Durham University

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How inmportant is the personal statemant in durham admissions?

Right, I've heard attitude towardS Personal Statement ranges from uni to uni from 'don't bother reading it' to 'deciding factor'.

What do you think their attitude is towards it at durham?

I'm applying for economics, but my statement is for economics and politics (which Im applying for at a few places), does this mean I've no chance of an offer or will they not mind?

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Reply 1

kathryn16

I would say at any university, its your GCSEs and your predicted grades which are the most important factor (apart from Oxbridge where the interview is the major factor). A good personal statement is always going to help you as if it seems rushed, admissions tutors may see it as representing your attitude on the whole so I would say make it as good as possible. I wouldnt worry about applying for joint honours at some unis and not other as I did the same last year and I got offers from 5/6 universities.

Hope that helps
good luck

Durham University

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Reply 2

Jenii

Yeah, it does, thanx!

Just noticed I can't spell important, ooops

Reply 3

Relaxis

Well in my case, I got really crap preliminary marks for my exams and sent them off to durham with durham as my last choice of uni. BUT - I spent a total of about 2 months writing my personal statement and then I got an unconditional offer. PERSONAL STATEMENT IS IMPORTANT ANYWAY - you never know who's going to read it.

Reply 4

TKR

how can it take two months to write a personal statement? :confused:

i'd say at any uni where the entry requirements and standard of candidates is as high as durham it's gonna be pretty important, as how else can tutors discriminate between one AAA prediction and the next

Reply 5

Relaxis

TKR

how can it take two months to write a personal statement? :confused:

Through procrastination and perfection.

Reply 6

Mattmoy_2000

Just write a good one, you muppet, of course it's important, but I'd imagine all universities take it into account (except perhaps the ones that are crying out for students to do "mickey mouse" degrees and will accept anybody so that they can get funding).

Reply 7

john-boro

Mine was so blatantly written by my head of sixth that I was surprised anyone took it seriously. Still it was full of reasons to like physics, and contained info about extracurricular, and to be honest that's all you can do I think. You'd have to write a pretty bad one to really scupper yourself I would think. When I applied I thought "how can anyone turn me down based on that??" and hey presto, they didn't!

Reply 8

goldenbarnes

Looking back on it now (I still have it on my PC), I think my personal statement was top notch. The academic side was pretty convoluted and I'm struggling to say what I want to, but there's still enough enthusiasm to come across well. Then, after that, I start to shine, applying sociology interests and the like to life. I had been involved in a few things that made it look more impressive than it was though: a massive fundraising push to fund a trip to Slovakia to help in an orphanage and being a helper on a pilgrimage to Lourdes as well as other things like an OU course. I got my personality across in it well, too, I think.

The PS is important but I think people but too much emphasis on how well written it is. Much more important IMO is whatever the ingredients are, and not the way they're cooked. My teachers told me to cut some stuff out so I could use more words to better describe other things I'd done; I wouldn't do that now, I'd put in as much as I could without it being clumsy.

I mean, I got an ABB offer for Law (I know no one else who got this) and I'm nothing special; my GCSEs were way below most people in Durham's standards and my AS levels (5 As) were hardly exceptional among however many applicants.

I honestly believe it was my PS what won it.

Reply 9

TKR

hehe

my ps was a crash course in making having done nothing all my life sound interesting :smile:

Reply 10

danfel

I applied for economics and politics everywhere, except Durham where I changed to economics with French when a friend told me about it. And I still got an offer... so go for it.

My PS was mint.

Personal st8ments R kewl.

Reply 13

Rach:)

According to Dobbs, who apparently knows quite a few people in the admissions office, and has worked with them and on summer schools and things, personal statements are VERY important to Durham....
I'm not really sure why it matters though, because surely you want a good one regardless?
Hope that helps in some way! :smile:

Reply 14

Mellie

Someone from the Classics department did a talk at Durham Gilesgate Sixth Form and basically told them that they don't even bother looking at them. It obviously varies though. My GCSEs are pretty bad, my AS levels were only alright so I like to think it must have been a good statement and a glittering referance that got me an offer....

Reply 15

arkbar

But classics gets something ridiculous like 1.2 entries per place...

Reply 16

Jenii

How many applications does durham have per place for economics?

Reply 17

goldenbarnes

Offers are given to 1 in 2 applicants for economics.

Reply 18

Jenii

Wow, good statsistic. I hope i get one.

Any idea how they decide which one in two to give it to- do they look at the P.S. or is it more reference and all that jazz.