How to make your UCAS personal statement stand out
“Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.”
Anne Lamott
Your personal statement is arguably the most important part of your UK university application. The 4,000 characters, or 47 lines of text, is your chance to tell your story - to articulate why you would like to study your chosen subject and how you have prepared for the course.
Here are J&J Education’s top tips on how to perfect your personal statement:
1. Start early: Creating compelling writing of any kind, including personal statements that do your abilities justice, is a difficult art. It takes time and numerous drafts. Don’t leave it to the last minute. And don’t worry about how it looks at first. As the quote often attributed to Ernest Hemmingway puts it, “the first draft of anything is shit”. Just get your ideas down on paper - that’s the hardest part. Then the narrative will take shape with edits. With each new draft you will find your writing becoming more polished, your arguments more clear.
2. Start personal: The opening sentence needs to be attention-grabbing. Admissions tutors will have read hundreds if not thousands of statements before yours. Don’t fall into the trap of using common overused phrases:
From a young age I have (always) been [interested in/fascinated by]
For as long as I can remember I have…
I am applying for this course because…
The most memorable opening sentences are concise and personal to you. It’s often best to start with why you chose the subject - at what moment did you decide this was the right subject, or what is it about the subject that fascinates you. Given the personal statement goes to all universities you apply for, do not mention any specific universities or course titles.
3. Academics: Reflect on how your current studies have helped you prepare for your chosen degree. Explain what topics in particular you have enjoyed and what actions you have taken to further your interest. Be specific. For example, have you read any books that go beyond the curriculum? A good tip for suggestions is to look at some of the first-year university reading lists. It is better to tell a story, focus on a handful of actions and go into more detail and analysis - rather than taking a more list-based approach. Explain what you gained from readings, engage with the material and discuss how it has changed/impacted your views.
4. Beyond the classroom: The personal statement doesn't all have to be about education. For vocational subjects like medicine, veterinary sciences and law, especially, talk about relevant work experience, volunteering or extra courses you have participated in. You may have also gained relevant transferable skills through clubs or societies. You want to show the admissions tutor that you are a well-rounded person who will be able to fit into university life.
5. Conclusion: As with the introduction, it is important to make a lasting impression and end on a positive note. A good way to do this is to tie it back to the beginning paragraph, and re-emphasise (without repetition) the key point. Alternatively, talk about your future career aspirations, and how the degree will help you achieve this goal.
Want to read more?
If you want to think more about what makes great writing and how to write clearly and engagingly, here are a few of our favourite essays and books on writing.
Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird - this beautiful book contains one of our favourite pieces of advice about writing, work and life - take it line by line and moment by moment: “Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report written on birds that he'd had three months to write, which was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books about birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother's shoulder, brother and said, "Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” You can also listen to Lamott’s 2017 Ted talk on the subject, called 12 truths I learned from life and writing.
George Orwell, Why I write - a masterpiece about writing clearly.
Annie Dillard, The Writing Life - a collection of wonderfully-written short essays about writing, creativity and living.
Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic - a book about how our understanding of creativity has evolved through generations, and how the relatively recent conception of “suffering writers” who struggle at their craft is harmful to mental health.