A statement of purpose is an essential part of every graduate school application, so how can you make sure that yours is a winner? We met with Sitafa Allen, MBA, PMP, for the answer. Allen, a Senior Digital Marketing Marketing Specialist at FedEx Services, earned her bachelor\u2019s degree in Marketing from Mississippi State University and her MBA from the University of Memphis. Her experience and insight will help us break down for you how to write a statement of purpose for graduate school.<\/p>\n
A statement of purpose, sometimes referred to as a personal statement, is a brief explanation of you, your experience, and your interest in the program. Ultimately, the admissions committee is looking for the answers to three broad questions:<\/p>\n
Why\u00a0<\/b>you<\/i><\/b>?<\/b>
\nThere are plenty of qualified candidates with nearly identical test scores and similar work experience. So what makes you the better candidate? When asked about what made her stand out among the other candidates, Alllen answered that not only is she \u201cunique just by being [herself], but [her] experiences are unique.\u201d Allen made sure to include the special experiences she had that were relevant to the program, providing her insight in a way that expanded upon her basic r\u00e9sum\u00e9.<\/p>\n
Why\u00a0<\/b>this<\/i><\/b>\u00a0program?<\/b>
\n<\/b>The committee\u2019s main objective is to select candidates who are not only qualified, but especially well suited for the program. Take the time to reflect on the program you\u2019re applying to and its specific attributes. Articulate why your personality, experience, and goals align with the mission of the school. Make sure to highlight specific professors or course experiences that draw you in. Doing so will demonstrate to the committee that your interest is sincere and unique to their program. Allen\u2019s application emphasized how interested she was in the experiential component of the University of Memphis\u2019 MBA program. And it lived up to its promise! Once she was a student at U of M, she secured a place in the FedEx Scholars Program, which ultimately led to her current position as Senior Digital Marketing Specialist.<\/p>\n
Why\u00a0<\/b>now<\/i><\/b>?<\/b>
\n<\/b>Briefly explain why and how you\u2019re ready for the demands of graduate school at this time in your life. This is also an appropriate time to explain any inconsistencies in performance or gaps in your r\u00e9sum\u00e9.<\/p>\nRead the instructions\u2026 and between the lines.<\/b><\/h3>\n
Each institution might have different requirements for what to include in a statement of purpose, so it\u2019s important that you follow the appropriate protocol. Beyond formatting rules and submission guidelines, you should pay attention to the subtext of what is being asked of you. For example, Allen intuitively emphasized her professional experience in her statement after reading the program description, thus distinguishing herself as the ideal candidate. If it\u2019s hard to infer what the committee is looking for, take time to do some detective work. Look up recent graduates of the program, dig into the institution\u2019s corporate partnerships, or simply go straight to the source.<\/p>\n
Take a page out of Allen\u2019s playbook and contact the school directly; while preparing her application, she called an advisor at the University of Memphis and asked what the ideal candidate looked like. From there, she was able to tailor her statement, highlight her relevant experience, and communicate the attributes she shared with the ideal. Not every school will be as open and communicative, but it doesn\u2019t hurt to try. The worst they can say is no, and regardless, you\u2019ll have demonstrated your sincere interest.<\/p>\n
The admissions committee wants to learn about what makes you unique and how your individuality will benefit the program. Communicating your experiences, both personal and professional, is done best by telling a compelling story. You don\u2019t have to be a creative writer to add some context to your accomplishments. Avoid flowery, verbose prose and recount your experience concisely. In Allen\u2019s case, she created a narrative of her marketing internship with the Mississippi State University Athletics Department. Rather than just listing her various duties, she wrote about her specific projects and what she gained from each experience.<\/p>\n
Writing a statement of purpose can be an intimidating task. How do you articulate all the motivation, passion, and years of experience you have in one letter? Although you might be tempted to recount the ins and outs of your career, it\u2019s better to be focused and concise in what you reveal. It is important to articulate your goals and interests clearly as they pertain to the program you\u2019re applying to.<\/p>\n
Allen\u2019s strategy was to discuss the professional experience she had in undergrad and how it was relevant to the program she was applying to at the University of Memphis. She recalled her internship with Mississippi State\u2019s Athletics Marketing Department to emphasize the hard and soft skills she learned and how she would apply them to the MBA program at U of M. This is a perfect example of Allen\u2019s ability to stay focused, as she efficiently tied her past experience to her abilities and merit for the future program.<\/p>\n
Every storyteller has to make a conscious effort to avoid clich\u00e9s. It\u2019s natural to want to use them; they\u2019re clich\u00e9s for a reason right? But in a statement of purpose, you\u2019d be wise to avoid them altogether. Admissions committees read hundreds of purpose statements, and many of them probably included a phrase that went a little something like this:\u00a0\u201cEver since I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a doctor.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0As true as that statement might be, it is still overused. There are other ways to communicate how long you\u2019ve been passionate about your career choice. Instead, write about a key moment in your personal or professional life that was instrumental in your career decision. It allows you to bypass the clich\u00e9s with a story that\u2019s specific to you.<\/p>\nRevise, revise, revise.<\/b><\/h3>\n
Regardless of your discipline, you\u2019ll be doing plenty of writing, so make sure the committee gets a good first impression. Your statement of purpose should be grammatically flawless. Get as many eyes on it as you can before you submit. Further, take some time to review your tone. A pitfall that many academics fall in is a tendency to use too much jargon or come across as condescending. Of course, with some programs, there will be a greater need for technical language, but be judicious. Have someone outside your field of study read your statement to check for industry-heavy language or a patronizing tone.<\/p>\n