Academic Letter of Intent (Statement of Purpose - SoP)

Writing a letter of intent requires attention and care in graduate or doctoral applications. With an average of 500-600 words, the SoP is the most difficult article to write for many people. This is because the SoP is where you can express your originality, intent, passion, and some possible rough spots in your academic background. You can't change your GPA and the projects you've participated in, but you can still increase your chances of being accepted by getting ahead of most people with an engaging SoP.

First of all, you should read the letter of intent criteria of the place you are applying for and proceed accordingly. It should not be forgotten that people who read the application have read hundreds of letters of intent, and this is a difficult process. Using sincere language that shows how willing you are will help you stand out among many other letters. The messages given between the lines are important. It is important to be able to reveal the motivation, competence, intellectual passion, and potential that can be found between the lines as much as the actual sentences in the article.

Your letter of intent (SoP) is important in order to convey various experiences over the years as “gains,” and shows how you have overcome difficulties. So, it should have details that will be memorable for the commission members of the relevant institution.

The admissions committee of the university you are applying to is looking for signs in your letter that you may be able to work with them in the future. In your letter of intent, they expect to see different examples and interesting aspects of your life, academic background and personality traits which indicate that you will be successful in this field. In the same way, you should push your imagination as much as possible and be memorable to the other party.

You can include in your letter awards, scholarships, or achievements you have earned throughout your life. These achievements can be proof of your interest, desire, and competence in the field you are applying for.

If you are accepted to the program you are applying for, you can indicate the courses in your academic background that you think form a basis for them in some way, related to the studies you will do, the well-known professors you have taken courses from, and your extracurricular activities in the field.

In order to show your interest in the field you are applying for, and in which you have done research before, you can mention the professors and projects in the department you are applying for. After you have finished your letter, it would be appropriate to consult with people who you know have experience in this field, preferably your professors. In the next step, you can revise your letter in the light of the advice you receive and make the necessary corrections and finalize it.

Click here for the English Letter of Intent (SOP) Preparation presentation at the "Applying to Graduate Schools Abroad" seminar given on November 26, 2021.

Click here for the website with useful information that we can recommend to you: www.statementofpurpose.com/