Curious on how to make your personal statement stand out? Well, here are a few tips that will help you!
A personal statement is a personal essay, usually with a maximum of 4000 characters (space included), that you will submit during your application process. As it is different from your grades, it is a great chance to make yourself stand out!
It should include the reason you chose your course, and the experiences and skills you have that will make you a successful student in university. So, it is you explaining why you are the perfect candidate for the university.
Personal Statement Checklist!
- Check the course you are applying to for any specific requirements
- Start by creating an outline or bullet points with the key points you want to talk about
- Do not plagiarise someone's personal statement or copy from an online source as UCAS and UK universities have software to check applicants' personal statements for plagiarism
- Check your grammar and spellings for any errors
- Have other people proofread your personal statement. You may ask your friends, parents, or counsellor to review your essay and ask for their feedback
- Be concise and to the point
- Be mindful of the word count limit!
What Should I Write About?
Describe Yourself
UK universities will use your personal statements as a way to assess your application and who you are outside of your school and grades.
For this reason, you should write about things that are relevant to you and give an accurate depiction of who you are as an individual. This may include interests, hobbies and extracurricular activities.
Reasons why you would like to study a particular course or at the university
Although the personal statement is about yourself, you have to make sure that it is relevant to the course or university. Elaborate more on what your ambitions are, as well as what interests you about the course.
You can also include your career aspirations and how your chosen university or course will help you achieve your career goals.
What makes you a suitable candidate for the course/university?
Now combine the two first elements, to answer what the university is really looking for. State your abilities, skills, education and/or work experiences, and accomplishments related to the course. Make sure to back up your claims about yourself with experiences or accomplishments that showcase it.
Additionally, if you have done any volunteering work, community service or charity, it's worth mentioning them in your personal statement! This will show that you are involved in your community and want to shape things for the better.
Still need more tips on how to write your personal statement? Contact us, and we’ll be happy to help!
