Your personal statement is an important part of your university application. It’s your chance to show off your skills and tell the university admissions team why you are the perfect person for their course. A strong personal statement makes all the difference when applying, so it is essential that you plan yours carefully!
What is a personal statement?
A personal statement is a short essay that you write to support the application you are completing for either UCAS or CAO. Although your A Level grades are impressive, they don’t tell the university about you, or the skills and experience you have worked hard to gain over the years. It is also a chance to show the admissions team why you would like to study a particular course and show the experience you have gained in this particular field so far.
What should I write about?
It is important to remember that you only have one personal statement. The essay is the same for each course that you are applying to, so it is important to avoid singling out any universities in particular. Here are a few tips on how you can structure your essay:
1. Introduction
Writing a personal statement can be difficult to write without a particular course or subject in mind. After deciding what you would like to study, you should start off by showing your passion for the courses you have an interest in.
Here you should write about what has inspired you to choose this degree and why you are looking forward to studying it. It is also a good idea to show that you are aware of the hard work that the degree will be and that you are prepared for this.
2. Education
This section should make up the majority of your personal statement. If you have chosen to write about a variety of subjects, it is a good idea to talk about the common skills you have gained from them, including organisation, problem solving, or creativity.
In this paragraph you should talk about the subjects you are currently studying and why you enjoy them. It is a good idea to mention any school trips, group projects or competitions that you may have been a part of throughout these lessons. This helps to show off the different skills that you have gained in your education and how they will benefit you at university.
3. Work Experience
Work Experience is an essential part of your your personal statement! This is a great way of showing the passion and and knowledge that you have in your chosen area of study.
Although work placements have stopped due to the current situation, it is good idea to mention any online courses you have completed or volunteering you were a part of. This shows that you were willing to research your chosen profession and whether it is the right career path for you.
4. Hobbies and Interests
When talking about your hobbies and interests it is difficult to decide what to include in your personal statement. This is your opportunity to tell the admissions team a bit more about you and what you get up to both inside and outside of school hours.
If your hobbies and interests link to the degree you are interested in studying, then it is a great idea to include them in personal statement. Make sure you reference them back to the subject you are interested in, as this helps to back up the skills you have learnt along the way.
5. Conclusion
After slaving away at your personal statement, it is time to finish it with the concluding paragraph. It is important to leave the admissions team with a strong lasting impression, that will leave them with no choice but to give you an offer. You don’t have to summarise all the points discussed in the above statement, but it is a good idea to re-visit key points and emphasise them again in your conclusion.
Looking forward to the future is another positive way of ending your personal statement as it shows that you have career goals insight and how completing your degree fits in with this plan.