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Writing your Personal Statement; A guide to getting it done.

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
People were worrying about their Section 10s. So I sat down, and thought about what I was told when I wrote mine. And, for your use and perhaps guidance, I present this. Comments, other points I've forgotten, are all welcomed! Use this to post threads if you want them commented on, too, maybe?

But, without further ado....

Personal Statement – The Guide

Well, the UCAS form is nearly done. You’ve filled in all the easy stuff, the last page beckons. And then you look at it. Section 10. A yawning chasm of emptiness for you to fill. It’s your one chance to sell yourself to the universities, to make them want to give you that place. But how do you go about it? What do you put? What do you leave out? And just how will you fill that space?

Let’s start by taking a deep breath. After all, this section is about you, and you know what you’ve done pretty well, don’t you?

There are some essential things that you simply must do on this section. And then the rest is up to you. Some of the tips and guidelines here may work and may help. They might not. Each section 10 is individual, and personal to you.

Essential facts to bear in mind;

Do not lie. I’ll say it again. Do not lie. The personal statement might be your only chance, and it might seem better if you embellish it a little. But don’t. Often, if you are interviewed, the personal statement forms a basis for the interview. Soft questions about yourself can turn very hard and nasty if you’ve lied. An old friend of mine had half a sentence in his personal statement noting that he spoke German. He applied to Cambridge, for Natural Sciences. At interview, there was a visiting Professor of Natural Sciences, from Germany. Guess what language the majority of the interview was conducted in? Indeed. German. All very well, since he spoke it well. But imagine if he’d lied? Often, to sound academic and scholarly, people sometimes cite journals that they “read”. If you do cite, make sure you have read them. And it’s usually a good idea to think about a recent article, just in case you’re asked about it! Lying is singularly the worst thing you can do on the statement. Don’t do it. Not even a little bit. Keep it in mind.

The statement seems big on that form. When it is sent to UCAS, they photo-reduce it to A4, to send to the universities. So, while your size 7 font squeezes all you want to say in, and is just readable at A3 size, you can forget it at half that. Size 11 or 12 font in a readable font (Times New Roman, or Arial) is a suggested minimum. If you want to check it, then photocopy yours, and reduce it. If you can read it clearly and easily, then it’s fine.

Remember that you want to sell yourself in the easiest way possible. Go clearly and logically through your statement, and make it easy for the person at the other end to see what you want, what you’ve done, and then the potential you have. If your statement is confused, then they will be.

Get others to read it. They can criticise grammar, spellings, or just how the statement feels. They might suggest better ways to phrase something, more appropriate words to use, or if they know you well, things that you may have forgotten! Sixth form teachers, form teachers, careers advisers, headmasters, deputies, whoever – get them to look too. Staff often have a very good idea of what statements should read like! You could even post it up on the site; there’s lots of university students on there, and they might do your subject and be able to help. And even if they don’t, then they can tell you what statements work! There is a wealth of expertise out there and available. Use it!


Writing your statement

Before you write
Clarity is the key. In order to be clear and precise about what you say, then you need to prepare. Think about, or jot down some answers to some of the following questions;
What do I want to study?
Why do I want to study it?
How can I show that I am interested in it beyond the reach of the syllabus and the exams? e.g. work experience, journals read, educational visits/experiences.
What do I think a university education in this subject will give me?
What have I done outside of school? And can I relate it to my course? Make a list of all the things you’ve done; awards, certificates, D of E, cadets, scouts, whatever. Then start to think about what you want to tell people about, and more importantly, what those things tell people about *you*.

These questions will start you off in the right direction of thought. Whatever you have done in the past can be shaped to make you look better. It’s just a question of how you write it!


Writing the statement
Break the statement down in to simple sections. You need to start strongly, and end positively. You might like to group your thoughts for the statement under these headings;
(1) Academic;
the subject,
your interest, maybe extra-syllabus work/reading. Link this to your experiences, they’re pretty interchangeable.
your experiences, and why they help you.

(2) Personal;
What you do outside of school, music, hobbies, etc. Show that you can manage your time, do well at school, and do other things. You are a rounded person, and a nice person. Show them that.
Watching TV, music, cinema, walks, or reading sound clichéd, as if you can’t think of any better. Worse still, they make you sound like you’re applying for a personals ad. If they *are* genuine hobbies, then make something of them. Don’t say “I like walking”; say something like “I have a keen interest in walking, and have completed many journeys both in the UK and abroad. I think that it helps me to appreciate the physical surroundings more, and (let’s say you want to do Geography) to make the textbook examples of landscapes seem more real and dynamic. Whatever you say, make something of it! Lists are a massive no-no.

(3) Conclusion;
You have to finish strongly. Show that you understand the course, that you think you can do it. Be positive.

For example;

“I feel that these experiences combined with my interest in language have prepared me well for a course in Modern Languages at university and I am wholeheartedly looking forward to continuing with my studies and acquiring new skills and interests along the way.” (PinkFeatherBoa, posted on theSite, 12-08-02)

or;

“I believe that I possess a wide range of experiences which, coupled with my strong love of the subject will allow me to thrive and make a positive contribution to the School of Geography and to the University as a whole.” (DJP, posted on theSite, 15-08-02)

Make them feel that you already can do it, and that they should give you the place, because you’re just damn good. If you read your statement and feel good about yourself, then it’s spot on!

If you’d like feedback on your personal statement, then I (and others) will be more than happy to comment. Just send a small cheque made payable… only joking ;). PM, e-mail, or post them on the site! Comments will be made as soon as possible!

Best of luck,

DJP



Helpful links;

The Site's Guide

Personal Statement Thread – Read the personal statements here. Look at the one by PinkFeatherBoa. It links everything together, shows that she’s committed to the course, knows what she wants, and can tell you about it logically and coherently. Does she sound like a university student? Yes, she does. That’s what you want to achieve.
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    One little tip:

    Try to think of something that you are learning or have recently learnt.

    For example on my personal statement I wrote that I was learning to play bass guitar, which required dedication and commitment.

    They were impressed because I was using my own time to learn a new skill, not one which would help with my course but one which showed I was commited to something.

    The fact that I never got passed learning to play one bassline is irrelevant, because by the time they've made up their mind about you it doesn't matter whether you're still doing it or not!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I lied both times round and it did me no harm. The first time, I said I liked "faction, especially Thomas Keneally". Got bloody called for an interview at Warwick so had to read Schindlers Ark, got a fe pages in, gave up and watched the film instead. It depends how good a blagger you are. I got offered a place!

    Second time round (I dropped out and reapplied), for the journalism course I was applying for you needed to have done work experience in the media. Major stretching of the facts and total embellishments, got me into my desired course, they think I spent my summer working on a drama festival...whoops! Still, I'm sure they won't chuck me off when they meet me and notice my amazing skills.

    My tip: If you are only applying for one course at one institute, concentrate on specific things about that course that appeal to you and what you could bring to the course. I only applied to one place and babbled on about how I would relish in the opportunity to have a work placement each year.

    My other tip- Don't bother with hobbies unless they are relevent, so if you are applying for an English course you can mention how you like the theatre, but don't say "I also like swimming, music and dancing", what does that have to do with English?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Just bringing this to the top, since it's about time that some of you started stressing over these ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    grr, make it go away, i'm too young for uni, and don't need to write my personal statement. :mad:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I just thought I would share some of my tips :D

    Ok, now you may be applying to a course which is heavily over subscribed, and admissions tutors will be reading thousands of applications, so if you want yours to stand out from the rest, think about the layout.

    I didn't write mine (application for medicine) as a big long essay. I set my statement under headings (this was encouraged by the medicine admin tutor at St Georges HMS) e.g

    Reasons for studying medicine
    Work experience (which I put down in bullet points)
    and Hobbies and Interests

    Remember the people reading these are quite older than you so their eyesight may not be that good when it comes to reading a size 6 font! So this method is neat, and easy on their eyes :)

    Also try to keep it as straight to the point as possible. And don't compare your statement to others! A friend of mine has a ps of 24 lines, another has one at 35 lines and mine is 42. :)

    I got people in my form to proof read it because they had no idea of what the content is about but they were excellent at pointing out spelling/grammar errors, because on EAS there is no spell check - so bear that in mind. :crazyeyes

    And keep it personal - if you don't use big long words, then don't. These girls at my college were going through their personal statement with a thesaurus to make theirs sound 'better' - bad idea. At an interview the panel would see straight through this.

    Also - try and keep jokes out of it. An admin tutor said they are not funny and it's not the time or place.

    Also hobbies - there is always a lot of advice about what to put, e.g put only things relevant to the course, or put things which are completely different.I can only go by what I was told but my careers tutor said; they want to see a well rounded individual who isn't completely obsessed by the course/subject. :cool: so I put down I enjoy salsa dancing, I teach a small cooking class etc :)

    Hope this helps
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Personal statements are, as has been noted here before, a personal thing .... so any advice I can give you is just from my experience and is by no means definitive.

    In my college, we had someone to help us with our UCAS apps (because I applied to Oxford) to make sure they were good ... so here's some of the points I picked up from that strange, but annoyingly almost always right, tutor.

    Don't repeat words (unless its the name/subject of the course/institution), particularly adjectives .... ie dont say that you find all your hobbies/the uni subject interesting... as it shows a lack of imagination and vocabulary.

    Try and pick out the points that make you unique and/or particularly suited to the course. This will help to make your application different to all the others that tutors get. But don't stress yourself trying to be 'their' type of person .... uni selection peops dont really look for any specific type, except for hardworking!

    A personal statement is not like a CV - there's nothing wrong with waxing lyrical about your likes and dislikes (provided you can back them up with reasoned arguement) and they shouldn't be too cold and cynical - studying for your degree is a new era in your life not a little office job!
    [NB Just so as you know, I got into Oxford to study English despite saying at both interviews that I dislike Dickens - you just have to support your views!]

    Try and include any experiences that might be relevant - ie if you want to study media and you've done work ex. at a newspaper - and remember that some unis also like people who've managed to do a part-time job and their studies as it shows good time management, so don't be scared to elaborate on any work you've done.
    They also tend to like volunteer work ... so anything remotely moral you've done, such as prefect duties, babysitting, helping the disabled, charity work, Samaritans duties..... anything at all might help your cause.

    Aim high if you want to - there's no reason why you can't achieve whatever you set your heart on.

    But above all, BE YOURSELF!
    There's a reason why it's called a 'Personal' statement - the space is there so that you can express yourself and give the university a glimpse of the person behind the black and white typeface. There's really no point in lying - even if you're not caught out, you're not being fair to yourself by starting your university life in deceit ... and you never know when it may come back to haunt you!

    As DJP says - if there's any way I can help you with your personal statements just get in touch

    All the best guys and girls
    xx
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    *kicks all this personal statement malarky*
    *breaks down*

    I'm never going to finish this.

    I'm going to spend my time getting drunk and handing out sex to everyone rather than going to uni... I can tell.

    Pffffffffffffffffft.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    One small tip - try to avoid having too many sentences starting with the word "I".
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    k, you said post your personal statement for the world to read, so here goes. Any constructive criticism would be good, pm me or email me!

    I am applying to do geology as it is a subject which I have always held an interest in. I spent a lot of the summers of my formative years in and around Whitby. Whilst there, my father introduced me to the main principles of Geology at an early age, and once I started to understand more of what I was being shown my interest has grown. I have since learnt about the varying aspects of the subject, and currently my main interests lie in the palaeontology and palaeogeography areas, although all aspects interest me greatly. It still never fails to amaze me how much can be learnt about the past from what most people just group as "rocks"!
    For my A-levels I am taking Geology, Geography and Chemistry, and I studied Music up to AS-level. My 3 main subjects have obvious links with the course I want to do, and so have given me a firm grounding and background to the subject. Also, they have improved my fieldwork, research and analysis skills. Chemistry, especially has helped to improve my logic and problem solving skills.
    Whilst music may not seem to be linked in, it has also given me useful skills. Analysis and research are key points in the subject, and so the skills I have learnt in these areas are applicable in many other subjects.
    I enjoy travelling and whilst I am still to make it out of Europe, I have enjoyed seeing the varying landscapes in different places. This has helped me with my study of geology so far, as it gives me real life examples to draw from. Last summer, I also fulfilled one of my dreams by going up a volcano, Pico de Teide, whilst on holiday in Tenerife. I have also been on field trips with my school, to the Isle of Arran in Scotland with Geography, and most recently a week long trip to Malham, North Yorkshire with Geology. I greatly enjoyed these visits and feel to have gained a lot of practical skills along with a more in-depth understanding of the subject.
    At school I have been selected as a senior prefect, a position of responsibility which involves supervising a year 9 group amongst other duties, which has helped increased both my confidence and communication skills. I am also involved in house activities, which has improved my organisation and team working skills.
    Outside of school I have held other positions which have helped to develop these skills. I am very involved in Hebden Bridge Brass Band, where I have been Solo Euphonium for 5 years. The band is very active, and so my time management skills and punctuality have greatly been improved in order to balance this with my school work. Last year I was voted by my peers to be "Band Rep", or rather the voice of the band. This involved attending many meetings and also some public speaking. Again, this has improved my confidence and communication skills since I was dealing with people of varying ages, many of whom were total strangers. I also teach children aged 7-11 on cornet, which even if nothing else has improved my patience and persistence, because the effort that I put into them in the past is now starting to pay off. I have also been the web master for the band for the last 2 years, which involved teaching myself HTML as well as other computer skills.
    My aim is to pursue a career in Geology, although as yet I am unsure which of the disciplines I want to follow. I also hope to gain more from university than just academic qualifications- I can't wait to join in with university life, gain more independence and hopefully learn to manage my money!


    Oh, and any geography/geology students out there, your comments would be very well accepted, but everyone else's will be well accepeted also!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Oh RNT you are a sweetie :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by DaisyChainThing
    *kicks all this personal statement malarky*
    *breaks down*

    I'm never going to finish this.

    I'm going to spend my time getting drunk and handing out sex to everyone rather than going to uni... I can tell.

    Pffffffffffffffffft.

    What a great idea! Never do the crappy UCAS form what a brilliant idea :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blimey how did you squeeze all that in? I'll put my two up when I go to my Mum's house.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I have a slight problem... I'm kinda applying to two different universities, for two completely different courses - history at one, or applied chemistry at the other. How do I explain that?

    I can see them noting that i don't have a fecking clue where I'm going in life...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks for the tips so far. I thought id come on here to post a thread asking for help regarding PS's but its already here!

    Anyone got any tips on how best to start it and end it. I.E opening and closing sentances?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Mine!

    Please check this feel free to alter it!

    for primary teaching!

    In April 2001 I attended a St. John Ambulance demonstrators course, this is a course designed to train people in teaching skills, enabling me to demonstrate first aid. The course showed us how children (6-18) learn and the different resources used during training/teaching.

    The assessment involved me standing in front of 15-20 people aged 14-18, I decided to teach them about revision. I worked through revision skills following this onto an activity to involve the class; I passed this course, leading me onto the Trainers/Instructors course, In November.

    This was a residential course intended to teach the skills, to teach cadets in division. The course was based entirely around teaching skills; again I passed the assessment, which was to teach a group of children aged 6-10 years old, first aid. This then left me as the main trainer in division.

    Since these courses my career intention is teaching. My enthusiasm has been supported by my work experience at Carbeile Junior School. During my time at Carbeile I have built up much confidence with talking to the class, and talking to certain individuals. I have worked with one boy in particular, he has been very difficult to work with, when I started he was very rude towards me as time went on he began to improve until a point where we understood each other very well.
    I have been given much responsibility such as sitting with the class whilst the teacher leaves to do other work. This was at first very daunting but I now think nothing of it.
    I feel touched when a child comes up to me outside of school and acknowledges me; I also have parents thanking me. I never expected the work experience to be so rewarding; it has given me so much satisfaction and ambition to be a great teacher.

    I am currently studying for my A2 levels in Biology, Health and Social Care and an AS level in English Language. I am also working towards Key skills level 3 in Communication and Information Technology. I involve myself fully in all aspects of student life, and have gained in confidence during my years at Torpoint Community School.

    I was also a peer mentor, this was a confidential scheme set up to help pupils in the lower school with any problems they may I attended a course run by the school, this taught us about confidentiality and who to report to should a pupil be in danger.
    At sixth form I have taken responsibility for the running of the vending machine, my jobs include ordering, filling, stock taking and general maintenance, I will soon have to show a group of year 12 students how to do the jobs I have done over the last 12 months.

    I also play football for a girl’s team, in local charity matches. I enjoy watching football and wherever possible like to watch local football teams. I enjoy supporting Leeds united and Plymouth Argyle, who are my local team.

    I really enjoy working with children, and I hope to achieve my ambition, to become a confident, successful and dedicated teacher.
    :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi *devil* :) Just an idea, but why not add an initial sentence to explain what course you wanna do etc before going straight into the experience you have of what you're applying to do. That way the admissions people can tell from the start and so can see how relevent what you've been doing is without having to reread it.
    Love the last line though :D
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