The personal statement is your “selling point.”
Writing a personal statement is your chance to sell yourself. It’s the one part of the application where you have complete control and can use it to show your personality, demonstrate how well you write and set yourself apart from other applicants.
It’s important that you treat this assignment as such: don’t just regurgitate what you’ve already written in your academic or extracurricular sections, but instead write something new that will make admissions tutors want to read more about you—they won’t want to stop once they start!
Your personal statement should address why you want to study your chosen course at university.
Your personal statement should address why you want to study your chosen course at university. Personal statements are a great opportunity for you to show your motivation for studying the course and interest in the subject. It’s important that you give examples of why you have these motivations, as well as reference specific course modules or areas of interest (for example, if you are applying for an English literature degree, reference novels, or poem titles).
You should also consider how many modules/areas of interest there are on the module list for each subject. Some degrees may offer more than one module choice whereas others may only have one option available per year group; therefore make sure that if there is more than one choice available then include this information within your personal statement so it shows clearly what attracts you towards choosing this particular degree course over another similar option.
Keep an eye on the UCAS limits on length.
When you’re writing your personal statement, it’s essential to be aware of the UCAS limits on length. The UCAS website states that “The word count should not exceed 2,200 words and should not include any additional material such as appendices or annexes”.
Here are some other requirements:
- the character count (i.e., letters, numbers, and punctuation) must not exceed 1,700 characters (including spaces);
- the line count (i.e., lines of text) must not exceed 3 lines per 0.5 cm; and
- the number of words must not exceed 100 words per line (i.e., 3 lines).
Make it specific and relevant to the course or university you’re applying to.
When writing your personal statement, it is important to keep the following tips in mind:
- Make sure that your essay relates specifically to the course or university you are applying for. This will help the admissions officer understand what motivates you and what kind of person they will be accepted into their program.
- Include any relevant work experience, volunteering, or extracurricular activities that have helped develop skills that could be useful in the future (e.g., leadership or teamwork).
- Include information about any relevant skills or qualities (e.g., perseverance and creativity) which would make you a good candidate for this profession/career path (e.g., an internship at a law firm). If there are no relevant skills listed on your resume then ask yourself “what am I good at?” and list them here! Then include details on why those abilities would be useful in their chosen field(s).
- Include information about any awards received during high school/college such as scholarships/bursaries etcetera (if applicable). You can also mention any other awards such as MVP award given out each year by coaches after practice sessions during high school years; it shows dedication & commitment level towards academics.”
Begin with an introduction that grabs the reader’s attention.
When writing your personal statement, you should begin with an introduction that grabs the reader’s attention. Here are a few ways to start your personal statement:
- With a quote: Start with the famous words of someone else or with a relevant quote from the field or topic you’re applying to study.
- With a question: Ask yourself something that will intrigue and provoke thought in your reader, then answer it immediately.
- With something startling or shocking: Use this as an opportunity to show how strong your convictions are (and set yourself apart from other applicants).
Give examples of your work experience / voluntary work, including dates and times.
To show how you are a good fit for the course, it’s important to include examples of your work experience.
It’s also important to say how this has equipped you with skills that are relevant to the course. You should be able to explain how your experience has shown you can work independently, as well as in a team; that you have an eye for detail and a desire to learn new skills; that you are adaptable and resilient; and that you can communicate effectively both orally and in writing:
Include any relevant or transferable skills.
For many applicants, transferable skills are the most important part of a personal statement. There are some things you can’t learn in college, like how to work well with others or manage your time effectively. These are not things you’ll learn in any class: they’re skills you develop over time based on your life experiences and work history.
The best way to include your transferable skills is through stories. If you have any examples of these skills at play in your life (or even just a story that shows that they exist), include them! Everyone loves a good story—and believe me, admissions committee members love reading about great personal statements even more than anyone else does!
Demonstrate a genuine interest in the subject you’re applying for by including a related activity.
In the action of your application, you can share a specific example of an activity you have done related to the subject area and explain how it has helped to develop your interests. Include details such as where you did this and when, as well as any outcomes or results of your actions.
Include information about your reading habits (e.g. books, blogs, newspapers).
- Include the type of things you read. If you’re a regular reader of The New York Times, for example, include it in your statement.
- Include how often you read it. It may seem like an obvious question to ask yourself: How much time do I spend reading? But this is an important detail that can have an effect on the tone and content of your personal statement.
- Include why you read what you do—and whether or not it has influenced your view of the world or changed how you view yourself as a person. For example, if one day I decided to start reading books on philosophy because I wanted to learn more about what makes people tick (and possibly become more empathetic), then that would probably be worth mentioning here. But if my only reason for reading newspapers was because my parents were big fans of their local paper and wanted me to keep up with current events while growing up… well then maybe we should leave that out!
Include any relevant awards and achievements that show how well-rounded you are (e.g., Duke of Edinburgh’s Award).
Include any relevant awards and achievements that show how well-rounded you are (e.g., Duke of Edinburgh’s Award).
If you are applying for a course that is not directly related to your previous studies, mention any awards or achievements that you have received. For example, if you studied English at college and are now applying to do a degree in business management, then it would be appropriate to include your poetry prize from last year as an achievement.
Even if they don’t relate directly to the course you’re applying for, this type of information is always relevant to the university admissions team because it shows their students what kind of person they’re looking at hiring—and whether applicants will fit in with other staff members’ personalities.
This is a good guide to follow when writing a personal statement
A personal statement is your opportunity to set yourself apart from other applicants and show why you deserve to be admitted. You want to show that you are a strong candidate for the course or university, but don’t start off by listing all of your achievements! Instead, focus on your interests and strengths: what do you like doing? What do people say about you when they describe an interesting person?
If it’s relevant, talk about the extracurricular activities in which you’ve been involved — these can demonstrate useful skills, such as leadership potential or teamwork abilities.
Your personal statement should also include some information about yourself: who are you as a person and how does this relate to the course/university? If possible, include some details about why this course appeals specifically to YOU rather than any other similar courses available at other universities or colleges.
