Blog Layout
9 simple tips for writing a personal statement (and getting that uni offer)
Christina Haindl & Mary Bennett • Nov 08, 2019
With the autumn academic term now in full swing, it’s time for ‘A’ level students setting their sights on a university place to nail writing their personal statement. A vital part of the application process, the personal statement is an opportunity for students to showcase their skills and say why they deserve a place on their chosen course.
It’s important to remember that a personal statement should always be the applicant’s own work – the clue’s in the word ‘personal’! When we’re helping small businesses with their written content, our advice is to choose your words carefully and make sure they present you in the very best light. The same applies to students and their personal statements.
When tackling this writing challenge, try to keep the following advice in mind:
• Know what you want to say before you start writing. Use Mindmapping or an outlining app such as Word Outline to create a structure with subheadings and headings. You’ll be amazed how quickly those words flow once you have a plan.
• Show that you have done your research; write about specific aspects of the course and say why these aspects interest you and why you would like to explore them further.
• Write about relevant books you’ve read, films or documentaries you’ve watched or events you’ve attended that show a true interest in the subject matter. Again, demonstrate your understanding, don’t just list authors or use quotes.
• Don’t be shy when you’re writing about your suitability for the course. It’s an opportunity to blow your own trumpet! Write about experiences you’ve had that are relevant to the course and showcase your skills.
• Avoid a long list of academic abilities, courses or work experience. Pick the most relevant and demonstrate why they were valuable to you: have you done voluntary work? Excelled at a particular piece of coursework? Are you a good listener? A great analyser? Show why you’re so deserving of a place on the course.
• Don’t try and impress by using long, complicated words or jargon. Keep your writing simple and concise. Hold the interest of the reader by varying the length of your sentences.
• Draft, draft and redraft! Your first attempt doesn’t have to be perfect…it just has to be written.
• Don’t be tempted to lie or plagiarise. Remember, it’s your voice they want to hear, not someone else’s.
• Spellchecking tools are useful but won’t pick up the wrong spelling for the context. Always proofread your work and get someone else to read over it too.
Good luck and get writing…as the American novelist Louis L’Amour once said: “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on”!
An article in The Sunday Times back in the summer noted that TV’s Love Islanders like to say, er, like. Quite a lot, actually. In fact, this particular 4-letter word was used, like, 76 times in, like, under five minutes. And, in an effort to encourage children to broaden their vocabulary, a primary school in Bradford banned the word ‘like’ in class, putting it in a ‘word jail’. It seems we’re all getting a bit lax when it comes to language, but it’s easy to pick up these habits when talking face-to-face. In most everyday conversations no one really notices too much, and it’s natural to slip into slang or jargon when you’re on familiar territory; nobody would ever refer to the BBC in its full form, for instance, because the abbreviation is well-established, and nor would you be likely to greet your mates in a formal manner. However, when it comes to the written word, if we were all to write exactly how we speak things might get a little confusing. Variations in accents would cause a few spelling arguments for a start, but certain businesses might start losing their authenticity. Would you trust a bank that intoned: ‘Need, like, more cash, kinda like now? You might wanna fink about getting a loan, so jus’ go online and fill in a form alright’? (Actually, that makes a lot more sense than some financial comms we’ve encountered! 😀) We applaud the businesses who are cutting out the jargon and speaking to their customers in clear, concise language. But there’s a huge difference in adopting a common-touch approach in your written comms and writing sloppily. If your audience’s first impression of you is through poor written content, then it doesn’t matter how expert you are in your field, it will do nothing other than put potential customers off. British writer Benjamin Zephaniah is a great example of someone who uses slang successfully to bring his Jamaican-influenced poetry to a mainstream audience. But as he himself has observed: "Whether we like it or not, the way we talk affects the way people see us and this can have very serious consequences.” True enough. So next time you’re crafting a presentation or email marketing campaign, think carefully about who your audience is. There’s no point bombarding people with acronyms and business jargon if the people you’re addressing don’t have a clue what you’re on about. They’ll simply zone out. So choose your words (and context) carefully!
With the autumn academic term now in full swing, it’s time for ‘A’ level students setting their sights on a university place to nail writing their personal statement. A vital part of the application process, the personal statement is an opportunity for students to showcase their skills and say why they deserve a place on their chosen course. It’s important to remember that a personal statement should always be the applicant’s own work – the clue’s in the word ‘personal’! When we’re helping small businesses with their written content, our advice is to choose your words carefully and make sure they present you in the very best light. The same applies to students and their personal statements. When tackling this writing challenge, try to keep the following advice in mind: • Know what you want to say before you start writing. Use Mindmapping or an outlining app such as Word Outline to create a structure with subheadings and headings. You’ll be amazed how quickly those words flow once you have a plan. • Show that you have done your research; write about specific aspects of the course and say why these aspects interest you and why you would like to explore them further. • Write about relevant books you’ve read, films or documentaries you’ve watched or events you’ve attended that show a true interest in the subject matter. Again, demonstrate your understanding, don’t just list authors or use quotes. • Don’t be shy when you’re writing about your suitability for the course. It’s an opportunity to blow your own trumpet! Write about experiences you’ve had that are relevant to the course and showcase your skills. • Avoid a long list of academic abilities, courses or work experience. Pick the most relevant and demonstrate why they were valuable to you: have you done voluntary work? Excelled at a particular piece of coursework? Are you a good listener? A great analyser? Show why you’re so deserving of a place on the course. • Don’t try and impress by using long, complicated words or jargon. Keep your writing simple and concise. Hold the interest of the reader by varying the length of your sentences. • Draft, draft and redraft! Your first attempt doesn’t have to be perfect…it just has to be written. • Don’t be tempted to lie or plagiarise. Remember, it’s your voice they want to hear, not someone else’s. • Spellchecking tools are useful but won’t pick up the wrong spelling for the context. Always proofread your work and get someone else to read over it too. Good luck and get writing…as the American novelist Louis L’Amour once said: “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on”!