Writing a Personal Statement

What is the purpose of a personal statement?

• To show universities why you are an ideal candidate for their course

• To explain why you'd like to study a particular course or subject

• To outline the specific skills and experience you have which make you suitable for the course

• All of the above

When preparing your personal statement, some great resources to use include...

• Examples of personal statements from successful applicants in your subject area

• YouTube videos from students around the world

• The UCAS website, teachers, friends and family who know you well

• Copies of your friends' applications

When planning your statement it can be helpful to...

• Create a linear plan with subheadings, sentence starters etc. to organise its structure

• Spend lots of time thinking about a witty and unique opening sentence

• Write a text including everything you think is important that you can edit later

• Create a mind map with sections such as your interest in the course, relevant experience that shows your skills etc.

A personal statement should include...

• Why you’re applying: your ambitions, what interests you about the subject, the course provider, and higher education

• Any clubs, volunteering or award programmes you have participated in

• Relevant work experience, skills, or achievements you’ve gained from education, work, or other activities

• All of the above

To get started on your personal statement, it's a good idea to...

• Write a paragraph about what makes you unique

• Make a list of all of your GCSE qualifications

• Look at course descriptions and identify the qualities, skills, and experience they require

• Get a copy of a friend's/sibling's personal statement that you can use

When writing a personal statement, the most appropriate style is...

• Highly academic, with lots of advanced, subject-specific vocabulary

• Very informal and chatty, so that the admissions get a sense of who you are

• Creative and imaginative, so that you can tell your personal story

• Enthusiastic, concise and natural

If your personal circumstances have affected your educational performance at college or qualification choices, should you mention this?

• Yes

• No

Some common mistakes when writing a personal statement include...

• Exaggerating or inventing experiences, awards or personal skills

• All of the above

• Relying on spellcheck tools to identify spelling and grammar errors

• Not getting feedback from teachers, tutors of other experts

What is the maximum length of a personal statement?

• Up to 1,000 words

• 4,000 characters and 47 lines

• 2,500 characters and 30 lines

• Anything under 2,000 words

When do you need to get started on your personal statement?

• I think I can do it in a week

• A month before the deadline

• A couple of weeks before the deadline

• As soon as possible, to ensure time to redraft and review