Sally Raby

Education Liaison Manager

University of Bradford

0800 073 1225

What Admissions Tutors

look for:

The Personal Statement

UCAS

• Universities and Colleges

Admissions Service

• Handles all undergraduate applications

• Apply online

• www.ucas.com

UCAS: some important points

• 5 choices

• Deadlines:

– 15th October: Medicine/Veterinary

Science/Dentistry/Oxford/Cambridge

– 15th January: all other applicants

Personal Statement

• 4000 characters long (including spaces)

• Should be in 12 font

• In paragraphs – easier to read

• Don’t repeat information already on your form

• Sell yourself

• Don’t make things up

• Think about who you are writing for

Comment from an admissions tutor:

“Personal Statements are incredibly important at all stages of

the Application process. They generally present the basis for

deciding course offers and aid in the selection of whom to

interview.

“Furthermore, personal statements will also determine the

nature of questions during the interview.

“Perhaps the most important role of the Personal Statement

is that they are re-evaluated should a candidate narrowly

miss a conditional offer and they may tip the balance in your

favour at such an important stage.”

Personal Statement: Opening

• Should clearly reflect:

– Why you are interested in

the course

– Motivation

– Enthusiasm

– Commitment to the subject

(e.g. extra reading/related experience etc.)

– Career ideas (if you have any)

Personal Statement: Academic Skills

• Are you studying the subject for which you are applying?

– What do you love about it?/particular units/topics you enjoy/extra reading you have done etc.

• What generic academic skills have you developed from other subjects you have studied?

Personal Statement: Some academic skills

• Well organised

• Problem solving

• Logical thinking

• Evaluation

• Analytical

• Research

• Presentation

• Meet deadlines

• Investigative

• Working

independently

• Essay writing skills

Personal Statement: Interpersonal Skills

• Evidence of skills you have developed

through:

– work; full-time, part-time or voluntary

– Society membership, Duke of Edinburgh etc.

– Involvement in sport, music etc

– Summer Schools, Taster days

Personal Statement: Social Work

Experience of working with children, young people or

families is essential. 35 hours of work experience in

addition to any placements through school or college and

within the last 2 years.

– How long have you undertaken the work

– Your roles and responsibilities

– Reflections on the ways in which your experience has helped to

prepare you for working with children, young people and families.

Personal Statement: Nursing

• Knowledge, Insight and Commitment

• Interpersonal skills – teamwork, communication,

time management

• Evidence of voluntary or paid work

• Evidence of the qualities needed

• Demonstrates awareness of the some of the

challenges ahead.

Personal Statement: Clinical Sciences

“Students need to demonstrate that they have relevant health care

experience and that they possess the personal qualities needed for a future

health professional. Examples from their life should be provided that

demonstrate they can take responsibility, work in a team and they have social

and cultural awareness.

“They should also indicate their motivation and insight into the profession that

they are hoping to progress into and evidence their commitment,

achievements and hobbies. The key is to reference; examples must be

concrete, do not expect the admissions tutor to second guess.”

Personal Statement: Some Interpersonal Skills

• Responsible

• Communication

• Independence

• Efficiency

• Confidence

• Trustworthy

• Co-operate with

others

• Time management

• Self-motivation

• Teamwork

• Using initiative

“Mentoring/Community Work required me to be sensitive to

the needs of others and provided me with the opportunity

to develop my own self-confidence and independence.”

“My active involvement in sport/music (or whatever) has

provided me with the opportunity to socialise and also to

develop my own self-confidence and ability to co-operate

with, and learn from, others.”

“Experience in balancing the often conflicting demands of

work, academic study and family life.” – evidence of time

management and organisational skills

There’s my Saturday job

• I work in a shop and, if I am honest, I do so because I

need the money.

• True, I have learnt some useful things:

– How to fold sweaters faster than customers unfold them

“My job in retail has improved my

understanding of the business world and

has given me valuable experience in time

management and customer relations”.

Gap year

Include reference to:

• Initiative taken

• Current status

• What you will be doing

• What you expect to gain

• Indicate relevance to course/coursesapplied for

Hobbies and Interests

• Link to course if you can

• If not, shows you are a well rounded individual

• Say why you enjoy what you do and what you have

gained/learned from it

Personal Statement: Conclusion

I have enjoyed my time at school/college and

look forward to the challenge of studying for a

degree and to developing my own

independence by attending university.

Fine tuning (1)

• Avoid a simple listing format: demonstrate that you can write in clear, concise, grammatically correct sentences and that you represent an attractive proposition for university entrance.

Fine tuning (2)

• Make your application relevant toall choices

• Do not alienate an institution!

Fine tuning (3)

• “I own my own pony and I exorcize him daily.”

Equine studies applicant

Fine tuning (4)

• “My mother and I frequently attend

dog shows where we have won

many prizes.”

Animal Science applicant

Personal Statement: Dos and Don’ts

Do

• Say why you want to study the

course

• Refer to your current studies –

what you enjoy & why

• Mention positions of responsibility

• Be reflective

• Show your statement to other

people

• Talk about work experience etc.

• Check your spelling/grammar

• Make sure it has a concluding

paragraph

Don’t

• Refer to experiences that are

too long ago

• Mention experiences without

stating the skills you have

gained

• Lie

• Apply for too many different

kinds of courses

• Write a statement which makes

your choices look random and

not thought through

Thank You For Listening!

Good luck.

Any questions?

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