The personal statement is a personally written document aimed at explaining why you are a deserving candidate and what makes you unique among the rest. The Statement of Purpose is aimed to tell the respective organization why you want to pursue a particular course, university, country or even profession. However, both look almost similar but due to some minor differences both are written with a different purpose.
Importance of Personal Statement
The Personal statement is written with the aim to convince the respective authorities that you are a deserving candidate for the respective course and university. The personal statement carries your personal details like your qualities, the reason for pursuing the respective course or university, and much more. Whatever you write in your personal statement will be taken as a reference to your personality. Some universities asked for a personal statement instead of a statement of purpose.
Importance of an SOP?
An SOP is used to tell the respective authorities about your personal reasons for choosing a particular course at a particular university. This document will be used as a reference point to further grant your request by the respective committee. It helps the respective authority to judge your intent for your particular choice of university, course, and country. It also demonstrates your proficiency in communication skills as well as how well you know about yourself. It is a make-or-break point for your selection in a particular university and also assures the admission committee about the sincerity and honesty of your choice for a particular country.
Types of Personal Statements
Scholarship Personal Statement
The Scholarship personal statement is written with the aim to grab the attention of scholarship committee members to tell them why you deserve the scholarship. Here you can add what benefits you will enjoy after getting the scholarship and how it will help you to achieve your goals of pursuing higher education at the respective university.
Admission Personal Statement
The Admission Personal Statement is written with the aim to convince the admissions authorities that you are a deserving candidate for the course and university. You can also add what value will you bring to the university which will make your personal statement stronger.
CV Personal Statement
CV Personal Statement is written with the aim to provide the hiring manager with enough description of your professional and career objectives that will give him a good idea of your candidature. You should add who are you, your value to the organization, and your career objectives. This will enable them to determine whether you are a perfect candidate for them or not.
Types of SOP
Admission SOP
Admission SOP is written with the aim to request admission to the respective university. However, many universities also give certain guidelines while writing SOP. The statement of purpose is the make or break in your admission process.
Scholarship SOP
This SOP is written like an essay where students have to put a convincing justification to the scholarship committee on why they deserve the scholarship and how it will help them to achieve their academic goals.
Visa SOP
VISA SOP is written with the aim of convincing the immigration authorities of the respective country to accept your visa request. This SOP carries two most important reasons one is why you are coming to their country and the second is what is your reason to return back.
Visitor SOP
If you want to visit any foreign country for a temporary purpose whether it is a business, tour or any other purpose, this type of SOP is written. It is also written to convince the authorities why you want to come to their country.
Spouse SOP
When you want to join your spouse in a foreign country you write this type of SOP. The main focus here is to convince the authority about the truthfulness of your relationship.
Work SOP
When you want to work in a foreign country, then this SOP is written. SOP for work visa carries the reason why you want to come to their country for work including the benefits of coming there.
Difference between a Personal Statement and a Statement of Purpose
| Personal Statement | Statement of Purpose |
| Personal Statement focuses more on present achievements and motivation which makes you a deserving candidate for the course and university. | SOP is focused more on your academic and professional aspects which answers why you want to pursue a particular course at a particular university. |
| A personal statement has to be short and crisp. As it is focused more on the present, your motivation and any major achievements till now. | SOP is a detailed version of yours because it contains all your details like academic excellence, career goals, and how this program will help you. |
| The personal statement is a reflection of your personality. That is why it is more focused on the past. | SOP is focused more on your future. For e.g. your career, and aspirations from the respective course. |
Things you should keep in mind while writing your Personal Statement and Statement of Purpose
Attractive Beginning
You should begin your SOP with a catchy phrase or introduction that grabs the reader’s attention. Make sure whatever you write must be linked to you and your future goals. An attractive beginning will help the reader to stick throughout your SOP and Perosonal Statement.
Strong Motivation
This is one of the most important things in your Personal Statement and Statement of Purpose. If you are leaving your home country to pursue your higher studies then there should be a strong motivation for it. Conveying your honest motivation to the respective committee can select or reject your select your document.
Minute Detailing
Detailing is what makes your Personal Statement and Statement of Purpose stand apart from the crowd. If you are motivated for the respective course then it should support the necessary examples supporting your statement.
Positive Tone
The tone of your personal document should be positive throughout your SOP and personal statement. Even if you have been through tough times in your life but you should never use a negative or sympathetic tone, because the committee will select you on the basis of your eligibility and motivation.
Proofread Your Document Carefully
After writing your Personal Statement and SOP it is very much important that you proofread it again and again to eliminate every possibility of any grammatical errors. Because grammatical errors are one of the topmost reasons for rejection because it raises a direct question about your communication skills.
Things you can avoid while writing your personal statement and Statement of Purpose
Vaguely Written
SOP and personal statement are personally written documents, so if you write anything in your document it will be taken as a reference of your personality. Writing anything which is meaningless or sounds blank it will not be taken seriously and will be rejected.
Incongruency
This is one of the most common reasons for rejection. Candidates are not able to provide congruency between their academic and professional and if they have shifted their course, they are not able to provide a valid reason for it.
Too many phrases
Phrases look good while writing but if you add too many of them it will look unprofessional and also it will be as if you have tried to fill in the gaps.
Informal Language
Though it is a personal document you will never use any informal language. It shows how unprofessional you are and it also raises questions about the seriousness of your candidature.
Copying from the selected ones
Because of the high chances of rejection, Many students are anxious while and tend to copy from the selected ones. When you copy such a personal document then it does not reflect your personality, which raises the question of congruency.
If you are looking for someone who can write as per your needs, SOP writing services is on your reach.