Personal Statement:English 9

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English Personal Statement

Ever since I was a child I have had a passion for reading and writing and I believe that English is the ideal course for me to study at university. In school, English has consistently been my strongest subject and one that I find the most challenging, yet rewarding. My reading tastes are eclectic and I admire many writers, from those typically studied academically, such as Shakespeare, to contemporary novelists like Zadie Smith. My involvement in writing for Reality (the youth section of my local newspaper, the Jersey Evening Post) together with an article for the JCG Old Girls Magazine has given me first-hand experience in writing for an audience. This has reinforced my desire to study English at university

Studying English has not only given me the opportunity to appreciate works of literature, but has also allowed me to develop skills that will be of considerable benefit to me in the future. I have learnt to extract meaning through the detailed analysis of texts and to articulate my interpretation. I believe that these skills are generic and applicable in all walks of life. I have also always been interested in important moral debates, and I am aware that our great writers have often combined entertainment for their contemporary readers whilst addressing issues whose significance is as relevant today as when it was written. The study of literature has also enabled me to understand something of the cultural and historical contexts in which texts were written. Throughout my time studying English I have developed qualities that I am proud of - confidence in expressing my opinions, the ability to prompt and engage in group discussion and a willingness to explore different ideas and approaches to literature

The fact that I enjoy English so much means that motivation and commitment, two characteristics that I believe to be of the utmost importance, come relatively naturally to me

My love of writing leads me to favour journalism as a potential career, as I am fascinated by current affairs. Whilst this profession is often regarded as difficult to enter, I believe that my determination and confidence will help me to succeed. I have always enjoyed debating and have been involved in this both in and out of school. I contributed to the Jersey Youth Assembly in 2002, an event that mirrored a real parliamentary sitting of the States of Jersey, but consisted of students from the island's sixth forms. I acted as 'seconder' for a highly controversial motion, writing both my own speech and that of the 'proposer'

Aside from academic studies, I enjoy a variety of pursuits. These include drawing, walking, cycling and yoga. I am keen on drama, gaining a GCSE in the subject and acting in school productions, and this is a hobby that I would like to continue at university. At present, I am doing voluntary unpaid community service, working in a coffee shop at the General Hospital, which I find worthwhile and rewarding. I am hoping to count this towards my Duke of Edinburgh Silver award. In school, I have been given the responsibilities of prefect and deputy house captain, positions that have benefited me in terms of both my organisational and time-keeping skills and have allowed me to become deeply involved with my school in its various activities and fundraising events.

Comments

General Comments:

This statement is a good basis, but could be greatly improved by being more specific and directly relevant to studying English. Throughout the whole statement, the applicant only mentions 2 authors, and doesn’t go into any detail over what they specifically like about them. This is going to look poor to an admissions tutor, as it doesn’t show the wider reading that universities will expect of an English applicant, and means that this applicant is unable to show their enthusiasm and interest in the subject. The extra-curricular section of this personal statement is quite long, with many things mentioned not at all relevant to English - if this section was revised and cut down, it would give the applicant more space to talk about their wider reading and interests in literature, which would make their personal statement and application overall much stronger.

Comments on the statement:

Ever since I was a child This is incredibly clichéd – it’s not important how long you’ve had an interest in the subject, what’s important is your current interest I have had a passion over-used word in PSs for reading and writing and I believe that English is the ideal course for me to study at university. This is a bit of a superfluous sentence. Tutors will know that English is the applicant’s ideal course, since they’ve applied for it, and they will expect all applicants to have a passion for reading and writing anyway - it doesn’t need stating. In school, English has consistently been my strongest subject Tutors will be able to see this from the applicant’s exam results, so by mentioning it in the statement they’re wasting valuable space. This is more for your referee to mention anyway and one that I find the most challenging, yet rewarding. This could be a good point, but instead of expanding on why they find it rewarding and challenging, the applicant has moved on to something else entirely, which weakens the sentence. My reading tastes are eclectic and I admire many writers, Universities will expect this from all applicants - the applicant should just discuss the writers they admire rather than ambiguously stating that they ‘admire many writers’ from those typically studied academically, such as Shakespeare, to contemporary novelists like Zadie Smith. The applicant should expand on this by discussing what in particular they like about Shakespeare and Zadie Smith - as it stands, this doesn’t tell tutors much about the applicant’s interests and is a bit of a pointless sentence. The key question to answer in a PS is WHY? – this should guide your writing My involvement in writing for Reality (the youth section of my local newspaper, the Jersey Evening Post) together with an article for the JCG Old Girls Magazine has given me first-hand experience in writing for an audience. This has reinforced my desire to study English at university This is good, but seems out of place here. It might fit in better if it was put at the end of the statement with the other extra-curricular activities. The first paragraph is full of quite vague, generic comments about English which don’t tell tutors much about the applicant. The space would be better used expanding on particular interests, or talking more about the authors mentioned.

Studying English has not only given me the opportunity to appreciate works of literature, but has also allowed me to develop skills that will be of considerable benefit to me in the future. This is rather stating the obvious to the admissions tutors – obviously you will read a variety of literature and develop skills. The focus should be on the benefit for degree level study. Admissions tutors will be far more interested in the works of literature the applicant has come to appreciate than the benefits of having an English degree. I have learnt to extract meaning through the detailed analysis of texts and to articulate my interpretation. The applicant should give an example of when they have done this with a certain text, or when they feel this has enhanced their reading of a text. Or, even better – they could talk about a particular book that they’ve enjoyed, explain why they’ve enjoyed it and do some analysis on it, to SHOW rather than TELL the admissions tutors they can analyse texts. Applicants often enjoy repeating the exam syllabus or assessment objectives to the admissions people - they'll be well aware what the applicant should have learnt whilst studying A level/Higher English, they don't need to be told it. I believe that these skills are generic and applicable in all walks of life. This isn’t a useful statement and doesn’t show that you would be a good English student, which is what a statement should be doing. Also, ‘walks of life’ is very cliched I have also always been am interested in important moral debates, and I am aware that our great writers have often combined entertainment for their contemporary readers whilst addressing issues whose significance is as relevant today as when it was written. This is an interesting point to mention, but the applicant needs to expand on this and mention writers or texts that do this, potentially analysing their moral arguments and discussing why they are interested in them The study of literature has also enabled me to understand something of the cultural and historical contexts in which texts were written. Again, this needs expanding on with examples to make it effective – as it stands, it is just repeating assessment criteria for the exam and doesn’t add anything. Throughout my time studying English I have developed qualities that I am proud of – dashes are too informal for a PS confidence in expressing my opinions, the ability to prompt and engage in group discussion and a willingness to explore different ideas and approaches to literature. And again, the applicant really should use examples to strengthen the point. Throughout this whole paragraph, the applicant hasn’t mentioned a single author - this is going to look bad to an admissions tutor and doesn’t display evidence of the passionate, eclectic reading that they claim to engage in. This section isn’t really personal to the applicant, or describing them; instead, it is talking about the AOs.

The fact that I enjoy English too informal for a PS so much means that motivation and commitment, two characteristics that I believe to be of the utmost importance, come relatively naturally to me. This can be deleted. They wouldn't be applying if this were not true.

My love of writing leads me to favour journalism as a potential career, as I am fascinated another over-used word in PSs by current affairs. Whilst this profession is often regarded as difficult to enter, I believe that my determination and confidence will help me to succeed. This doesn’t show them that the applicant is well-suited to an English degree and could be cut out to give the applicant more space to discuss their interests in English. Also, it could make the admissions tutors see this as a ‘means to an end’, which isn’t a good thing for a PS. Applicants often feel they need to have a career marked out and they don't, universities want people who will be enthusiastic for the next 3/4 years of their life, it doesn't matter what they want to do with the degree afterwards. I have always enjoyed enjoy debating and have been involved in this both in and out of school. I contributed to the Jersey Youth Assembly in 2002, an event that mirrored a real parliamentary sitting of the States of Jersey, but consisted of students from the island's sixth forms. I acted as 'seconder' for a highly controversial motion, writing both my own speech and that of the 'proposer'. The applicant could link this into studying English more explicitly, perhaps saying they’ve built on their ability to construct effective arguments and articulate themselves, which would make it more relevant and interesting to the people assessing the application and show a skill the applicant has that will be useful in studying English.

Aside from academic studies, I enjoy a variety of pursuits. The previous bit about the Youth Assembly isn’t really related to their academic studies (i.e. not a part of their A Levels), so it should be in the extra curricular section too These include drawing, walking, cycling and yoga. I am keen on drama, gaining a GCSE in the subject and acting in school productions, and this is a hobby that I would like to continue at university. they don't need to mention GCSE, this will be on their application and it doesn't mean they're overly keen... However, the applicant could have taken the opportunity here to talk about any plays they have acted in, and whether they feel it enhanced their understanding of the text. This could be in further up the PS as well, to keep all the relevant stuff to English together At present, I am doing voluntary unpaid evidently, if it is volunteering you do not get paid for it, one implies the other community service, working in a coffee shop at the General Hospital, which I find worthwhile and rewarding. I am hoping to count this towards my Duke of Edinburgh Silver award. Not really necessary In school, I have been given the responsibilities of am a prefect and deputy house captain, positions that have benefited me in terms of both my organisational and time-keeping skills and have allowed me to become deeply involved with my school in its various activities and fundraising events. This isn’t really suitable for a concluding paragraph. A conclusion should not mention anything new, and should sum up briefly why you want to study the subject and why you are a good candidate for the course.

Two reasonably-sizes paragraphs on extra-curricular activities seems like a lot. The applicant could have improved this section by cutting out many of the activities and honing in on the ones most relevant to English, such as staging drama productions and writing speeches for debates. If the section from the first paragraph about writing for a local newspaper was also moved here, it would make the whole section more relevant to studying English, as well as shortening the whole extra-curricular section and giving the applicant more space to talk about literature. It would also be better if it ended on an English-related note, rather than on extra-curricular activities which are unrelated to the subject you’re applying for.