A personal statement is a ‘snapshot’ of your life, your study and your career aims. It’s your chance to advertise your best qualities and why you deserve a place at a chosen university.Don’t underestimate its importance - the personal statement is a key part of the UCAS application form. If you make the effort, it will deliver a powerful first impression and give you the edge over the competition. Admissions staff in universities will use it to assess your suitability for a course – and to evaluate your written skills.
What to include
Some people have no trouble in writing about themselves – but for those who find it tricky, if not daunting, here are a few tips.
Start by writing a few things about yourself that truly mean something to you. Don’t try to second guess what you think people might want to hear. If you’re honest about what excites you about your chosen course, your extra-curricular activities, your life experiences and your goals, your energy and focus will come across.
Five or six paragraphs, each concentrating on one subject, will do the job. Here are a few pointers to help you:
1.
- Why I’m interested in the subject I’m applying for
- What I’ve done outside of school that involves my interest
- What issues in my subject area are currently in the news
2.
- How the chosen degree fits with my career aims
- What I know about the industry I want to enter
3.
- What I’ve enjoyed most in my current studies - and why
- What knowledge I’ve gained through such things as assignments and group project work
- What skills I’ve developed (for instance analytical, confidence, people skills)
4.
- What positions I might have outside of school
- Examples of team work, inside and out of school
- A part- time job?
5
- My life experiences
- What awards / achievements I’ve received (academic, sports, arts)
- What school productions I’ve been in
6
- What makes me different
- My interests – but be specific: for instance film (Woody Allen? Wes Craven?) sport (football? deep sea diving?), history (archiving? archaeological digs?) music (brass band? West Coast rap?)
Always end on an energetic and optimistic note – say what you are most looking forward to at university: is it the chance to move away from home, increased independence, meeting new people from a variety of backgrounds? Whatever the reasons, this is your chance to sell your best points and to persuade the university that they would be foolish not to offer you a place!
Don’t forget
UCAS has already started receiving applications for 2012. The closing date is 15 January 2012.
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