If You Struggle with Writing Your Statement of Purpose, Then Read This

I receive a lot of questions from applicants about what we are looking for when we review a Statement of Purpose, also known as the application essay. As we approach the 2014 Admissions cycles, I thought I would give you a few tips to consider as you start the process.

1) The essay questions and word count guidelines are listed in the online application, itself. The word count limits for the essays are guidelines established so we can see how well you can communicate your points concisely and effectively.  It is acceptable for an essay to be a few words over the limit.  However, if an essay goes substantially over the word limit, it could be detrimental to your application.

2) As an Admissions Committee, we are trying to understand what led you to apply to UIC Liautaud. How well-researched was your decision to apply to our program?  Are you highly motivated and enthusiastic about joining our program?

3) We are also looking to establish your fit with our program. Are your career goals and the areas you would like to study in line with our program offerings? Do you have a good sense of UIC Liautaud’s culture?

4) The Admissions Committee is also looking to answer where have you been professionally, and how has this experience led you to apply to business school? What are your career goals and how do they align with our program?

5) Finally, your statement of purpose is an opportunity to help us understand where you can contribute and add value to our student population. This is your opportunity to tell us why we should admit you and help us understand the contributions you will make both inside and outside of the classroom.

To learn more “insider” details about our admissions process, I encourage you to meet our admissions team at one of our upcoming events:

ON-CAMPUS INFORMATION SESSIONS – September 21 & October 23

GMAT PRACTICE EXAMS with KAPLAN TEST PREP – October 12 & November 9

CAREER SERVICES WEBINARS with Jeff Wilson – September 26 & October 25

Find out what a Liautaud degree can do for you and learn about the career support we offer our students.

MBA MOCK CLASS with Professor Jelena Spanjol – October 29

This is a learning opportunity well beyond the typical classroom experience, designed specifically for prospective students. This exclusive MBA New Product Development class titled, Research, Ideation, and Prototyping, is one you don’t want to miss.