Undergraduate Video Tutorials

What does your personal statement tell the admissions committee about you? Does it need to include my predicted grades? Watch this video to learn more!

SOP is a very critical part of your application. If you are pondering on what to include in your SOPs, and unable to come up with a full list of things to write about, here is some help. A great SOP must showcase your interest and achievements related to the field of study. I can tell you what not to write about. How’s that for a start?

1. Don’t beat around the bush: Admissions officers are stretched for time to be able to afford you a soliloquy on your life plans. Cut the flab. Get to the point after a very brief introductory opening line. Write crisp, and direct essays without beating around the bush.

2. Don’t Lament About Your Family, School, Country or Your Life! Nobody likes a whiner. Talking ill about your folks at home or the lousy schooling you had, or the lack of facilities in your country is a big no-no. Badmouthing your providers reflects poorly on you. If your circumstances had been difficult, you can portray the same without throwing others down. For instance, a student applying from a war-torn country can still find something positive to speak about his motherland. By speaking badly about your country or family, you show that you don’t have loyalty towards your own people.

3. Don’t Boast or Brag About Your Achievements. So you have been a national-level champion in tennis. Great! Good for you. But don’t toot it with the loudest horn. If your essay reeks of self-importance or conceit, you already lost respect before you earned it. Be humble about your achievements. The university you are applying to may have the best brains and specialists on campus. So make sure you don’t step on the big toes.

4. Don’t Confuse the Admissions Officers by Contradicting Yourself. Many students get rejected simply because they send out confusing signals about themselves to the Admissions department. This usually happens when students try to ‘carve’ an image of themselves, instead of showcasing their real selves. For instance, if your essay portrays that you love sports and enjoy being outdoors, but your resume does not show any extra-curricular achievement that points towards sports or outdoor activity, this can be seen as a contradiction. Also, if you present yourself in your essay that you are a curious learner, your recommendation letters should ideally corroborate that story with anecdotes or instances.

5. Don’t Write Without Having Done a Thorough Research. Have you studied at the university that you are applying to? Did you read all about the campus, facilities, faculty, courses offered, electives, student community, and other such information? Without delving deep into the program offerings, don’t start your essay. An essay that looks like a machine-generated copy without thought or research deserves to land in the bin. One such mistake a student made is to write fondly about a professor and how he is interested to learn from the eminent teacher, without realizing that the aforementioned professor had resigned from the university two years ago. Thus, it is important you don’t shoot yourself in the foot by writing without research.

Writing an SoP has never been easy until you get down to doing it. Once you start, the words will come flowing out of you. Use the help of a friend, teacher, and family member to edit out the unwanted. Use this 5-point guideline to avoid common pitfalls.

Who should I ask for letters of recommendation? How do I give my recommenders effective talking points? Watch this video to learn more!

What documentation do you need to apply for a visa? Watch this video to learn more!

Why is the USA the most popular destination for international students? What are some of the benefits of studying in the USA? Watch this video to learn more!