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Will similarities be detected?

Hi,
last year I applied via UCAS to several different uni's with my personal statement.

This year I want to apply(for clearing)using a personal statement that heavily borrows from my old one, will this be seen as plagiarism since I'm using a different UCAS account I just created and not doing it through my school this time?

cheers,
Tom.

Reply 1

Alexion

Yes, it will flag up, and even though it's your own work it may cause problems. I'd suggest trying to rephrase everything possible in order to prevent similarities flagging.

Reply 2

gtswattsy16

My thinking on this would be that you can't plagiarise your own work, you'd only be copying your own original piece so it's not as if you are copying someone else's statement. I think you'd be fine.

Reply 3

Tom_2465

ok, thanks looks like I'll be rewriting everything just to be safe :frown:

Reply 4

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by Tom_2465

ok, thanks looks like I'll be rewriting everything just to be safe :frown:

Sorry you've been given such inaccurate and uninformed answrs.

UCAS plagiarism detection has 2 stages. If the software flags a statement for similarly it is then looked at by a human. If the similarity is to a PS previously submitted by the same applicant then the human will not escalate any further. The PS will not be flagged to universities as plagiarised.

You are fine to reuse parts or all of your own PS.