A personal statement is an excellent opportunity for you to offer prospective universities an insight into your personal and academic qualities; your reasons for application and suitability to the course.

Writing a compelling personal statement can have a profound impact on the outcome of your application. As you only have one chance to display yourself in the best light possible, it is crucial that you write in a style that resonates with what admissions are looking for.

Below are 7 powerful sets of advice to embrace whilst writing a personal statement.

1. Definition of Purpose

Many candidates predominantly focus on what it is that they can offer. Whilst this is hugely important, in order to differentiate yourself, you are encouraged to define your “why”. Simon Sinek’s book, “Start With Why” emphasises the importance of defining a purpose with every decision.

Instead of simply listing all the skills and attributes that you can contribute as a student, express your purpose and ultimate vision for your future. Universities receive a high volume of applications with students who have excellent academic credentials. By expressing your purpose, you are clearly defining what it is exactly that drives and motivates you as well as demonstrating your ability to think ahead for the future.

A typical sentence found in generic personal statements is: “I am applying to study Medicine because I am good at Biology and Chemistry”. Change this by defining a purpose. For example “My passion for pursuing a degree in Medicine is driven by my vision to positively impact thousands of people through managing their health in my future career as a doctor”. Another example of a generic sentence in a personal statement is: “I want to study Maths at university because I have always been good at numbers”.

Again, we can easily change this by shifting our focus on a purpose. For example: “A Mathematics degree will enable me to become an educator and revolutionise young people’s learning experiences”. This shows universities that you have a clear vision of what it is that you hope your degree will help you achieve, demonstrating ambition and drive, as well as a powerful purpose that motivates you to bring this into fruition.

2. Definition of Values

Universities ultimately want to know what type of person they are accepting. They are looking for students with good values such as integrity, hard work ethic and self-discipline. By defining your core values, you humanise yourself instead of coming across as another candidate that they are overseeing.

Universities are inclined to accepting students who will stay the course and not likely to quit. As a result, an emphasis on reliability and commitment is fundamental if this is something that you adhere to. Be specific about what values are important to you, and express these by using examples.

Example: “My commitment to mastery is evident through many achievements I have accumulated; successfully secured Grade 8 in piano by the age of 15 and obtaining full marks in my GCSE Mathematics examination”.

Example: “My resilience and dedication to my studies are highlighted through my regular attendance to after-school academic activities. In addition, though I reside an hour each way from my secondary school, I have an 100% attendance record”.

3. Things to Avoid

Here are some example sentences to avoid when writing a personal statement:

1. I am currently studying A-Level Mathematics…

2. From the age of 10 I have always been interested in becoming a doctor…

3. From an early age, I have always been interested in …

4. for as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with …

5. Quotes from books, articles or from an individual when you begin a personal statement.

The above statements are not thought-provoking and therefore loses the attention of the reader. Students who begin their personal statements with the use of clichés are often not asked to attend an interview or their application is simply rejected.

4. Experience and skills

Mention any relevant work experience and subjects you are taking in school/college. Ensure you include the skills and qualities you have developed whilst studying these subject and provide an example of how you believed you acquired them. Furthermore, include activities that you have done related to my subject that is not included on the UCAS form for example, visiting the brain exhibition at the science museum.
State your interests outside of school or college and responsibilities that will highlight your strength of character. Finally, end with a closing statement to demonstrate your goal of going to university.

Here is an example: “Overall, I am an organised individual who is able to work effectively both within a team and independently. I believe that my learning coupled with my work experience has created a degree of professionalism in me and brought to the fore a genuine urge to study a degree in Psychology”.

5. Research and gain clarity

Research into the courses you have applied for and look at the specific modules outlined. Universities like to see that candidates have researched specifically as to what the course entails and how you can apply yourself to the course. Mention the specific course modules that you are particularly looking forward to studying and mention how you feel integrate yourself into it.

Research the various universities and how you can visualise yourself studying there, being in the environment, how you can contribute to the university as well as what experiences you expect to create through your time there.

Talk about what university means to you, and what type of memories you would like to develop in the next few years. Gain clarity on what it is exactly you hope to achieve both academically and personally.

6. Quality writing through arousing emotions

Sometimes it is not what we say but how we say it. The way we express ourselves has a huge impact on how well the reader resonates with us. By using emotive language when appropriate, we can engage the reader on a deeper level.

Using keywords that have an “emotional weight” to it, in the form of abstract nouns such as “integrity”, “loyalty”, “authenticity”, we are able to express ourselves in a way that encourages the reader to warm to us.

Make sure your personal statement is well structured and cohesive. The first paragraph is arguably most important – this will be the university’s first impression of you, and so the objective of the first sentence is to encourage the reader to continue reading.

7. Final Tips

Ensure your personal statement is not more than 47 lines and 4,000 characters

Get your tutor to check for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and the use of informal language

Once the final draft has been completed, copy and paste it into the Statement section on the UCAS online application page.
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