way. Keep It UP

Your article is very helpful!

Thank you, Ray

Hi, thank you for your helpful guidance.

Hi! Thank you so much for these useful tips. They really helped me with getting started.

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This was extremely helpful!

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Hi, Sachin!

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Helpful tips!

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It was very helpful. Thank you so much!

As much as I am still left tensed and pumped to work towards my SOP, this helped me calm down and have a sit-down with my own brain and work my way around it more steadily! Thank you so much!!!

Hi,thank you for this, I’ve been thinking of how to compose my sop, but with this guide I believe I will be able to come up with something that’ll impress the grad school committee and gain my place in the university.

Thanks for the detailed information.

Helpful information

The guide is excellent. All students aspiring to write SOP must get it. THANKS SIR

I found this article very useful and I appreciate the effort you put into it to keep us abreast. Cheers.

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Have a good day !

That was great, complete and truly helpful.

Thanks for this write up.

Thank you for the useful article. An ever-increasing number of students will utilize this to compose their personal statement. The admissions committee will utilize this to enable them to see exactly your identity and to judge your reasonableness for their school, so it should be composed consummately. This will be the most critical piece of your application necessities and should be composed superbly. The application process for whichever school you’re applying for will expect you to supply a personal statement as a major aspect of your application. Thank you.

Thank you for this wonderful steps in achieving a better SOP.

Thank you very much for this important information. Actually I have realized that most of the mistakes I have been making are here mentioned. This time I will not repeat the mistakes. Thank you very much.

Hi, Thanks, the tips are beautiful and really helpful

Hi, thank you for the amazing article. I will apply these tips and tricks as soon as possible.

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I have always wondered how should my SOP look like ? I always wanted to have my own unique version as I am applying now. Though I had a rough idea, after going through this blog,I must say that I am more clear about what the contents should be and how the SOP should sound. Thanks a lot for sharing the tips.

You are the best for sure! i am satisfied and i hope that i am going to make a very good SOP

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We all appreciate your kind helpfulness,continue your good work.thanks

This Piece was well put together. Thanks

This is a valuable article so I hope to get a free sample SOP as you have mentioned above. Thank you in advance

WOW just what I was searching for. Came here by searching for Help Writing Essay Homework

Thank you very much for this post. It is extremely helpful.

Thanks & regards, Debanjana Dey

Nowadays it’s very rare to come across an article like this. And it’s even rarer that I read a full article without getting bored. I read this one beginning to end. Brilliant!

Glad you enjoyed it, Flyod! Feel free to message us if you have any questions! 🙂

It’s has been very helpful

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This has lighten my burden about SOP to a great extent. Thanks for these tips.

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Again, thanks a lot

Excellent article..its a good site to explore ..Thanks for the blog post.Really thank you! Much obliged..

Very good post. I think these tips are helpful and needed. Writers often struggle with purpose statements, yet they are so important. What I like about your post is that you delve into various ideas and explain them well. Thank you for helping writers!!

I am writing my SOP with the help of your brilliant tips. Thank you

Thank you so much for what you’ve given us!

Such a great help!

Wow, the concept of writing the statement of purpose for graduate programme admission vividly explained and well understood

Great job ! I’m thoroughly impressed with your tips here. Thanks!

This article is excellent and helpful.

Thanks for this great post. It exposed a lot of flaws in my SOP and made me to believe that what caused the rejection of my grad application is the SOP. The admission committee states in the comment section that I met the minimum requirements but my application is not competitive.

Sure, I will do a hard think and find answers to all the why questions.

Thank you for such nice tips. SOP are now becoming a requirement of every reputable college and university. I am also very worried as I want to apply for my masters in a reputable US university but I fear that my SOP writing skills are not very good. I hope these tips help and I get into a reputable university.

Hey! I found the article to be AMAZING and so helpful! Thank you!

It was great reading the writing skills of SOP, more in a story manner rather a statement. I will try to work on these lines. Thank you.

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25 Thesis Statement Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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A thesis statement is needed in an essay or dissertation . There are multiple types of thesis statements – but generally we can divide them into expository and argumentative. An expository statement is a statement of fact (common in expository essays and process essays) while an argumentative statement is a statement of opinion (common in argumentative essays and dissertations). Below are examples of each.

Strong Thesis Statement Examples

1. School Uniforms

“Mandatory school uniforms should be implemented in educational institutions as they promote a sense of equality, reduce distractions, and foster a focused and professional learning environment.”

Best For: Argumentative Essay or Debate

Read More: School Uniforms Pros and Cons

2. Nature vs Nurture

“This essay will explore how both genetic inheritance and environmental factors equally contribute to shaping human behavior and personality.”

Best For: Compare and Contrast Essay

Read More: Nature vs Nurture Debate

3. American Dream

“The American Dream, a symbol of opportunity and success, is increasingly elusive in today’s socio-economic landscape, revealing deeper inequalities in society.”

Best For: Persuasive Essay

Read More: What is the American Dream?

4. Social Media

“Social media has revolutionized communication and societal interactions, but it also presents significant challenges related to privacy, mental health, and misinformation.”

Best For: Expository Essay

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Social Media

5. Globalization

“Globalization has created a world more interconnected than ever before, yet it also amplifies economic disparities and cultural homogenization.”

Read More: Globalization Pros and Cons

6. Urbanization

“Urbanization drives economic growth and social development, but it also poses unique challenges in sustainability and quality of life.”

Read More: Learn about Urbanization

7. Immigration

“Immigration enriches receiving countries culturally and economically, outweighing any perceived social or economic burdens.”

Read More: Immigration Pros and Cons

8. Cultural Identity

“In a globalized world, maintaining distinct cultural identities is crucial for preserving cultural diversity and fostering global understanding, despite the challenges of assimilation and homogenization.”

Best For: Argumentative Essay

Read More: Learn about Cultural Identity

9. Technology

“Medical technologies in care institutions in Toronto has increased subjcetive outcomes for patients with chronic pain.”

Best For: Research Paper

10. Capitalism vs Socialism

“The debate between capitalism and socialism centers on balancing economic freedom and inequality, each presenting distinct approaches to resource distribution and social welfare.”

11. Cultural Heritage

“The preservation of cultural heritage is essential, not only for cultural identity but also for educating future generations, outweighing the arguments for modernization and commercialization.”

12. Pseudoscience

“Pseudoscience, characterized by a lack of empirical support, continues to influence public perception and decision-making, often at the expense of scientific credibility.”

Read More: Examples of Pseudoscience

13. Free Will

“The concept of free will is largely an illusion, with human behavior and decisions predominantly determined by biological and environmental factors.”

Read More: Do we have Free Will?

14. Gender Roles

“Traditional gender roles are outdated and harmful, restricting individual freedoms and perpetuating gender inequalities in modern society.”

Read More: What are Traditional Gender Roles?

15. Work-Life Ballance

“The trend to online and distance work in the 2020s led to improved subjective feelings of work-life balance but simultaneously increased self-reported loneliness.”

Read More: Work-Life Balance Examples

16. Universal Healthcare

“Universal healthcare is a fundamental human right and the most effective system for ensuring health equity and societal well-being, outweighing concerns about government involvement and costs.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Universal Healthcare

17. Minimum Wage

“The implementation of a fair minimum wage is vital for reducing economic inequality, yet it is often contentious due to its potential impact on businesses and employment rates.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Raising the Minimum Wage

18. Homework

“The homework provided throughout this semester has enabled me to achieve greater self-reflection, identify gaps in my knowledge, and reinforce those gaps through spaced repetition.”

Best For: Reflective Essay

Read More: Reasons Homework Should be Banned

19. Charter Schools

“Charter schools offer alternatives to traditional public education, promising innovation and choice but also raising questions about accountability and educational equity.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Charter Schools

20. Effects of the Internet

“The Internet has drastically reshaped human communication, access to information, and societal dynamics, generally with a net positive effect on society.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of the Internet

21. Affirmative Action

“Affirmative action is essential for rectifying historical injustices and achieving true meritocracy in education and employment, contrary to claims of reverse discrimination.”

Best For: Essay

Read More: Affirmative Action Pros and Cons

22. Soft Skills

“Soft skills, such as communication and empathy, are increasingly recognized as essential for success in the modern workforce, and therefore should be a strong focus at school and university level.”

Read More: Soft Skills Examples

23. Moral Panic

“Moral panic, often fueled by media and cultural anxieties, can lead to exaggerated societal responses that sometimes overlook rational analysis and evidence.”

Read More: Moral Panic Examples

24. Freedom of the Press

“Freedom of the press is critical for democracy and informed citizenship, yet it faces challenges from censorship, media bias, and the proliferation of misinformation.”

Read More: Freedom of the Press Examples

25. Mass Media

“Mass media shapes public opinion and cultural norms, but its concentration of ownership and commercial interests raise concerns about bias and the quality of information.”

Best For: Critical Analysis

Read More: Mass Media Examples

Checklist: How to use your Thesis Statement

✅ Position: If your statement is for an argumentative or persuasive essay, or a dissertation, ensure it takes a clear stance on the topic. ✅ Specificity: It addresses a specific aspect of the topic, providing focus for the essay. ✅ Conciseness: Typically, a thesis statement is one to two sentences long. It should be concise, clear, and easily identifiable. ✅ Direction: The thesis statement guides the direction of the essay, providing a roadmap for the argument, narrative, or explanation. ✅ Evidence-based: While the thesis statement itself doesn’t include evidence, it sets up an argument that can be supported with evidence in the body of the essay. ✅ Placement: Generally, the thesis statement is placed at the end of the introduction of an essay.

Try These AI Prompts – Thesis Statement Generator!

One way to brainstorm thesis statements is to get AI to brainstorm some for you! Try this AI prompt:

💡 AI PROMPT FOR EXPOSITORY THESIS STATEMENT I am writing an essay on [TOPIC] and these are the instructions my teacher gave me: [INSTUCTIONS]. I want you to create an expository thesis statement that doesn’t argue a position, but demonstrates depth of knowledge about the topic.

💡 AI PROMPT FOR ARGUMENTATIVE THESIS STATEMENT I am writing an essay on [TOPIC] and these are the instructions my teacher gave me: [INSTRUCTIONS]. I want you to create an argumentative thesis statement that clearly takes a position on this issue.

💡 AI PROMPT FOR COMPARE AND CONTRAST THESIS STATEMENT I am writing a compare and contrast essay that compares [Concept 1] and [Concept2]. Give me 5 potential single-sentence thesis statements that remain objective.

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples
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Writing a Paper: Thesis Statements

Basics of thesis statements.

The thesis statement is the brief articulation of your paper's central argument and purpose. You might hear it referred to as simply a "thesis." Every scholarly paper should have a thesis statement, and strong thesis statements are concise, specific, and arguable. Concise means the thesis is short: perhaps one or two sentences for a shorter paper. Specific means the thesis deals with a narrow and focused topic, appropriate to the paper's length. Arguable means that a scholar in your field could disagree (or perhaps already has!).

Strong thesis statements address specific intellectual questions, have clear positions, and use a structure that reflects the overall structure of the paper. Read on to learn more about constructing a strong thesis statement.

Being Specific

This thesis statement has no specific argument:

Needs Improvement: In this essay, I will examine two scholarly articles to find similarities and differences.

This statement is concise, but it is neither specific nor arguable—a reader might wonder, "Which scholarly articles? What is the topic of this paper? What field is the author writing in?" Additionally, the purpose of the paper—to "examine…to find similarities and differences" is not of a scholarly level. Identifying similarities and differences is a good first step, but strong academic argument goes further, analyzing what those similarities and differences might mean or imply.

Better: In this essay, I will argue that Bowler's (2003) autocratic management style, when coupled with Smith's (2007) theory of social cognition, can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover.

The new revision here is still concise, as well as specific and arguable.  We can see that it is specific because the writer is mentioning (a) concrete ideas and (b) exact authors.  We can also gather the field (business) and the topic (management and employee turnover). The statement is arguable because the student goes beyond merely comparing; he or she draws conclusions from that comparison ("can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover").

Making a Unique Argument

This thesis draft repeats the language of the writing prompt without making a unique argument:

Needs Improvement: The purpose of this essay is to monitor, assess, and evaluate an educational program for its strengths and weaknesses. Then, I will provide suggestions for improvement.

You can see here that the student has simply stated the paper's assignment, without articulating specifically how he or she will address it. The student can correct this error simply by phrasing the thesis statement as a specific answer to the assignment prompt.

Better: Through a series of student interviews, I found that Kennedy High School's antibullying program was ineffective. In order to address issues of conflict between students, I argue that Kennedy High School should embrace policies outlined by the California Department of Education (2010).

Words like "ineffective" and "argue" show here that the student has clearly thought through the assignment and analyzed the material; he or she is putting forth a specific and debatable position. The concrete information ("student interviews," "antibullying") further prepares the reader for the body of the paper and demonstrates how the student has addressed the assignment prompt without just restating that language.

Creating a Debate

This thesis statement includes only obvious fact or plot summary instead of argument:

Needs Improvement: Leadership is an important quality in nurse educators.

A good strategy to determine if your thesis statement is too broad (and therefore, not arguable) is to ask yourself, "Would a scholar in my field disagree with this point?" Here, we can see easily that no scholar is likely to argue that leadership is an unimportant quality in nurse educators.  The student needs to come up with a more arguable claim, and probably a narrower one; remember that a short paper needs a more focused topic than a dissertation.

Better: Roderick's (2009) theory of participatory leadership  is particularly appropriate to nurse educators working within the emergency medicine field, where students benefit most from collegial and kinesthetic learning.

Here, the student has identified a particular type of leadership ("participatory leadership"), narrowing the topic, and has made an arguable claim (this type of leadership is "appropriate" to a specific type of nurse educator). Conceivably, a scholar in the nursing field might disagree with this approach. The student's paper can now proceed, providing specific pieces of evidence to support the arguable central claim.

Choosing the Right Words

This thesis statement uses large or scholarly-sounding words that have no real substance:

Needs Improvement: Scholars should work to seize metacognitive outcomes by harnessing discipline-based networks to empower collaborative infrastructures.

There are many words in this sentence that may be buzzwords in the student's field or key terms taken from other texts, but together they do not communicate a clear, specific meaning. Sometimes students think scholarly writing means constructing complex sentences using special language, but actually it's usually a stronger choice to write clear, simple sentences. When in doubt, remember that your ideas should be complex, not your sentence structure.

Better: Ecologists should work to educate the U.S. public on conservation methods by making use of local and national green organizations to create a widespread communication plan.

Notice in the revision that the field is now clear (ecology), and the language has been made much more field-specific ("conservation methods," "green organizations"), so the reader is able to see concretely the ideas the student is communicating.

Leaving Room for Discussion

This thesis statement is not capable of development or advancement in the paper:

Needs Improvement: There are always alternatives to illegal drug use.

This sample thesis statement makes a claim, but it is not a claim that will sustain extended discussion. This claim is the type of claim that might be appropriate for the conclusion of a paper, but in the beginning of the paper, the student is left with nowhere to go. What further points can be made? If there are "always alternatives" to the problem the student is identifying, then why bother developing a paper around that claim? Ideally, a thesis statement should be complex enough to explore over the length of the entire paper.

Better: The most effective treatment plan for methamphetamine addiction may be a combination of pharmacological and cognitive therapy, as argued by Baker (2008), Smith (2009), and Xavier (2011).

In the revised thesis, you can see the student make a specific, debatable claim that has the potential to generate several pages' worth of discussion. When drafting a thesis statement, think about the questions your thesis statement will generate: What follow-up inquiries might a reader have? In the first example, there are almost no additional questions implied, but the revised example allows for a good deal more exploration.

Thesis Mad Libs

If you are having trouble getting started, try using the models below to generate a rough model of a thesis statement! These models are intended for drafting purposes only and should not appear in your final work.

• In this essay, I argue ____, using ______ to assert _____.
• While scholars have often argued ______, I argue______, because_______.
• Through an analysis of ______, I argue ______, which is important because_______.

Words to Avoid and to Embrace

When drafting your thesis statement, avoid words like explore, investigate, learn, compile, summarize , and explain to describe the main purpose of your paper. These words imply a paper that summarizes or "reports," rather than synthesizing and analyzing.

Instead of the terms above, try words like argue, critique, question , and interrogate . These more analytical words may help you begin strongly, by articulating a specific, critical, scholarly position.

Read Kayla's blog post for tips on taking a stand in a well-crafted thesis statement.

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Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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25 Thesis Statement Examples That Will Make Writing a Breeze

Understanding what makes a good thesis statement is one of the major keys to writing a great research paper or argumentative essay. The thesis statement is where you make a claim that will guide you through your entire paper. If you find yourself struggling to make sense of your paper or your topic, then it's likely due to a weak thesis statement.

Let's take a minute to first understand what makes a solid thesis statement, and what key components you need to write one of your own.

A thesis statement always goes at the beginning of the paper. It will typically be in the first couple of paragraphs of the paper so that it can introduce the body paragraphs, which are the supporting evidence for your thesis statement.

Your thesis statement should clearly identify an argument. You need to have a statement that is not only easy to understand, but one that is debatable. What that means is that you can't just put any statement of fact and have it be your thesis. For example, everyone knows that puppies are cute . An ineffective thesis statement would be, "Puppies are adorable and everyone knows it." This isn't really something that's a debatable topic.

Something that would be more debatable would be, "A puppy's cuteness is derived from its floppy ears, small body, and playfulness." These are three things that can be debated on. Some people might think that the cutest thing about puppies is the fact that they follow you around or that they're really soft and fuzzy.

All cuteness aside, you want to make sure that your thesis statement is not only debatable, but that it also actually thoroughly answers the research question that was posed. You always want to make sure that your evidence is supporting a claim that you made (and not the other way around). This is why it's crucial to read and research about a topic first and come to a conclusion later. If you try to get your research to fit your thesis statement, then it may not work out as neatly as you think. As you learn more, you discover more (and the outcome may not be what you originally thought).

Additionally, your thesis statement shouldn't be too big or too grand. It'll be hard to cover everything in a thesis statement like, "The federal government should act now on climate change." The topic is just too large to actually say something new and meaningful. Instead, a more effective thesis statement might be, "Local governments can combat climate change by providing citizens with larger recycling bins and offering local classes about composting and conservation." This is easier to work with because it's a smaller idea, but you can also discuss the overall topic that you might be interested in, which is climate change.

So, now that we know what makes a good, solid thesis statement, you can start to write your own. If you find that you're getting stuck or you are the type of person who needs to look at examples before you start something, then check out our list of thesis statement examples below.

Thesis statement examples

A quick note that these thesis statements have not been fully researched. These are merely examples to show you what a thesis statement might look like and how you can implement your own ideas into one that you think of independently. As such, you should not use these thesis statements for your own research paper purposes. They are meant to be used as examples only.

• Vaccinations Because many children are unable to vaccinate due to illness, we must require that all healthy and able children be vaccinated in order to have herd immunity.
• Educational Resources for Low-Income Students Schools should provide educational resources for low-income students during the summers so that they don't forget what they've learned throughout the school year.
• School Uniforms School uniforms may be an upfront cost for families, but they eradicate the visual differences in income between students and provide a more egalitarian atmosphere at school.
• Populism The rise in populism on the 2016 political stage was in reaction to increasing globalization, the decline of manufacturing jobs, and the Syrian refugee crisis.
• Public Libraries Libraries are essential resources for communities and should be funded more heavily by local municipalities.
• Cyber Bullying With more and more teens using smartphones and social media, cyber bullying is on the rise. Cyber bullying puts a lot of stress on many teens, and can cause depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. Parents should limit the usage of smart phones, monitor their children's online activity, and report any cyber bullying to school officials in order to combat this problem.
• Medical Marijuana for Veterans Studies have shown that the use of medicinal marijuana has been helpful to veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Medicinal marijuana prescriptions should be legal in all states and provided to these veterans. Additional medical or therapy services should also be researched and implemented in order to help them re-integrate back into civilian life.
• Work-Life Balance Corporations should provide more work from home opportunities and six-hour workdays so that office workers have a better work-life balance and are more likely to be productive when they are in the office.
• Teaching Youths about Consensual Sex Although sex education that includes a discussion of consensual sex would likely lead to less sexual assault, parents need to teach their children the meaning of consent from a young age with age appropriate lessons.
• Whether or Not to Attend University A degree from a university provides invaluable lessons on life and a future career, but not every high school student should be encouraged to attend a university directly after graduation. Some students may benefit from a trade school or a "gap year" where they can think more intensely about what it is they want to do for a career and how they can accomplish this.
• Studying Abroad Studying abroad is one of the most culturally valuable experiences you can have in college. It is the only way to get completely immersed in another language and learn how other cultures and countries are different from your own.
• Women's Body Image Magazines have done a lot in the last five years to include a more diverse group of models, but there is still a long way to go to promote a healthy woman's body image collectively as a culture.
• Cigarette Tax Heavily taxing and increasing the price of cigarettes is essentially a tax on the poorest Americans, and it doesn't deter them from purchasing. Instead, the state and federal governments should target those economically disenfranchised with early education about the dangers of smoking.
• Veganism A vegan diet, while a healthy and ethical way to consume food, indicates a position of privilege. It also limits you to other cultural food experiences if you travel around the world.
• University Athletes Should be Compensated University athletes should be compensated for their service to the university, as it is difficult for these students to procure and hold a job with busy academic and athletic schedules. Many student athletes on scholarship also come from low-income neighborhoods and it is a struggle to make ends meet when they are participating in athletics.
• Women in the Workforce Sheryl Sandberg makes a lot of interesting points in her best-selling book, Lean In , but she only addressed the very privileged working woman and failed to speak to those in lower-skilled, lower-wage jobs.
• Assisted Suicide Assisted suicide should be legal and doctors should have the ability to make sure their patients have the end-of-life care that they want to receive.
• Celebrity and Political Activism Although Taylor Swift's lyrics are indicative of a feminist perspective, she should be more politically active and vocal to use her position of power for the betterment of society.
• The Civil War The insistence from many Southerners that the South seceded from the Union for states' rights versus the fact that they seceded for the purposes of continuing slavery is a harmful myth that still affects race relations today.
• Blue Collar Workers Coal miners and other blue-collar workers whose jobs are slowly disappearing from the workforce should be re-trained in jobs in the technology sector or in renewable energy. A program to re-train these workers would not only improve local economies where jobs have been displaced, but would also lead to lower unemployment nationally.
• Diversity in the Workforce Having a diverse group of people in an office setting leads to richer ideas, more cooperation, and more empathy between people with different skin colors or backgrounds.
• Re-Imagining the Nuclear Family The nuclear family was traditionally defined as one mother, one father, and 2.5 children. This outdated depiction of family life doesn't quite fit with modern society. The definition of normal family life shouldn't be limited to two-parent households.
• Digital Literacy Skills With more information readily available than ever before, it's crucial that students are prepared to examine the material they're reading and determine whether or not it's a good source or if it has misleading information. Teaching students digital literacy and helping them to understand the difference between opinion or propaganda from legitimate, real information is integral.
• Beauty Pageants Beauty pageants are presented with the angle that they empower women. However, putting women in a swimsuit on a stage while simultaneously judging them on how well they answer an impossible question in a short period of time is cruel and purely for the amusement of men. Therefore, we should stop televising beauty pageants.
• Supporting More Women to Run for a Political Position In order to get more women into political positions, more women must run for office. There must be a grassroots effort to educate women on how to run for office, who among them should run, and support for a future candidate for getting started on a political career.

Still stuck? Need some help with your thesis statement?

If you are still uncertain about how to write a thesis statement or what a good thesis statement is, be sure to consult with your teacher or professor to make sure you're on the right track. It's always a good idea to check in and make sure that your thesis statement is making a solid argument and that it can be supported by your research.

After you're done writing, it's important to have someone take a second look at your paper so that you can ensure there are no mistakes or errors. It's difficult to spot your own mistakes, which is why it's always recommended to have someone help you with the revision process, whether that's a teacher, the writing center at school, or a professional editor such as one from ServiceScape .

Writing the Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should convince the admissions committee that your achievements show promise for your success in graduate study. Think of the statement of purpose as a composition with four different parts.

Make sure to check on the appropriate departmental website to find out if your statement should include additional or specific information.

Part 1: Introduce yourself, your interests and motivations

Tell them what you’re interested in, and perhaps, what sparked your desire for graduate study. This should be short and to the point; don’t spend a great deal of time on autobiography.

Part 2: Summarize your undergraduate and previous graduate career

a) Research you conducted. Indicate with whom, the title of the project, what your responsibilities were, and the outcome. Write technically, or in the style of your discipline. Faculty are the people who read these statements.

b) Important paper or thesis project you completed, as well as anything scholarly beyond your curricular requirements.

c) Work experience, especially if you had any kind of responsibility for testing, designing, researching or interning in an area similar to what you wish to study in graduate school.

Part 3: Discuss the relevance of your recent and current activities

If you graduated and worked prior to returning to graduate school, indicate what you’ve been doing: company or non-profit, your work/design team, responsibilities, what you learned. You can also indicate here how this helped you focus your graduate studies.

Part 4: Elaborate on your academic interests

Here you indicate what you would like to study in graduate school in enough detail to convince the faculty that you understand the scope of research in their discipline, and are engaged with current research themes.

a) Indicate the area of your interests. Ideally, pose a question, define a problem, or indicate a theme that you would like to address, and questions that arise from contemporary research. This should be an ample paragraph!

b) Look on the web for information about departments you’re interested in, including professors and their research. Are there professors whose research interests parallel yours? If so, indicate this. Check the specific program; many may require you to name a professor or professors with whom you might work.

c) End your statement in a positive manner, indicating your excitement and readiness for the challenges ahead of you.

Essential Tips

1. What the admissions committee will read between the lines: self-motivation, competence, potential as a graduate student.

2. Emphasize everything from a positive perspective and write in an active, not a passive voice.

3. Demonstrate everything by example; don’t say directly that you’re a persistent person, show it.

4. If there is something important that happened to you that affected your grades, such as poverty, illness, or excessive work, state it. Write it affirmatively, showing your perseverance despite obstacles. You can elaborate more in your personal statement.

5. Make sure everything is linked with continuity and focus.

6. Unless the specific program says otherwise, be concise; an ideal essay should say everything it needs to with brevity. Approximately 500 to 1000 well-selected words (1-2 single space pages in 12 point font) is better than more words with less clarity and poor organization.

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SOP (Statement of Purpose): Format, Samples, and Tips

• Updated on  
• Feb 17, 2024

To aesthetically present a movie on the screen, great actors are the requisites. Similar is the case when one is carving their own career path. From choosing the right course to getting into your dream university, you need to take each step carefully. As a crucial part of the eligibility criteria, the universities often demand LOR s, SOPs or entrance test scores to assess the candidates and their suitability for the chosen course. A Statement of Purpose (SOP) is one such element that beholds great value in the admission process of those aspiring to study abroad. Creating an alluring SOP is essential to help the assessment committee understand your willingness for the program you have applied for. This blog aims to provide a comprehensive step-by-step guide on drafting a statement of purpose that can help you sail smoothly through the assessment process and get entry into your dream academic institution.

This Blog Includes:

What is a statement of purpose (sop), why is sop important, sop format, 2. formulate, 3. revise and modify, what do colleges look for in an sop, how to write a perfect statement of purpose (sop / admissions essay), introduction, academic background and professional experience, career goals, why this course, why this university, how long should an sop be, what to include in an sop, what not to include in an sop, 10 tips to write a successful statement of purpose, sop sample for business analytics, sample statement of purpose for mba , sample statement of purpose for masters, sop formats for usa, canada, uk, and australia, top 5 mistakes to avoid while writing an sop, how can you reduce your chances of rejection from your chosen university, can sops help with scholarships, sop vs letter of motivation, sop vs personal statement.

A Statement of Purpose can be referred to as an informative document, containing personal statements, and is essentially required as part of the admission procedure of study abroad programs. Also referred to as an application essay, it comprises the basic details of a candidate along with their professional and personal interests, academic highlights as well as future aspirations. An SOP plays an integral role in the application process of a study abroad program as it provides the admission board with the key information about the candidate and why they want to study a particular course at their institution. It not only describes who you are as an individual but also gives an idea about your writing skills and proficiency in the English language.   

A well-written SOP is an extremely significant element during your admission process. While the academic record and other exam scorecards, academic transcripts and backlog certificates are essentially objective in nature, an SOP is the only truly subjective aspect of your application. It is the only document in your application that allows you to prove that you have something unique which makes you stand out from the crowd. As such, it is the document of your application docket that can hugely determine your admission.

Also Read: Statement of Purpose vs Personal Statement

As such, there is no particular or proper format for writing a statement of purpose or an SOP. Students have to write an SOP just like an elaborative and descriptive English essay dividing the whole context into different paragraphs. Each paragraph must be having distinctive features describing different scenarios, features or characteristics about yourself. You can take the help of the below-provided structure and get started with writing an SOP for the university you want to study in. 

How to Write a Statement of Purpose?

As a pivotal document for any study abroad application, an SOP needs to be precisely well-written. To help you understand the different elements of this document, we have curated a step-by-step procedure that you can follow to curate an impressive statement of purpose.

The first step of the process of drafting a statement of purpose is to think about the varied aspects of your candidature that you should mention in it. The mandatory inclusions of an SOP are academic achievements (especially at the undergraduate level), prior work exposure or volunteering experiences. Start with framing an outline for the document and ask yourself the following questions:

• Which field of study excites me the most?
• Why do I want to pursue this degree?
• What are my expectations from this degree?
• What outgrowth can this degree offer me?
• Where can this degree take me, personally and professionally? 
• Through my pre-requisites, what values can I add to this program?

Once you have made key pointers for most of the questions mentioned above, you can begin jotting them down in a thorough and comprehensive manner.

Now that you know what you want to mention in your SOP, it’s time to curate a rough outline for the document. Here is a list of some essential tips you need to keep in mind while formulating your statement of purpose:

• Since the admission committee strives to understand your candidature through the SOP, you need to be honest in describing your career aspirations and objectives. Focus centrally on maintaining the authenticity of your mentioned details. Duly elaborate on your advantageous perception of the chosen course.
• Creatively cite your personal and professional interests. Mention what you are passionate about and what excites you. Then, sensibly connect it with your chosen program and how it will assist you in grooming your skills. For instance, you can state that you are aspiring to gain experiential learning or training in your desired industry through the course.
• What brought you here should be a sure-shot mention in your SOP. You can begin with stating those features of your chosen course that convinced you to opt for it. Then, write down the objectives you want to fulfil by studying the program. It can be personal growth or professional upliftment or even both. Try to be unique and precise when listing your reasons. 

Once you have jotted down your SOP as per the above-mentioned necessary tips, the final and concluding step is to revise and make changes accordingly. Go through the list that you created in the beginning and ensure that you have added all of them.

• The word limit for a statement of purpose is between 500-1000. 
• Do not miss out the predefined sizes for spacing, margins and font size.
• Try getting a second opinion but getting your SOP read from a friend or an experienced professional.

Many foreign and even national universities ask for a Statement of Purpose (SOP) from candidates wanting to enrol in suitable courses that the university has to offer. They ask for the SOP from candidates in order to check and look at the following things:

• The writing capabilities of the writer or the candidate 
• The X factor that makes their writing stand out from the crowd
• Choice of thoughts and ideas that has been explained in the SOP
• The unique personality of the candidate 
• Candidate’s talent, previous experiences, interests and potential
• How and what can the candidate contribute to the department of the college/university
• Candidate’s motivation or inspiration to study a selected course must be evident and justified
• The reason behind to choose a particular university/college and a particular course of study
• Academic and extracurricular achievements and recognitions (if any)
• Originality and clarity of the SOP as a whole. 

To know more, read our blog on – How to Write an SOP?

Check out the video on the same below!

How to Write a Powerful and Convincing SOP?

Whether applying for undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate programmes, the strategy of writing a powerful statement of purpose should be sound focused throughout. Starting from your academic and professional background to your career aspirations, you need to carefully connect all the dots between reaching your goals through your choice of school and course. The essay should always go in a flow covering your past experience, present involvements, and future plans. An important point to remember while writing your SOP would be to divide it into paragraphs that cover all the pointers. Here is a look at how you may write the SOP presenting your profile strongly:

This paragraph is often confused with self-introduction. It should not introduce you but should discuss what you are about to discuss in your SOP. There are multiple approaches you may adopt to go about this paragraph:

• Discuss your long-term goal and connect it with your idea of pursuing the course you are applying to
• Present your understanding of the chosen field and write how you want to contribute to that field
• Explain your background in 2-3 lines and connect it with your future goals
• Write about an anecdote that helped you realise your professional interest in the chosen field

This comprises of your academic background: what you have done so far, what you are currently pursuing, your academic strengths and projects, and the industrial exposure you have attained.

This is the most important paragraph, where you should discuss your short and long-term goals. Your immediate goal would be where you would want to work right after completing this course. You should be able to name some companies within India along with the designation you see yourself working at. This should explain the kind of job profile you would be working on.

Then comes your long-term goal, wherein you should mention where you see yourself from 10-12 or 15 years down the line. This may include your desire of working at the CEO/CFO/CTO level or maybe establish a firm that you own. It may also include your dream of expanding your existing family business overseas. You may also be interested in further studies like a PhD which can be included here.

More in this section may include your desire of becoming a professor or researcher. In any case, it is suggested that you discuss your business aim, principles, and core values or how you would influence the young aspirants of this industry. You should be able to portray ‘how you wish to make a difference in the industry keeping in mind the current industrial scenarios and emerging trends.

In this paragraph, you should discuss why you want to join a course and what modules would you tap during this course. It should also cover the skills you would acquire in this duration along with the exposure that would help in developing the skills desired to realise your goals.

This is a specific paragraph wherein you can convince a university as in how they are suitable for your profile and you are an ideal candidate for their university. You should discuss the course curriculum, research work, faculty names, as well as the university-specific activities that would help you in enhancing your profile.

Also Read: How to Write a Best Statement of Purpose?

Ideally, if considering an internationally renowned university, then the statement of purpose should be at least 1-2 pages long. In terms of word count, then the same should be around 1000 words. Having said that, the word limit and the length may also sometimes depend on the university that the candidate is targeting and also on the level of degree. Like for example, a candidate who is writing an SOP for an undergraduate program may not exceed 800 to 1000 words whereas a candidate who is writing an SOP for a PhD or M.Phil degree course has to write it in around 1200 words and sometimes even more. Some universities even have a fixed length and word count which is uniform for all the programs and courses. 

There are many elements to an SOP. Universities could ask question-based essays or simply a general statement of purpose. Until and unless categorically asked, an SOP must include your goals and the career path you have taken up so far as well as your academic progress. Other elements that are further important to the SOP are also the personal motivations that lead you to choose the university/course you have applied to as well as how you intend to use that experience to achieve that goal.

Following are a few things that you must do in order to make your SOP application strong:

• Your Statement of Purpose should have a unique and engaging beginning as well as an end. It must be original, a reflection of you. 
• Explain your academic background, present and future aspirations. Through this, you must justify your choice of a particular course for masters or doctorate courses.
• Upon reading your SOP, the admission officer should be able to understand how you can contribute to the university in terms of research and further scope in your chosen area. 
• Always write your SOP in an active voice and ensure you provide information in a manner that is a reflection of your passion and optimism. If you have any statements or references, try quoting them with relevant examples rather than being direct.

Often universities come across a lengthy statement of purpose and yet they reject it. Even when you cannot find one grammatical error, the seemingly excellent SOP would be rejected. And the primary reason is – too much unnecessary information. For instance, just because you might want to talk about your family, does not mean you go on and on to talk about only your family. While your SOP should be a brag sheet, it should be a brag sheet with a substance. You need to pick and choose what to include. Pick a theme and mention the accomplishments that make the most sense to your candidacy.

• Weave your career path into a story, not statements.
• Do not write what you think should be written. Personalise the SOP and make it your own.
• Do not stress over it. Although it is an important part of your application, the SOP should be a direct reflection of you.
• Find the deeper meaning behind the events of your life and pen them down.
• Give a strong reason as to why you chose the particular school and course.
• Be specific in the timeline of events.
• Use a formal but conversational tone.
• Accept your mistakes and explain how you are willing to act on improving. Use action items.
• Give yourself enough time to write the SOP and edit it constantly. 
• Proofread, edit, re-edit and then edit it again! There is always room for improvement, remember that.

Also Read: SOP for Scholarship

Statement of Purpose Samples

Here are some good examples of well structured SOPs that you can refer to while writing your own.

“ A successful career in Business Management requires adequate knowledge to utilise the strengths and weaknesses of an individual. In my undergraduate degree, I majored in economics and psychology because I believe that understanding these two fields is important for leading a successful business. I want to increase my experiences and knowledge further by pursuing an Executive MBA, which will equip me with advanced skills that are necessary to achieve my career goals.

As I have carried out various leadership positions, I have learned how to efficiently work in teams and pursue the specified goals. In my previous company, ABC, I successfully implemented the strength-cum-weakness finder software which helped us assign projects to the groups based on the mapped data. As employees got allotted tasks as per their efficiency, it resulted in a 30% net gain for the company over the following year. I believe that a successful business leader understands the importance of strategically utilizing a company’s resources to ensure the maximum potential and development of the company. Further, the pivotal thing I learned about myself by taking up leadership roles is that teamwork is a crucial element of successfully achieving an organisation’s objectives. An Executive MBA will help me furnish my leadership skills imparting me with the knowledge of hierarchical structures and how to work with other leaders of different domains in an effective manner.

Studying for an Executive MBA, I plan to take charge of multiple team projects throughout the duration of the degree so that I can polish my teamwork skills. I aspire to work under industry leaders and attain global exposure. Pursuing this degree from your institution, I aim to gain professional as well as personal skills that can help me soar through my career journey. ”

I had a keen interest in Biology since childhood. I was eager to learn about the living organisms around my surroundings and how they function. I took this interest forward and decided to pursue my higher education in biology. When I was first introduced to the field of biotechnology, I was mesmerized by what technology can do to improve the life of any living organism. This inspired me to look at various research programmes in biotechnology and how we are moving towards a phase where technology can alter even the basic fragments of any living organism and change the course of life an organism goes through. I observed the various research patterns that have been taking place in the agricultural industry with the advent of GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) giving birth to the Green Revolution. This was only one potential achievement in the extensive list of achievements that biotechnology was progressing towards. I worked with a reputed biotech firm which gave me an insight into how fast-paced the research in biotechnology is. The firm gave me the necessary exposure leading me to decide that I want to pursue MS in Biotechnology. My ambition to work in this field lies essentially in bringing changes in the lifestyle of people in a way that I can research and extensively study the required positive steps towards climate change. My goal is to achieve a sustainable lifestyle for every individual. The exposure that your esteemed institution will give me in the field of research will help me achieve this goal by working at a reputed platform

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• SOP for Australia

Here is the basic format for USA, Canada, UK and Australia:

If you are planning to study abroad and want to write a good and outstanding statement of purpose for the university that you are targeting, then here are some of the common mistakes that you can avoid from the very beginning while writing an SOP:

• Writing the SOP at the last moment without any plan of action or a roadmap
• Writing a weak and vague introduction and conclusion 
• Using informal language, slangs, short forms in your SOP
• Exceeding the word limit and not reaching the correct word limit at all
• Making your SOP excessively flashy and flattery

If you are eligible for any college-specific scholarships, then during the application process you will be required to write a separate essay/SOP. Either you will be given an essay prompt/question along with a word limit or they would simply ask for an SOP stating the reasons why you think you deserve this scholarship and/or what makes you unique from the rest of the candidates? Thus, a generic SOP is different from a scholarship SOP.

Must Read: LOR: Types, Format, Sample and Tip s

A Letter of Motivation is a letter directly addressed to the admission committee/department faculty explaining your objectives, motivation and goals related to the course. The SOP is not addressed to any specific person or department, it is drafted in an essay format, whereas, the motivational letter is always addressed to a professor or department under whose guidance you will be studying.

Also Read: How to Write a Motivation Letter?

Very much similar to an SOP, Personal Statements are an on-page essay where you write about your motivation, inspiration, goals, and achievements. Personal Statements usually have a more intimate tone than SOP as it talks about the highlighted incidents of your life. Another crucial difference between an SOP and a Personal Statement is that an SOP is addressed to no one in particular, while a Personal Statement is addressed to a professor or department under who you choose to study.

Relevant Reads:

Only your LORs need to be attested by your college or company. An SOP need not be attested/self-attested until and unless specified by the university. If you take a LOR from your college professor/school teacher or a Principal/Dean, then that LOR needs to be signed by the recommender along with the college/school stamp and letterhead. Similarly, for professional LORs, they need to be signed by their respective recommenders on the company’s letterhead and company stamp.

Once you have finalised your SOP draft, give it a double-check for grammatical and formatting mistakes. Your next step should be to analyse and critique your essay. Look at your SOP through the eyes of the Adcom and see what you find lacking. For more effective inputs, you can show your drafts to your friends and family and see how they react to them. Accordingly, you can make some changes but do not overdo it or deviate from the format. Lastly, check for spacing errors and save the final SOP which you will be using for the application process.

You should avoid mentioning any low marks or shortcomings about yourself in any of the application documents, including SOP. There are very few universities that ask you about your gap year. For them, you can mention the reason for the gap between your studies. Generally, no university asks about low grades during your study period as your selection depends on various criteria like exam scores, student profile, financials, and so on. Thus, it is advised against mentioning any flaws or low marks.

Hence, we hope that now you are geared up with all the quintessential tips to start carving out your SOP. If you still have doubts or need further professional guidance, you can always reach out to our Leverage Edu experts and we’ll assist you throughout the admission process, be it selecting a suitable course and university or drafting impressive SOPs and LORs. Call us immediately at 1800 57 2000 for a free 30-minute counselling session.

Team Leverage Edu

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I was really impressed and happy with the informations I was able to get reading through your well documented page.

I am really impressed reading through your sample and guides in writing an SOP.I was able to put mine together and I have submitted awaiting feedback from the Admissions office. Thanks so much.

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