How to Craft a Strong Statement of Purpose for Any Graduate School Application

Many professionals pursue graduate school to advance their careers, and writing is a large component of most graduate programs. One of the biggest deciding factors in the admissions process is the statement of purpose. This post serves as a guide for creating a strong statement of purpose that helps leave a strong first impression with any admissions department.

Brainstorm

The last thing an applicant should do is write with no direction. Before even starting the outline, it’s helpful to write down a series of questions the admissions department would ask in an interview. Answering these questions to form the outline forces the applicant to write directly to their audience and keep their paper aligned with the main topic—what makes them a good fit for the program they’re applying to. Framing the outline with questions helps the writer present their ideas in a logical and easy-to-follow pattern.

Write Several Drafts

After brainstorming, creating the outline, and writing the first draft, the best thing to do is read over the draft multiple times. Scrutinizing the paper not only helps the writer find and edit typos, but it also helps the writer discover weak sentences, gaps in logic, and awkward transitions between ideas.

When reading over their work, writers should look for specific things with each reading. They shouldn’t try to focus on grammatical errors, sentence structure, logic, and overall content quality in one reading. Multiple proofreading sessions should be done, each focused on a different aspect of improvement.

Say More With Less

Avoiding unnecessary words and long, fluffy sentences keep the content focused and concise. If the final draft isn’t noticeably shorter than the first draft, good writers examine the paper sentence-by-sentence, making sure each word serves a purpose and that each sentence is conveying important information.

The goal of a statement of purpose is not to impress the admissions department with complex sentence structures, similes, and $10 words. Avoid over-explanation, and once an idea is communicated sufficiently, transition and move on.

Drafting a statement of purpose may seem daunting, but tackling it step-by-step can make it more manageable and rewarding. Remember to stay focused on your overall goal: getting your master's! Tulane School of Professional Advancement offers flexible master's degrees catered to working professionals. Learn more about our admissions process and see if our graduate programs are right for you.