Good grades but average personal statement?!

Original post by abc_jen

My history personal statement is rubbish compared to examples ones I've read so I'm now panicking about whether I'm going to get uni offers or not. My AS grades are AAAD but I've been told grades aren't really that important when applying. How true is this? My personal statement is painfully mediocre so I was hoping my grades would give me that extra push.

I'm applying to Uni of Manchester, York and Warwick as well as Edge Hill and Liverpool John Moores.

Thanks!!

For a course as competitive as history, grades are very important and I can't imagine why anyone would say otherwise. For history, though, the PS is also important. There's no work experience or anything else you can do for the course, so it's a way of showing how well you explain things and how well you can construct a logical piece of writing, which is one of the prerequisites for history. You have the grades. You need to polish up your PS, although I doubt it is as bad as you are saying if you are predicted AAA. If you have already sent it, then you will have to stop dwelling on it. If you haven't, then make it less mediocre. Doing neither of these things will get you nowhere.

Reply 3

OP

Original post by claireestelle

Grades are important, if you don't have the grades to meet the entry requirements then its likely you wont get an offer. Do you have a tutor who can give you feedback on your personal statement to improve it if you're worried?

Yes I have tutors who I can go and see and will be going to see about it, was just wondering how important grades are. Appreciate the response though so thanks!

Reply 4

OP

Original post by Carnationlilyrose

For a course as competitive as history, grades are very important and I can't imagine why anyone would say otherwise. For history, though, the PS is also important. There's no work experience or anything else you can do for the course, so it's a way of showing how well you explain things and how well you can construct a logical piece of writing, which is one of the prerequisites for history. You have the grades. You need to polish up your PS, although I doubt it is as bad as you are saying if you are predicted AAA. If you have already sent it, then you will have to stop dwelling on it. If you haven't, then make it less mediocre. Doing neither of these things will get you nowhere.

Thanks for the feedback :smile:

Reply 5

Original post by abc_jen

Thanks for the feedback :smile:

As I see you haven't sent it yet, let me direct you to this in case you haven't used it yet:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/personal_statement_help

Reply 6

OP

Original post by Carnationlilyrose

As I see you haven't sent it yet, let me direct you to this in case you haven't used it yet:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/personal_statement_help

Thank you for sending that! Looks helpful.

Reply 7

Original post by abc_jen

Thank you for sending that! Looks helpful.

It works for most people. For history, you have to show you have developed an independent interest beyond the school syllabus and demonstrate the analytical skills history needs in pursuing it.

Reply 8

username1500433

3

Grades are usually the most important part of your application, yours are very good so I wouldn't worry about that. Don't worry if yours aren't as good as some example ones you've read, I read a lot of examples for my economics personal statement and some of them were just completely over the top.

Reply 9

OP

Original post by Carnationlilyrose

It works for most people. For history, you have to show you have developed an independent interest beyond the school syllabus and demonstrate the analytical skills history needs in pursuing it.

So far in my personal statement I have analysed and compared books on the Renaissance which shows interest beyond my A-level syllabus so that's a start.

Reply 10

Original post by abc_jen

So far in my personal statement I have analysed and compared books on the Renaissance which shows interest beyond my A-level syllabus so that's a start.

Yes, it is. History's not my field, tbh.

Reply 11

OP

Original post by will_jg

Grades are usually the most important part of your application, yours are very good so I wouldn't worry about that. Don't worry if yours aren't as good as some example ones you've read, I read a lot of examples for my economics personal statement and some of them were just completely over the top.

Thanks for your response! I think it's good to read examples to get a feel of what personal statements are like but at the same time it's the worst thing you can do. I started comparing mine to examples ones I'd read and ended up losing my confidence.

Reply 12

OP

Original post by Carnationlilyrose

Yes, it is. History's not my field, tbh.

Well you were a great help so thanks!

Reply 13

ageshallnot

21

Original post by abc_jen

My history personal statement is rubbish compared to examples ones I've read so I'm now panicking about whether I'm going to get uni offers or not. My AS grades are AAAD but I've been told grades aren't really that important when applying. How true is this? My personal statement is painfully mediocre so I was hoping my grades would give me that extra push.

I'm applying to Uni of Manchester, York and Warwick as well as Edge Hill and Liverpool John Moores.

Thanks!!

Why both Edge Hill and John Moores? If you really love them, fine. If the objective is an easy insurance then you don't need both. WIth AAA at AS both will give you an offer so it is simply a matter of which one you might want to keep in mind as an insurance.

Reply 14

Original post by ageshallnot

Why both Edge Hill and John Moores? If you really love them, fine. If the objective is an easy insurance then you don't need both. WIth AAA at AS both will give you an offer so it is simply a matter of which one you might want to keep in mind as an insurance.

I was thinking of copying you into this. Give the girl some history ideas for her ps, oh history person. :wink:

Reply 15

OP

Original post by ageshallnot

Why both Edge Hill and John Moores? If you really love them, fine. If the objective is an easy insurance then you don't need both. WIth AAA at AS both will give you an offer so it is simply a matter of which one you might want to keep in mind as an insurance.

Quite a few people have said that to me. I have thought about replacing John Moores with another firm choice university but I'm not sure which and most open days have been and gone now. I know I don't have to apply to five universities but I would prefer to.

Reply 16

ageshallnot

21

Original post by Carnationlilyrose

I was thinking of copying you into this. Give the girl some history ideas for her ps, oh history person. :wink:

I know nothing about writing a PS...

Original post by abc_jen

Quite a few people have said that to me. I have thought about replacing John Moores with another firm choice university but I'm not sure which and most open days have been and gone now. I know I don't have to apply to five universities but I would prefer to.

You can apply with four choices initially, then add your fifth before the Jan 15th deadline. This would give you more time to think and perhaps find a uni which fits in the large gap between your current 'top 3' and your 'bottom 2'.

Reply 17

swanseajack1

19

try looking at Lancaster or Bangor if you want to stay north. Alternatively Leicester, Reading, Keele, Kent, Queen Mary, Royal Holloway and Essex all might be a good choice as your fourth

Reply 18

jackien1

19

Original post by Carnationlilyrose

For a course as competitive as history, grades are very important and I can't imagine why anyone would say otherwise. For history, though, the PS is also important. There's no work experience or anything else you can do for the course, so it's a way of showing how well you explain things and how well you can construct a logical piece of writing, which is one of the prerequisites for history. You have the grades. You need to polish up your PS, although I doubt it is as bad as you are saying if you are predicted AAA. If you have already sent it, then you will have to stop dwelling on it. If you haven't, then make it less mediocre. Doing neither of these things will get you nowhere.

Hey! I'm kinda in the same situation as OP. I have AAAC (Bio, Chem, Math, Physics respectively) at AS level but I feel like my personal statement is total crap. I don't really know what to write in it and I don't have work or lab experience. I've looked at the personal statement article on TSR and I'm using their tool to help me with my personal statement but I don't feel it's going well.

I'm interested in getting into a science course. How important do you think my PS will be?

Thanks!

Reply 19