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Table of Contents
Overview
The only thing standing between you and your dream university is an extraordinary statement of purpose that can briefly encapsulate your accomplishments. But with the number of sample SOPs out there on the internet, it is very difficult to craft a unique SOP that speaks to the university’s admissions committee. Look no further, as this guide is here to put an end to all your SOP-related queries, and we’re pretty sure that after reading this guide, you will be able to write an SOP for business analytics that will get you into your dream university.
Toolkit for SOP for business analytics
Here, we have curated a toolkit that is sectioned into 4 paragraphs for a university SOP, along with examples that will help you write an SOP for business analytics.
| Action Item | Points to be considered | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction (motivation and goals) | What drove you to pursue a career in business analytics? | To upgrade the skills as a software developer OR Inspired by the thought of expanding business with the help of technology |
| What are your associated skill sets? | Analytical skills along with technical expertise in Python OR Leadership, communication, time management, and organizational skills | |
| What is the larger goal that you aim to achieve? | To become a business analyst OR To become an entrepreneur and start my own business | |
| Body paragraph I (learning, execution, and impact) | State your academic background | Completed secondary education at Don Bosco School, Kolkata, in the commerce stream with computer science, attended Heritage College and pursued a Bachelor of Technology program over there OR Pursued a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Christ University, Bengaluru |
| State your professional background | Worked as a software engineer for 2 years in Kadel Labs OR Internship as a business administrator assistant at NTT Data | |
| State your academic and professional accomplishments | Became proficient in creating web based applications using PHP, Learned the basics of Python using internet OR Learned how to conduct research, prepare reports, handle information requests, prepare correspondence, scheduling and attend meetings by working closely with the company's project and business development team | |
| Body paragraph II (why course, why university) | State your reason for choosing this course in business analytics | To upskill as a software developer OR To grow my family business by implementing advanced technologies and techniques |
| State your reason for choosing this particular course | Program’s curriculum covers data science, analytics, business intelligence, marketing, and risk analysis which are crucial topics to become a professional business analyst OR Due to the course’s STEM-oriented approach | |
| State your reason for choosing this particular university | The university’s close proximity to fourth-largest concentration of fortune 500 companies will provide me with great employment opportunities OR The university has produced notable alumni who have become successful entrepreneurs | |
| State your reason for being a valuable addition to the university | Become an active part of the university’s student organizations OR By applying my leadership skills and participating in extracurricular activities, and volunteering in events, seminars, and symposiums | |
| Conclusion (closing statement) | State your short-term goals | Get an entry-level job in the field of business analytics at a good company OR Get placed at a reputable firm at an entry-level job as a business analyst |
| State your long-term goals | To become a business analyst in software development OR Aspire to become an entrepreneur | |
| State your future contribution to society with business analytics | To develop strategies that are not only effective and efficient but also fair and just for every stakeholder OR Create a workplace that provides vocational training to underprivileged children |
Sample SOP for a student with a similar background in business analytics
“Since most of the world’s data is unstructured, an ability to analyze and act on it presents a big opportunity.” — Michael Shulman
This quote by Micheal Shulman served as the motivation for me to look beyond numbers in the business world and helped me unveil the field of business analytics. Over the past decade, data has become a big tool helping a variety of businesses to get insights to work efficiently. Being a software developer, I understand that data is inevitably becoming a huge part of software development, and by merging data, brilliant software solutions can be created. With this belief, I have decided to upgrade my skill set as a software developer and delve deeper into business analytics. I feel that a masters degree will help me attain in-depth knowledge and provide me with the essentials of being a successful business analyst in the various engagements I encounter throughout my career.I believe that my analytical skills coupled with my technical expertise in programming languages of Python,will help me advance my career aspirations of becoming a business analyst.
At the academic forefront, I have a solid foundation in the technical aspects surrounding business, which I intend to further build upon with my masters degree in business analytics. I have completed my secondary education at Don Bosco School, Kolkata, in the commerce stream with computer science.Throughout my school life, I have been an all-rounder with equal participation in academic-related and extracurricular activities. Being appointed as the Deputy Head Boy in the school instilled in me leadership and communication skills, which made me more confident. After completing my schooling, I went on to attend Heritage College and pursued a Bachelor of Technology program. Alongside my studies, I started to work as a software engineer intern at Kadel Labs and continued to work there for the next 2 years after my graduation.While working over there, I became proficient in creating web based applications using PHP. Apart from that, I gained the basic knowledge about the Python programming language through online courses available on the internet.
I believe that it is the right time for me to upskill myself and and get a postgraduate degree in business analytics to upgrade my knowledge. For the same reason, I have applied to the University of North Texas’ M.S. in the Business Analytics program. I was particularly impressed with the program’s curriculum, which covers data science, analytics, business intelligence, marketing, and risk analysis, all of which are crucial topics for becoming a professional business analyst. I believe that my career aspirations will be realized in the challenging and research-integrated environment of the University of North Texas. One of the cornerstones of the university is its strategic location, UNT is located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which is home to the nation’s fourth-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies. This close proximity to top companies opens up a wealth of career, networking, and internship opportunities. In return, I believe the combination of my academic strength and personal characteristics of leadership will help me contribute to the university’s student organizations and become an active part of them helping to add to the interdisciplinary atmosphere of the university.
Through my masters program, I aim to achieve my long-term goal of becoming a business analyst in software development. This, however, can be accomplished by achieving my short-term goal of getting placed in a good company at an entry-level job in the field of business analytics. I believe that working at ground level will help me enhance the skills that I will acquire during my degree and apply those in real-life applications. My success as a business analyst will play a pivotal role in defining my contribution to the field of business analytics. As a business analyst, I aim to develop strategies that are not only effective and efficient but also fair and just for every stakeholder. An M.S. in the Business Analytics program at the University of North Texas will allow me to pursue an advanced course, opening up several opportunities as a budding business analyst.
Sample SOP for a student with a different background
“Data are just summaries of thousands of stories – tell a few of those stories to help make the data meaningful.” - Chip & Dan Heath
I consider myself to be a very lucky child who spent his childhood with his grandparents. Often, I wish to go back to those days and relive those morning walks with my grandfather when he used to share his struggles and experiences that made him the successful businessman he was. I cherish the days when he used to take me to his textile mill and worked all day long even though he has become old. After his demise in 2020, I am frequently reminded of his golden memories and I continue to look up to him as a man of wisdom. Because of him, while growing up, my interest in getting into the nitty-gritty of business grew deeper, which, in turn, fueled my dedication and curiosity to work in the business field. While working in our textile mill after my graduation, I realized that our business was unable to reach its full potential due to the outdated techniques and methods. To solve this problem, I felt the need to fill this gap between business and IT, but that was possible only if I had enough knowledge about the same. This led me to choose to study business analytics for my postgraduate degree. I am confident that my leadership skills combined with communication, time management, and organizational skills will aid me on my journey to achieving my higher goal of becoming an entrepreneur and continuing my family business.
The very first step towards realizing this goal was pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Christ University, Bengaluru. During my time there, I excelled in my studies and participated in various projects and competitions. Upon completion of my undergraduate programme, I got an internship as a business administrator assistant at NTT Data, where I not only got the opportunity to put my knowledge and skills to use. While working over there, I got prepared to work in my field and connected with my industry professionals which helped to enhance my confidence. My role as a business administrator assistant demanded me to multitask and provide support to the company’s project and business development team. It involved all their day-to-day operations such as conducting research, preparing reports, handling information requests while extending to performing clerical functions such as preparing correspondence, scheduling and attending meetings. This, in turn, equipped me with communication, time management, and organizational skills and provided me with the knowledge and experience to work ahead in the field of business management. However, I was not satisfied with my work position and decided to move to a higher position, for which I made the decision to do a masters degree.
I believe that with a master's degree in business analytics, I will get global exposure and learn how to drive business using insights from large amounts of data.Considering the top universities throughout the world, I feel that Northeastern University’s MS in Business Analytics program can upskill me and change the course of my professional trajectory due to their STEM-oriented approach, which ensures that students get the best of both worlds: science and business.As I have always aspired to be an entrepreneur, Northeastern University has an excellent list of notable alumni like Nikesh Arora, who is a renowned and successful entrepreneur and has worked with the world’s biggest companies such as Google, SoftBank, and Palo Alto. I believe that his successful career was not only the result of his hard work but also of the quality education and on-campus placement at Northeastern University that made him an established business analyst upon his graduation. I look forward to committing to Northeastern University’s excellence by utilizing my leadership skills, participating in extracurricular activities, and volunteering in events, seminars, and symposiums alongside my studies.
To work towards my set objectives, I have planned my professional trajectory with a combination of short-term and long-term goals. The degree will help me secure an internship as a business analyst solidifying my concepts and fulfilling my short-term goal. After completing my short-term goals over a sustained period of time, I aim to move back to my home country and work on scaling my family business by implementing the knowledge and skills I gain from my academic and professional experience. I believe that my knowledge of business analytics and consulting over the years would equip me with an entrepreneurial mindset to recognise and solve problems around me and carry forward the legacy of my family business.My bigger goal other than this would be to work for the betterment of my society and provide training and employment opportunities to people from rural areas in my textile mill. This, in my perspective, will help to contribute towards eliminating the problem of unemployment, which is prevalent in my home country, India. I hope to accentuate my business skills from Northeastern University’s MS in Business Analytics program and establish a promising professional prowess.
How to write an SOP for business analytics
Here, we have provided you with an in-depth explanation of how to write an SOP for business analytics.
Introduction (motivation and goal)
Start your SOP with an appealing hook that is related to the business world, which surfaces your interest in the business world and conveys your aspiration for following the same, so try to be more specific with your hook. To write a perfect statement of purpose, it is advised to try to add a quote that inspired you to enter the business world or any change that you wish to bring to society by pursuing a course in business analytics. Provide your SOP reader with a gist of your long-term goals; in other words, let the reader know where you see yourself in 10 years after completing your course from their university. Then tell them about the skill sets that you have acquired over the years that make you a great fit to pursue a business analytics course and work in its field.
Checklist for writing introduction:
- Hook (quote related to business analytics)
- Source of motivation
- Long-term goal
- Reason to pursue the course
- Unique aspects about your personality
- Future goals
Body paragraph I (learning, execution, and impact)
After you’re done introducing yourself, continue your SOP by mentioning your academic and professional background and highlighting your accomplishments during that time. Let’s say that you choose to highlight your participation in various competitions during your undergraduate program. Now just mentioning it is not sufficient; you will have to go in-depth and give the reader an insight into the skills you acquired by participating in those competitions.
On the other hand, when you talk about your professional experience, you will have to nitpick particular skills that you learned that are relevant to the business analytics course. Then, relate these cumulative experiences from your academic and professional background to show that these experiences left an impact on you that led you to choose business analytics as a career path.
Checklist for writing body paragraph I:
- Academic accomplishments
- Professional accomplishments
- Strengths and weaknesses
- Impact of all the cumulative experiences
- In case of a fresher, talk about internships and volunteerships
Body paragraph II (why course, why university)
In the second body paragraph, you have to persuade the SOP reader to believe that you’re a perfect fit for their university. Herein, you will go into depth about explaining why you decided to take the business analytics course. For the same reason, you should talk about the skills and knowledge that are required for the course and how you have already acquired them with respect to your past experiences. Make sure that you give them concrete examples and reasons rather than just singing praises about yourself.
Next, provide the university with a legitimate reason why you have chosen their university. Do not use flattering language and appreciate the university, as most of the students do; instead, try to point out how the university is able to provide you with the facilities that you require for your course. As a business analytics student, you can talk about how the university’s research center will facilitate you with the services and equipment for your studies. Moreover, you can also talk about famous university alumni who have excelled in their field. In this way, you can easily explain how the university accelerated their growth and how you expect that your career will get a kickstart, just like the famous alumnus, if you get accepted into the university.
Checklist for writing body paragraph II:
- The skills and knowledge you know related to business analytics
- Why this particular college/university?
- What do you like about the university?
- How can you be a valuable addition to the college/university?
Conclusion (closing statement)
In the last paragraph, talk about your career trajectory in greater detail by mentioning your short and long-term goals. Your short-term goals may include a job that you would be interested in doing after you complete your course at the given university. Then, talk about how the skills and experiences from your short-term goal, i.e., job, will help you fulfill your long-term goal. Be careful when mentioning relevant and practical goals, as it will show your quality as a practical person in the SOP. End your SOP by talking about how you feel that working in the field of business will help you contribute to society.
Checklist for writing conclusion:
- Path to achieve your career goals (short-term and long-term goals)
- What after the course (long-term goals)
- Contribution towards the society
Wrap Up
To sum it all up, when writing an SOP for MS admission in a business analytics course, make sure that you section your SOP into 4 sections: introduction, first body paragraph, second body paragraph, and a closing statement. A university SOP can be tricky, but if you follow all the tips and adhere to the rules on how to write an SOP, you can manage to secure admission to your dream university and fulfill all your career goals.
FAQs
Why should you choose business analytics?
To club in one phrase: business analytics brings actionable insights for businesses. A professional business analyst works on improving operational efficiency through their daily activities, measures performance, and aims to drive growth. For students having relevant bachelor’s degrees in fields such as business, finance, economics, or other related disciplines, business analysis is the perfect fit for you as it opens you to a world of wide possibilities. According to the latest statistics, the starting salary for a business analyst in the US ranges from anywhere between $45,000 and $78,000.
Why does a good statement of purpose include?
An SOP provides you with the opportunity to give an extended explanation of your academic and professional background in relation to your future goals that cannot be mentioned in your resume or application form for the university. By writing an SOP, you get a chance to stand out in your application by giving the university members an insight into your prospective career trajectory with short-term and long-term goals and how you wish to achieve them with a degree from their university.
How long should an SOP be?
An ideal SOP for a university should be approximately 600 words. Try not to go overboard with the word limit and exceed it by any more than 1000.
What should be the tone of an SOP?
An SOP should be written in a formal yet conversational tone, avoiding the use of any informal or colloquial language. Another thing to keep in mind is that you should not use flattery or flowery language that only targets praising the university; instead, state concrete facts that represent why you actually wish to be a part of the university. Likewise, when it comes to mentioning your strengths and achievements, state exactly what you have achieved and the skills that those attributes developed in you, rather than just talking about random qualities.
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