Engr Hammad

Alhamdulillah 😇
✨ Glad to have an opportunity by CSIBangkok to deliver my first lecture to Engineers in the seminar organized by Association of Structural Engineers in Phillipines inc. (ASEP)

🌉 CSi Bangkok is going to organize a webinar on this coming Saturday!

Title: Design of Columns
(Matering Reinforced Concrete & Composite Sections Using CSiCOL)

📣 Great opportunity for Civil/Structural Engineering students and professionals to learn from experts ❗

▶️ Scan the QR code for registration!

It's Great to be a part of Seismic Building Model 2.0 competition's organizing team as a Media Team Lead!

Organized by Structural Engineering, AIT

A captivating story crafted by the "Excel In Stone" team showcases a solution to minimize concrete waste and address drainage issues in urban areas for CIC 2023 competition.

The animated video portrays my character consistently raising questions about existing problems.

Thirsty Concrete animation for CIC 2023 | Pitch | AIT | Thailand This animation video depicts the collaborative efforts of characters of Binay, Rahul, Hammad, and Tungish as they address water ponding issues in urban areas...

A detailed, consice and clear view on how to write SOP!
DON'T ask for SOP anymore, try to write it by your own.

How to write statement of purpose (SOP) for Global UGRAD:
=====================================

Basically, the ugrad application requires a statement of purpose or SoP of 250 words maximum. The question has 4 parts in which you have to describe:

1) Your interests and personality

2) Your academic objectives

3) Your goals related to your field of study and personal development

4) And the reasons why you wish to pursue them in the USA and how it relates to your interest and future objective.

NOTE: The essay is an essential part of the selection process and of your application for placement into an appropriate program. Be sure to include any details that highlight your personality and individuality.

TIPS BELOW

o START NOW !!

Writing a good sop is not a one-day task so start writing it ASAP. Sometimes when you are purposely writing something, there is a chance that you might skip or forget some important points because you are in stress or excitement. So, take it easy, start as soon as possible, brainstorm, and add more and more stuff to your sop whenever something pops up in your mind.

What I did: I made a rough draft first and it took me a week or so to just add more and more details to that.

o DON’T STRESS OVER THE WORD LIMIT

Answering these 4 questions in 250 words in an effective way is the most difficult task. Because there is so much in your mind and summing that up in 250 words is a real hell of a thing. So, the tip is to stop stressing over the word limit and begin writing about yourself, what you do, what your plans are and anything you think makes you an outstanding person.

What I did:

I started writing and just put the word limit out of my mind and added whatever comes to mind regarding the 4 asked parts of the SOP. i.e. (why I am studying Public Administration, my future goals, my major interests, my reasons for availing of this scholarship, what I want to observe during my stay in the US, what will I do when I am back, and what makes me a strong candidate). My rough draft was a total of 1200 words. Then I started excluding the less important stuff and made the sentences shorter. Finally summed it up in 250 words.

You can do the same. Just write whatever you think is worthy and makes you stand out from the crowd. And then make it short by summing up multiple sentences into a few with the use of good vocabulary (not hard vocabulary but good).

o VOCABULARY & GRAMMAR

When you are making a rough draft, don’t use difficult vocabulary, and don’t take any help from Google. Simple, write it in your own words. Because they don’t need perfection, what they need is REAL YOU!

What I did:

First, I excluded the less important stuff from the SoP. Second, I tried to make sentences shorter by improving my vocabulary and grammar.

What you can do is, search for the synonyms of your written words and words through which you can combine your 3- 4 sentences and convert them into 1 sentence. AGAIN, DON’T USE VERY DIFFICULT WORDS. Because if you get shortlisted, your interview will revolve around what you have written in the SoP. So, write what you really are and what your actual future plans are.

o THE SOP SHOULD BE IN A FLOW

Try to connect the dots. Your SoP should sound like a story in a sequence. For instance, Try to build a bridge between your reason for being enrolled in your current field of study, how will this field help you in the future to achieve your desired goals, and how you think your selection will benefit you or make a difference.

The most asked question from me is: What should be the start of the personal statement?

o Don’t give unnecessary information about yourself.

Many students write their names and age at the start of the personal statement. DON’T DO THAT!! Remember, SoP is a part of the application and the application already has a proper section about your personal information in which you give your name, age, birthplace, field of study, current institute, etc. So don’t give this information again. You only have 250 words, so utilize the limit very wisely. Don’t start like “My name is XYZ and I am studying chemistry”. Instead, make the initial sentences very eye-catching and inspiring or something different. Because whoever will read your SoP will judge you by that. So, make sure to write it very effectively.

What I have written at the start of the personal statement?

I wrote about my reason for being in my current field of study and how it relates to my area of interest and in these 2 sentences, I answered 2 asked parts of the SoP.

Sharing my initial phrase below.

I usually don’t share my SoP because I want students to brainstorm and write by their own selves and write what they actually are. Because copying will lead you nowhere. If not now, you will get stuck in the interview if you have copied. The purpose of sharing this part of my SoP is just to give an idea of making the initial sentences attractive & eye-catching. When I was making the rough draft, I simply wrote the initial phrase as “I am a student of Public Administration & Governance and I got admitted in this field because of my interest in the public policy process and bringing a positive change in the society through that”.

What other things did I add?

My SoP was totally focused on my self-owned non-profit community service group (Making Minors Major) which at that time I was leading for more than a year and a half. I wrote how I came up with the idea, what the organization is about, what is the main goal, how I want to pursue that goal in the USA, how my visit to the USA will benefit my organization and ultimately the community as a whole, and where do I see myself and that organization after coming back from the states.

Now, what you can add to your SoP, depends upon your vision of why you want to go to the USA and what you plan to do. If you are volunteering somewhere, you can mention that and relate your future plan with that cause too. You can also write your goals and plans regarding your current field of study. You can also write about strengthening your skills and leadership qualities by availing the opportunity to study at the world’s leading universities in America.

One important thing, write about yourself only and not your team. Use “I” instead of “We”.

Example:

WRONG: we are running a student-led body against the issue of gender inequality and we arrange webinars.

RIGHT:

I led a student body against the issue of gender inequality and started this because …… (if you are a leader)

I am a part of a student-led body against the issue of gender inequality and my role is ….. (if you are a team member)

o Be specific and clear.

o Don’t generalize anything.

o Write about your volunteering activities, leadership, and other experiences & achievements rather than your academic ones.

o Make a story. Follow the 3-step rule of “introduction – purpose – conclusion”.

o Explain why you are a strong candidate for this scholarship by showing your will to bring some change in your community and your commitment to your country.

o This scholarship is not only for your benefit but the ultimate goal is to return back and serve the nation, so keep that in mind while writing.

o Write true things about yourself.

GET YOUR SoP REVIEWED.

Get your SoP reviewed by alumni, seniors, teachers, mentors, people who have been to the US on any scholarship, etc. Ask for suggestions. If you feel like editing the SoP after suggestions, go for it. If don’t, feel free to stick to what you think is right.

P.S: I got my SoP reviewed by only 1 teacher. I was suggested with some changes. But I only made 1 change because every other thing was perfect for me so I submitted it as it was. So, be sure what you have written and trust yourself.

Don’t get your SoP reviewed by more than 3 people because it will put you in confusion and nothing else. Again, TRUST YOURSELF.

Kind regards

~Tufail Dawar