Importance of Personal Statements

Hey!

I am currently finishing my PS and asking myself how important it really is. I'm a bit fed up with the thought, that there is no real possibility to control how much of the Statement is true or even, if it is true at all. If people are applying to a uni that doesnt do interviews, they could just totally exaggerate or even invent a suitable and attractive CV. So I wanted to ask, how decisive it really is and how the Universities suppose they can control the truth behind every statement.

Thanks in advance!

Conny

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Reply 1

NickiM

I would say it is very important. At universities, many competitive courses don't interview and have way more people than spaces they have available, all with similar grades. The personal statement (along with references) help to sort out the candidates. :smile:

Reply 2

Ywiss

You're right in that the universities can never really be sure about how much is truth and how much is falsity on your PS, but it's certainly advisable never to lie on it! There's always the possibility that you will be asked for interview - always - and then, if you've lied, you'll so easily be caught out. That's why people, especially those going for English Lit, always have to limit themselves to mentioning two or three books that they've read, in case they get asked about them in an interview. Lying about what you've read or what you've done can result in a considerable amount of stress before the interview and awkwardness during it.

Your PS is important - it's often your one chance to show the universities how literate and coherent you are, as well as conveying to them a bit about you as a person, what distinguishes you from other candidates with otherwise identical CVs. However, it's not something to make yourself ill over, by any means - an admissions tutor at York University said in a presentation that, as long as your PS doesn't diminish your application (i.e. it takes away from the effect of your application because it is so rubbish), it'll be fine. It only has to be acceptable, not perfect, not exceptional, not amazing.

Reply 3

Anonymous samosa

very important indeed.....second most important thing after predicted and acheived grades i would say. ive lied in my personal statemnt....but i dont get interviewed for my chosen area of course (business)..luckily!..and hav secured 3 offers so far!....but i wudnt risk it!....go on the university's website and find out whether interviews are carried out for ur chosen course or not.

Reply 4

*knowitall*

I suspect it's a tone of enthusiasm and a good grasp of written english that's the key.

And if you lie you are only diminishing yourself - if you feel you can't get in as yourself but have to pretend to be someone you're not then what does that say about you?

Reply 5

wackysparkle

don't lie! - just imagine if they did ask you for an interview? it does happen, for my course we weren't meant to get interviewed let alone send off portfolios, but i later found out that some people did get interviewed!
Don't lie - it will just get you into a lot of unecessary problems.
the personal statment is imprtant to uniz, coz it represents who you are, and makes them decide whether you have more potential than the other candidate that they were about to choose -you have to be different, unique and something the uniz are looking for. so bottom line your PS has to be unique and stick out!

Reply 6

Mustard-man

With universities which don't interview, i.e. LSE, I suppose you could get away with it... which worries me :redface:

. But remember, most applicants apply for more than one university, therefore they will always pose the risk of being asked questions from others.

Reply 7

kellywood_5

A lot of people probably do lie or exaggerate on their personal statements, but it's really not worth it because you'll be stuck if you're invited for interview. Personal statements are very important though. If you apply for a competitive uni and course, there will be more applicants with top grades than there are places, so the personal statement and reference are used to decide who to give offers to. If you to apply to a uni with entry requirements slightly higher than your predictions/grades, a good personal statement and reference can get you an offer.

Reply 8

soup_dragon87

My old chemistry tracher read out a personal statement that had been sent to him by an admissions tutor friend. The applicant had spun the most obvious set of lies; "I was the youngest person to climb Everest and walk to both Poles. Inbetween these events I discovered the cure to AIDS, cancer, Lupus and the common cold. Last year I recovered gold and pearls from the wreck of the Titanic, and presented the horde to Her Majesty the Queen..." on and on it went, and he was given an offer of EE to study history.

I expect the applicant realised how terribly dull it must be to read hundreds of the same boring personal statements and decided to make his different. That and arrogance. However I strongly suggest against doing this.

Reply 9

Ywiss

How dumb! I can't believe he was actually liked by the admissions tutors.

Reply 10

username81904

lol you dont need to lie. Just say what youve done with abit of flare!

Reply 11

horseofthedog

Does anyone else think it's a total ****ing disgrace that there are companies taking money to write personal statements? One of my friends is a teacher and she reckons it's illegal and if anyone realised you'd be done for, but still, it seems pretty reprehensible that anyone would do that.

Reply 12

TwoDot

The librarian in my school apparently writes personal statements for a certain amount of money. Apparently you just give her the points like what you've done and she'll write it all for you.

:hmmmm:

Reply 13

deekinee

soup_dragon87

Does this work? Which university offered him a place? I'm going to write up something ridiculous as this. Does making the admissions drop down laughing their guts out get you an offer more easily than showing off or begging for a place?

Reply 14

deekinee

Well... does it WORK?

Anyone?

Reply 15

Tomharper

Does this work?

IMO what that person said is absolute rubbish. Anyways I bet that university is a crap hole whom is stupid enough to believe that PS OR doesn't have enough applicants per place to meet the yearly quota.

Reply 16

deekinee

Did that humourous applicant apply to London Met uni by any chance?

If KCL accepted him then I'd make sure I write only humourous PS from now on.

Reply 17

deekinee

Tomharper

Or his daddy donated money to this university...
Or he sexually satisfied a female admissions...
Or the admissions were ill that day and he got lucky...

I still think that PS rocks! especially that Titanic line, lol.

Reply 18

soup_dragon87

It was Oxford. University College I believe.

P.S. It was quite some time ago now, before 2000 at least.

P.P.S Again, I strongly advise against doing this. It will almost certainly ruin any chances you have of getting into university this year.

Reply 19

deekinee

If it got him a place in Oxford then it's good enough for me. I'll remember to use hilarious PS from now on...

He must have got good grades though. That PS of his only caught their attention and did show how much he knew about history.