Personal statements

There is a useful piece of software in the Careers section of the school intranet called ‘How to write a UCAS personal statement’.  This requires a password, which is senior.

 

Why is the personal statement important?

This is the only section of the UCAS application form over which you have some control. It allows you to communicate directly with the admissions tutor and to sell yourself to him or her. It is, in effect, your advertisement.

 

For this reason, you must do your best to get the statement right. It must, however, be your statement, so write it yourself, though do get other people to read it through and offer advice.

There are examples of complete personal statements for the following subjects - click on the subject to see them. Biochemistry History Economics Law Electrical Engineering Midwifery English

 

Some general advice

Look at the departmental websites of the universities you are thinking of applying to; there is often clear advice about what the admissions tutors like to see in personal statements.

• Also look at the Entry Profile on the UCAS website. More and more departments are putting vital information about what they expect to see in a personal statement here.
• Make a list of the points that you want to make. Categorise them according to evidence of interest in the course, personal qualities, interests and so on.
• Write a draft. Read it through, and correct the English. Read it critically; can you improve it in any way? Write a second draft. You may have to write several drafts.
• Show your drafts to someone. The obvious thing is to show the first section of the statement, which deals with your reasons for wanting to study the subject, to a teacher who teaches that subject. If the subject is not one that is taught in school, show it to Mr Worthington.
• The next person to show it to is your form tutor or housemaster or housemistress. They will know you well and can offer useful advice.
• Show the final draft to Mr Worthington.
• You can type up to about 47 lines in font size 12 – the smallest that the software will accept. But our advice is not to fill up every possible space. It is far better to split your statement up into sections. You can put a heading to each section if you wish; this will make it easier for the admissions tutor to read. At the very least, leave a blank line between each section. Look at some of the examples in this section of the website to see how others have done this.
• Be succinct. You cannot expect admission tutors to read every word of a long statement.

The first section - your subject

The first section should be used to write about the subject(s) you want to study to show that you have a genuine interest in it (or them). This will take up a good part of your personal statement.
 

Think about the following

• Why do you want to study the subject?
• Are there any parts or areas of the subject in which you have a particular interest? If so, can you explain why?
• Have you been on any relevant field trips or visits? If so, what did you get from them?
• Have you any evidence of your interest in the subject? For example, have you done any wider reading outside the confines of the A level syllabus, or done any relevant work experience?
• If you are applying for joint honours, explain your interest in both subjects.
• If the course leads to a specific career, explain why that career appeals to you.

Have you any interests that are evidence of this career interest? Being a member of an Archaeological Society, for instance, or re-building an old car.

 

Remember you are addressing experienced admissions tutors. They are unlikely to be impressed with an opening section that says little more than "I want to read history because it is interesting". You need to go somewhat further than that. Have a look at this opening statement for Geography.

Geography has always interested me and I will enjoy studying it in greater depth. Whilst studying the subject at A level, I have developed particular interests in aspects of Physical Geography, including climatology and coastal geomorphology. My objective in studying Geography is to expand my knowledge of physical geography, gaining an understanding of these processes and their implications for human society.

This applicant could go on to discuss any wider reading he or she has done, any field or coursework that has been completed, or any career thoughts that relate to Geography.

 

Or how about this from an applicant for Law:

My enthusiasm for Law springs from a fascination with resolving conflict. I believe the law should be a framework for enabling every individual to live constructively as part of society. The course you offer would inspire me to further develop a system of cogent and sound reasoning, providing an outstanding basis for actively tackling some of the injustices that trouble us. I seek to understand legal systems, especially their roots and possibilities for improvement.

Again, this applicant could go on to discuss any relevant work experience that he has had and, perhaps more importantly, what he has gained from it, or his career interests.
 
Consider this one for Biochemistry?

I have chosen to study biochemistry at university level as I am very much enjoying the A-level subjects that I am studying, and found the chemistry and haematology laboratories extremely interesting during my time there on work experience. I also feel that because of continuing medical advances, and the rate at which the biochemical industry is developing, it would be very exciting and challenging to be a part of such a rapidly evolving area of science.

I am particularly interested in the biochemistry of disease and the immunological recognition of invading micro-organisms. The complexity of the human brain and the way in which chemical signals are sent and received fascinates me, and I look forward to investigating these areas in greater detail through my degree.

After graduation I would ultimately like to embark upon a career in research and so feel that a biochemistry degree is one of the best preparations I can make for this. I also believe that a year spent in industry or completing a project of my own during my degree would be a great asset and allow me develop essential laboratory techniques .

Or this one for English?

Choosing to study English is, for me, the natural continuation of the compulsive reading that grew out of my childhood love of Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice', first read when I was nine. This novel proved to be pivotal to my early development. I have since found Elizabeth Bennet to be an inspirational character, not only for her burgeoning feminism, but also as someone who withstands the pressures of the establishment to emerge triumphant at the top of the social hierarchy. The seeds of my future interest in Russian literature were sown at the same time by beginning Tolstoy's 'Anna Karenina'. This lead in turn to 'War and Peace.' I think it is fascinating to see how Tolstoy's attitudes to women were influenced by the Russian Orthodox Church.

My literary knowledge was further enriched through school English lessons, highlights of which included Bram Stoker's 'Dracula', 'A Modest Proposal' by Jonathon Swift, 'Beowulf', and 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' by T.S. Eliot. This year I have particularly liked studying Chaucer's 'The Miller's Tale'. Not only did I enjoy being able to explore a form of English with fewer Latin and more Germanic words, but I was also interested to see how, in spite of the oppressive morality of the Medieval Church, Chaucer is still able to subvert not only its values, but also those of the courtly love tradition, which has equal cultural gravitas. Starting to prepare for the Advanced Extension Award, with the demands of its searching linguistic analysis and the challenge of writing an essay on previously unseen material finally convinced me that English was the only subject I should consider applying for at university.

What if you intend having a Gap Year?

You could mention it now. What are your plans for the year? Are they relevant in any way to the course or the career? What do you hope to get from it aside form an extended holiday?

 

The second section - your strengths and qualities

This is your opportunity to present your individual strengths and qualities. It should not simply be a list of achievements and interests – far better to go beyond this and explain what you have learned or gained from the experience. They are particularly keen to see evidence of leadership or of positions of responsibilities you have taken on. They like to see a range of extra-curricular interests that suggest that you are going to mix well, and make the most of opportunities on offer. They want to know you will get involved in university life.
 
Examples of the sorts of things you can put in this section are:

• Any involvement in sport, music, drama etc both in and out of school. Again, not just what you have done, but also what you have gained from it.
  
• Any positions of responsibility you have held.
  
• Details of any situation where you have had to organise events or other people.
  
• Any hobbies or interests that you have out of school, including membership of outside organisations.
  

Be selective. Many people have many things they can put in here. Better to choose the most impressive and go into some detail, rather than provide a list that goes back too far in your life.