What to Keep in Mind While Writing SOP for Stanford University?

My objective for graduate studies in Computer Science is to prepare myself for the long-term goal of pursuing a career in teaching and research. I have nurtured a strong passion to become a scientist and pursue research. In the pursuit of Knowledge, I have always adopted a rigorous approach in order to attain an in-depth understanding of the subject at hand. This has been amply reflected in my consistently brilliant career, always topping the class and having received numerous national level awards. With a GPA of 9.72, I am ranked first at the *** among nearly 350 students.

I have been involved in research in parallel and distributed computing systems. I studied various problems in distributed systems and distributed databases including deadlock detection and resolution, termination detection, distributed snapshots and consistency. I have been attracted to the accuracy of parallel programs. I published a Technical Report reporting errors in two published deadlock detection algorithms and highlight their underlying deficiencies with respect to the distributed nature of computation. I am also involved in the development of an optimizer generator, which would automate the process of writing optimizers based on the specifications of the optimizations. I am currently engaged in writing a paper on an efficient algorithm for global data-flow analysis. The new algorithm that I have developed utilizes the notion of backward-information flow to perform propagation using work-lists in an efficient manner. I have been in correspondence with Prof. yyyy about my algorithm and other aspects of the problem.

I have chosen to pursue graduate studies at Stanford University because by working under the guidance of the distinguished researchers I am confident of making an original contribution in the field of Computer Science. My interest in research has burgeoned during my undergraduate studies at ***. I have excelled in our well-rounded and exacting undergraduate program and have developed a solid background to take up research in Computer Science.

I have decided to go in for graduate studies, which calls for a personal commitment to the fulfilling craft of independent research and that involves willingly making personal sacrifices of time, leisure and immediate reward. In turn, I shall get intellectual satisfaction and the gratification of becoming a contributor to knowledge through research and the greater personal rewards of learning and discovery. I believe that I possess the motivation, intellectual ability and preparation to set out on this exhilarating and arduous path and to make significant original contributions to your on-going research work.

I look forward to joining Stanford University as a graduate student at your esteemed department.