Writing a Statement of Purpose for Grad School should take some time and careful thought. Don't wait! There are many things to consider when writing this important document. First, it is a reflection of who you are and your ability to communicate. You will likely submit a resume as part of your grad school applications. Your skills speak for themselves on a resume. You have to prove your communication skills in a statement of purpose.
Do:
Research each program -- What are its mission and values? How do your interests and successes relate?
Pay attention to word limits -- Many grad programs will limit the length of your statement of purpose in terms of word count. If this is not the case, do not exceed two pages, single-spaced, for your statement. It is usually easier to start long and pare down.
Explain what you're looking for -- Introduce yourself by name and education. Be clear about your career and academic goals.
Briefly introduce your qualifications -- This is not the place for a list. That comes on your resume. Instead, consider mentioning one or two projects that inspired you to pursue graduate school. How are they unique? What did you learn? How will they promote your personal success in a graduate program.
Explain Your Intentions for Industry -- Many students pursue a Master's in CS to become more competitive in the hiring process for industry. How will a Master's in CS help you reach your ultimate goal in industry? Be program specific. Where have alumni gone to work? What new skills can you learn from this program to help you be a more attractive candidate to employers?
Explain your perspective -- What special experiences have you had that will inform your perspective in a grad classroom? Research? Clubs & Organizations? Volunteer work related to CS? Leadership Roles? Events (HackUMass, Hack(H)er, etc.)? This important, because it shows what you, as an individual, have to add to the classroom and community.
Connect to faculty -- Do your homework! What are the faculty members' research interests? You can and likely should pick a faculty member, mention them by name, and explain how your interests align with their work. This is a great way to prove that you belong in the community of any given program and it offers another way to discuss your expertise.
Use transitions -- This way your statement won't read like a list, just as your resume would.
Do not:
Describe the field or history of computer science -- If you do this, you will quickly lose the reader's interest. They are either an expert and/or have a high degree of knowledge of the field. They don't need to be told what they already know.
Tell "over the top" stories -- Your introduction should state your goals. It is okay to mention a personal experience in the body of your statement, but it should be succinct and clearly related to your goals for the program. Be direct and professional.
Dwell on the prestige of the program -- It's okay to mention that you were drawn to the program because of its reputation, but go no further. The reader already knows about the program's rankings and acclaim.
Overuse "big" words -- It's okay to use some mildly complex language to prove your writing skills, but keep your statement easy to read.
Sample Master's Statement of Purpose
Dear Selection Committee:
My name is Jane Snow and I will graduate from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, with a BS in Computer Science in May 2020. I am writing to express my interest in the Master's of Computer Science program at Tech University. I am confident that your program can prepare me for a career as a Software Engineer in cloud computing at a growing and thriving tech company. I believe I would be a great fit for your program, given my research experiences, technical expertise, and campus leadership.
I have been researching cloud computing, since I was a sophomore at UMass. From this experience, I learned about broad network access and sharing pools of resources. In fact, I wrote my senior thesis about this topic. This subject is one of my great passions in the field of computer science and I appreciate the research that Professor Smith does research around this topic. As you will see, this research and my other experiences at UMass have taught me how to code effectively, using Java, C++, Python, and other languages. My skills have me adequately prepared to enter the graduate classroom and be successful.
I also honed my skills and increased my passion for cloud computing as an intern at X Company. This experience was different, because I was able to participate in a rotation of cloud computing in data security, encryption, and mobile applications. As a result, the perspective I would bring to your program and the classroom would be quite diverse.
As an undergraduate, I have been involved in a student organization called "Common Good." In Common Good, my classmates and I have given back to the community, by using our technical expertise to solve common problems, on a pro-bono basis. One project I am particularly proud of is managing the data and building a website for a local non-profit drug rehabilitation center. They saw participation in their programs increase three times over the previous year, because of the usability of their new web presence. I believe my commitment to philanthropy makes me stand out as a student-leader and I look forward to continuing a commitment to service, as a member of your community of scholars.
It is with great excitement that I submit my application to the Master's of Computer Science Program at Tech University. I hope you will find that I have plenty to add to your program. My technical skills, research abilities, and interest in service make me a uniquely qualified candidate for success in your master's community. I know that your program is a great fit for me and will help me reach my ultimate career and academic goals. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Additional Resources:
https://web.cs.dartmouth.edu/undergraduate/graduate-school-advice#7
https://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/computer-science/graduate/admissions/#tips
https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/instructable/write-your-personal-statement