Writing Your Personal Statement
Your personal statement is a key part of your UCAS application, as it helps you stand out from the other applicants. But how do you make sure you're presenting yourself in the best way possible? And what should you avoid? Here's my guide to writing a great personal statement:
Fill the space
When writing your personal statement, you get 4000 characters or 47 lines, whichever comes sooner. While you can't go over, try not to go under too much either. Everyone gets the same about of space for their personal statement, so if yours is a lot shorter than other people's, it will be a bit of a red flag to the university. Your best bet is to go no less than 3800 words. If you're struggling to fill the space and you don't know what to write, try talking it over with your tutor or classmates. By writing down a few key points about why you're suited to those courses, you'll find filling the space a lot easier.
Don't be too specific
Your personal statement will be seen by every uni you apply to, so be careful not to mention any specific names. This is easier if all of the courses you're applying to have the same or similar titles, but there are ways to work around that if they don't. If you're applying to a range of different courses, try and find a common theme among them and focus on that. Mention books you've read or things you've done that sparked that interest.
Don't be afraid to sell yourself
Writing 4000 characters about how great you are can feel a bit weird at first, but it's necessary! Every other student out there will be talking about how their experiences make them the ideal candidate and you have to do the same. Don't be afraid to toot your own horn! If you're having trouble, try teaming up with a friend and telling each other what you're best at.
Tell the truth
It can be tempting to say you read that impressive book that is sitting in your classroom but always tell the truth. Not only will the uni tutor probably be able to tell that you haven't read it but you don't want to risk getting asked about it in an interview! Best to stick to the things you know and can talk confidently about.
Proofread!
Spell checkers can only take you so far, and won't pick up on typos such as mixing up there, their and they're. Consider using Grammarly to help pick up on some key grammatical errors, but most importantly, get help from your tutor. Nobody's perfect, and your personal statement will need to be proofread several times before it's ready to be submitted.
Get feedback
Chances are, your first draft won't be your final submission. This is an important piece of writing that will take a lot of editing to make it the best it can be. Don't feel disheartened when your teachers give you feedback or tell you to change things. They want to help you, and even if it feels like they're changing everything, listen to their advice and try to take as much of it as possible. Several drafts later and you'll realise they had your back all along.
Be you!
You want to impress the universities you're applying to. But using unnecessarily complicated words and phrases will come across bland and a bit fake. The most important thing is that you present your authentic, brilliant, enthusiastic self. Nothing will say "pick me!" more than a passionate statement about why you have all the skills needed to succeed at their uni.