If you are a study abroad aspirant, then you must be aware of these two terms LOR and SOP. First of all, we will talk about what is LOR. So, let us engage with this term. LOR stands for a letter of recommendation and SOP stands for statement of purpose. These two elements or documents are important for your entry to a college or a university abroad. You might not be aware of what to keep in mind while writing your respective LORs and SOPs for a university. So, in this article we are going to give you detailed information on Top Common Mistakes That People Do While Writing A LOR Or SOP.
What Exactly Is LOR?
LOR is also known as a letter of recommendation. Students make the mistake of writing the LOR themselves or from someone who knows them on some personal grounds. However, you should always get your LOR written by someone who knows you professionally and is in a relevant field.
For example, if you are applying for a Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree in Information Technology, then you should get your LOR filled by a professor who taught you the subject of it. The University’s Admission panel takes almost 20 minutes to review your application and they can easily make out as to which LOR is genuine and which one is made up. So, if you have already made this mistake in the past, then make sure not to repeat the same. You might not be aware of the way the LORs are written but do not worry, we are here to help you.
Formulation of LOR
LOR generally consists of 4-5 paragraphs, but it can totally depend on the student’s achievement. Let us learn about the things that you should keep in mind while formulating the yellow one.
The first step is you should supply your details such as name, designation, field of work, etc. And the reason for recommending that student to a particular university. After that, mention your relationship with the student and the tenure, which means for how long he or she was your student, followed by the type of projects you both have collaborated on in the Bachelor, Master, or postgraduate programs. Mention the student’s skills, potential, and how he or she will be an asset to the university.
Top Common Mistakes That People Do While Writing A LOR
Let us know about the top common mistakes which people do while writing the LOR. Go through with these mistakes which are mentioned below.
- Selecting The Wrong Referral – Most students choose a faculty who does not know them well enough. As a result, this selection can cause the student his or her desired university in a negative way. We would recommend you choose the faculty with whom you have worked closely.
- Plagiarism – Copy and paste can be a terrible mistake that anyone can make while writing a LOR, whether it can be formulated from the internet or somewhere else does not matter. Always say that write your LOR in a genuine or proper way.
- Rush Writing – Do not make the mistake of telling your referral to write a LOR for you in the last moment of your application. It will not be of any help, rather it will complicate things and lower the chances of writing an impressive LOR for you. In fact, inform the respective person one month prior so he or she can write the LOR for you in a relaxed manner considering all the documents and proofs which are considered with your LOR.
- Not Providing Proof – Most faculties may write good things about you in your LOR. For example, he or she is hardworking, adaptable and a go-getter, but they lack in delivering any evidence along with the statement. Why will anyone believe those statements? Where is the credibility? So, make sure that your professor mentions the incident which could justify these characteristics.
- Inadequate Length of LOR – Most people do not have any idea about the required length of the LOR. The proper LOR is around 600 to 700 words. Do not describe your LOR in a short way.
Can We Upload Our LORs By Ourselves?
The answer is no. Because not only is it considered to be an unethical practice, but it can also lead to your application rejection by your desired university. So, if you do not want to get rejected by your dream university, then we would strongly recommend that your professors should upload it for you. It should be in PDF format and also should be on the university’s official letterhead.
Above we have discussed about LOR and it some common mistakes that people usually do while writing it. Now let us move on to the next big and important document, which is the SOP or as we call it, a statement of purpose.
What Exactly Do You Mean By SOP?
SOP stands for statement of purpose. It is a vital piece of document that you have to submit as a part of your application process. Moreover, this feature describes who you are, what is your intent, and your potential and makes the admission panel believe your worthiness. A statement of purpose is usually 800 to 1000 words. However, it also differs from university to university.
Do’s of SOP
Now let us discuss about what you should do and what you should not do while formulating SOP.
- Personalization – The SOP is your personal story, your background, and your motive for joining a particular university. So, make sure your SOP should be unique and should clearly depict your motivation for joining a particular course at the respective university. Make your SOP interesting so that the admission panel should read your SOP till the end.
Use plain text fonts. Simplicity is always reliable, so in this way, avoid using any kind of creative fonts and use fonts like Ariel or Times New Roman.
- Genuity – Do not make false claims. False claims will backfire in your journey to your desired university. Always be genuine and write facts that you literally did in the past.
- Value – It means the result of your effort. You have to show how you will be beneficial to the university. Always write an SOP in a simple or clear format. If you have stated some difficult words in your SOP, then the individual must face difficulty while reading your SOP.
Top Common Mistakes That People Do While Writing A SOP
- Overclaims – Avoid mentioning false claims in your SOP. Going Off Track Normally, students often go off track from their purpose. It is known as a statement of purpose for a reason, right? So make sure whatever you write on your SOP should fulfill the purpose of giving the university a clarity about your potential and the answer to the ultimate question, which is why should they accept your admission request.
- Long Forms – Avoid using long and redundant phrases. Rather use crisp, concise, and clear content. You need to consider the word limit as well.
- Family Background – Avoid mentioning family details because usually universities would not be heavily interested in your family details. Rather, they would be more interested in you and your twins.
- Lack of Flow The main reason for your SOP rejection is the lack of flow. Never avoid the flow of content in your SOP. The connection from the starting point to the end should be smooth. Be realistic in terms of approach.
Conclusion
According to the above-written statement on Top Common Mistakes That People Do While Writing A LOR Or SOP
You may probably get an idea that what thinks you have to keep in your mind while the formation of LOR as well as SOP. Hope you will get all the detailed information about this subject.
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