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How should I start my personal statement?

I'm about to start writing my personal statement and I've got all the things I want to talk about lined up however like every essay or whatever it is I write - I have trouble starting it. Like how should I really grab their attention. I'm applying for a course in animation.

Thank you! You guys are the best!

Reply 1

Flax

I don't know if you're familiar with it, but you should definitely take a look at the PS section here on TSR. Lots of great tips!

I began my PS with an overall explanation for my interest in the course and that worked for me!

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 2

Plantagenet Crown

Yeah, as above, I would advise looking at the PS section.

Usually though, the beginning should be a short, catchy explanation as to why you love the subject youre applying for :smile:

Reply 3

Zottula

Yes definitely take a look at TSR's personal statement library. It has some great tips to get you started as well as example personal statements for you to take a look at.

Reply 4

roflcakes1

I would start writing the rest of the personal statement, starting at paragraph 2, and then write the introduction later. My teacher always said that the perfect first line will come to you in the middle of the night, or when you're walking in the street - don't stress too much about the first line, you'll honestly figure it out. I changed my first line/introduction about 5 times, so as long as you have a starting point, don't worry that it might not be 'perfect' or attention catching - it will soon evolve into something that is.

Reply 5

pak1994

I found that the best thing to do is literally write anything down the first time. It will probably seem like complete rubbish to you, but just write. Then, once you have written that, you can go back over it and start refining it and changing things around. When I compared my first draft to my final one apart from a few sentences everything had changed completely.

Reply 6

Theflyingbarney

I think by far the best advice I was given was just to avoid cliches - so don't open with some literary quote or whatever, or say something like "Since the age of x I have been completely fascinated with [subject]". As long as it's honest it should come across fine.

Reply 7

beckym186

I started it with my I am interested in the course. It made sense because then it flowed into the other areas because you use them to back up your statement.

I wrote "The _____ course is right for me since _____ module is a topic i am interested in and I have a passion about ______ because of..... (youthen proceed to say what made to start to love it).

Then say that through hobbies or interests including any extra qualifications that lead to you picking the course. For example I am going to study Economics and I said "whilst studying for my AS exams I was the finance director of INDIE, our Young Enterprise company. The experience showed me that I was goo at money but I also was intrigued by the effect the economy has on business and vice versa"

Then go into relevant activites and hobbies saying how it has trained you to be "the ideal student" (whatever you do do not actually write I would eb the ideal student).

et voila. Following this format which I sort of made up as I went along and got checked by my tutor I got all 5 of my offers and for my course my firm is number 6 in the country :smile:

Good luck!