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When did you start writing your Personal Statement?

Hey everyone, I'm going to apply this year for 2008 entry. Just wondering, when did you guys start writing your personal statements? and can you suggest an ideal time to start writing it?

Thanks.

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Reply 1

_bonnie

I think basically whenever your ready... planning is a good thing, so you can always start planning now, just like write down things which you might want to include etc.

:biggrin:

p.s im applying to medicine 2008 too!

Reply 2

Chrish2

eskimo7

Hey everyone, I'm going to apply this year for 2008 entry. Just wondering, when did you guys start writing your personal statements? and can you suggest an ideal time to start writing it?

Thanks.

I started my UCAS form in the end of November and only started my Personal Statement Middle of December. Submitted it to college for there statement (she had already typed one up) and then sent it off for good just a day or two before UCAS closed for Xmas. My theory was, alot of people would submit it over x-mas and the uni's wont get them to January so mine will be on top of the pile

Reply 3

*River

I started mine in the summer before I applied, and kept working on it until the deadline, which for me (and for you aswell), was early-ish October.

Reply 4

Q.E.D

My school has a sept 14th deadline for UCAS and they make us start writing about nowish...
I'm applying for classics 2008, and have done a draft type thing, and am working on it atm :biggrin:

Reply 5

Rosie151

i would start now. i know the deadline is january but the earlier you submit the form, the better your chances (it might be a tiny advantage but it's still there nonetheless). my school made us start writing our personal statements in april last year, submit them in june, and submit the final copy for an internal deadline in september. it may sound anal but its worth leaving your personal statement for a couple of months to look at it with fresh eyes.

esp if you're applying for medicine which has a deadline in oct and is very very competitive. start now - and then you'll realise where the gaps are eg. work experience which is important for medicine, and maybe be able to do something to improve your personal statement.

Reply 6

chongy

I actually started writing mine around about this time last year. and had my first draft done by the middle of July...It seems like a long time, but this was pretty low down on my list of priorities at the time.

Reply 7

bluenoxid

The best time to start writing is after your AS exams have finished.

I would then note down things worth mentioning, such as what makes you interested in the subject (I loved **** off construction equipment and Massive Moves so I chose Civil Engineering). Extra Curriculars any work experience relevent or irrelevent.

http://thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Applications_to_Higher_Education

Reply 8

forpolarbears

I started planning in July, but didn't actually start writing until August.

Reply 9

Dionysus

I started writing mine about 3 days before the Oxford/Cambridge deadline - just got it in on time. Still, without wanting to boast, they said it was one of the best they'd ever seen. It's really not as hard as you might think, as long as you cover the important points without it being yet another 'clone' personal statement.

Reply 10

herbal bug

straught after my AS's. was easier to do it then as the summer was spend choosing my choices :smile:

Reply 11

Paranoid Kid

Sooner you do it the better-you'll probably end up redrafting it 1000 times, so get prepared!

Reply 12

doodygirl

I've already done a draft of mine :eek:

Reply 13

Slender Loris

I started mine in the Summer... then completely rewrote it from scratch the night before the (October) deadline.

Reply 14

xkatb15x

did mine a week before i sent my ucas off so about oct 7ish i thought it really helped as i was in the thick of looking at which uni to apply to and i had read so much stuff about what they were looking for, also had work experience over summer hols so how can you write it now?mmm i was v proud of my ps lol i was amazed actually that the unis look at it so closely i was told by the admissions guy at cambridge that it was v amusing dont know if that was good or bad....