• Business School
    • Free MBA Admissions Consultation
    • MBA Admissions Services
    • School-Specific MBA Essay Tips
    • Executive MBA Essay Tips
    • MBA Admissions Calendar
    • Free Guides
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
    • Selectivity Index
    • EMBA: The Ultimate Guide for Applicants
  • Medical School
    • Free Med School Admissions Consultation
    • Med School Admissions Services
    • Med School Admissions 101
    • Secondary Essay Tips (by School)
    • Student Interviews
    • Free Guides
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
    • Selectivity Index
  • Law School
    • Free Law School Admissions Consultation
    • Law School Admissions Services
    • Law School Admissions 101
    • Selectivity Index
    • Free Guides
    • Podcast
    • Video Tips
  • Graduate School
    • Free Grad School Admissions Consultation
    • Grad School Admissions Services
    • Grad School Admissions 101
    • Free Guides
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
  • College
    • Free College Admissions Consultation
    • College Admissions Services
    • Free Guides
    • Supplemental Essay Tips
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
Accepted

Speak with an Accepted admissions expert for FREE!

Blog HomePodcastContact Us

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

April 12, 2018

Reading Time: 3 minutes

4 Pillars of a Splendid Statement of Purpose

To create a winning graduate statement of purpose, you need to understand the fundamental pillars of a strong essay. In this short video, Linda Abraham, CEO and founder of Accepted, will highlight what those four pillars are and how you can use that to build a solid, compelling graduate school SOP.

Full video transcript

If you’re applying to grad school, you probably have a lot on your plate. You’re juggling school, work, volunteering, family, or all the above. You are also embarking upon a process that is at best unfamiliar and at worst completely foreign to anything you’ve done before. In short, you are stressed, maybe overwhelmed with all the stuff on your plate.

You want to attend graduate school so that it can prepare you for your chosen career, but you’re not sure how to draft a statement of purpose. What do the graduate schools want? You know that competition is intense even if you have the stats, and you certainly don’t want to get rejected because of this single essay! So between the stakes and the time pressure, you’re nervous and anxious.

And you’re still wondering how to approach writing the statement of purpose.

I’d like to give you an approach. I’m the founder of Accepted and I’ve been a graduate admissions consultant for 20+ years. As the host of Accepted’s podcast, Admissions Straight Talk, and prior to that of Accepted’s online chats, I’ve conducted several hundred interviews of graduate admissions directors and deans at programs like Harvard, Stanford, Penn, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, MIT, Johns Hopkins, UC Berkeley, UVA, Michigan, UCLA, Northwestern, and many others.

Based on my experience and those interviews, I’ve developed the 4 Pillars of a Splendid Statement of Purpose and I can share them with you today. Make sure you have these pillars clearly thought-out, or better yet, written down and visible as you write:

Pillar #1: A clearly thought-out, post-degree goal. That’s your guiding light and North Star. It determines your direction.

Pillar #2: Your motivation for pursuing this goal. Why do you want to go down this path? What experiences have convinced you that this is your life’s purpose?

Pillar #3: An understanding of your field. Show you know what you’re getting into by discussing times that you experienced the field or were exposed to the kind of work you intend to do.

Pillar #4: A clear reason why this program is the perfect vehicle for reaching your professional and educational goals. Why do you need this information and this program?

These pillars will really help you write your SOP, but of course just like a building consists of much more than supporting beams, your essays need more than these four critical pillars. Here’s what I’d like you to do before you write your essay so you can get additional insight on other necessary elements of a splendid statement of purpose.

1. Go to accepted.com/exemplary.
2. Download From Example to Exemplary: How to Use Sample Essays to Make Your Essay Outstanding, a succinct free guide with more in-depth advice (and links to examples) of what makes a splendid statement of purpose.
3. Follow the advice in this video and in the guide to save time and write a splendid, exemplary SOP that increases your chances of acceptance at your dream graduate programs and launches your career.

Taking these steps will help you go from stressed to done.

For individualized assistance in writing and editing your impressive top-of-the-pile admissions essays, check out Accepted’s Grad School Statement of Purpose & Essay Services – flat rate and hourly services available!

From Example to Exemplary - Download your guide today!

AcceptedFor 25 years, Accepted has helped applicants gain acceptance to top undergraduate and graduate programs. Our expert team of admissions consultants features former admissions directors, PhDs, and professional writers who have advised clients to acceptance at top programs worldwide including Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Penn, Columbia, Oxford, Cambridge, INSEAD, MIT, Caltech, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern. Want an admissions expert to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Five Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Graduate School Statement of Purpose, a free guide
• Grad Sample Essays
• What 3 Essential Ingredients Must You Include in Your Statement of Purpose?

Article by Accepted / Grad School Admissions / grad application essays, Grad Video Tips

Get Accepted!

Sign up for a free consultation today!

Which program are you applying to?

Most Popular Blog Posts

1. 7 Simple Steps to Writing an Excellent Diversity Essay

2. 4 Ways to Show How You’ll Contribute in the Future

3. How to Write About Your Research Interests

4. Tips for Answering the Yale University Supplemental Essays and Short Answer Questions [2022-2023]

5. When Will Medical Schools Give You an Answer?

6. Sample Essays from Admitted HBS Students

7. Tips for Answering the University of Pennsylvania Supplemental Essay Prompts [2022-2023]

8. Top STEM MBA Programs: A Comprehensive List and Overview of STEM-OPT Eligible B-Schools

Sample Essays

MBA Personal Statement Examples

Medical School Personal Statement Examples

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Law School Personal Statement Examples

College Application Essay Examples

 

This Site is Featured on GMATClub

Home Page Services and Prices MBA Med School Law School Grad School College

About Us Press Room Contact Us Podcast Accepted Blog
Privacy Policy Website Terms of Use Disclaimer Client Terms of Service

Accepted 1171 S. Robertson Blvd. #140 Los Angeles CA 90035 +1 (310) 815-9553
© 2022 Accepted

BBB A+ RatingStamp of AIGAC Excellence

Copyright © 2023 · Education Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in