In this article I will discuss
The kind of approaches to conclude your SOP
How to edit your SOP conclusion
Thus far we have covered how to write the introduction section, detail your experience, and answer the ‘whys’ the university is looking into (if you have not read the earlier articles in the SOP series, find them here). The last section we have is the conclusion i.e. tying up neatly what we have written thus far.
This is by far the simplest section, and to resemble it the post will be short! So relax, kick back your legs, and have a read.
Approaches to Concluding your SOP
There are a few ways to conclude your SOP. I’ll discuss two such approaches below. Note that there is no ‘ideal’ approach. With the conclusion, as with the introduction, the idea is to bring your unique self onto the paper. The approaches I mention below are more to get your creative juices flowing.
Barebones approach
This is an approach for the brave of heart. Those who know that their previous sections have content laid in a logical manner. As such, why would they waste any more words (and the admission committee’s time) by reiterating or summarising what they have mentioned already? In this approach you could end your SOP with an appropriate quote or an interesting fact. Consider the example below -
Edwards Deming said, “In God, we trust … all others bring data!” and with the above facts, I hope I have provided enough data about myself to help make an informed decision. Thank you for considering my candidature for the <PROGRAM NAME> program at <UNIVERSITY NAME>.
Synopsis Approach
This is a more common approach where you attempt to actually summarise your SOP. A good outline for the summary is to refocus on your future goal, emphasise an element of your work, and indicate the unique value/perspective you bring to the field/university. Consider the example below -
The <PROGRAM NAME> program would help build strong foundations towards my goal of working as a Data Scientist at the United Nations Global Pulse Division, focusing on the sustainable goals of quality education and fostering innovation. The experience I would gain working with Professor <PROFESSOR NAME> in the <LAB NAME> lab to build <PROJECT ONE-LINER>, where I could utilise my unique research in analysing social networks in MOOCs, would be invaluable to my growth. Thank you for considering my candidature for the <PROGRAM NAME> program at <UNIVERSITY NAME>.
Editing your SOP Conclusion
The conclusion section is supposed to be only 3–5 sentences long. As you might have seen with the approaches mentioned above the aim when editing this section is to ‘end like an ending’. This means, trying to make it so that you conclude the content in a way that YOU feel epitomises YOUR uniqueness.
So the key takeaway from this post is to keep your conclusion short and end the SOP in a way that you feel summarises the essence of your SOP.
Well done! You have come to the end of the series for writing your SOP. Give yourself a pat on the back!
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