Sample SOP #9

Statement of purpose

In India, virtually bursting at its seams with a population of a billion, one was resigned to waiting in line for most services from cradle to grave. The advent of computers has started a metamorphosis, which has quickened the pace of life. This has kindled in me a strong desire to be a part of the ongoing ‘Computer Revolution’.

Science and related fields have always fascinated me. With Computer Science and Information technology penetrating all walks of life, my search for a suitable course of undergraduate study ended with Computer Engineering. I have strived for excellence in all that I pursue, and this is reflected in my high academic standing, fifth in the first year among students of all engineering disciplines in my college and first in the second year among over 100 students in the computer department.

Through my education, I have gained valuable experience, especially from my final year project and my entry in an inter-collegiate paper contest. My project titled ‘Intranet BBS’ which implements messaging and file services in Java, has exposed me to platforms like Windows NT and UNIX. The paper I entered was titled ‘Mobile Computing using IPv6’, for which I won an appreciation prize. It covered the concepts surrounding IP addressing, neighbor discovery protocol and support for mobile computation in IPv6. These major pieces of work have narrowed my areas of specific interest to Operating Systems and Computer Networking, which together have made it possible to provide information at the tip of our hands, anytime, anywhere. My desire to learn more about computers has also caused me to go above and beyond the requirements of my degree. As a result, in addition to my final year project I am doing a module on ‘Speech Recognition and Coding’ as part of a funded special research project titled ‘Systems Automation using Smart Cards’.

My interest in Computers does not stop at just acquiring information and experience through education. I am also very enthusiastic about sharing it with others. I voluntarily conducted two Visual Basic workshops for the Computer Chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) at our college where my teaching skills were greatly appreciated. I enjoyed the experience and look forward to doing similar work in the future.

The need for education and training continues throughout life. Advances in information technology are so rapid that those who are not able to ride the wave of change are often left far behind. I do not want to be left in the dust and believe that a good, sound educational background and the opportunity to do independent research at the Master’s level would give me a head start and enable me to exploit these advances in technology in the most constructive manner. My current academic goal is to complete a Masters Program in Computer Science, which is a stepping stone towards my ambition of achieving significant technological advancement in this field. My academic record coupled with my project experience gives me the confidence to successfully complete, and amply benefit from your reputed program and state-of-the-art research facilities.

On completion of my graduate studies, I would like to pursue a career in a reputed American corporation to gain practical experience and to imbibe and assimilate the well-known American work ethic. The knowledge, skills and experience gained in America will equip me to take up the unique challenges and tremendous opportunities of improving the quality of computerized systems in the next millennium.