Writing your 'personal statement'

Personal statements are a chance to "sell yourself" to admissions tutors

Sometimes a really outstanding personal statement can convince admissions tutors to give you an unconditional place.

When thinking about what to write and how to write it try and put yourself in the position of an admissions tutor. An admissions tutor will be looking for enthusiastic and committed students - your personal statement needs to show that you fit the bill.

Creating a great personal statement will probably take both time and patience - to get it right you need to be really sure about what you want to do and why you want to do it.

You need to "sell" yourself in terms of what you are bringing to the university and to the course. You also need to explain the reasons for your application. In particular, if you are applying for a number of different subjects as part of your application you will need to explain your decisions clearly or the universities and colleges may feel that you haven’t actually made your mind up.

What to include

You'll need to include information about you on an academic and social level as part of your personal statement:

On an academic level, explain why you want to do the subject and course you have applied for. This is really important. Talk about your interest in the subject - simply saying that you have "enjoyed doing it at A-level" is not enough. If you are applying for a vocational subject or a subject that has specific requirements, describe any relevant work or voluntary experiences you have had.

On a social level, talk about your other interests and use these details to "sell" your character and strengths. One of your strengths may be that you have learnt from past failure or disappointments and this had led to a real determination not to fail again.

You should also make sure your first and last paragraphs really sum up what you are all about - summarise what you have written and finish on a high note!

Hints and tips

• Practice drafting a personal statement on paper first.
• You will probably need several attempts to write and be happy with it - it can be hard to "sell yourself" - so give yourself the time to get it right.
• Have a dictionary by your side and use it!
• Don't start every sentence with "I" and don't just write a list.
• Check your punctuation
• Avoid jargon and hype "I have a passionate interest in …" - do you really? Use examples where appropriate.
• Honesty is the best policy - you will get caught out later if you try to pretend you are something you are not.
• You may find it useful to show it to a friend before you submit the final version. If you are at school or college there may be someone who will be prepared to offer you some advice about how to complete the form -take them up on their offer.
• When it is finished, make a few copies so that you don't forget what you have said. If you are called for interview it is useful to know what you said and why!

We welcome your comments and feedback on this article.