YOUR GUIDE TO PERSONAL STATEMENT
The most important point to remember is that the SOP is relevant to your own experience to date. We will guide you for inspiration along the way, but it should reflect on your relevant course.
Your Future:
By now you should have a fair idea of what you like to do in the future. Keeping that in mind, and the course you have decided upon, your content should highlight why you took that decision.
Your earlier education:
Write about what you have gained in earlier education, namely any skills that you gained. This can include sports, extra activities, and any additional responsibilities.
Work experience:
Include in your SOP the skills you gained via work experience, placements or part-time work. This will reflect how dedicated you are to your future and also shows how you have managed to study and work at same time. It indicated discipline in your life.
Extra activities:
Extra curricular activities are meant as those school-based activities that are not tied to the curriculum. In this area your can indicate what skills you have gained outside of the school life, whether it is helping the community, sports, hobbies and interests.
Delay in Studies:
Did the recent pandemic affect your future? If this had affected your future studies or plans, write positively how this mde you do other work or study. This could include any studying from home, or on-line courses which prepared you for university. This reflection will show how you are able to adapt to new challenges, and not be obstructed.
EXAMPLE of an MSc in Civil Engineering:
My decision to major in Civil Engineering is a direct result of my desire to contribute to the development of state-of-the-art infrastructure in my country. Foundation of this lies in my childhood admiration of my father, a civil engineer who I frequently accompanied for his site visits. Each time I visited the site and witnessed the machines and related processes, my excitement and inquisitiveness grew. My desire to pursue my MS in Civil Engineering stems from this gradual accumulation of theories and practical applications.
EXAMPLE of Masters in Electrical Engineering:
My career aspirations are not childhood dreams but rather a growing curiosity and a normal penchant for science, especially physics and mathematics, which saw me opting for Electrical and Electronics Engineering for my under-graduation. From then onwards started my understanding of the domain which slowly and gradually grew into admiration and then a strong passion in Power Systems. Now, with the help of a Master’s degree in the chosen discipline from the "ABC University", I want to realise my aspiration of contributing to the area Power Systems in the Electronics domain.
WHERE TO BEGIN!!!
Write different versions of your SOP and get a feedback from your school or college, colleagues, or family. Most importantly check and see what your particular university are looking for in an applicant. Hence what do we need to do?
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STRUCTURE: There will be a character limit of how many words (including spaces) need to be supplied. Therefore like an essay or a story, structure it in a logical way. Make paragraphs that flow from one point to the next. Do NOT repeat what you have already mentioned in an earlier paragraph. Reflect on skills and qualities the university desires.
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CORRECT GRAMMAR: Use appropriate vocabulary, spelling and grammar. Use words that have precise meanings, and avoid impressive language or using words for which the university will need a dictionary to understand. After writing, read it back to yourself to figure out if what you wrote sounds credible and sincere. SPELL checking is a must.
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SPECIFIC EVIDENCE: If your are making a claim of any skills or experience, give an example of how you would prove it. e.g. if you say you have organisational skills, then provide an example of how you can demonstrate it.
CONCLUSION: In conclusion, remember to be realistic, and elaborate your goals. Universities prefer candidates who have a clear mind about their future prospects. AND last but not least, do NOT copy from the internet!!!! Plagiarism is a huge NO-NO.
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EXAMPLE for MS in MIS: Having given my personal and professional interests, my goal is to obtain a Master's degree and then work in an IT-related industry. When I have gathered enough experience and skills, I plan to launch a consulting company of my own. Attending a Master’s of Science program in MIS program will enable me to carve a niche for myself in the industry, along with widening my range of expertise and perspectives. Thus, I sincerely request that my application to study with your university be favorably considered, and provide me with a suitable platform to attain success in my desired field.
Examples referring to your Personal SOP.
Don't forget, the SOP is just a small potion of your application to the university. Various other elements will be looked at, before an offer is made. Your education to date will play a part in that too. Cast your eyes upon some of the examples below.
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About yourself:
Hi, my name is Jane. In the current world someone or the other always talks about crime. Whether it has affected them personally, their colleagues or family. Hence since my teenage years, I decided to learn about the cyber side of security. To achieve this I want to pursue a Post-Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security Operations from York University. I want to convey to you a list of my academics, personal background, qualities, my source of inspiration, and objectives for the Postgraduate Study.
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Education and desire:
Throughout my School years, I have maintained a good academic record and have tried to gain as much knowledge as I could. during my primary and secondary I attained 85.7% and 78% marks respectively. In my IELTS I have received 6.5 bands overall, with no section less than 6. Having realised about the increasing demand and challenges in businesses in India, I decided to further enhance my knowledge and ambition by studying Business Administration at a leading international university, in Canada with an international exposure.
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WHY the country:
Canada strives to ensure that international students are treated safely, fairly, without prejudice and actively participate in Canada’s education and lifestyle. It is ranked as one of the best education provider countries and their university graduates are highly recognized in the job market. On my research , I came accross a document published by the Supply Chain Association Management of Canada in which they mentioned that in coming five years there will be a huge demand for supply chain and logistic workers. The fee of my course and also the living cost is affordable in Canada as compare to the cost of this in India or New Zealand and also the admission criteria is easy in Canada which is why it makes me Canada the first preference for study.
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Anything wow?
During my school days, I was the monitor of my class with responsibilities to keep in check the behaviour of fellow students during the teachers absence. I have also volunteered myself as a helper to the ambulance crew during the pandemic. This taught me humbleness and dignity, having seen the plight of the sufferers.
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And Finally:
On successfully completing my course, I will use my gained knowledge and skills in different fields of supply chain areas. This could be as a Logistics and Supply Chain Consultant, Purchasing Manager, Production Manager, Supply Chain Manager etc. I will return back to India as the Indian market is currently in high demand by overseas companies and they are being encouraged to carry out Foreign Direct Investment, with lucrative deals. The government has proposed a number of new policies, such as "zero defect, zero impact", so that our country occupies a high position in the global market. This is propelling the Indian supply chain to go through huge changes in coming few years. Having said the above, it will make it easier for me to secure my future in this field and by gaining an international study and experience, will definitely open a lot of opportunities for me in India. Several national and multinational companies in India like FedEx Ltd, Rajesh Exports, NHC Foods Limited, NKD Logistics Private Limited, Bharadwaj Groups, Bhabha Exports and many others offer various job spots to skilled professionals with good starting salaries.
