Members

Personal Statement

The personal statement is the most daunting part of the UCAS application for many students. It is also the easiest part of the form to go wrong. So we have pulled together some helpful hints to help you complete yours to the best of your ability.

The personal statement is the only personalised part of the form. It is your opportunity to sell yourself and to tell admission tutors why they should pick you over the other candidates. For this reason it is essential that you take time producing your personal statement to give yourself the best chance to get ahead, especially for very popular courses and subject areas. You only have about 300-400 words in which to sell yourself so use them wisely!

What Admissions Tutors are looking for

In order to write a successful personal statement it is important to know what the admission tutors (the people that award places on the course) are looking for. The following list is by no means exhaustive, and it is always worth contacting the admissions office for each course that you are applying for double check, but it should give you a head start.

• Interest in the course - they want to see your enthusiasm for the subject.
• Evidence of commitment to the subject - mention any work experience here.
• Understanding of what the course involves - what sort of skills are necessary to succeed in this field.
• What you want to study is actually on your chosen courses - demonstrate your research.
• What you have gained from FE study.
• Interest outside of the classroom and positions of responsibility - universities want to recruit people who will be active members of their student body, and who will benefit the institution.
• Future career plans and aspirations - make sure whatever you write down does not conflict with your course choice.

How to do you structure your personal statement?

Now you know what you are going to write in your personal statement how should you lay it out?

It is easy to omit important details, so just like with other pieces of writing, make a rough plan to show how you are going to structure your personal statement. The plan should also help you decide how many words you will set aside to cover each point.

This is a suggested structure and a starting point:

• 160 words - Why I am interested in the subject? Evidence of long term interest.
• 160 words - Understanding of the aptitudes the subject demands. How this can be illustrated in my academic work.
• 60 words - Personal and work life balance including non-academic activities.
• 20 words - Choose me; I'm keen to get going!

Finally, get someone to proofread your personal statement to check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, the tone of the piece and also that you have covered all the areas necessary. Don't be disheartened if you need to make some amendments. A good personal statement will need at least two drafts before you get it right.