The UCAS Personal Statement

Transcription

1 The UCAS Persoal Statemet

2 How are Persoal Statemets used? 1. To decide whether to make a offer 2. To decide whether to iterview 3. A startig poit for questios if iterviewed 4. Cosideratio of borderlie cases (e.g. course requires IB 36 poits, but you re predicted 35, or 15 at Frech Bac ad you are predicted 14.5) 5. If you miss the required grade i July, admissios tutors may recosider your statemet if they have spare places

3 How Importat is the Persoal Statemet? Depeds o the uiversity ad its admissios priorities: it varies. Very importat for selective uiversities (e.g. Russell Group). The poit is. you do t kow so treat it seriously it ca cout agaist you if it is ot well writte

4 Format 4,000 characters (icludig spaces), or 47 lies (icludig blak lies) No title or subtitles Submitted olie, but write i a Word doc first UK Eglish 75% academic, 25% extra-curricular

5 Cotet 75% academic, 25% extra-curricular. For v. selective uiversities, more like 80/20 or eve 90/10. Academic = Why you wat to do this particular degree Subjects coected to the degree that you ejoy ad why Particular projects/uits/themes that you ejoyed ad why Aythig doe outside lessos ad coected to degree (wider readig, lectures atteded etc) Extra-curricular = Sport, drama, music, charity work etc. Eve better if coected to degree

6 Feedback from LSE about FIS applicatios Of those rejected o the basis of their persoal statemets the followig poits were oted: Narrative of persoal experieces. Lacks wider readig/ academic egagemet. Lacks specific egagemet with the subject, e.g. 'I am moitorig the UN debate through the iteret'. Lots (too much) of focus o extra-curricular activities.

7 What s wrog with these? I wat to be a doctor because I am iterested i sciece ad I ejoy helpig people. I kow this because I am always tryig to look for ways to help others, whether it is i the supermarket or the airport. I thik medicie is a very challegig career, but the hard work pays off, literally! I am draw to the iterdiscipliary ature of Exeter s degree. I have a black belt i karate ad ejoy marital arts. It s the ecoomy, stupid! Growig up i Hog Kog, I have bee aware sice a small child that ecoomics is at the heart of everythig.

8 What does a reasoable statemet look like? Read this extract: What do you thik of it?

9 Busiess Studies Although I ejoy studyig Mathematics ad Geography, it is Busiess Studies that I wish to pursue i more depth. I believe a degree i Busiess will build o my uderstadig of marketig ad fiacial maagemet. Busiesses have to operate withi a legal framework, ad I was lucky eough to shadow a barrister for a day to gai a isight ito the legal professio. I hope to study aspects of law as part of my degree. A rage of school opportuities have broadeed my experieces. Participatio i the Hog Kog Award For Youg People has bee challegig ad fulfillig, allowig me to work with a diverse rage of people. My volutary work at Help the Aged proved to be rewardig ad gave me a more carig perspective o life. I have also take part i the Form 1 Frieds Scheme' i which I supported youg studets durig their first term at school. Takig part i the school drama club as a techicia has bee fu ad has taught me the importace of workig to deadlies. I have further pursued my iterest i drama ad have so far bee fortuate to see 'Twelfth Night' ad 'Les Miserables'. My role as Deputy Operatios Director i the Youg Eterprise Scheme has give me a isight ito busiess life. I am iterested i the iteret ad have helped staff redesig the school website. I hope to lear more about web site desig at uiversity. Although o-oe could call me a sportsma, I am a kee football player ad play regularly o a iformal basis. Outside school I belog to a hikig club, which allows me to maitai physical fitess while ejoyig the ature of Hog Kog. I have maaged to balace the demads of my IB studies with a varied ad ejoyable school ad social life. I look forward to the opportuities offered at

10 How might the statemet be improved?

11 How might the statemet be improved? Far more about why the applicat wishes to read Busiess Studies at uiversity (should be 75% academic, 25% oacademic) More detail about relevat experieces such as the Youg Eterprise scheme e.g. What was the product beig marketed? Why did you ejoy the opportuity? Istead of writig a log list of extra-curricular activities, discuss key activities i more depth

12 Do t Do't write aythig artistically creative (dramatic starts, rhetorical questios, attempts at comedy, quotatios) this early always does t work, ad will probably ecourage admissios tutors to reject you. The people who read your persoal statemet could be teachig you i the future, ad they will be lookig for someoe who ca express their ideas i a straightforward way. Do t irritate them!

13 Do t Do't just list thigs that you've doe, or read. State what you've gaied from doig those thigs, or how you've followed them up.

14 Do t Do't put thigs o your persoal statemet that you ited to read i the future. You should be reflectig back o thigs you've already doe, ad sayig what you've got out of them.

15 Do t Do't just state that you have skills; show evidece of how you gaied them or used them.

16 Do t Do't go o ad o about extra-curricular activities - it is expected that as you wet to a fee-payig school, you will had opportuities to do lots. It is much more effective to focus o a couple of meaigful activities, ad write about what you've got out of them.

17 Do t Do t waste words explaiig how livig i HK has allowed you to develop tolerace ad cultural uderstadig. That could apply to ayoe who is lucky eough to live i HK ad says little about yourself ad why you i particular should be accepted for the degree course.

18 Do t Do t use facy words that you would ot ordiarily use; you could ed up soudig isicere or pompous.

19 Do t Do t metio a uiversity by ame

20 Do Write about IB/Bac studies that iterested you the most & why e.g. your EE/TPE, or particular essays/projects/ experimets you did

21 EXAMPLE: Persoal Statemet for Sociology I have particularly ejoyed studyig the sociology of health ad illess as part of my Biology Exteded Essay. I researched patiets psychological reactios towards becomig ill. Referrig to the work of Michael Bury, I wrote a essay about how people cope with the effects of chroic illess, for example, o their itimate relatioships ad work. As the ext step, I am curretly iterviewig people who suffer from Repetitive Strai Ijury (RSI), usig a sample idetified through a family cotact. Commet The reader is left with the impressio that the applicat has ejoyed the course at school ad is motivated by the Biology ad its liks to Sociology. There is a detailed example of research.

22 Do Write about ay relevat books / articles you have read, or ay lectures or cofereces you atteded I have furthered my kowledge of Chiese history by readig. is bettter tha I very much ejoy studyig Chiese history.

23 EXAMPLE Persoal Statemet for Psychology I have particularly ejoyed readig about Freudia theory i psychology. I foud a iterestig article i the New Scietist ( Freud: who seduced whom ) i which it was claimed that Freud misrepreseted his research to suit his theories of huma behaviour. This article sheds a great deal of doubt o the validity of Freud s work. However, I still fid his theories of persoality developmet fasciatig ad am curretly readig a book by Melaie Klie which is more supportive of Freudia theory.

24 Commet - Both refereces to the article ad the book go beyod stadard i-class study so they both represet wider readig, motivatio ad iterest i the course. If iterviewed, you might be asked to expad o the refereces i the statemet.

25 Do Write about experieces that relate to the degree, e.g: Cofereces Summer courses Trips Lectures Work Experiece/Iterships Relevat people you have met Ispirig TED talks these idicate that you have give serious thought to the choice of course

26 EXAMPLE Persoal Statemet for Ecoomics Attedig a Ecoomics coferece i Hog Kog last summer was fasciatig. Oe debate, appraisig the Europea Ecoomic Uio, ispired me to read further. I the took part i a school debate where we held a referedum ad I argued for membership of the E.U. I researched a variety of articles to support my argumet ad I also cotacted a uiversity lecturer who provided me with up-to-date iformatio.

27 Commet seems kee to study Ecoomics prepared to follow up a debate by doig wider readig ad cotactig a lecturer. To improve: what exactly did you read? Who was the lecturer cotacted? Be more specific.

28 Do Write about what iterests you about the particular degree courses (e.g. exchage possibilities, year abroad, teachig style, liks with employers ) IF this applies to all your uiversity choices. Be careful if applyig for slightly differet degree areas e.g. Law, ad Law ad History

29 EXAMPLE Persoal Statemet for Medicie I am very kee to be part of a course that uses itegrated learig where, for istace, oe lears about the skeletal structure ad, at the same time, oe lears ways of talkig to patiets about disability ad problems with movemet. I fid the iteractio of the biological ad social aspects of the course excitig. Commet It is importat to kow about course cotet there is always more to a course tha a title. Writig about course cotet ad how the course is taught helps the admissio tutor appreciate that you have doe your research. But remember that you are likely to apply to more tha oe course but you oly write oe Persoal Statemet.

30 Do Set the spellcheck to Eglish (UK)! Ofte it is set to Eglish (US) by default. (realise, ot realize) (colour, ot color)

31 Top 10 overused phrases Mary Curock Cook, UCAS Chief Executive said: The persoal statemet is supposed to be persoal. Learig to write about yourself i a compellig way is a vital skill whe applyig for jobs; usig hackeyed phrases is ot the best way to stad out. 1. From a youg age I have (always) bee [iterested i/fasciated by] [1,779] 2. For as log as I ca remember I have [1,451] 3. I am applyig for this course because [1,370] 4. I have always bee iterested i [927] 5. Throughout my life I have always ejoyed [310] 6. Reflectig o my educatioal experieces [257] 7. Nursig is a very challegig ad demadig [career/professio/course] [211] 8. Academically, I have always bee [168] 9. I have always wated to pursue a career i [160] 10. I have always bee passioate about [160] Top overused quote: Educatio is the most powerful weapo which you ca use to chage the world [148]

32 Suggested Structure: Paras 1+2 (academic part) should take more space tha Paras 3+4. Iterest i degree area Para 1: Reaso for applyig Coected subjects you ejoy i school Relevat projects/essays etc i school Para 2: Evidece of iterest + ability Wider readig Work exp, lectures, cofereces etc Academic awards Study skills (research, ICT, teamwork etc) Para 3: What kid of perso are you? Extra-curricular activities (i/out of school) Positios of resposibility Service trips, big evets Gap year plas (if relevat) Para 4: Coclusio Reiforcemet of reasos for applyig Future/career plas (if kow)

33 Deadlies Early applics (Oxford/Cambridge/Medicie/Vet Sciece): Ø PS fiished by ed of Sept ad show to Mr. H Regular applics: Ø 1 st draft by mid-oct. Ø Cotact your advisor by mid-oct to make a appoitmet (you iitiate it). Ø PS fiished by Wed 15 th Nov ad ready for pastig ito your UCAS applic.

34 Persoal Statemet/Essay Checkig Pael of voluteer staff i both streams - ative Eglish who will be persoal statemet advisors. You will be assiged a advisor You will make a appoitmet, preset your best 1 st draft to your PS advisor ad the redraft if ecessary, based o feedback Your advisor will check the Eglish ad look for irrelevace/waffle/poor expressio Oxbridge/early UK applics: PS advisor = Mr. Hammod USA early applics: essay advisor = Mrs. McCarthy