Do personal statements have to start with "when I was young"?

"Ever since I accidentally burnt holes in my pyjamas after experimenting with a chemistry set on my 8th Birthday, I have always had a passion for science."

Reply 21

hypocriticaljap

2

Original post by Schoolio93

"Ever since I accidentally burnt holes in my pyjamas after experimenting with a chemistry set on my 8th Birthday, I have always had a passion for science."

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Reply 22

Racheld25

3

Don't start with when I was young....

I opened mine with a quote from a certain sociologist, I wasn't applying for sociology. I linked it in with my subject, and explained its relevance.
It must have done something right, because I got 5 offers :smile:

Reply 23

mehhh.....hi.

15

Your starting your PS early... it's only March.

Reply 24

Anne-marie

It much better to get to the point without waffling. If you were in a conversation and the other person asked you why you've picked this subject to study what would you say?

Reply 25

Lizzy the Bookworm

DO NOT use "when I was young". I know people have already said it, but just don't. It's cringey and cliche and unoriginal. I think I started mine with a reference to Harley Davidsons...... and oddly enough it seemed to work :smile:

In terms of length, it has to be a certain amount of characters which UCAS monitors. I think its like 3,000?
Not long, and you'll have to redraft a few times anyway, so get someone to read it. Good luck :smile:

Reply 26

MrStick

9

Original post by Baffledagaintoo

Hi i'm writing my personal statement. Do personal statements have to go a long way back or can you start at any point you feel is relevant? Especially if your GCSE wasn't so hot?

No, you can start off with...

'When I just a little fetus...'

That should do.

Reply 27

Bambi2803

4

Yes start off with "when I was young" then continue with "I was petrified".....

Reply 28

Est.

i would love to read the OP's personal statement :smile:

Reply 29

Baffledagaintoo

OP

Hi. Thanks a lot everyone. I've done my personal statement. I forwarded it to a friend and she says it is fine.

I posted my PS in the "Ask assistant" section as suggested it might take up to a week for them to check it :eek:

Reply 30

Baffledagaintoo

OP

Original post by Foo.mp3

"In a former life.." ftw

Lol.

I forgot to mention how I started. I started with "It was during my Business studies course in x college that my love and interest for Illustration and Animation was reignited as...."
:/

Reply 31

Gubey

I started with an obscure quote from Cicero (I applied for Classics) and I think it worked quite well as it was actually relevant to both my character and my motivation to study. Clearly some admissions tutors like it as I got 4 offers from top unis (rejected from Oxford but they care far less about PS).

I think it is a little too far to categorically dismiss starting with a quote, just make sure it is original and actually applies to you as a person.

And yes, get lots of people to look over it, you will probably write several drafts before submitting your 'finished product'.

Reply 32

Baffledagaintoo

OP

Thanks Gubey

Original post by Est.

i would love to read the OP's personal statement :smile:

Does the offer still stand? :smile:

Reply 33

Baffledagaintoo

OP

Original post by Foo.mp3

Really wouldn't start with that, not just from a presentational point of view but also because they're going to wonder where/when your interest was first 'ignited' and this isn't a Tarantino, a smooth chronology is fairly important to someone skipping through a large volume of PS's

After this I then go on to mention where my interest started from.

Reply 34

Becca-Sarah

19

Original post by Baffledagaintoo

Does the offer still stand? :smile:

Don't send your PS to any random TSRer asking to read it until after you've applied and are sure you won't need to use it again. The PS Help forum is protected from the UCAS plagiarism checker and all our Helpers have been checked to confirm that they're actually at university and not applicants, to stop your PS being 'borrowed' by other users.

Reply 35

Baffledagaintoo

OP

Original post by Becca-Sarah

Don't send your PS to any random TSRer asking to read it until after you've applied and are sure you won't need to use it again. The PS Help forum is protected from the UCAS plagiarism checker and all our Helpers have been checked to confirm that they're actually at university and not applicants, to stop your PS being 'borrowed' by other users.

Yes, thank you. I'm just a bit desperate because the deadline is catching up to me. I posted my PS in the helpers section but i've been told it'll take about a week to get it checked.

Reply 36

Baffledagaintoo

OP

Original post by Foo.mp3

I'd be careful with staggered (retrospective) quasi-narratives, unless it's essentially a footnote or needs to feature later due to sectional divides

Reply 37

Popat21

Original post by Baffledagaintoo

Phew lol. Thanks a lot for your advice Tommyjw. Starting with a quote sounds like a good way to get me going. :smile:

Do you have one? Lol just joking :tongue:

PLEASE DO NOT START WITH A QUOTE. On so many occasions was I told by universities, my college and admissions staff that unless you have a quote that is relevant, you love and are ALREADY AWARE OF, you shouldn't use a quote. It's pretentious and just odd.

Reply 38

oxymoronic

19

Original post by Baffledagaintoo

Hi. Thanks a lot everyone. I've done my personal statement. I forwarded it to a friend and she says it is fine.

I posted my PS in the "Ask assistant" section as suggested it might take up to a week for them to check it :eek:

We're volunteering to help applicants like yourself and we do also have lives. As stated in the PS help guidelines, in the normal UCAS application period it will take us around 3 days to get back to you with a review and during this time we've got a turn over of around 1000 a month meaning right now we're taking a well earned holiday from applications. Unlike the rest of TSR, we do not work in a matter of minutes or hours. As has already been explained to you in your PS help thread, things are taking even longer at the moment as people have a lot of dissertation/coursework deadlines and are checking the forums less often because there aren't really any applications needing attention.

If you could update your PS help thread to actually explain your application status it would be much appreciated :smile:

Reply 39

Bella Occhi

16

Meh I think there are better ways to start than a quote - express yourself through your own words, not the words of others.