Almost all colleges abroad require applicants to submit their SOP essays or personal statements. An SOP serves as an indicator of your eligibility and helps you gain aid.

In recent times, the SOP has become more important as a race is on between Chinese and Indian students to get into universities in the US, the UK, Germany and Australia. At least 10 aspirants from China and India compete for a single seat. Students from both countries have similar academic records and if their scores in the standardised admission tests (such as GRE) are similar, the SOP can play a key role in securing admission.

Says education advisor Arindam Roy of EdXCare International, a foreign education consulting firm in Calcutta, "With rising competition, more candidates are hiring professional SOP writers who charge at least Rs 6,500. The trend is catching on in India too." However, this is a risky business as international admission experts can understand when the SOP has been written by someone else.

According to Zahir Ahmed, former director of international programmes at South East Missouri State University, US, most universities have become suspicious of professionally written SOPs. "A student whose GRE score is not compatible with his or her writing style in the SOP is bound to raise eyebrows," he points out. Most Indians and Chinese do well in the quantitative sections but poorly in other sections. So if their SOPs are well written, it may do more damage to their admission chances. In fact, many universities nowadays use anti-plagiarism software Turnitin to identify fake statements and paper presentations.

Hiring professional writers for SOPs is a universal problem faced by admission offices, says Christopher Hendree, associate director of admissions, Grand Valley State University, Michigan, the US. He advises students not to focus on writing a "perfect SOP", but an essay that describes their strengths and how they would be an asset to the university.

Natasha Chopra, managing director, The Chopras, a leading foreign education consultant in India, says, "The most important thing is to be truthful about your achievements and speak from the heart." She finds many students, quite fearful of writing a statement, often ask professionals to write for them. "I explain how unreasonable it is to expect a stranger to document the person you are."

John Sander, a senior international officer at the University of Sussex, the UK, often comes across applications that appear to have contributions by "professional SOP writers". He advises, "Those who lack the confidence to write SOPs, should look for professionally produced videos in YouTube on writing a strong personal statement."

Says David L. Maria, director of international programmes at Kent State University in the US, "A well written and targeted SOP demonstrates the applicant's interest and suitability for a particular programme." Especially in integrated courses (such as an MS leading to a PhD), the SOP should focus on practical skills and how the applicant can be useful in a research setup, says Amitava Gupta, professor of Power Engineering at Jadavpur University, Calcutta. "Don't brag; precisely mention your expertise in handling a particular software or lab equipment. Talk about your internships and research papers you have co-authored."

Just state what you are - honestly. Support your claims with hard data when you write a statement of purpose. And secure your dream seat in a university abroad.