Begin writing well before the deadline. You may think that writing about yourself is easy. However, according to a survey that included 1,635 responses, 60 percent of applicants said the statement of purpose was the most difficult part of the application process.
Avoid stating the obvious. You do not need to start your SOP by stating that you are applying to the Doctor of Business Administration at X University. The admissions committee knows that you are applying to the Doctor of Business Administration program and stating this only takes up words (which are generally limited in a statement of purpose).
Use a "hook." Depending on the program, the admissions committee may have read hundreds of statements of purpose by the time they get to yours. You need to say something early in the statement that grabs their attention. This might include a story from a travel abroad program. Of course, you need to relate the hook to the reasons you are applying to the program. For example, you might relay a story about your time in the military and explain how this leadership role made you want to pursue business administration.
Be specific. Make it clear that you have done your homework. Don't just state why you want a degree in Business Administration; explain why you want a degree in Business Administration at this particular school.
Avoid standing out too much. While you want the admissions committee to notice and remember your statement of purpose, you want the committee to remember it for the right reasons. Avoid doing things such as printing your statement on red paper or including photographs.
Ask several people to read your statement of purpose. Being objective is difficult when writing a SOP. After all, you are writing about yourself. Having someone you trust and respect read your SOP will provide another point of view. Moreover, the reader may catch grammatical errors that you missed.