personal statement help

Hi everyone
I'm applying for ancient history this year and I was wondering if anyone had any advice for writing your personal statement? Any tips, suggestions for starting off the statement would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
Kathy

Reply 1

elanor_sarah

I've applied for Classical Studies (and have had offers! Yay!) And I think I managed to do a really strong personal statment. Here's my top tips (cheesy, yes...)

1) Avoid rhetorical questions or a 'witty' statement about Classics. Your application will be seen by people who are top of their field, they've seen the 'witty one liners' too often. Get straight to the good stuff in the first few lines.

2) Get straight into what interests you, reference books and pick on a partiuclar topic in that book that really interested you. If you can link your Classical Studies to their relevance in the wider world/your other subjects you're laughing!

3) Be passionate, there is a difference between getting As and really LOVING your subject. The department needs to know you will be commited, after all you'll be there for at least 3 years.

4) Don't focus too much on extra-curricular stuff. Really, they hardly care. 3 or sentances on outside of school/subject related stuff is good, but only so far in showing you're human :P Primarily Universities want information about your interest in the particular degree.

Hope that helped a bit!