PERSONAL STATEMENTS FOR UCAS* * UCAS is the organisation responsible for managing applications to universities and colleges in the United Kingdom (UK). For more information, visit their website at www.ucas.ac.uk/
What is a personal statement? A personal statement is a document, of about 600 words, written as an essay about yourself so that others can get a sense of who you are and why you are applying to university or college. It will communicate your desires for further education; it will highlight why you think you will be successful; and it will have compelling reasons for university/college application officers to accept your application.
Why is a personal statement useful? University/college life will be a very different experience for you, whether you are coming straight from high school/secondary school/home education, a mature student going back into further education to get a degree, or an international student trying to get a UK degree. So why is a personal statement useful? It acts as a very specific, concise way of presenting yourself to others. By creating your personal statement, the process: - will help you identify your educational priorities; - will enable you to focus on what course you want to take; and - will teach you how to positively present yourself to others.
How do I create a personal statement? Consider 4 aspects of a personal statement and deal with each one in turn rather than becoming overwhelmed by a blank piece of paper or computer screen that screams to be completed. Each aspect, below, will be dealt with on a separate slide: Rules Research Planning Presentation
Creating a personal statement: rules The personal statement on UCAS is limited to 4000 characters, or about 600 words; must be your own, original work (as unique as you); must be logically organised (in effect, you are telling a short story about yourself); must be technically correct (spelling, grammar and punctuation are very important). Stick to the rules or you will do yourself a disservice from the start.
Creating a personal statement: research Don t just dive in it will be blatantly obvious if you have not done your research before writing your personal statement. University/college is expensive, so invest your time and effort from the start. Choose the subject you would like to study; Find universities/colleges that offer your subject look for the right fit for you by researching each course of interest; Look at the course in detail and consider what is appealing to you about it and how you feel you will be successful; Find out what the universities/colleges are looking for in students go to open days, and ask admissions officers about what is expected on personal statements.
Creating a personal statement: planning Plan your personal statement by drafting paragraphs on each of the following areas: your work experience, interest in the course, what you want to do in the future, achievements and special attributes. Don t forget to give evidence that supports any claims you make. Once you have your paragraphs, plan how they will go together in a logical, fluent style. Remember, you are telling a story about you, and you want the reader to pick up your statement and read it to the end. Make it interesting!
Creating a personal statement: presentation If you put research, effort and time into creating your personal statement, don t fall down at the last hurdle presentation. Ask someone like a teacher, your parents, or a mentor, to read over your personal statement and give you feedback. Make sure that it Is technically correct (no spelling, punctuation or grammar mistakes); Contains logically organised paragraphs, with an interesting opening and a conclusion that resonates with the reader (application officer) and the writer (you!)
Useful UCAS resources The personal statement for UCAS is one of the most important documents you will write, in order to help you get into your chosen university/college. This short presentation is to whet your appetite. The most useful resources are found on the UCAS website at www.ucas.ac.uk Take your time to look through the website thoroughly. For places to start consider the following: Look here for courses at university/college www.ucas.ac.uk/students/choosingcourses/ This link gives you step-by-step help with completing your personal statement www.ucas.ac.uk/students/applying/howtoapply/personalstatement/ If you want to understand the terms used on the UCAS website, go to this link www.ucas.ac.uk/students/ucasterms
Other resources This PDF from Altrincham Grammar School for Girls is well thoughtout and packed with brilliant information: www.aggs.trafford.sch.uk/downloads/writing-a-personal-statement.pdf From Studential.com, plenty of information on applying for a university place in the UK: www.studential.com/university If you prefer to get information via YouTube, here is a short video that is full of useful tips: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yudzxxz2th4 If you want to sit down and read something really comprehensive, go to DayJob.com: www.dayjob.com/content/personal-statement-examples-772.htm
One last thing Your personal statement will have your name to it, and it should ideally be something of which you are proud. By reading this document, you have begun to take steps to research the topic of personal statements. The other Internet resources mentioned should give you even more help. So keep going and, all the best of luck, for your next educational journey!