HOW TO WRITE A PERSONAL STATEMENT
STRUCTURE IS EVERYTHING Before you begin, jot down the structure for the personal statement. We’d always suggest: • An opening paragraph outlining your passion for the subject and your drive to succeed • Your academic studies and work experience • Interests / hobbies 1 STRONG OPENING PARAGRAPHS Opening paragraphs and sentences are really important but please be aware that we see thousands and many opening lines are just overused, including: • ‘From a young age I have always been interested in/fascinated by…’ • ‘I am applying for this course because…’ 2 ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS Your personal statement is about highlighting why you are the perfect candidate for a place at our School. So be confident when you talk about your academic achievements and ambitions. 3 4 LET’S TALK ABOUT YOU As well as outlining your academic achievement and your aspirations, we want to get to know you as a person. What are your interests and hobbies outside of the classroom? They do not need to be award-winning; they will help build a well-rounded image of you as a person. 5 DON’T PLAGIARISE Plagiarising is a big no-go, at university and within your personal statement. 6 THERE’S A LIMIT There’s a 4,000 character limit or 47 lines – keep tabs on how much you’ve written. 7 NO JOKES Humour is often a great way to stand out from the crowd but not in this instance. We want to take you seriously and the assessor may have a very different sense of humour to you. 8 NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT Don’t leave it to the last minute to write your personal statement. You’ll find that it takes longer than you think to get it exactly as you want it. Now isn’t the time to rush.
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