Best Statement of Purpose (SOP) for MBA College Application

What is SOP

An SOP acts as a Bridge between your Past Academics OR Experiences and the Future you want to build! a Statement of Purpose is an essay stating the intent behind applying to a particular course of a college. It should ideally summarize – who you are, What do you want to become, and how ready you are to pursue the MBA Program. Through this essay, the selection committe try to understand the candidate’s life, the motivations for the chosen career path and Goals, along with what unique value proposition the candidate brings in, with him/her.

SOP Vs. Career Objective

In terms of length, SOP is a detailed Essay while Career objective is more specific and short. In SOP, you talk about your life or journey till date, and then talk about the future Goals, and how this MBA program will help you achive that. While in Career Objective, you mainly focus on the Future Goals and align it with your decision to chose the MBA program.

Points to Note Before You Start writing an SOP

You should be very clear about every single word that you have mentioned in your SOP, as you can be asked questions on that during the interview. (Particularly, on the Adjectives that you have used, the Quotes or Popular Personalitities that you mention, Technical terms you have used, etc)
The SOP gives a certain direction to your interview. So, mention only those points that you want to be asked during the Personal Interview.
It should be in essay form (and not in the bullet points form), with Opening Paragraph, Body part, and the closing paragraph.
The flow of the SOP should be in a story form, so that the reader stays engaged
There is no Perfect SOP. So, don’t overthink. Just make sure to include the important points as mentioned at the beginning.
Do not start with Cheesee Quotes (That’s too old now)
Avoid Being too emotional. Do not get carried away! The same should be taken care even during the PI. (For example, ‘I am from a very poor background… I am from a small village etc…..)
Explain a Point / Incidence / Experience / Project in short, without getting in to too much of details. (Be as crisp and concise as possible)
Do not convey Vague idea. Be clear and convey it clearely (Example —-I want to do something in finance).
Use simple english… No need to use heavy words.
The opening and Closing Paragraphs are very important
The opening paragraph should entice some kind of curiocity among the readers so that they are compelled to read it completely… In the closing paragraph, you should sound focused and Confident about your future Goals!
Make sure that it is Grammatically error free. You can use Free softwares like Gramarly for this purpose
Don’t use word ‘I’ too frequently… Don’t use shortforms
Use the online reading App and hear it out what you have written… you will surely be able to refine it further!
Finally, Get your SOP evaluated by someone before submitting it, as it is important to understand how it is being perceived by the other person. (For example, you would like to reconfirm whether a particular point is being interpreted in the same way as you had thought, or it conveys a different idea)

Structure of an SOP

Opening Paragraph (Introduction) This paragraph is often confused with self-introduction. It should not introduce you but should discuss what you are about to discuss in your SOP

Students often make the mistake of introducing themselves or their childhood in the first paragraph. In some cases, students tend to forget about the purpose behind writing an SOP
OR

Body Paragraph 1

Avoid being very emotional here by saying ‘ I am from a very poor background… I am from a small village etc…..

Body Paragraph 2

Why do you feel the need for MBA (More clearely)… You can share an incidence / experince also, in brief… what are the Skills and Knowledge that you hope to gain through the MBA program What do you want to do right after the completition of this program (Do you want to take up a job, set up a start up, etc) Why This college (Don’t mention about the reputaion, Professors, Placements… etc as these are very obvious points) How you will be a value addition

Closing Paragraph

What after MBA –
Career Goal
How you want to contribute towards the betterment for the society / your countrymen
this paragraph should conclude your desire and readiness towards joining this program. Since this is the closing paragraph, you should sound focused and prepared for all the challenges that came your way. It should also show that you have the zest in you to succeed and with the help of the chosen course, you will definitely make a difference in the industry at a global scale.

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Sample SOP – 1 (for an Indian MBA College)

The rise of the start ups in last few years, and their impact on the society as whole, has inspired me to set my career goal to build a technology driven firm in next 5 years. This can be achieved only by having a good understanding of business fundamentals and its execution, which is why I decided to persue an MBA program from a reputed B-school in India.
Being from a well educated family, I understood the importance of formal education at a very early stage. I have been a bright student since my schools days and maintained good grades through-out. During school, I was part of the school cricket team which helped me understand and appreciate the concept of team work to effectively achive the common goal. During my engineering, besides perfoming well in academics, I also participated in elocution competitions and also orgnised the college cultural fests. This helped me become more flexible and also a better communicator.

(In case if you are a fresher, you can talk about the Projects that you took up during your Engineering and the internships that you did. You can also mention about the learnings that you had through these projects and internships)

The skill sets and the knowledge that I gained during the graduation helped me grab a job with a multinational in the IT sector where I am working currently as Senior Developer. In last 2 years, I have had opportunities to work on challenging projects with tight deadlines, which further helped me become an individual who can work under pressurus situations. During my tensure at this company, I identified new opportunity to build business with technology as its backborn. This is when I decided to pursue an MBA program which can not only impart the Business knowledge, but also connect me with the like mided potential individuals. I feel that FMS is the best place for me to pursue my MBA program as It has a strong alumni base of successful entreprenumers, and also attarcts the best Brains in the conurty which will provide me the much desired peer group. The Entrepreneurship Cell (e-cell) at FMS will also help me realize my dream of starting up, right after my MBA program.

(You can also mention here how you would be a value addition to the college in different ways by highlighting the skill sets / talent that you have ) India will soon cross the population mark of 1.5 billion. With the current growth rate of population, we need to create 10 million jobs every year to keep the unemployment at bay. The tech start ups have played a major role in job creation, and I am excited to see myself contributing towards the cause in future. I am confident that the skills and knowledge that I have accumulated till date, along with the wholistic Learning about Management at FMS will prove to be the right ingradients to fuel my engine for my start up journey! I also look forward to contribute in future as mentor at the E-cell of FMS!

Which believes and works with global teams. It has given me the skill of being flexible and better communication and good coordination. All these, along with a good academic record and technical expertise give me an upper hand to think of getting into software enterprise management course. As Cisco Systems India team is expanding very fast now, I am slowly getting involved more into managerial activities of coordinating with global teams, resource management, working with “product line management” on defining requirements and understanding customer needs. I see this as the first step towards my ultimate goal of owning a technology firm. Hence, I would like to formalize my training and to learn necessary management skills. I believe that a management course will help me transition myself from “managing small technical team” to a business leader with a sound understanding of business goals and market dynamics.

Sample SOP – 2 (USA University)

A strong desire to contribute to my community, coupled with my experience in the telecommunication sector, has inspired within me the desire to set up a Telecom company catering to the rural sector in the state of Bihar. The strong growth curve of the state, which recently noted the second highest GDP in the country, is still marred with low mobile usage. With 85% population of the state still in villages, and dependent on agriculture, I wish to use the technology to bring innovation to the agricultural sector. In order to achieve this long-term aspiration, I now need to enhance my understanding of the functional aspects of management. I envision myself joining a Telecom major in order to process the ways and project execution methods before setting up my own telecom consultancy in a few years. Hence, an MBA is the crucial next step towards my aspirations.

With a rather humble background, I learnt long ago that there are no shortcuts to success. Diligence, dedication, and determination were my best friends, and I constantly worked hard to achieve the best, academically. Maintaining the momentum, I excelled in my graduate studies as well. I was also an active member of College Cultural committee and organised cultural fest for 2 consecutive years. A holistic development ensured that I was picked up by the first company, which came to my college for placement.

Moving on to the professional front, I came face-to-face with organizational structure and the changing team dynamics. Unlike college, the workplace was more driven by deadlines and client requirements. Working in mobile technology, I improved my analytical skills and was able to comprehensively improve my decision-making abilities as well. I was constantly appreciated in my office, and often awarded for my innovative thinking. I received the SNAP Award twice for team excellence and technical acumen. Recently, I took on the onus of setting up a WIMAX lab as per client requirements. When the client had requested the same, there was nobody in my office with the necessary technical expertise or experience for doing the same, and the team was given a time period of three months to set up this lab. Rising to the challenge, I created a team of 5 engineers, took up the responsibility of training myself and the team, and achieved the target in a record time of just one month. The endeavour fetched me great accolades, and I was recommended to the Business Unit Director, for the ‘Individual Excellence Award’.

I was committed to a job when an incident changed my thought process and instilled in me a strong urge to work towards the development of my state by means of technology. It so happened that the State Government decided to construct the state highway (SH 81) through my hometown. The news excited me and I wanted to witness the same, so I visited my hometown. However, I was appalled to find the resistance of the farmers. Passionate towards my village and knowledgeable about the benefits, I could not let ignorance stand in the way of development, and decided to take an active part. I started with the village headman and took on the onus of spreading correct information. Walking with him to each house, creating a dialogue, and convincing people to choose reason over emotion, I was finally able to convince the majority and create a steady platform for a dialogue between villagers and the authority. The incident left me comparing the state to the countries of the world.

My experience had made me wiser of the opportunities and necessities, and I was aware of how technology was changing that path. The pictures and information, available on the internet, all helped in convincing me, and I knew I wanted to bring technology to every small village of my country. I returned to my work with the same desire, and focused on the many possibilities; it was then that I realized that to be an entrepreneur, I required much more than just my technical skills. I needed to add to my analytical mind the thought process of a strategist, to the resolutions of an engineer, and the planning of a manager, and I knew an MBA would give me all that and more.

Decided on an MBA, I am convinced that ABC’s unique position as an international MBA is perfect for my short and long term goals. The customizable curriculum, the flexibility of the program, and the focus groups would effectively improve my entrepreneurial skills. Working alongside inspired individuals from all across the globe by means of the Global Consulting Program, getting the perspective of the industrially relevant studies, and being mentored by the prominent faculty like Prof. ABC and Prof. PQR, would ensure that my time spent at XYZ City is in continuation of my experience, rather than a detour. Adding force to my mid-term goals is the strong alumni network, the internships, study abroad trips, as well as case competitions, which would ensure that I get the best leg up towards my aspirations of joining Telefonica. While I aspire to fulfil my dreams by completing the MBA from your esteemed university, I also look forward to giving back in equal measure.

Thus, I bring with my candidature a strong amalgamation of the best and the worst living conditions and how they can effectively change the world we live in. I have always believed that leaving back the darkness does not make it go away and I was forever inspired to change that. It was perhaps the reason which triggered my ventures in college, and that helped me become a successful team player and an articulate leader. Moving to XYZ City, I look forward to sharing the same enthusiasm, and bringing that world to my peer network, sharing the facts and figures of the area, and how such parts of the world still need a helping hand, not merely from the country, but also from the international community.

My life’s second chapter was written with a golden pen and I have been around the world. My work took me to the streets of South Korea and the avenues of America. Working in distinct economies, I was both inspired and educated. From South Koreans, I learned the art of making work for your family. The strong community ties and the ambitions that have guided the country to such success have led me to my own ambitions and made me believe that my dream of giving a new lease of life to my birthplace is a possibility. The freedom of choice, the dedication and the strong tolerance towards a multitude of ethnic beliefs, in America, have made me respect various cultures, and prepared me to adapt effortlessly to global teams. In XYZ City, I envision myself swiftly transitioning into a leader, and bringing to the peer group, the maturity of working in multi-cultural teams, while I hasten towards my own aspirations, and carve out my future to bring smiles.

FMS - Sample SOP 1 ( Non-Engineer Fresher)

Being an Outgoing person with an eye to details, I am looking forward to contribute towards the growth of a company as Marketing specialist after gaining knowledge and skills pertaining to the field of marketing.

After completing my schooling with excellent grades, I enrolled in BBA course to understand the basic functions of business. During college, I also organised Cultural fest and Particpated in Sports competition. In the 5th Semester, I took up a project on Consumer behavior where we surveyed 150 shoppers and provided suggestions to imporve the overall customer experience.

While researching on the the project, I came across the Curriculam of Marketing Specialisation at FMS, which was quite fascinating. Having learned the fundaments of marketing during BBA, I am now keen to gain deeper knowledge of this field along with taking up some challenging research based projects. I am confident that my interactions with bright peer group at this college will prove fruitful and I will also get a right platform to launch myself in the corporate world.

FMS - Sample SOP 2 (Engineer with IT work Exp)

The rise of the start ups in last few years, and their impact on the society, has inspired me to set me to build a technology driven firm in next 5 years. This can be achieved only by having a good understanding of business fundamentals and its execution, which is why I want to persue an MBA program from a reputed B-school in India.

I have been a bright student since my schools days and maintained good grades through-out. Besides, I also partcipated in Cricket tournament and elocution competition ion. After graduation, I joined XYZ company where I am working currently as Senior Developer. In last 2 years, I worked on challenging projects, which helped me become an individual who can work under pressurus situations.

During this period, I identified new opportunities to build business with technology as its backborn, and decided to pursue MBA which can not only impart the Business knowledge, but also connect me with the like mided individuals. FMS is the best place for me to pursue MBA as It has a strong alumni base of successful entreprenumers, and also attarcts the best Brains. The Entrepreneurship Cell (e-cell) at FMS will also help me realize my dream of starting up, right after my MBA program.

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