The SoP isn’t easy
Straight up, most applicants suck at writing… I did. It’s normal!
Honestly, there is nothing wrong with that. Becoming a “good” writer takes time, practice, and patience, which most applicants don’t have.
The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme Statement of Purpose is literally a reflection of your life leading up to the application submission.
The JET Program SoP in a nutshell:
- When/how did you learn about Japan and the program?
- What are your qualifications?
- How will contribute to the program and community?
- What will you do after the program?
A big hint is to write in this order (chronologically) when composing your SoP.
The hardest part is piecing out the information that you want to include for your audience.
Only you know yourself and your history.
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Brainstorm about yourself if you are having trouble.
There is nothing wrong with the basics of writing.
Make an OUTLINE. Take your answers and outline them: 1.2.3.4
Start Writing as Much as You Can!
Write incorrect sentences. Whatever you need to get started. Don’t worry if it’s not written well, it’s just a draft. Write lots of drafts! Figure out what you want to say and speak about. The worst thing you can do is write nothing… and then attempt to write your SoP last minute.
Do it, even if it looks terrible, it’s just a draft. It’s not your final submission.
Use Your Time Wisely
All applicants who start early, a month before submission to the program, will likely have a better chance of getting an interview
You literally can pour 50-100 hours of work on your paper. I did.
Squeeze in every ounce of time for your paper you can if you want an interview!
Interviews aren’t given out; they are earned.
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Don’t plan for an interview if aren’t ready to earn one. A bad SoP probably won’t get you anywhere. It’s not to say it’s impossible, but you should put a lot of effort into it. I hate to beat a dead horse.
Nothing is perfect and it won’t be.
Your writing doesn’t need to be perfect, but it should show your dedication. You can find a ton of grammatical and spelling errors throughout jetprogramguide.com. No one is perfect but love what you do!
Seriously, my SoP had a grammar mistake, an incoherent line, and a spelling mistake that I did not notice and neither did my friends, and neither did the application reviewers.
Shit happens. However, I still landed an interview each time I applied. The contents are more important than anything else.
Why?
Because my content was so damn good. Engaging and well-thought-out got me interviews.
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Be yourself!
Don’t be anyone you aren’t, else writing your statement of purpose will be a challenge. Anything like grammar and wording is easily corrected or missed.
You may need to rewrite a paragraph or sentence a hundred times each. Do it.
Just don’t give up!
If you are still in trouble and need help, please consider signing up for the JET Program Guide Revision Service. Giving up means your application won’t get you an interview. If you want to become a JET, you need to commit.
