HOW TO KNOW THE SOP EDITOR UNDERSTANDS MY STORY?
Choosing an SOP editor is not simply about finding someone who can write grammatically correct English. An editor can produce a creative piece and still misunderstand your application. The more important question is - Does the editor understand what your story is actually about?
START WITH THE SOP EDITOR'S QUESTIONS
An editor who wants to understand your story will usually need more than your existing draft.
He may ask about why you chose your field, important academic experiences, projects that influenced you, career decisions, changes in direction, research interests, weaknesses that require context and your reasons for choosing the program. These questions indicate that the editor is trying to understand the applicant rather than simply refine sentences.
DOES THE SOP EDITOR IDENTIFY THE CENTRAL STORY?
After discussing your background, the editor should be able to summarize the basic logic of your application. For example, you began in electronics engineering, became interested in healthcare technology through a project, gained relevant professional experience and now want formal training in this area.
If the summary sounds completely different from how you understand yourself, the editor probably does not understand the direction of your story.
HOW MUCH SHOULD AN SOP EDITOR CHANGE?
There is no standard measurement in percentage terms. An editor may change very little in a strong draft or substantially restructure a weak one.
Instead of asking "How many words will you change?" ask "What are you changing and why?" A good editor should be able to explain why a paragraph needs restructuring, or why a particular detail is unnecessary or why an argument needs more evidence.
WHAT INFORMATION AN SOP EDITOR SHOULD NEVER ADD?
Anything factual or personal information should come from the candidate. This includes research experience, publications, motivations, achievements, responsibilities, relationships with professors and career plans. An editor can suggest that something is missing, but should not fill the gap with fiction as this may either sound awkward or bring an inconsistency in your career vision. Rather, he may try to connect your background with future vision, which can add strength to the profile.
QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE HIRING AN SOP EDITOR
You can ask - Will you edit my existing SOP or rewrite it? How do you preserve the applicant's voice? How do you handle information that is unclear? Will you ask questions before editing? Do you explain major changes? Can I reject suggested changes? How do you customize SOPs for different universities? Will you verify university-specific information? What happens if I feel the final version does not sound like me? The answers can indicate how comprehensive and well versed is the editor's approach.
WHAT AN SOP EDITOR SHOULD NEVER CHANGE?
An SOP editor should never change the applicant’s factual history, genuine motivations and personal experiences. He can improve the way these are communicated but should not replace your story with a more marketable story.
Ultimately, a good SOP editor should make you think "This is my story, but communicated much more clearly and convincingly." If your reaction is "This sounds impressive, but I don't know who this person is," then the editing process may have gone too far.
The purpose of professional SOP editing is not to create the perfect applicant on paper. It is to help the real applicant communicate their strongest, most relevant and an authentic story to the admissions committee.
BACK TO ⇨ LEARN MORE