In this post, Study Abroad Congress, a leading educational journal, compiled a list of common Statement of Purpose Writing Errors to help guild the students. Admission season is around the corner as many international schools have started opening their portals for the application process and the pressure of writing a good statement of purpose is making most students nervous now as we keep getting many questions on common mistakes to avoid when writing a statement of purpose.
Common Statement of Purpose Writing Errors
- Writing without structure
- Adding false information
- Adding insignificant details
- Not reaching or respecting the word limit
- Plagiarism
Writing without structure
This is the most common Statement of Purpose Writing Errors students make. Most students are overly ambitious and try to impress the school with their writing skills, which causes them to deviate from structure and, ultimately, mess up their SOP. It is advised that before you start writing your statement of purpose, you jot down your points and restructure them if it is out of point.
Adding False Information
The second pick on our list of common Statement of Purpose Writing Errors is false information. Many students always try to sell themselves, thereby ending up giving much false information in their SOP. It is good to sell yourself, but don’t overdo it as this will lead to adding false information about yourself. You also have to be careful with the information you dish out on your SOP, as most admissions offices go an extra length to verify every claim you make in your SOP.
Adding Insignificant Details
The third on our list of common Statement of Purpose Writing Errors is adding insignificant details in your writing. International universities receive thousands of SOP every academic season. Adding insignificant details such as childhood details or inane hobbies will only waste their time as they have many other SOP to attend to. That is why it is advised to develop a proper structure for your letter to avoid such unnecessary details.
Not Reaching Or Respecting The Word Limit
The fourth on our list of common Statement of Purpose Writing Errors is not reaching or respecting the word limit. This is the most common mistake many applicants make during SOP writing. Many applicants, while trying to sell themselves, go the extra mile, thereby exceeding the word limit. To reduce the chances of not getting admission, we advise you to adhere to the instructions on the word limit when writing your SOP.
Plagiarism
The last of our Statement of Purpose Writing Errors is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense in the world and universities reject applications from such applicants. It is advised that you test your SOP after writing with any of the plagiarism tools available on the internet to avoid such a mistake.
Frequent Asked Questions About Common Statement of Purpose Writing Errors
What should you not write in a statement of purpose?
When writing your SOP, avoid adding false information and insignificant details.
What should not be avoided in a statement of purpose?
A good statement of purpose must show your career goals, the reason for the choice of course, and how it will benefit the university.
Are 800 words enough for SOP?
The maximum word limit for a statement of purpose is 1000 words.
