Nowadays, 6 out of 10 students dream about studying abroad. Thousands of students from different Asian Countries receive their Student Visa every year.Though, It is very common for some developing countries as the education system isn't able to maintain the quality of their education. Coming to the point, Statement of Purpose (SOP) is described as a way or medium to present your goals and intentions to the institution.

You may also understand it as a medium of building connections between applicants and universities on a more personalized level. Whether you are applying for a Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree, you will have to write an appealing and clear SOP to increase your chances of getting enrolled to the institution as well as getting a VISA.

So, please read till the end to understand the essential information that US-universities ask from a candidate on their SOP and Visa Officials for student Visa.

Before You Start Writing SOP

There are tons of online sources where you could find samples of writing SOPs. However, writing a Statement of Purpose by yourself seems like a hard thing and overwhelming task. So, here are the things you must have to keep in mind before you begin writing SOP.

Length: The length of Statement of Purpose for Undergraduate or Graduate should be between 1000 to 12000 words. Also, your SOP should not be longer than 2-3 pages as this the recommended length for SOPs for the USA.

Spacing: Most of the time students make this mistake and consider it a not-so-important matter. But there are some Top US universities that ask for single or double spacing based on University like Stanford University and Harvard University.

Language: It might be already known to most of the students who want to study abroad. But it is very important to write SOPs originally in English. Translated SOPs in the English language are not considered for admission in the USA.

Answer Every Question Carefully: SOP for USA should be written considering your chosen University. Also, you should include the answers of questions specified by the university very clearly and to the point. However, the main focus should be on the Area of study and subject.

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Guideline to Write Effective SOP for USA

Following the right procedures and implementing the right method you are surely able to write effective SOPs on your own. Check these steps below to understand the SOP requirement for the USA.

• Present a clear introduction of your motive behind the application you submit to the Institution regarding your course. You should sound clear about your motive for choosing the US for your studies.

• Next comes your background information. When writing an SOP for the USA, you should also include a brief information about your Past, Present and Future. Your Past details include your background, interests, pursuits, academics, job roles, awards and so on. Similarly, your present signifies your current state. Remember, you have to convince the admission committee that despite a nice job and career opportunities in your country, you have planned to move to the USA for studies. Finally, Future includes your Vision, goals and what after you completed your studies in the USA.

•  Mention all your relevant academic projects, extracurricular activities, internships, jobs and social works (if any). However, make sure it does not sound too technical, keep it simple and to the point. You should only focus more on building the correct narrative by exposing your thought process.

What is An Effective SOP Format for the USA?

To understand it more clearly, we have included all the information with an impressive format. Let’s check them right away!

 Paragraph 1: Include your academic background and reasons why you are interested to study bachelor’s/masters in the USA. Mention your inspiration, interest and motivation.

Paragraph 2: Put only relevant details of what you have learned in Bachelor’s (if applying for Masters in USA). Include your projects related to the course, co and extracurricular activities, internship. Also don’t forget to mention your skills you acquired while studying.

Paragraph 3: Mention your hardships, obstacles and how you tackle them. Also please mention the reason if there is any year gap and give an explanation of what you’ve done during that time.

Paragraph 4: If you have any job experience, mention your job duties and roles. Moreover, mention why you chose to work in this field, and what motivated you to do a Bachelor/Master in the USA.

Paragraph 5: Clearly describe your main motive to pursue your Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree. Also include which course and skills you wish to learn in the University.

Paragraph 6: Clearly mention your Career Goals, Vision and Plans to achieve them.

Paragraph 7: Mention why you chose this particular university/college. Mention about the course quality, your interest, infrastructure, labs, industrial exposure, placements, etc.

Paragraph 8: Mention why are you an ideal candidate for the Bachelor/Master Program? This ends your SOP, so you must conclude your SOP by encapsulating your past, present and future endeavors in not more than 2-3 sentences. 

Some Commonly Asked Questions In the SOP are:

•  What are your interests and hobbies?

•  Which department or program are you interested in and why?

•  What are your thoughts on: How to effectively contribute to society?

•  Describe the challenges you faced in life till now and how you overcame them?

Exceptions to An SOP Format for USA

As we have already learned about all the required information and guidelines to draft an effective SOP, there are some exceptions you should consider too. In the USA, each university has a separate admission committee who set a separate set of rules. Therefore, while writing SOP, please visit the university website to look at the updated SOP requirements. Some US universities may require diversity essays, scholarship essays, and personal history statements based on their university rules.

However, with so many steps and rules, it may feel daunting and hard to write a win-win SOP for US Universities. So, for that, you can visit AdviseBridge any time to get easy guidance. Our elite counselors will happily share their years of experience, making your study abroad journey easy, transparent and successful.