The UCAS Personal Statement

Barbara Boxshall

Head of Careers Education & Progression

Luton Sixth Form College

47 Important

lines

Designing the building blocks

• Why have you chosen a particular subject/course? What interests you about it?

• Future career plans• Relevant work experience/placements/voluntary work• Relate your skills, experience and interests to the course Entry

Profiles (EP on UCAS)• Extra curricular activities (e.g. Duke of Edinburgh)• If you are applying for a ‘Gap Year’, explain your reasons why• Social, sports, and leisure interests• Summer Schools• Mentoring schemes• Subjects not formally assessed• Sponsorship/placements applied for or have

Planning the Personal

Statement

• Make a list of all your achievements, skills, experiences, interests, goals and aspirations etc.

• Make several drafts

• Ask a careers adviser/teacher/parent/friend to read it

• Listen to comments and amend your statement

• Always be positive about yourself

• Sell, sell, sell

Constructing the Personal Statement

• Think about the overall impression you want to give

• Organise your statement to ensure it flows well

• Make it informative and interesting to read

• Write clearly and concisely

• Try not to say that you prefer one University to another

• Be prepared to discuss the content at an interview

• Grammar and spelling are vital!

• In addition - “In addition to my work experience, I have also gained valuable skills through my voluntary work.”

• As well as - “As well as my involvement in team games, I am also keen on playing individually competitive sport.”

• Reinforce - “My involvement in the school voluntary programme has reinforced my decision to study a degree in Nursing.”

• Strengthen - “My decision to study a degree in Economics has been strengthened by my enjoyment and success in my A level course.”

• Furthermore - “Furthermore, I am particularly suited to a degree in Chemistry because of my love of the subject and my keen interest to further my knowledge.”

Key terms

Key terms

• Besides - “Besides my involvement in sports, I am also involved in amateur dramatics.”

• More recently - “Although I have taken part in classical music concerts, more recently I have decided to learn the piano.”

• Enabled me - “The opportunity to work in the school football squad enabled me to successfully work as part of a team.”

• Provided me - “The work experience provided me with the opportunity to interact with a range of people.”

• Opportunity to - “The opportunity to work with people has helped to further my communication skills.”

Real examples of what not to say!

“Playing the saxophone lets me develop technique and skill whichwill help me in the future, since I would like to become a doctor!”

“I would like to save lives in third world war countries”

“I am an able and well-great student!”

“I would love to attend a University where I can play lots of football and do loads of socialising, a bar is important to me”

“I was projected from a great height to become a dentist”

“My time at College was one of great impotence”

Advice on using ‘I’

DO NOT WRITE• I am captain of the hockey

team

• I enjoy playing sport.

• I am studying A levels in

• I am self-motivated

• I have taken part in

• I have gained a number of skills

INSTEAD WRITE

• Being captain of the hockey team

• Having enjoyed playing football

• My A Level subjects have

• My self-motivation is displayed by

• Taking part in

• The skills I have gained from

Personal Statement examples & analysis 1

As Virgil says, “Happy is he who is able to learn the causes of all things.”

Studying a science as well as History and Classical Civilisation at A Level has enabled me to explore a diverse range of areas while reinforcing that my one true passion is History. History has always been more than an academic subject to me which is why I read extensively, subscribe to “History Review” and am a member of “Timewatch” at school. I have enjoyed studying Russian History which I hope to continue at university. I also hope to broaden my studies which the range of options available will allow me to do.

My study of History at A Level has enabled me to develop my analytical skills. I am an avid reader and this has helped to develop my research ability. My enthusiasm for the subject has resulted in me winning the School History prize. These attributes will, I hope, allow me to benefit from studying a History degree.

Although it is difficult to find work experience directly related to History, I feel my work experience at a strategic marketing company in London was very worthwhile. As well as being a challenging and enjoyable experience it opened my eyes to the wide spectrum of options open to historians. It also served to give me an idea of the sort of career I may be interested in.

Playing in various sports teams as well as captaining the netball team for two years has taught me the importance of self-reliance, organisation and motivating others. It has also enabled me to represent my town at the Bucks Youth Games for two years. I would relish the chance to continue playing at university and I would also be keen to continue playing Ladies’ rugby. My work with the homeless at the food distribution centre in Aylesbuty, as well as being rewarding, provided me with the opportunity to meet people and learn the valuable skills of commitment and adaptability. Hopefully these attributes have been enhanced by my completion of the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. I feel these skills are also appropriate to studying a History degree.

History statement analysis

• STRENGTHS:

• A keen interest in the subject comes across clearly throughout

• Good work experience of which the applicant is very positive

• Charity work shows commitment: another positive aspect of personality

• Varied sports’ experience, the skills gained here are pointed out

• Particular historical interest pointed out though more could be made of this

• WEAKNESSES:

• The opening sentence could be regarded as ‘highbrow’ and a bit pretentious, quotes – only if relevant to the text

• The dreaded ‘passion’, convey it but no need to say the ‘p’ word

• The work experience is not used to demonstrate the skills which would have been acquired by the student

• Not enough detail on the School History Prize despite being clearly relevant

Personal Statement examples & analysis 2

I would like to continue to study Mathematics but would also like to develop my interest in computing. I am especially interested in artificial intelligence and intelligent systems as they incorporate aspects of psychology, linguistics and philosophy. My career aspirations are to develop new systems for computers in the field of communication, travel or entertainment. I have some knowledge of computers having surfed the internet and used packages such as Lotus, Microsoft and VAMP, the network used by medical practices.

I enjoy travelling, having visited India and various European countries, the most recent destination being Italy. I have taken part in the German exchange twice and hope to spend a year abroad as part of my degree.

Being the founder and Chief Executive of the alternative school magazine, which now attracts a readership of over 150, and Assistant personnel Director of the Young Enterprise scheme has developed my motivation and organisational skills. Producing the magazine also enabled me to use office equipment and to use Microsoft Publisher. Outside school, I have undertaken voluntary work for two months in a hospital geriatric ward and at an Infants' School for a year, where I helped children with mathematics and reading. This has developed my communication skills with people of all ages.

I like to be involved in raising money for charity. Having participated in fund-raising events for Comic Relief, I have found myself skipping, singing and enduring a very short haircut, all in the name of charity.

My creative interest include playing musical instruments such as the guitar and keyboard and writing original songs. I have taken part in a school play, and more recently, written, directed and had a role in an Indian comedy play performed at a medical reunion at a large hotel in Manchester. I also enjoy reading, especially cultural and contemporary fiction and technical magazines, watching films and playing basketball and football in my spare time.

Computer Sciencestatement analysis

• STRENGTHS:

• Gives the impression of being an all-round personality

• Good to mention that voluntary school work was done for a whole year: reflects genuine commitment

• Statement shows some research about the subject and specifically mentions the names of two specialist fields

• WEAKNESSES:

• Motivation to do this course is not put across convincingly

• Computer use mentioned, but it’s vague: Microsoft and Lotus are companies, not packages: which packages were used?

• Very general pursuits such as reading and playing football casually are not much help to an admissions tutor

A few final thoughts…

• Try to look forwards, not back – university, career etc• When/how have you shown personal initiative; how have

you been a ‘giver’ not a ‘taker’?• Presentation and good written English are important• Avoid being pretentious• Leave the reader wanting to read on and know more

about you