WRITING A PERSONAL STATEMENT
Let’s get personal Advice on what, and what not, to write in your personal statement 4,000 characters, 47 lines and 18 years of experience. That’s all you are given to show universities that you are who they want and need. Who am I? Who do I want to be? What are my interests? What am I good at? What makes me unique? These are all questions that can come flooding into your mind as you try to figure out exactly what it is the universities want to hear. As a young person, you may find this overwhelming (I certainly did). However, whilst you don’t have to claim that you were born a rocket scientist, they are important questions to ask yourself. To help you, I have collated 10 useful tips that I learnt through my UCAS experience to help you present your best self on paper.
1. Plan
Plan. Plan. Plan. Write down all your achievements, especially ones related to your chosen subject. If you have written an essay that is connected to your subject of interest and it won a competition, mention it! Don’t ever be afraid to sell yourself, and don’t be modest. You want to show confidence that they will want you. I know that you will have achieved some amazing things, so talk to your parents and teachers, and see what you can come up with! Try writing an unlimited statement first, and then use this for the final draft.
There are many cliché phrases that it is imperative that you avoid: “X-Subject has always been my passion...” “I have always had a deep interest in…” “For as long as I can remember…” etc. P.S. Don’t use quotes, they want to hear YOUR voice, not someone else’s. Instead, you want to start with a direct and simple sentence that immediately gets to the point, why do you love this subject and why do you want to explore it further?
2. The Opening Sentence
3. Skills
One of the most important aspects of the Personal Statement is the opening tone.
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Have a think about what skills you have learnt. Have you practiced the piano for 2 years?
