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HOW TO WRITE A QUALIFIED “STATEMENT OF PURPOSE” TO APPLY FOR GRADUATE PROGRAMS ?

1. What is a statement of purpose?

A statement of purpose, also known as a Letter of Intent, is candidates’ brief personal review regarding who they are, what has affected their career so far, their purpose for future and professional interests. In the academic manner, a Statement of Purpose reflects candidates’ interests in the academy and how the University to which they apply will benefit them. Preparing a statement of purpose is a chance for candidates to prove themselves and stand out among many other eligible applicants. Within all the materials submitted for an application, a well prepared statement of purpose is surely the most significant document; It may demonstrate candidates’ professionalism, originality, and competence. When evaluating statements of purpose, academic admission committees look for unique characteristics like passion, trustworthiness, competence, enthusiasm, and the most notably distinctiveness. As a result, candidates’ Statements of Purpose need to be one-of-a-kind and represent their personality, interests and aims.

 

2. How to plan and write your statement of purpose

A statement of purpose must have a structure just like any other essay, namely an introduction, a development and a conclusion part.

In the introduction part, you will introduce yourself where you briefly mention the reasons you are applying to the program and why you think you are qualified for it. In the development part, you must provide detailed information about your academic background, your professional experience as well as your accomplishments throughout your academic and professional life. You can also include the most influential courses or tasks you have undertaken.

The most critical part is your goals. You must describe what you want to accomplish, which courses you would like to take, which academicians you would like to work with and why. Also make sure to elaborate on the benefits you anticipating by enrolling to the program and what would you offer in terms of academic studies.

Lastly, in the concluding paragraph you must wrap it all up and finish your statement on a high note to leave a good impression on the evaluators.

 

3. What are tips for writing a qualified “statement of purpose”?

  •  represent who you are as a person, not just a student.
  •  show personal and professional interests that fit with the program.
  •  is not longer than 2 pages (max. 300 words).
  •  articulate goals and interests clearly.
  •  do not include unnecessary details.
  •  be specific and customized.
  •  provide information about what you like about the University you are applying for.
  •  avoid typos and grammatical errors.

 

4. Template for Statement of Purpose

Introduction

  • Introduce yourself briefly.
  • Describe the general areas of study that interest you.

Body Part

  • Summarize your academic background and (Mention about your academic work, where, when and what you have studied; describe classes or projects that you have found particularly interesting.)
  • Tell about your strengths in the specific field.
  • State why you would like to be accepted to that particular program in the specific university.
  • Show how you fit the role.

Conclusion

  • Thank the person who is reviewing your cover letter and end with a statement requesting that they consider you for their program.

 

5. Statement of Purpose Samples

MBA

Dear Sir/Madam,

I would like to introduce myself as …, a young Chemical Engineer from … I have completed my undergraduate program in Chemical Engineering from … University, in December 2018 securing a CGPA … out of 4.00. In my undergraduate studies I focused on the chemical process and their complexities in a highly technical environment. I would specifically like to mention my final year project titled, ‘…..’.

During my studies, I studied subjects of Management, related to Engineering Management and Business Administration. I found that Business Administration has so much to offer to my quest for knowledge. Being a dynamic and rapidly evolving field, which touches almost all aspects of modern science, it has kept me interested and inspired throughout. Seeing its vastness, I certainly feel that a graduate degree is essential to focus on my interest and the desired areas, I hope to work in different sectors of Business Administration. I hope to obtain a management position in a consulting agency to taste the satisfaction of being at the forefront of this vast expanding field.

As Yeditepe University is reputed for its globally recognized study programs and excellent teaching facilities, this led me motivated and produced an ambitious aspiration in me to apply for the master’s degree there. I firmly believe that studying in such an academic and conductive environment would help me to shape my career and academic skills much better for the future and it would make me an asset to the society.

At this moment I am confident in my abilities, competence, and dedication in reaching my goal. I am fully convinced that my potential will be groomed to a well-designed capacity to produce research of high quality under the expert guidance of a distinguished faculty of Social Sciences. I hope the admission committee would consider me as a candidate, thus give me an opportunity to show my thirst for knowledge. I look forward to your positive response. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Best regards,

PhD

Dear Sir / Madam,

I am …..and writing this letter to briefly introduce myself and to express my interest in applying to Yeditepe University, in order to enhance my skills in marketing and leading a business by studying in the Business Administration Ph.D. program.

Currently, I am a postgraduate student in ………… at …… University, and my thesis subject is “…………”, it is a …… research study. I am going to defend my thesis on ………… I hold bachelor’s degree (2010-2015) from ……… University, İstanbul. Also, between the years 2015-2018 I have worked at different IT consultancy companies (……..) in different positions. I decided to return to university in 2018 and continue my education which I believe my job experience would bring valuable contribution and motivation for my education life. During last year, under the supervision of Professor Dr ……., I wrote a paper named ……………., and it received full paper acceptance from; The Fifth International Conference of ……….. . I have written another research paper titled ……., and I have presented the paper in Paris for ……… Conference which was held on 10-12th April 2018.

I had the chance to study and practice statistical analysis with hereinabove mentioned paper as well as during the classes I have taken in …. University named “Scientific Research Methods and Publication Ethics”, and “Decision Theory” which helped me improve my statistical knowledge by using SPSS, and Excel Ad-In. In order to get much deeper into statistical analysis, I have attended a 100-hour course in …… University in November-December 2019 (100 hours in total) on the subject “……..”.

There are two reasons why I believe that having a Ph.D. degree is important for me. Firstly, working for a thesis under the guidance of an expert whose work can serve as a model is the most effective method of transforming a student into a largely independent researcher making significant original contributions. Secondly, the emphasis on doing research in a specialized area is an important indicator in both academic and research areas to gain success. I have a strong desire and motivation to get deeper, develop expertise. I would be grateful if you could give me an opportunity to join a PhD Position in “Business Administration”. My deepest gratitude for considering my application.

Sincerely, ………….