How To Write a Statement of Purpose for Graduate School
Congratulations! You’ve chosen a graduate program , read up on tips for applying to grad school , and even written a focused grad school resumé . But if you’re like many students, you’ve left the most daunting part of the application process for last—writing a statement of purpose. The good news is that the task doesn’t have to feel so overwhelming, as long as you break the process down into simple, actionable steps. Below, learn how to write a strong, unique statement of purpose that will impress admissions committees and increase your chances of getting into your dream school.
What is a statement of purpose?
A statement of purpose (SOP), sometimes referred to as a personal statement, is a critical piece of a graduate school application that tells admissions committees who you are, what your academic and professional interests are, and how you’ll add value to the graduate program you’re applying to.
Jared Pierce, former associate director of enrollment services at Northeastern University, says a strong statement of purpose can be the deciding factor in a graduate student’s admission.
“Your statement of purpose is where you tell your story about who you are and why you deserve to be a part of the [university’s] community. It gives the admissions committee the chance to get to know you and understand how you’ll add value to the classroom,” he says.
How long should a statement of purpose be? “A statement of purpose should be between 500 and 1,000 words,” Pierce says, noting that it should typically not exceed a single page. He advises that students use a traditional font at a readable size (11 or 12 points) and leave enough white space in the margins to make the statement easy to read. Make sure to double-space the statement if the university has requested it, he adds.
How to write a statement of purpose: a step-by-step guide
Now that you understand how to format a statement of purpose, you can begin drafting your own. Getting started can feel daunting, but Pierce suggests making the process more manageable by breaking down the writing process into four easy steps.
1. Brainstorm your ideas.
First, he says, try to reframe the task at hand and get excited for the opportunity to write your statement of purpose.
“Throughout the application process, you’re afforded few opportunities to address the committee directly,” he explains. “Here is your chance to truly speak directly to them. Each student arrives at this process with a unique story, including prior jobs, volunteer experience, or undergraduate studies. Think about what makes you you and start outlining.”
When writing your statement of purpose, Pierce suggests asking yourself these key questions:
- Why do I want this degree?
- What are my expectations for this degree?
- What courses or program features excite me the most?
- Where do I want this degree to take me, professionally and personally?
- How will my unique professional and personal experiences add value to the program?
Jot these responses down to get your initial thoughts on paper. This will act as your starting point for creating an outline and writing your first draft.
2. Develop an outline.
Next, you’ll want to take the ideas that you’ve identified during the brainstorming process and plug them into an outline that will guide your writing.
An effective outline for your statement of purpose might look something like this:
- An attention-grabbing hook
- A brief introduction of yourself and your background as it relates to your motivation behind applying to graduate school
- Your professional goals as they relate to the program
- Why you’re interested in the specific school and what you can bring to the table
- A brief summary of the information presented in the body that emphasizes your qualifications and compatibility with the school
An outline like the one above will give you a roadmap to follow so that your statement of purpose is well organized and concise.
3. Write the first draft.
Your statement of purpose should communicate who you are and why you are interested in a particular program, but it also needs to be positioned in a way that differentiates you from other applicants.
Admissions professionals already have your transcripts, resumé, and test scores; the statement of purpose is your chance to tell your story in your own words.
When you begin drafting content, make sure to:
- Provide insight into what drives you , whether that’s professional advancement, personal growth, or both.
- Demonstrate your interest in the school by addressing the unique features of the program that interest you most. For Northeastern, he says, maybe it’s experiential learning; you’re excited to tackle real-world projects in your desired industry. Or perhaps it’s learning from faculty who are experts in your field of study.
- Be yourself. It helps to keep your audience in mind while writing, but don’t forget to let your personality shine through. It’s important to be authentic when writing your statement to show the admissions committee who you are and why your unique perspective will add value to the program.
4. Edit and refine your work.
Before you submit your statement of purpose:
- Make sure you’ve followed all directions thoroughly , including requirements about margins, spacing, and font size.
- Proofread carefully for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- Remember that a statement of purpose should be between 500 and 1,000 words. If you’ve written far more than this, read through your statement again and edit for clarity and conciseness. Less is often more; articulate your main points strongly and get rid of any “clutter.”
- Walk away and come back later with a fresh set of eyes. Sometimes your best ideas come when you’re not sitting and staring at your computer.
- Ask someone you trust to read your statement before you submit it.
Making a lasting impression
Your statement of purpose can leave a lasting impression if done well, Pierce says. It provides you with the opportunity to highlight your unique background and skills so that admissions professionals understand why you’re the ideal candidate for the program that you’re applying to. If nothing else, stay focused on what you uniquely bring to the classroom, the program, and the campus community. If you do that, you’ll excel.
To learn more tricks and tips for submitting an impressive graduate school application, explore our related grad school success articles .
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Editor’s note: This article was originally published in March 2017. It has since been updated for thoroughness and accuracy.
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Free PDF: The 4 questions every SOP must answer → Master’s or PhD
How to Format a Statement of Purpose: Quick and Easy Guide
- By Jordan Dotson
- Updated: April 26, 2024
Your SOP for grad school is a work of art. Really, it is. You’ve spent weeks crafting this meticulous, beautiful, persuasive piece of personal literature. You know it’s going to boost your chances of admission. You’ve structured it elegantly (using the SOP Starter Kit for Master’s or PhDs ), and you’ve edited it to perfection. Now, you’re ready to hit “submit,” except for this one last dagger of anxiety: crap…how to format a statement of purpose?!
It’s an important question!
Tiny details can completely derail your applications. If a school demands a single-spaced essay and you submit double-spaced…how does that make you look? Not “good,” I promise you that.
But worry not, gentle reader. Follow the universal standards below, and I promise you’ll submit an SOP that conforms 100% to your dream grad program’s expectations.
Table of Contents:
Warning: Follow Your School’s Instructions
- Font: Times New Roman 12pt
- Line Spacing: Single or Double
- Margins: 1” or 2.5cm
- Can I adjust font sizes/margins to fit a single page?
A Header Template You Can Use
- Course Titles
Citations — Never use them!
- What if I have a weird formatting issue?
While the following guidelines are the closest we have to universal SOP format standards, lots of schools have their own quirky preferences. Before you hit “submit” for any school, you should double- and triple-check the essay prompt — they often tell you which font and line spacing they prefer.
For example, CUNY-Hunter requires applicants to submit their statement of purpose in Times New Roman or Arial font (though I always advise you to stick with Times New Roman):
Also note that at many big public universities like UCLA, you might get mixed messages. The general “Graduate School” and your specific department often have different requirements. You must double-check both to see what they require .
For example, if you’re applying to the MPP program at UCLA’s Luskin School , you’ll find two different word limits!
Always triple-check each school’s requirements for how to format your statement of purpose!
If they don’t list any specific preferences, then you’re good to go. The standards below will keep you perfect, and you’ll have nothing to worry about.
Font: Times New Roman, 12pt
Let’s make this easy: stick with Times New Roman in 12pt size. There is no other option!
You can write your SOP in whatever font you like, but when you submit it, make sure it’s in Times New Roman 12pt. This is the universal standard in virtually every Western industry that processes English text. It’s easy for everyone to read. Everyone expects it. And most importantly, it doesn’t call attention to your quirky personal tastes.
If all the best applicants submit their essays in TNR 12, and you use fancy-pants Chanticleer Roman, how does that make you look? Like the only guy at the job interview who’s wearing a tuxedo.
Line Spacing: Single or Double?
In general, both single- and double-spaced are fine. But be careful . As mentioned above, many schools have their own unique preferences indicated in the essay prompt.
For example, Stanford’s MS in Management Science and Engineering requires a single-spaced SOP:
If your school doesn’t give you any such preference, then honestly, you’re fine with either kind of line spacing (as long as it fits the essay limit).
Margins: 1 inch or 2.5cm
Most applicants never think about the margins for their page layout. But occasionally, I see an applicant who, for some inexplicable reason, prefers a giant moat of white space all around their essay.
Don’t do that.
Keep your margins at 1” or 2.5cm all the way around. This is a universal standard, and it’ll keep your SOP looking nice and professional.
Can I Adjust Font Sizes/Margins to Fit a Single Page?
Maybe your application requires an essay of “no more than 1 page,” and you’ve done everything possible to cut it that short. But still…it’s one line too long. Should you decrease the font size to make it all fit? Should you reduce the margins to 0.5 inches?
No. Absolutely not.
When you employ a formatting gimmick like this, everyone on the admissions committee notices. It’s awkward to read. Ultimately, all it does is call attention to the fact you chose to employ a gimmick instead of smartly editing your language . As one Stanford professor said :
“Succinctness is a virtue in academic as in other writing. When your file is being read by members of the faculty, they will be reading it alongside many other files, and they will typically be reading under severe time constraints. People tend not to be especially tolerant of verbosity under these circumstances, to put it mildly.”
Good writers don’t use formatting gimmicks. They edit their language with deadly precision. I promise you: we can always cut a few more words from an essay. Want to know how? Check out this article for my best tips: Word Cutting: 7 Editing Tricks for Your SOP Word Limit
If you want to make sure your SOP looks as sharp as possible, I suggest you copy the following format. It’s good luck. One of my students used it for an SOP that earned him 13 master’s admissions! (It’s also simple, elegant, and contains all the information grad programs might want.)
- Right-aligned (CTRL + R)
- “Statement of Purpose” in BOLD on the top line
- University name
- Program name
- Single-space all 4 lines (even if the rest of your essay is double-spaced)
Course Titles: Include Course Numbers and Italicize
In their SOPs, many students describe grad classes they hope to take. Yet, many format the course titles in ways that are difficult to understand. For example, consider the following:
“I look forward to taking CS 4057 Business Process Analysis and Design and CS 4240 Compilers, Interpreters, and Program Analyzers .” “I look forward to taking Business Process Analysis and Design and Compilers, Interpreters, and Program Analyzers.”
That last one is quite confusing, no? Your SOP reader may not be familiar with the exact course names, so give them a helping hand by making it as clear as possible.
If your application allows you to upload a PDF or DOC file, include the course number and italicize the title. It just makes it easier to read and understand.
But what if they require you to past your essay in a text box where the formatting gets wiped? That requires more careful writing. Including the course number will make it easy to understand:
“I especially look forward to two courses: CS4057 Business Process Analysis and Design , as well as CS4240 Compilers, Interpreters, and Program Analyzers .”
Too often, someone asks me whether they should use footnotes or endnotes in their SOP. Occasionally, they ask if it’s okay to add hyperlinks to a citation. My response is always the same:
No citations!
A statement of purpose is not a research paper. There’s nothing to cite. If you’re attempting to cite something outside your essay, it shows that you don’t understand the function and purpose of the SOP.
If you want to mention an article published by a certain professor, just summarize it in smartly edited language. For example:
“I look forward to working with Professor Bruce Wayne, whose recent publication on heterogeneous decision-making for aerial drones expressed questions similar to those I hope to approach in my capstone.”
What if I have weird questions about how to format my statement of purpose?
Don’t ask me!
Really, I mean that. There’s someone much better to ask: the program to which you’re applying . Call or email them to ask what type of formatting they prefer, and I promise, they’ll tell you directly. It only makes their job easier.
The last thing they want is to read SOPs in Chanticleer Roman size-10 font with 0.5-inch margins.
Summary of How to Format a Statement of Purpose
First, follow your school’s instructions. If you’re not certain what they prefer, email them. They’ll be happy to tell you.
But in general, use these guidelines:
- Times New Roman, 12pt font
- Single- or double-spaced are both okay
- 1-inch or 2.5cm margins
- Never adjust font sizes or margins to fit a single page!
- Add a simple header to the upper right-hand corner
- List course titles with their course numbers and italicize them if possible
- Never use citations!
Follow these guidelines, and rest assured, every school will be happy to read your clean, professional statement of purpose.
Want more advice on how to write the kind of sharp, brilliant essay that earns multiple admissions?
Get Your Free SOP Starter Kit
Learn the “4 Questions” every SOP must answer to earn admission at competitive schools. This guide will tell you what to write, and leave you feeling super confident and ready to hit “submit.”
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