SOP Critique

[maarroyo22]

Hello, nice to meet everyone!

I need help reviewing my statement. The question asks: Describe your professional progress to this point as well as your short-term and long-term career goals. How do you expect This Grad School to benefit your future career needs? 

Notes:

- I changed names of companies and schools. If you need any clarification, feel free to PM me.

- I had an unfortunate 2.82 undergrad GPA that I didn't want to completely ignore. 

- I am planning a career shift. I plan on switching from Film/TV production to Business. I want to get my MBA in Media and Communications and Media Management.

- The second essay asks me to select a professional situation or project from the last few years that illustrate my ability to lead a team.

- Please be gentle, this is a very very very rough draft. I wanted to get all my thoughts out first

- Am I going in a completely wrong direction, what should I mention, what shouldn't I mention? 

 

My professional career has gone through many changes as I narrowed down where my true passions lie. In 2007 I was accepted as an undecided student into Big City University. I went on to excel in the College of Communications, and found a job in Manhattan that continues to push me to be the best professional I can be. None of this came without some hardships and strong considerations.

            As a 17-year-old freshman entering Big City University, I did not know what I wanted to major in, but I knew that I was accepted into a prestigious University and I had to take full advantage of the opportunity presented to me. During my first year, I struggled to maintain adequate grades, and was faced with serious doubts about my future. Thus, started my first short-term career goal: to find something that I’m passionate about that can get me out of this slump. After some searching, speaking to academic counselors and advice of friends, I found what I am most passionate about—the film and television industry.

            A friend suggested I check out the on-campus television station, WUNIV. At an information session I learned about Soap Opera Show, the “show tagline.” After attending the first meeting, I was hooked. I wanted to know more about the media industry and how I could play a role. I started at Soap Opera Show as a production assistant. By the time I reached my senior year, I climbed up the ladder to the role of post-production coordinator. I was responsible for editing all the episodes we shot in the year and assigned assistant editors to help me polish the pieces that aired on Big City University’s, television channel. It was a great accomplishment that helped me build my professional career.

My next short-term career goal was formed when it came time to graduate from Big City University. After much contemplation, I did not think I was professionally ready to jump straight into working at a full-time job. I still needed some professional building to do. I decided to defer my graduation and enroll in the Big City University’s, internship program for the summer. I secured an internship at world renowned director, John Smith’s production company, John Smith Productions, and was able to learn a lot from the directors and executives that I shadowed.

Finally, upon finishing the internship program, I graduated from Big City University. After a long search, I finally found my current job. I was hired as an assistant at Small Production Company an Emmy-winning production company responsible for several projects for the Major Sports League.

At first, the job was like any regular assistant job, attending to the needs of my boss, and general office keeping. After just a few months at Small Production Company, I was able to put the skills I learned at Big City University to use. I was in direct contact with the Major Sports League and Other Major Sports League executives and contributed input into most of the videos Small Production Company delivered to these clients. Over time, my role developed into Production Manager. I am responsible for organizing shoots and making sure that the needs of the Major Sports League and Small Production Company are met. Although working in sports was not necessarily what I had in mind, it has definitely showed me the importance of teamwork and collaboration when it comes to putting out a good project.

            After some time at Small Production Company, I began seeing a shift in what my responsibilities were gearing me towards. Although, I am still passionate about creating visually stunning and entertaining media, I have more recently found myself more focused and interested in the business aspect of the entertainment industry. My first long-term career goal was set last summer. I decided to partake in the journey to earn my MBA in Communications and Media Management at This Grad School.

In order to achieve this long-term career goal, I knew that I had to get my mind back into “school mode.” After all, I had been out of college for three years at that point. Upon doing some research, I found out about the This Grad School Pre-MBA program. It was as if the Pre-MBA program was built just for me; the program was exactly what I was looking for. I applied and got into the program within four weeks. I took the three offered classes: statistics, business math and economics in two trimesters and got excellent grades all while balancing my full-time job at Small Production Company, thus building my confidence in undertaking working while attaining my degree.

My current short-term goal in the path towards getting my MBA in Communications and Media Management is to study for and get a good GRE score, as well as, preparing my graduate application. With any spare time I have after work and on weekends, I have been studying for the GRE. During these four months, I have participated in completing projects for the Major Sports League Meeting, and major campaigns while, again, maintaining contact with the Major Sports League.

Upon achieving my MBA in Communications and Media Management from This Grad School, I hope to find a job with one of the “Big Three” television networks: NBC, ABC or CBS. I hope to climb the ranks within one of these prestigious companies and become an executive responsible for what goes on air. In order to accomplish this goal, I will take full advantage of what This Grad School has to offer. I will immerse myself in the array of courses offered and will make any connections I need to further my career and eventually pass that knowledge down to someone else who may need it in the future.