Profile Building & SOPs

Are you planning to study abroad? Do you feel a bit apprehensive not knowing how to prepare for your time abroad? Looking to strengthen your profile?

You are at the right place. 

We have rounded up the factors you need to keep in mind to construct a powerful profile. We have listed some examinations that you may have to undertake and score well to ensure a seat at your desired university. 

So, grab some coffee and let us get started.

Build your profile

When you apply to foreign universities, you need to present a strong profile in front of the institution. 

This is crucial.

There is an immense rise in the number of students seeking foreign education. With the competition high, academics alone is not enough to make it. Not building a strong profile may cost you to lose a golden opportunity. 

Building up a secure profile takes time and effort. Various profile building tools exist, and we will discuss them.

1. Statement of purpose (SOP)

SOP allows you to introduce yourself uniquely about why you want to take up your course at that university. Or how you think the university would be perfect for you. Or why you should be a student there and what do you plan to do with your degree after graduation. You get to answer some basic questions that the admission committee expects you to answer and hence strengthen your profile.

Tip: 

• Be creative and write a story. We tend to remember stories better than mere statements. This is your beautiful piece of literature that you used to connect with them emotionally. Articulate your SOP and clearly state your interests and what experiences led you to choose your desired course. Grab hold of this opportunity and let us leavea powerful profile on their minds.
• Be familiar with the university, its facilities, internships, traditions, faculty and everything that sets it apart from other universities. You must convince the university that you know the college/department well and are not applying randomly. Doing so will go a long way into building your profile.
• Mention how you can contribute the university with your talents, experiences or abilities. Think of it as a two-way street. If you could enter the study program, how would it benefit them? This could be through sports, community services, clubs and so on.

2. Letter of reference (LOR)

LOR is how the university gets to know your character from a third person who has either taught you or worked with you. It is a compelling and personalized account of the third person’s relationship and experience with you. 

Tip: 

• The recommender must possess a clear idea about your attributes, project work, and instances. Your LOR should highlight both your academic and professional experiences. Present these in a way that makes the LOR valuable.
• Ensure that the LOR is professional. It underlines the standard of the person writing the LOR and signifies the authenticity of this document. 
• Having a person in a higher position (say, the Head of Department (Hod) of your previous university) write this ensures a stronger profile.

3. Resume

A resume informs the university of your career goals, achievements and expertise in the field. It briefs them about the level of education you have had and your interests.

Tip: 

• Structure your resume with a keen eye to details like font, length of words used, language, readability strengthens your profile immensely. 
• Use resume keywords which could be simply found by googling them. This is paramount as most resumes are read by Applicant Tacking System (ATS). Hence, creating an ATS-friendly resume will beef up your resume.
• Update your resume and make sure your resume contact information is current. Your first name, last name, phone number and professional email address must be clearly mentioned.

4. Extra-curricular activities

Were you an active student in your college? Perhaps you were the college captain? Maybe you had volunteered in NSS? 

Extra-curricular activities are another way to strengthen your profile. Significant achievements or rare talents in this field display various attributes that you bring forward. Some of these include: 

• Sports: demonstrates teamwork, dedication, competitive-spirit, fitness, reliability.
• Music and drama: Demonstrate confidence, collaboration, creativity, attention to detail.
• Volunteering: Demonstrate leadership, commitment, entrepreneurship, ingenuity

Exam Preparation

1. Admission tests

To gain admission to some universities, you may be required to take an entrance examination. Research your study program to know whether you need to appear for one. These could be examinations like GMAT or GRE required for management related courses.

2. Language Requirement

Most universities may require you to submit IELTS or TOEFL scores to prove your proficiency in the English language.

In some nations like Germany, knowledge of the national language must be proved from a standard certified examination.

Conclusion

We have discussed the importance of building a profile and have looked at the examinations we may need to undertake to pursue courses. 

We hope this has been helpful to you. Do share with us your thoughts and anything we may have missed in the comment section below.