Will universities care what subject my personal statement is about?

I want to add Law at UCL/Durham/Edinburgh to my UCAS application on Track even though my personal statement is about a completely different course. Does this matter? Will they reject me? My academics are sufficient for each course.

Reply 1

Olderandwiser23

What's your ps on? And it's not a good idea no.

Reply 2

_Fergo

Original post by AspiringMedic8

I believe these particular universities will. Why would they offer a place to someone who is using a PS for a different subject when they have so many applicants to choose from?

Reply 3

tomfailinghelp

Original post by AspiringMedic8

I considered applying to 4 Universities for law with a Jurisprudence/Political Philosophy statement and in the end felt too risky doing that. As you can't get much closer to actual Law than that, I'd say if I was in your shoes I wouldn't risk it.

Reply 4

Funch04

Way too risky; universities will see right through it, especially since Law is a competitive subject.

Reply 5

Da Di Doo

Competive subject at competitives Unis. I wouldn't risk it.

Reply 6

Crumpet1

You could phone them to ask whether you can provide a separate personal statement on law for them? Then whichever of them says yes, that will help you choose between them.

Does Edinburgh do English law or just Scots law? Best check before you apply.

Reply 7

Chlorophile

Yes, they definitely will! Whilst the personal statement isn't a very important part of their applications process, if your PS isn't focussed on their subject, you're probably jeopardising your entire application. Why would an admissions tutor accept someone who very blatantly isn't dedicated to their course when they have probably hundreds of people who are competing for the same place?

Reply 8

Crumpet1

I can see the point being made by others on this thread, but everyone knows that medics only have 4 choices and have to do something with their 5th choice. I actually think you might find that law admissions officers might be more open to considering a medic than you'd think. They know those students will be clever, and focused, with great attention to detail (all great attributes for both medicine and law), and they are applying for one of the most competitive courses there is. But if they don't get a medicine offer and they express an interest in law instead of the standard biochemistry alternative, then why not poach an aspiring medic for the legal profession instead? Ultimately admissions officers want the best students on their law course and medics are certainly amongst the best.

Certainly OP should phone up the proposed law admissions officers to discuss it with them, but they may be happy to accept her original PS or they may allow her to submit a separate law PS just for that aspect of her application. If they wont, then I'm sure she'll think twice about potentially wasting her 5th choice on them.

Reply 9

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Crumpet1

No they wouldn't, the OP would be rejected in a heartbeat. If the OP applied for biology, chemistry, bioengineering, pharmacy or some other natural science then having a medicine-orientated personal statement wouldn't be a disadvantage, admission tutors in those departments will be used to it. A law admission tutor would not be so generous.

Reply 10

nulli tertius

The one university you could certainly do this at is Durham.

If you submit a law personal statement using this procedure the admissions staff will only take that PS into account

https://www.dur.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/personalstatement/substitute/

Reply 11

Crumpet1

Original post by Samual

If you'd actually read the rest of my post (which you edited from the quote), you would have seen that the proviso was that she should speak to them in advance and ideally be able to put a separate personal statement in. I agree it would be unwise to use the 5th choice on a university that would not allow OP to submit a separate law personal statement.

As you can see from Nulli's post above, Durham has specific arrangements for doing this and I would expect that other universities will be willing to do so if asked.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 12

AspiringMedic8

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Durham will let me submit an alternative personal statement, as will Strathclyde, Glasgow will give me an unconditional for all of their courses (apart from the three main professions) but I still need to enquire about Law. I've spoken to Edinburgh University and they seem less keen on the idea. Before anyone mentions it, I'm not interested in both of these careers for the money (I have considered studying English and history at university) but at the moment I'm not really enjoying science so I wanted to give myself some options when it comes to firming something in April. :smile:

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Reply 13

AspiringMedic8

Update: everywhere but Edinburgh is allowing me to submit an additional personal statement but have said that they'll still read my first one, too. :smile:

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