Personal Statement - Connexions Advice

The UCAS Personal Statement … your chance to stand out from the crowd

What is UCAS? • Universities and Colleges Admissions Service • Operates a centralised admissions procedure for higher education courses • UCAS are not involved in selecting students – universities make their own decisions

Information on the UCAS form: • exam results/predictions • school/college reference • the personal statement

How do admissions tutors use the personal statement? • to distinguish between equally qualified applicants • to determine how far the applicant understands the nature of the course • to support applications for courses unrelated to the applicant’s A level background • to explain an apparently under-qualified applicant • as a cue for topics to pursue at interview • to help decide in borderline cases once A level results are known

What makes an effective personal statement? Your personal statement should show: • enthusiasm and motivation for the course • that you have the skills suited to a higher education course • that you are somebody who will benefit from life at university

The Course: • Why are you applying? • What sparked your interest? • What have you done to develop this interest?

Have you: • read beyond the set texts? • attended any relevant talks or lectures? • been inspired by topics in your coursework, projects or fieldwork? • visited exhibitions, art galleries, the theatre? • taken part in insight courses/summer schools? • obtained relevant work experience? Be specific – try not to generalise

Highlight your personal strengths and skills: • • • • •

Enthusiasm Self-discipline Time management Independence Organisation

• • • • •

Teamwork Initiative Problem solving Responsibility Diplomacy

Show that you will benefit from life at university: What are your interests? • sports/music/drama • reading/creative writing/public speaking • membership of school clubs and societies • mentoring activities • charity work eg. Millennium Volunteers • Young Enterprise/Duke of Edinburgh Award • languages/travel • anything unique about you that no-one else is likely to put down

Before and after: • Work experience/work shadowing (particularly important for vocational courses) • Career aspirations (if any) • Sponsorship schemes • Gap Year plans: detail and relevance

Plan ahead! • Start work on your statement weeks before you need to hand it in • Research the course: university and college websites/prospectuses/departmental literature/course entry profiles/Open Days • Listen to advice from your school/college • Make notes, more notes, then write a couple of drafts

Presentation: • Well written, with appropriate vocabulary and grammar, and no spelling mistakes • Clear paragraphs, separated by spaces – use subheadings if it helps • A minimum of 12pt font

When you have a final draft: • Read it aloud to yourself to check that it flows, makes sense and does not repeat any points • Proof read – check spelling and grammar • Get it checked again by your tutor, teachers and/or parents. Now it’s over to you … good luck!