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Personal statement is 3400 characters. Is that too short?

1. Is 3400 characters out of the 4000 characters permitted too short?

ALSO!!

2. In total there are 589 WORDS.

277/589 of the words explain why I want to study Law. (1643)
226/589 of the words talking about ECs. (1304)
86/589 of the word explains my gap year. (458)

The numbers in bold are the character count.

I feel like this is wrong. I feel like I should have 3/4 of the personal statement for explaining why I want to study this but I've already put down my reasons. I can't think of any more.

Should I worry?
Original post by Da Di Doo
1. Is 3400 characters out of the 4000 characters permitted too short?

ALSO!!

2. In total there are 589 WORDS.

277/589 of the words explain why I want to study Law. (1643)
226/589 of the words talking about ECs. (1304)
86/589 of the word explains my gap year. (458)

The numbers in bold are the character count.

I feel like this is wrong. I feel like I should have 3/4 of the personal statement for explaining why I want to study this but I've already put down my reasons. I can't think of any more.

Should I worry?


The length of it seems fine to me,
Good luck.
Reply 2
Personally, I think that if you're applying for a course you're truly passionate about you should have too many words and be trying to cut down. Are there any books/articles/cases that have inspired your interest in this subject, have you done any work experience that highlight your drive to study the course etc etc


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Da Di Doo
1. Is 3400 characters out of the 4000 characters permitted too short?

ALSO!!

2. In total there are 589 WORDS.

277/589 of the words explain why I want to study Law. (1643)
226/589 of the words talking about ECs. (1304)
86/589 of the word explains my gap year. (458)

The numbers in bold are the character count.

I feel like this is wrong. I feel like I should have 3/4 of the personal statement for explaining why I want to study this but I've already put down my reasons. I can't think of any more.

Should I worry?


I'm also applying for law. My personal statement has 3827 characters, or 649 words.

The first paragraph talks about why I want to study law, the second about in-school academics and how they've prepared me to study law, the third about outside reading that I've done and courses that I've taken related to law, and the fourth about ECs that are directly related to the study of law. (Sorry for that terrible run-on!)

All that being said, I think your PS should be fine if you've described thoroughly enough your reasons for wanting to study law, and everything you've written somehow relates to the course.
Original post by Da Di Doo
1. Is 3400 characters out of the 4000 characters permitted too short?

ALSO!!

2. In total there are 589 WORDS.

277/589 of the words explain why I want to study Law. (1643)
226/589 of the words talking about ECs. (1304)
86/589 of the word explains my gap year. (458)

The numbers in bold are the character count.

I feel like this is wrong. I feel like I should have 3/4 of the personal statement for explaining why I want to study this but I've already put down my reasons. I can't think of any more.

Should I worry?



Firstly, you should check the length of your personal statement by pasting it into the section on UCAS. Most people hit the line limit before they hit the character limit. It's likely you're not quite at the line limit, but your probably closer than you think.

However, you are right that the structure of your personal statement is poor. Only around 50% is focusing on Law, which is too little. When discussing law, you shouldn't just be explaining reasons as to why you want to study it. You should also be demonstrating your interest in the subject, for example by discussing extra reading/lectures attended/court visits, things like that. Can you like any of your current study to law? Using TSR's PS helper tool might help you improve the structure of your statement: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/personal_statement_help

Your personal statement is your one chance to sell yourself to unis, so you ought to make the most of it.
Reply 5
Original post by R Dragon
The length of it seems fine to me,
Good luck.


Thank you!

Original post by falling
Personally, I think that if you're applying for a course you're truly passionate about you should have too many words and be trying to cut down. Are there any books/articles/cases that have inspired your interest in this subject, have you done any work experience that highlight your drive to study the course etc etc


Posted from TSR Mobile


I've talked about all those things. I've included the work experience in the 'EC' word count section. All the ECs, I have related linked to Law.


Original post by robthehero
I'm also applying for law. My personal statement has 3827 characters, or 649 words.

The first paragraph talks about why I want to study law, the second about in-school academics and how they've prepared me to study law, the third about outside reading that I've done and courses that I've taken related to law, and the fourth about ECs that are directly related to the study of law. (Sorry for that terrible run-on!)

All that being said, I think your PS should be fine if you've described thoroughly enough your reasons for wanting to study law, and everything you've written somehow relates to the course.


Good luck to you. It sounds like your personal statement will be amazing!

Have you by any chance applied to Manchester? I want to apply there but their English Language requirement is an A but I have a B. Do you know if they are lenient with their entry requirements as long as everything else is fine?
Reply 6
Original post by SlowlorisIncognito
Firstly, you should check the length of your personal statement by pasting it into the section on UCAS. Most people hit the line limit before they hit the character limit. It's likely you're not quite at the line limit, but your probably closer than you think.

However, you are right that the structure of your personal statement is poor. Only around 50% is focusing on Law, which is too little. When discussing law, you shouldn't just be explaining reasons as to why you want to study it. You should also be demonstrating your interest in the subject, for example by discussing extra reading/lectures attended/court visits, things like that. Can you like any of your current study to law? Using TSR's PS helper tool might help you improve the structure of your statement: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/personal_statement_help

Your personal statement is your one chance to sell yourself to unis, so you ought to make the most of it.


Thank you for your help (especially the link to the PS help).
Original post by Da Di Doo
Thank you!



I've talked about all those things. I've included the work experience in the 'EC' word count section. All the ECs, I have related linked to Law.




Good luck to you. It sounds like your personal statement will be amazing!

Have you by any chance applied to Manchester? I want to apply there but their English Language requirement is an A but I have a B. Do you know if they are lenient with their entry requirements as long as everything else is fine?


I'm sure yours is amazing too! :biggrin:
Nope, I haven't applied to Manchester; I'm actually an international student from NYC, so I'm not sure how unis are when it comes to English qualifications.
I think that's fine seriously. Mine was too long lol had to cut it down to 3860 in the end :tongue:
"Personal" "Statement" should describe you and why you chose do study in that particular field. Furthermore, it should also negotiate your relationship and cohesion with that subject. It should state your past experiences, qualifications and what you have done to come sought, confident and ready to study in this field. - Universities are mainly trying to find the "optimism" "enthusiasm" and "confidence" in personal statements.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 10
Original post by halamadrid777
I think that's fine seriously. Mine was too long lol had to cut it down to 3860 in the end :tongue:


Still 460 characters more than mine though. And you're very close to the limit as well so you must have written loads.

Erghh I can't think of anything else to write!!

Original post by Ariana Grande
"Personal" "Statement" should describe you and why you chose do study in that particular field. Furthermore, it should also negotiate your relationship and cohesion with that subject. It should state your past experiences, qualifications and what you have done to come sought, confident and ready to study in this field. - Universities are mainly trying to find the "optimism" "enthusiasm" and "confidence" in personal statements.


Thank you!
I had slightly less characters on mine, received first offer in October. Coincidentally I ended up going to the uni that offered me a conditional in October
Original post by Ariana Grande
"Personal" "Statement" should describe you and why you chose do study in that particular field. Furthermore, it should also negotiate your relationship and cohesion with that subject. It should state your past experiences, qualifications and what you have done to come sought, confident and ready to study in this field. - Universities are mainly trying to find the "optimism" "enthusiasm" and "confidence" in personal statements.


This. Quality matters and not quantity.:wink: It's fine. :smile:
My personal statement was 3964 characters before I begun my ucas application form. In order to get it to be within the line count of 47 I had to remove 322 characters. I now have 3642 and 26 lines :smile: Personally. I believe in quality over quantity. Don't waffle, but re-read it and think of the flow and how it reads back. You may find a extra 200 characters in there somewhere ;-)

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