Writing A Personal Statement

Recently I’ve had a few people ask me for advice on Personal Statements as they prepare their UCAS applications for the 2013 intake. I have been reading a couple of statements and helping people improve on them. So for those who are looking for help with personal statements (whether that is you or someone you know), I have decided to write up this blog in order to help you. What I have found most is that people mainly lack structure in their statement. It all makes perfect sense, but a lot of it isn’t quite in the right ‘order’. In this blog I’ll give you some pointers on how best to structure your statement, the kinds of things you can do to make your statement stand out, and what admissions tutors look out for.

I will start off with a quote made by UCAS;
“A good statement is important – it could help to persuade an admissions tutor to offer you a place. In many cases, applicants are not interviewed, so this may be your only chance to make the case for your admission.”

You need to begin by thinking up some preliminary ideas on the content and style of your personal statement. So you need to begin by thinking what the purpose of a personal statement is…  For instance, it is an opportunity to sell yourself, to express your reasons as to why you should be picked for the course, and a chance to share your background, experiences and any qualifications you have that you feel may be relevant and will enable your statement stand out. 

You also need to think of the format and layout of your personal statement. Below is a list of tips on how you could structure your statement;

Start by introducing yourself, perhaps begin by stating how you got to this point, for instance, was there an inspirational moment where you realised this was the career for you? Or is this the career you’ve wanted all your life? Include as much positive language as possible and make it clear why you want to be on the course. Remember, it is the start of the statement where you really need to get the admissions tutor’s attention!

In the next few paragraphs (main body), you need to provide information about what you have been doing up to this point. So what experiences have you gain that you feel are relevant? Are you making a career change? If so, talk about the skills you have obtained and how they can transfer into your chosen career. However, don’t just list your experience, make the most of them, don’t just say what you did, but also say what you learnt. Do not repeat information that is already on your UCAS form, this wastes characters, they already know where you have worked/studied.

Include a paragraph about any recent studies and your experiences at the college/university you were at. For instance, did you enjoy the challenge? How did you find the subject(s)? Mention the social aspect of college/university life. Draw as much out of these experiences as you can as you need to emphasise your suitability and enthusiasm. Also include a paragraph about your hobbies and interests, make sure you are specific! For instance, did you play for a local team? If so, how did you benefit from that as an individual? What did you learn from it?

In the final paragraph, and I can’t stress this enough, you need to end on a positive, ‘forward looking’ way. Reiterate your interest in the particular course and mention your long term aims. Once you have finished it is imperative you proof read your statement, make changes in necessary, and ask for other people’s input. It needs to be word perfect, clear, correctly spelt and interesting.

For additional tips, please click here.

Note: Some of the above information has been taken from a handbook I received when I was at college, in the hope that it will help you. The wording of this blog is completely my own. I have not plagiarised.