SOP, which stands for the statement of purpose, is an essential part of the application. This is a part, which shows your skills and background as well as your academic goals. SOP, which is also known as a personal statement, allows the admissions committee to understand your interests, abilities, value, and perspectives.
So, it is obvious that SOP cannot be taken lightly. It is necessary to provide an attentive approach to the statement of purpose not to miss the chance to stand out from the crowd and impress the academic committee. To make the paper perfect you need to pay special attention to the editing process. To simplify the process and assure its highest quality it is reasonable to use the assistance of a professional SOP editor.
Professional editors offer the following benefits:
- Multiyear experience in writing and proofreading different types of written assignments including SOP
- Specialization in various spheres
- Deadlines meeting
- Multi-stage system of the text check (editing of editors and antiplagiarism programs)
However, there is one significant disadvantage – any professional editing service is paid. So, if you cannot afford it, it is not accessible for you.
Although professional proofreading is quite alluring, this is wrong to think that you cannot assure quality text editing on your own. All you need is an editing plan, useful tips from professional editors, and, of course, time and effort.
3 Main Steps in SOP Editing
The whole process of SOP editing can be divided into three parts:
- General impression of the text
- Technical layout of the text
- Focus on details
General Impression of the Text
Read the whole text without stops. Imagine that you see it for the first time and you do not know the described person, then rate your impression of the reading.
The statement of purpose has to show your best sides and strengths. The main idea of any SOP is that a student deserves the best chance the committee can offer. This basic thought should be expressed in the text as a suggestion or a wish. The body paragraphs have to support the idea and give arguments. The conclusion has to confirm that you are the most worthy candidate.
Sentences and paragraphs should be logically connected with each other. The text should be easy to read and the main idea should be easy to understand.
To simplify this editing part it is better to print the text out.
Technical Layout of the Text
SOP is an academic text, so, there are standard formatting requirements, which it is necessary to meet.
Check every item from the list of technical requirements such as text size, text font, page margins, word count, etc.
Pay attention to the writing style. SOP should be written in a formal style, so, get rid of slang phrases and word formations from correspondence.
Focus on Details
Check the text for grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and lexical mistakes. The best method is to use one of the popular online grammar checkers.