The document provides guidance on writing effective personal statements for university applications. It discusses why personal statements are important, tips for style and structure, things to include like relevant skills and experiences, and things to avoid like plagiarism. The document recommends spending time planning and drafting the statement, getting feedback, and focusing on showing enthusiasm for the subject rather than just listing achievements or interests. It also provides example personal statements and questions for applicants to consider to help strengthen their statement.

1. Personal statements

2. Personal statements
I am CHRIS MASON
Widening Participation graduate intern at the University of Sussex

3. Personal statements
Contents
• Why are they important? • Things to avoid
• Style and appearance • Copying and cheating
• Who are you writing to? • Tips for success
• Transferable skills
• Examples
• Questions to ask

4. Personal statements
Why are they so important?
• The only personal information an
Admissions tutor sees
• You control the content
• If interviewed PS will be the basis of
questioning
• Your chance to impress and sell yourself
• Arguably the most important part of your
application

5. Personal statements
Style and appearance
• Use the space provided
• 4,000 characters or 47 lines
• Think about the format:
• 4 / 5 paragraphs of equal length
• Paste text in to UCAS Apply
• Are speling, grammer, and punctuashun! perfect?

6. Personal statements
Style and appearance
No formal structure but generally a 70/30 split between:
• the course and why you have chosen it
• information about yourself and your abilities
Example structure:
• P1: Subject introduction
• P2: Related stuff / career aspirations
• P3: Skills and qualities
• P4: Relative interests, hobbies etc
• P5: Conclusion

7. Personal statements
Who are you writing to?
• Consider your audience – admissions tutors
• Show commitment to, interest in and enthusiasm for the subject
• Be analytical and reflective – not merely descriptive
• Highlight your work experience!
• Illustrate relevant skills and abilities
• Use UCAS entry profiles, Uni websites and student profiles
• Demonstrate understanding of course and what it entails

8. Personal statements
Transferable skills
• Logical and analytical • Communication skills
thinking • Written and verbal
• Self-reliance
• Interpersonal skills
• Organisational skills
• Initiative

9. Personal statements
Transferable skills
Drama production, sports • Leadership
captain and voluntary • Time Management
charity fundraiser • Organisational skills
• Teamwork • Passion and drive
• Confidence • Communication
• Commitment • Enthusiasm

10. •Name dropping. An literature
•Extra curricular work in and
•Excited by the challenge of
Personal fascination
Links travelling to
Example 1: and vested interestliterature!)
understanding of the
related areascultural
personal
books (integral to
English Literature importance of people
development
I have always been fascinated by the power of story-telling to capture the imagination
and create a new world. Five years ago I became aware of the literary exploration of
this concept in Jane Austen's 'Northanger Abbey'. Modern authors, such as Brautigan
and Vonnegut, also explore readers' expectations of a story, their desire for dramatic
change and a happy or tragic ending. I still retain my basic love of stories but am also
excited by the more complex ideas that I am finding books present to me now.
Having spent some time travelling in America, I find the literary expression of their
culture and history of the country to be most absorbing. I particularly enjoyed 'The
Catcher in the Rye' by J.D. Salinger and 'On the Road' by Jack Kerouac. These novels
capture the disaffection many people experience with their society. Earlier American
writers that I have read, including Hemingway, Lee and Fitzgerald, also convey this
sense social dislocation.
I love both going to the theatre and being involved in productions. Most recently I went
to see a production of 'Much Ado about Nothing'. I have been involved in the youth
group at Norwich Theatre Royal and Norwich Young Peoples Theatre, as well as
having participated in many school productions…

11. •Attended extra course
•Prize winner = smart to
•New and exciting = essays
•Contemporary criticaland
Example 1: show desire
dedicated to develop
enthusiasm and students do!
is what literature commitment
English Literature
Reading contemporary critical essays such as 'Verbal Presence: Conceptual Absence'
by James L. Calderwood and 'Revenge in Hamlet' by Catherine Belsey sparked new
exciting ideas for me.
…
My work experience at a Design and Advertising company taught me a great deal.
Watching and playing an active role in the design process, from the first client
meetings through to the final presentation of the work, I was able to appreciate just
how powerful language can be and the extent to which it can be skilfully and subtly
manipulated in the commercial world.
…
On leaving school I won the Art Prize and outside of school I attended a course with
resident artists at UEA which resulted in my work being exhibited at the Sainsbury
Centre in Norwich.
…
It is my belief that my studies at Saint Martins will enhance my study of English
Literature in the years ahead.

12. •What course? the behind?
•May want to be a coach
•Repetitionpunctuation and
•No mention of Have they
• Spelling,problemssubject.
Leaving of information
Example 2: applied for
rather than sports scientist?
No hook, more there!
They may still bethan
grammar just negative1 type?
Sports Science
I have spent the last five years traveling. After leaving college I decided I needed to
take some time out to assess what I wanted to do with my future, and traveling allowed
me to leave my problems behind and become an adult. I’m now 24 and I regret not
going to uni straight away. I want to make up for that now, though.
I did PE at A-level because I had a teacher that I really admired and who said I could
do really well at it. He was really motivating and showed me I could do anything I put
my mind to, which pushed me to get my grade B.
…
I love playing sport and took part in the national junior athletics championships when I
was 16. Around this time I also did the community sports leadership award with my
local youth group. Ever since then, I have coached kids at football, rugby and running.
When I am older, I want to specialize as a sports coach. The coaching I have done has
given me a lot of skills that are suitable to this course.
…

13. Same info to all universities –
•Mostly presumptions
Making not youand 5 about
like saying relevant
Very generic love
Example 2: information. Showing – and
what students are likeoff?
different
uninformative/unspecific
Sports Science in
people! Also hasn’t said why
different country! asset
they would be an
During my time traveling I worked in dorms at an American university. I liked the look of
the student life and thought it was something I would like. I got on well with the
students and saw we had similar personalities and interests like sport, music and
socialising.
…
In my spare time I really enjoy reading a variety of books. I have recently read A Brief
History of Time, Down and Out in Paris and London, Pride and Prejudice and a lot of
sports autobiographies. I also like going to music festivals, taking part in sports events
and spending time with my family.
…
I really think I would be suitable for this course at your university because I have a lot
to offer and think I will be an asset to those around me.

14. Personal statements
Questions to ask
• Have you won any prizes • What have you worked hard for
• What’s your biggest in the past?
achievement and why? • Where do you see yourself in 5
• Who motivated you and why? years time?
• Favourite book, movie, hobby • What would your friends/family
and impact on you? say if they were writing your
• Have any difficulties in life statement?
changed you?

15. Personal statements
Things to avoid
• Waffle
• Go mad with a thesaurus
• Be trivial
• Exaggerate or lie!
• Write lists
• Put everything in (be selective)
• Mention the name of a Uni

16. Personal statements
Copying and cheating
• Internet Resources
• Friends
• People already at University
• SIMILARITY DETECTION SERVICE!
Your Personal Statement will be
compared with all those which have
previously been submitted

17. Personal statements
Tips for success
• Allow time for thought • Use fairly short clear
and planning – prepare sentences
• Make the most of your • Allow time to review and
experiences expect to modify!
• Include anything • Get someone else to
outstanding or unusual proofread your work

18. Personal statements
Tips for success
• Find your USP • Use a concluding statement
• Don’t let anyone else write it • Why should they choose YOU?
• Show enthusiasm, motivation
and commitment
• Stick to the point
• Include useful skills

19. Personal statements
Useful links
www.ucas.com
www.prospects.ac.uk
www.thebrightsidetrust.org
www.sussex.ac.uk/s3
http://www.studential.com/personalstatements/

20. Personal statements
Thank you!
Any questions?
Contact participate@sussex.ac.uk
www.sussex.ac.uk/wp 01273 873629