Reapplying and using a new medical personal statement and plagiarism

I'm reapplying to medicine and wanted to know how different my personal statement needs to be from last year, I've changed about 80% of it, added new things etc. but wanted to know if its OK to keep a few sentences from my PS last year.

Reply 1

alleycat393

The plagiarism software will pick up on it but UCAS will not flag it up to unis because it's your own work. If you're using stuff from a previous cycle make sure it fits in well with the rest of the statement. It's a good idea to at least rephrase so that it doesn't look like you haven't made the effort. Use the opportunity to improve on the statement as much as possible and keep it relevant.

Reply 2

lozasaurus99

So for reapplying you can still use the same personal statement as last time?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 3

Interrobang

Original post by lozasaurus99

So for reapplying you can still use the same personal statement as last time?

Posted from TSR Mobile

You can, altho it is recommended to make the PS up to date and relevant to now, so it is best to make at least some changes

Reply 4

lozasaurus99

Original post by *Interrobang*

You can, altho it is recommended to make the PS up to date and relevant to now, so it is best to make at least some changes

Definitely. .but your own one from last year won't count as plagiarism?!!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 5

Interrobang

Original post by lozasaurus99

Definitely. .but your own one from last year won't count as plagiarism?!!

Posted from TSR Mobile

No it won't - it will be flagged but upon investigation it will show that it's your work and ucas won't notify unis

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 6

lozasaurus99

Original post by *Interrobang*

No it won't - it will be flagged but upon investigation it will show that it's your work and ucas won't notify unis

Now I feel quite apprehensive to using the same lines :/ :/

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 7

antonyzac

Original post by lozasaurus99

Now I feel quite apprehensive to using the same lines :/ :/

Posted from TSR Mobile

Seriously, if you want to, go ahead! :smile:

Either that or ring UCAS and double check for your piece of mind.
As others have said though, definitely update it. Do you know why you didn't manage to get in last time? :smile:

If you were rejected pre-interview it's either grades, UKCAT/BMAT or personal statement, so in that case it'd definitely be advisable to rewrite! :h:

Reply 8

DocBot

Alright thanks, that's what I was hoping for, I have changed about 90% of it, its just the few odd sentences that I wanted to keep. :smile:

Reply 9

Kyalimers

Original post by 7seconds4way

Hi everyone!

I am also reapplying and thinking of using the same personal statement with a few tweeks here and there. However, I am reapplying to the same school I did last year (I got an offer) but to a different course/department.
Would applying to the same school with a similar personal statement hurt my chances? What if it's a different department? As it's a different department is it safe to assume that the admissions team has never seen my old personal statement before and so it would be like a new fresh personal statement?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Why would you apply to a different course with the same PS? Especially so for a medical PS...

Reply 10

Interrobang

Original post by 7seconds4way

Now*. I would now like to pursue actuarial science :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Actuarial science has a different focus so while you may be able to use parts of it you will need to explain them in a different way. Especially if this is for LSE they are very particular about the personal statement