Suggestions on improving SOP

Aug 19, 2013 23:25

Hi there. This is my first post here. Please make some suggestions so that i can improve my statement of purpose ( Read more... )

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Comments 5

tisiphone August 19 2013, 18:29:20 UTC
OK, several thoughts ( ... )

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nzraya December 5 2013, 18:53:56 UTC
Tisiphone is right on point, as usual, but I just wanted to add to #2 here -- one good reason to mention your GPA would be if you need to translate it into terms your readers will understand. Like, people below this comment are saying 3.53 isn't a very good GPA -- and in the US it would be considered good but not great for the sciences -- but if the grading at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology is really tough and 3.53 is actually a huge achievement, then you should not only mention it but EXPLAIN how exceptional it is (e.g.: what percentage of students get GPAs of 3.5 or higher?).

Also, on #4: yes, use shorter, clearer sentences that the reader doesn't have to work hard to unravel (remember they have to read hundreds of these in the space of a week or two, in their "free" time); but also, remember that what you have to convince them of is not that YOU would benefit from going to their school (that's a given), but the opposite: that THEY will benefit from having you as a student.

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cypress_casket August 19 2013, 18:44:17 UTC
Are you sure you absolutely positively have to mention your GPA? It is not stellar, you know. It is an okay gpa, but not smth that could possibly tell them "that's THE candidate", and therefore, I am not sure there is a point in mentioning it. As a best-case scenario, they will just overlook it.

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shanrina August 19 2013, 19:52:52 UTC
The others have made some good comments already, but I just wanted to add one quick thing: keep phrases like "I believe" out of your statement. If you didn't believe something, then why would you put it in your statement at all?

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roseofjuly August 20 2013, 04:45:19 UTC
I definitely would not start out with that narrative; it comes across as gimmicky. You can start with the next paragraph and it would be fine ( ... )

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