So, you’re applying for your college and one of the college admission requirements mentions “Statement of Purpose.” You google it and understand but wait, there are also articles written about “Personal Statement,” so you think that they must be the same thing? Wrong! Although both of them are indirectly related and more or less mean the same thing, there’s a very thin line of difference that clearly differentiates them and makes them unique from each other. Let’s discuss more on this topic and understand what makes a Statement of Purpose or SOPs different from Personal Statements as students can get confused between the two.
What is an SOP?
The Statement of Purpose also known as SOP, in short, is an important piece of the puzzle that can be a deciding factor in your college admissions. It’s the first impression that you’re gonna be making on the admission officers. They are going to read your SOP before they meet you or even call you for an interview so it is important that you highlight your aspirations as well as goals and ambitions clearly while being confident.
Objective of SoP
SOPs are usually more focused on your academic interests and research experiences. You will be asked to answer questions like ” What are your professional goals?”, “How do you plan to attain your goals?”, “How can the program help you in achieving those goals?”.
All of this is going to explain to the admission officers why they should accept you as a student in their institution. You need to go deep and talk technical about your academic background. You also need to highlight your technical writing and enthusiasm for your work.
The SOP is actually futuristic as well as you need to write about where you’re going, what you plan to become, and who you want to work with. It captures your motivation for a particular program. You also need to mention a mentor or supervisor who has agreed to guide you. You should get completely technical and avoid adding any kind of emotional or sentimental value to your writing.
Finally, you should all the things that are gonna ensure that the admission committee knows your proper value while examining your ability to fit into their program of study.
A few examples of topics to write about in a Statement of Purpose are:
- Academic strengths and background
- What do you plan to do in the next 5-10 years?
- Why do you want to pursue the program?
How to write effective SOPs for MS Admissions?
What is a Personal Statement?
The Personal Statement, on the other hand, is a story that describes yourself- your personality, motivations, experiences, and all that makes you the ideal candidate for the program you have applied for. You have to write your story and what makes your story unique. Ask yourself questions like “What made you want to discover your field of study?”, “What drives as passion to study that subject?”, “What is the spark in your story?”, Whatever your story is, you need to find a link to connect it to the needs and roles of that institution and course.
Objectives of Personal Statement
The Personal Statement is more focused on you rather than your research interests and academic career.
You need to indicate how your personal background and life experiences including opportunities and challenges have shaped or motivated you to take up the graduate degree program of the college you’ve applied for. You need to connect a story of your life with your work experience. Or if you have any part of your application that needs to be explained, the personal statement is the best way to address it.
Colleges won’t just accept students who have done a lot of research and gained a lot of experience in work, they also look for students who will be good classmates, who will think of the whole class as their own, good teammates, etc. This is your avenue to show the admissions committee what the subject means to you more than the subject itself, how it appeals to you, how it interests you and how it drives you, and things that talk about who you are as a person.
A few examples of topics to write about in a Personal Statement are:
- Personal Experiences
- Inspiration for doing Research
- How has Research changed you as a person?
How to write effective Personal Statements?
As the Personal Statements are more personal and have a more general edge, you can use this to your advantage to add layers of your personality to your overall application which cannot be shown in a Statement of Purpose. You should talk about how your personality and the qualities you have, will be a good match for the program you’re applying for. You need to explain how you think the program will affect your current personality and transform you into a better version of yourself.
Also, try to describe how getting into the college will help you in achieving goals and personality traits like leadership and managerial positions in your field of study in the future.
A Personal Statement should be written with a focus on your past- how you have been shaped, formed, and molded, including struggles and how you have adapted and overcame them on your own in a positive light to become a grown and better person.
The best Personal Statements are stories written about evolution where students mention some of their strengths, as well as their weaknesses and how going through whatever they went through, has evolved them and converted their weaknesses into strengths and their strengths into power.
Key Similarities between an SOP and a Personal Statement
Originally, the SOP and Personal Statement are both important documents and essays required during admission to any college or university usually for a graduate program which can be a Bachelors’ or Masters’ Degree or Ph.D. Program. They are generally required for degree courses that involve research projects. However, no matter what piece you need to write if not both, you need to stand out and be unique. You also need to show that you’re actually going to bring all that you say you’re going to offer with you to the class. That’s what the admission officers are mainly looking for in SOPs and Personal Statements.
Key Differences between an SOP and a Personal Statement
| Statement of Purpose | Personal Statement |
|---|---|
| Research-based | Personality-based |
| Technical in nature | General in nature |
| Showcases what you want to do | Showcases who you are |
| You write about your Career Journey | You write about your Personal Journey |
| Describes experience such as internship, projects, or research | Describes ambitions, passions, inspirations, and future goals. |
| Meant to show ideal candidature for the program | Meant to complement the Statement of Purpose |
| Talks about why you should be accepted by the institution | Talks about what you’re going to bring or offer to the university |
Before writing SOPs or Personal Statements
Before writing either a Statement or Purpose or a Personal Statement, you need to consider these important pointers:
- Read the instructions carefully
- Deliver only what is asked for
- Reflect on the overall goals
- Understand your audience
- Curate an outline with a destined goal
Conclusion
Although the SOP and Personal Statements are quite different, some colleges might ask for both of these documents together at the same instance. During these scenarios, you need to make sure that the Personal Statement is geared more toward your background, your history, your story, and your interests which will serve as a complement to your Statement of Purpose which should be geared more toward your research experience, your professional or academic career, your internships, work experience, etc.
It might sound simple but it can be quite overwhelming especially if you’re new to this which is normal. Don’t worry, we got you covered. If you need help in writing any of these essays, you can book a session with one of our professional admission counselors who can help you throughout the entire process at an affordable rate. If you need an SOP review, then you can browse through our UG Packages or MS Packages to find the one best suited for you. If you have any queries, you can drop a mail at customer[dot]support[at]stoodnt.com.
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