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The Personal Statements Thread!

OriginalThis is a thread for all of your personal statement queries. There's some useful stuff all over the forum if you know where to find it. Its worth checking out the wiki, and once you have written your personal statement you can then get it checked out by one of our friendly PS helpers in the PS Help forum which is here: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=134

Remember, there are some important things to note when writing personal statements.

* As a rough guide, it should be about 2/3 academic and 1/3 extra-curricular (more on the academic side if applying to Oxford or Cambridge)

* Don't just list books, you need to say what you got from reading them!

* Make sure you explain why you want to study the subject - your enthusiasm for the subject should be evident.

* When talking about extra-curriculars, don't just say what you've done, but explain what skills you got from doing these things - especially if that skills helps with your subject.

* Check you spelling and grammar - what admissions tutors will want to accept someone who hasn't even proofread their statement?

Happy PS writing!

Nina

Reply 1

FadedJade

15

This is a thread for all of your personal statement queries. There's some useful stuff all over the forum if you know where to find it. Its worth checking out the wiki, and once you have written your personal statement you can then get it checked out by one of our friendly PS helpers in the PS Help forum which is here: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=134

Remember, there are some important things to note when writing personal statements.

* As a rough guide, it should be about 2/3 academic and 1/3 extra-curricular (more on the academic side if applying to Oxford or Cambridge)

* Don't just list books, you need to say what you got from reading them!

* Make sure you explain why you want to study the subject - your enthusiasm for the subject should be evident.

* When talking about extra-curriculars, don't just say what you've done, but explain what skills you got from doing these things - especially if that skills helps with your subject.

* Check you spelling and grammar - what admissions tutors will want to accept someone who hasn't even proofread their statement?

Happy PS writing!

Nina

Reply 2

hippobluecampe

15

Personal statements should be about 2/3 academic. What does this include? Just plain interest on the course? Are extra-curriculars that relate to the subject regarded as academic?

Reply 3

adilmorrison

12

Scholastic matters relating to the course i.e. why you are interested in the course, lectures you've attended, books you've read, and so on... It could also refer to other academic interests/pursuits...

Reply 4

UpTheBracket.

7

So, there I was thinking I was nearly ready to send off my PS, relieved that it was FINALLY FINISHED, and then I realised that naming the authors of all the books I mention is perhaps a bit weird. I say things like 'Charles Dickens' 'David Copperfield'', which, let's face it, isn't really necessary - English Lit tutors are going to know who the book is by, right? To get to the point - should I take out all of these names? I literally do it about 7 times, which is probably a complete and unnecessary waste of characters.

Also, I talk a fair amount about what I want to do after my degree - go into journalism/editing - and I've heard that this (mentioning at length career ambitions, not journalism itself!) is frowned upon, is this true?

I think that's everything. By the way, please don't advise me to post my PS in the PS Helper forum-thing - I find the idea of someone I don't know (and who isn't an university Admissions Tutor) reading it not only horribly embarrassing but also a little bit weird.

Reply 5

Grapevine

13

Is it vital that I show my ps to a teacher who teaches the subject I'm applying for (geography)??

At the moment I have just showed my ps to my parents, brother (who's at uni), and my form tutor (who teaches economics). The reason I don't want to show it to my geog teacher is simply because I don't get on with them that well, and also, bluntly, don't think they would be much help - they have already offered some advice about ps' which most people (on here especially) seem to contradict. So what does everyone think??

Good thread by the way.

Reply 6

adilmorrison

12

It's not a must... They aren't an admissions tutor at any of the universities you're applying to, so their opinion is not going to be of any more value than the people's you have mentioned...

Reply 7

Minerva

17

UpTheBracket.

So, there I was thinking I was nearly ready to send off my PS, relieved that it was FINALLY FINISHED, and then I realised that naming the authors of all the books I mention is perhaps a bit weird. I say things like 'Charles Dickens' 'David Copperfield'', which, let's face it, isn't really necessary - English Lit tutors are going to know who the book is by, right? To get to the point - should I take out all of these names? I literally do it about 7 times, which is probably a complete and unnecessary waste of characters. Naming names is all very well, but if you are just listing things it doesn't add value. What the admissions tutors want to see is what you got out of the exercise! So, my first advice would be to reduce the number of texts you mention, but make each one you do include count. Even if the texts are really well known, you should at least write "Blank's 'A Dog's Life'".

Also, I talk a fair amount about what I want to do after my degree - go into journalism/editing - and I've heard that this (mentioning at length career ambitions, not journalism itself!) is frowned upon, is this true? We generally do advise keeping this short and sweet. You need to demonstrate why you want to do the course; making it clear that it's a just a means to an end is not always attractive to admissions tutors.

I think that's everything. By the way, please don't advise me to post my PS in the PS Helper forum-thing - I find the idea of someone I don't know (and who isn't an university Admissions Tutor) reading it not only horribly embarrassing but also a little bit weird. That's up to you but we are there to help if you change your mind (although be quick as the deadline is close and the forum is busy)

It sounds to me as if your PS may be a bit 'lite' on the academic side. I would also strongly advise you to read it out loud to yourself - this will show up nicely any over-blown language, complex sentences that aren't going anywhere, and repetitions. All these things don't help. Finally, although you don't mention them, make sure your extra-curricular stuff is no more than 1/3 as Nina mentions in her post starting off this thread, and preferably less as you are applying to Oxford etc.

Reply 8

inziebaybee

1

IM STUCK! I feel so under pressuse as i havent even started mine, i just dont know wat to write, I kno my university choices and the course but im confused. I wanna study sociology, but in different unis its combined with either media, cultural studies or Early childhood studies. How can i go about this, HELP!

Reply 9

Minerva

17

Focus your PS on sociology, and find some example/s to discuss where the other subject is relevant too.

Reply 10

eve_22

18

What about PS for mature students? I have completed mine already and got it checked by a PS helper, who said it was excellent, however, I am now slightly worried that I do not have any books i have read on it and my academics section is probably not as strong as those who have studied at A level etc.

I put down my ambition for the future career, my access course and what I am getting from it, my work experience, linguistic abilities, extra curricullas as : week work experience at solicitors firm, debating at school, academic competitions (Biology, Languages, History). I also mentioned that I was awarded a professional piano player diploma at the age of 15...Is that ok?

Reply 11

motiv3

9

Hi quick question, my teacher told me today that the subject should be capitalized i.e. history should not be History nor medicine should not be Medicine. Is this really the case? I always presumed that the title of the subject should be capitalized.

Reply 12

jdfan

8

motiv3

Hi quick question, my teacher told me today that the subject should be capitalized i.e. history should not be History nor medicine should not be Medicine. Is this really the case? I always presumed that the title of the subject should be capitalized.

See here point c

Reply 13

motiv3

9

jdfan, thank you very much!

+rep

Reply 14

Grapevine

13

inziebaybee

IM STUCK! I feel so under pressuse as i havent even started mine, i just dont know wat to write, I kno my university choices and the course but im confused. I wanna study sociology, but in different unis its combined with either media, cultural studies or Early childhood studies. How can i go about this, HELP!

The media is something you study in sociology (it was in my AS syllabus anyway), so you could link the two quite easily. How about reading a sociology/media book??

Reply 15

Good bloke

19

motiv3

Hi quick question, my teacher told me today that the subject should be capitalized i.e. history should not be History nor medicine should not be Medicine. Is this really the case? I always presumed that the title of the subject should be capitalized.

Are you missing a "not" there?

If so, your teacher is quite right. Subject names are common nouns, and consequently should not have initial capitals.

Reply 16

User188463

17

oops i made a mistake :frown:

cant do anything about it now...

Reply 17

jdfan

8

motiv3

jdfan, thank you very much!

+rep

Thanks!

Reply 18

.ACS.

19

What would people say is the general rule to ending a personal statement?

As it stands I've pretty much ended on a cliffhanger. My one teacher thinks it is an excellent idea whereas the other isn't sure and feel it's a pretty weak ending.

The problem is, it's already 47 lines and includes so much which is pretty vital. The only way to add a proper ending paragraph would be to remove certain aspects and possibly cut the intro short (though then it doesn't flow as nicely).

So as you can see, I'm in a pickle. :frown:

Reply 19

peanutbutternjelly

1

But if the universities themselves capitalize something (like English Language and Literature), then can't we do that as well? At one point I said "study of Literature" and I hope that's alright. that's the only point where I did that though..

The Personal Statements Thread!

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