Tips for writing a Personal Statement + Examples

The distance between you and your dream university is 4000 characters’ personal statement to university. So it's important to take each step carefully. It’s not that difficult. With the right guidance, references and skills, you will be able to write a compelling personal statement unlocking the gates to your success. And for that, we are here to help. Read on to get tangible tips along with some effective examples to get the inspiration and knowledge you need about writing a personal statement.

What is a personal statement?

Personal statement is a written document that outlines your relevant skills, experience and achievements with a motive to prove your worth for admission in your chosen course in the university. It is highly personal and authentic. The piece should clearly highlight the factors that make you the best fit for admission outshining the rest of the applicants.

Different universities might have different word limits for a personal statement. For UCAS, it is 4000 characters. “Try to include something unique and memorable about yourself. Admission teams receive thousands of applications each day, so give them a reason to read yours more than once.” says Chloe Ng, HE Career Coach, Manchester Metropolitan University.

What to write in a personal statement?

There’s no blueprint for writing a perfect personal statement. However, there are some universal vital elements you can use as a checklist for incorporating in your document. Here are a few of them:

• Personal Details
• Education
• Experience
• Skills
• Achievements
• Knowledge about the course
• Future Plans
• Why are you applying for that particular course in that university?
• What makes you unique from other applicants?
• What do you bring to the university/course? 

Go through some personal statement examples to get an idea about its tone and content. However don’t get carried away and make sure to endow your statement with your unique presentation. 

9 tips on writing a winning personal statement

Here are some foolproof tips for personal statement: 

1. Prepare by thinking of factual and human information about you:

Starting with a personal statement may sound like a mammoth task to some. Students often fall into a dilemma about how to start a personal statement. A good starting point would be to first start jotting down the points you want to include in your proposal. But even that might seem daunting. To facilitate it, a useful tip is to look for two things, one - the factual facts about yourself such as your educational qualification, experience, skills, achievements, etc; and two - the more emotional side of yours that revolves around your motivation, passion, personality traits, etc. 

Remember, your human side is what differentiates you from other candidates. So, give enough attention to that. Make sure to check out the description of the course and align your thoughts with what makes you best fit for it. 

2. Begin with an attention grabber:

Just like you rapidly scroll through your instagram posts, university admission tutors surf through hundreds of applications. So try to grab their attention with a strong starting sentence. It should immediately attract the reader and set the tone for further piece. Don’t try to make it flashy. Keep it short, simple and appealing. Some ideas for a hook can be showing your interest for the course, knowledge or ambitions. 

3. Leave with a memorable end:

Just like the opening is your chance to catch the attention of the reviewer, ending is the last hammer you have to nail your admission. Connect to the beginning in this last part. Restate the most essential points from your articulation and make a final statement that hits the question of why you should be offered a place in the course. 

4. Use polished vocabulary:

Furnish your work in a sophisticated language. Find exact words to convey your thoughts clearly. Look up for synonyms for the words and find the perfect fit for your purpose. However, don’t try to be extra showy with your vocabulary. Too many hard words can sound artificial and turn off the mood. 

5. Keep it unique and authentic:

Never try to imitate someone else’s document. What impresses the tutors most is the uniqueness of your personal statement. The best way to do this is to stay true to your intuition. Your statement should reflect your authentic voice and bio. Remember, tutors examine dozens of documents everyday and can easily make out the difference between a copied work and a real reflection. 

6. Refer it to a friend:

Given the importance of this piece, it is obvious that you will read, reread and revise it multiple times to make it perfect and error-free. However, during this course, it is possible that you will ingrain the content in your mind and get confined to a single perspective. 

It is therefore a wise thing to get outside opinions on it from your family members or friends. It will help you understand the overall impression and impact you are making via your description. However, use your own conscience in selecting the comments you want to incorporate. 

7. Use active voice:

A clever way to create a strong impression about you is to embody yourself as the initiator rather than the receiver of the actions. Confused? What sounds more impactful: ‘I received the B.A degree from Symbiosis college’ or ‘I completed my Bachelors in Arts from Symbiosis College’. Projecting yourself as an active agent in an action is more effective and subtly generates a good image of yours. 

8. Emulsify your enthusiasm, curiosity and passion for the course:

Demonstrate your knowledge about the course and what you want out of it. Signify your willingness to take the course and passion towards it. It is looked for because such motivated and enthusiastic people make for positive peers and are more likely to complete the course and even go an extra mile for it. 

9. Avoid exaggeration:

It seems an obvious thing, but many students generally fall into the trap of getting extra showy about their experience or skills to make an impression of an outstanding candidate. However, it plays the spoilsport by sounding artificial and pretentious. So, avoid it and try to be simple and authentic yet effective. 

Another part of this point is honesty. Don’t make false claims about knowing something when all you know is the tip of the iceberg. For e.g. don’t write you are fluent in French when you only know how to ask ‘how are you?’ in French. The truth is bound to come out sooner or later. Here, it is best to stay by the principle - Honesty is the best policy. 

Writing an important document like a personal statement can be nerve-wrecking given its extreme importance. However, with the personal statement writing guide, knowledge about how to write a good personal statement and some patience, you will be able to craft a unique and compelling personal statement that will take you closer to your dreams. Prepare in advance, use your own voice and spell your passion for the course. Devote ample time for it, keep your calm and be honest and simple to make a lasting impression. All the best! 

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