UCAS Statement - Part 2

Introduction

In my previous blog on "UCAS Statement - Part 1", I outlined the purpose and objectives of a personal statement that prospective students need to provide, while applying to UK universities. Today's blog provides 5 important tips to help you write a UCAS statement that will help you stand out from the crowd. The majority of universities don’t hold interviews, so your personal statement might be your only chance to get your foot in the door.

Tip 1 - Do Your Homework!

One of the most important things is showing your interest in the course/s you’re applying for and why you’re the perfect student. Why do you want to study the course/s? What particular aspects interest you and why? Make sure you understand exactly what’s involved in the course/s and shape your statement to suit it. Consider your skills and experience and see how you can marry them with the key components of the course. Do you have any relevant hobbies? Nothing shows your genuine interest more than investing your spare time in a subject. Sometimes universities will mention the specific skills, qualities, knowledge and experience they’re looking for on their website, so it’s worth checking. They might even spell out exactly what they want to see in your statement. Bonus.

Tip 2 - Sell Yourself! 

Think of yourself as the brand and the tutor who reads your statement as the customer. Why would the tutor buy into you and choose you over other products?

Use an engaging yet professional tone of voice. Be human. Show you’re passionate. Be enthusiastic. Tutors aren’t looking for a machine. They’re looking for an individual who can be a valuable asset and help them continue to achieve great results. Prove how you’ll be an asset to the university. Do you lead a group or society for example? Have you completed any work experience during your holidays? Such achievements demonstrate strong personal leadership and commitment skills. It’ll be even better if you can tailor these skills to the specific requirements of the course.

Tip 3 - Be different

Not so different that it scares the tutor, but individual enough to strike up their interest in you. Remember the person who reads your application will be reading a thousand others so imagine their delight (sigh) at reading the exact things they’ve just read in the previous 500 applications. It’s a personal statement, not a generic statement. What sets you apart from the competition? Are there any impressive charity challenges you have achieved? What are your personality strengths? We’re all unique and highlighting these individual qualities will help you rise above the sea of applications.

Tip 4 - Structure 

Building the right foundations is relevant here. Structure your personal statement in a logical manner to make it easy to read and keep your reader’s engagement. If the reader has to trawl through dense paragraphs of unstructured text which sporadically jumps from one point to the next, the chances are any impressive points you did have will be lost because the tutor will either nod off or run out of time before they reach the end.

 

Tip 5 - Be Spot On!

 One of the easiest things to overlook yet most important thing to remember is accuracy. Go through every sentence with a fine toothcomb. The last thing tutors want to read is a statement littered with grammatical errors. Even if you’re in a rush, spending just an extra ten minutes deleting rogue apostrophes and amending spelling clangers could mean the difference between you making the grade or not. The spelling and grammar tool isn’t there for nothing! And a dictionary should always be close by.

 

Wait. Before your proofread your beautiful words, take some time out (even just to make a brew) to refresh your senses. Even better, show it to someone else and get a second opinion. They might also spot relevant skills and experience you’ve missed out. With a fresh eye, you’re bound to see some of your words in a less beautiful light, so edit away. Be ruthless! Cut the waffle, get to the point and avoid repeating yourself. Remember tutors are very busy people with a stack of applications blocking their daylight, so brighten their day.

Get Them Like A Tiger!

Just think. This is a relatively small amount of time to spend on something that could transform your future. So turn the telly off, stick the kettle on and get cracking. If you don’t know where to start, grab a pen and paper and start jotting down your thoughts.

 

Think about why you’re applying for the course/s. You’ll be amazed at how the words start to flow as soon as you think about what fuels your fire. The UCAS website provides a really useful personal statement worksheet to help you gather your thoughts before you start writing.

References:

Link: https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/when-apply/writing-personal-statement

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWxFVtSUAsQ

 

Good luck! Not that you need it.

M A Hussein Wahedally

UEA Mauritian Ambassador