what are the dos and don'ts of personal statement

I am a 2024 entry applicant and would like to know the dos and don'ts of PS from a student who has applied previously to the UK in a Law course.

Reply 1

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by Aess1601

I am a 2024 entry applicant and would like to know the dos and don'ts of PS from a student who has applied previously to the UK in a Law course.

Hello,

When writing a personal statement you have to be aware of the 4000 character/47 line limit. You don’t have any space for waffle.

What I would say you should include:
- What you want to study
- What you’ve learned at your school
- what you’ve learned outside your school
- What hobbies are relevant to your degree
- What specifically interests you about the degree
- What relevant extracurricular activities do you do
- Any books that directly help your statement?

Essentially you want to advertise yourself to the universities you’re applying for. What makes you stand out from other candidates?

If you just talk about yourself without mentioning the course you won’t stand out. Likewise if you only talk about the course you won’t have the chance to talk about your own experiences and hobbies. You need a balance of course interest and personality/flair.

Hope this helps,
Dom

(edited 8 months ago)

Reply 2

Aess1601

thanks!