The Student Room Group

Messed up my Personal Statement

I think I messed up my Personal Statement and I don't know what went wrong when I copy pasted it from docs. The problem is is that paragraphs don't exist, but it didn't look like that on the preview when I submitted it. Instead of continuing on the next line, it's just sentence after sentence after sentence. Just a block of text. I feel like it's difficult to read. My introduction and ending are just GONE, it's just one very long paragraph.

I don't know if it's going to be an issue and I am scared if it's going to ruin my chances for offers from unis, I don't know if I am making it a bigger deal than it is. Does it actually matter? Will it be a problem?

My application was sent through and there is absolutely nothing I can do other than hope for the best at this point.
Original post by Mellifers
I think I messed up my Personal Statement and I don't know what went wrong when I copy pasted it from docs. The problem is is that paragraphs don't exist, but it didn't look like that on the preview when I submitted it. Instead of continuing on the next line, it's just sentence after sentence after sentence. Just a block of text. I feel like it's difficult to read. My introduction and ending are just GONE, it's just one very long paragraph.

I don't know if it's going to be an issue and I am scared if it's going to ruin my chances for offers from unis, I don't know if I am making it a bigger deal than it is. Does it actually matter? Will it be a problem?

My application was sent through and there is absolutely nothing I can do other than hope for the best at this point.

What you submitted to UCAS is what it looked like on the preview.
Does it look like this https://www.reddit.com/r/6thForm/comments/10hph2w/ucas_personal_statement_format_looks_weird_after/
Are you viewing on ipad?
Or was it like this https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1441941
(edited 6 months ago)
Original post by Mellifers
I think I messed up my Personal Statement and I don't know what went wrong when I copy pasted it from docs. The problem is is that paragraphs don't exist, but it didn't look like that on the preview when I submitted it. Instead of continuing on the next line, it's just sentence after sentence after sentence. Just a block of text. I feel like it's difficult to read. My introduction and ending are just GONE, it's just one very long paragraph.

I don't know if it's going to be an issue and I am scared if it's going to ruin my chances for offers from unis, I don't know if I am making it a bigger deal than it is. Does it actually matter? Will it be a problem?

My application was sent through and there is absolutely nothing I can do other than hope for the best at this point.


Try not to panic, it’s probably just the UCAS form format - see here https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7278230
Reply 3
Original post by BankaiGintoki
What you submitted to UCAS is what it looked like on the preview.
Does it look like this https://www.reddit.com/r/6thForm/comments/10hph2w/ucas_personal_statement_format_looks_weird_after/
Are you viewing on ipad?
Or was it like this https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1441941

It does not look like either of those. It's like a massive paragraph, no separate lines, and I am viewing it on my computer. Where a sentence should start from a new line for a new paragraph, it just continues on the same line.
Reply 4
Original post by BlueChicken
Try not to panic, it’s probably just the UCAS form format - see here https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7278230


My paragraphs are not broken, it's just a single one, massive. I didn't have spaces between my paragraphs because it ate away at my line count, even though I was within character count, and I am afraid that might have caused an issue. My paragraphs are visible on my google document, but on UCAS, they're non-existent. I am hoping it's a website thing but it will appear normal to the people that will read it.
Original post by Mellifers
My paragraphs are not broken, it's just a single one, massive. I didn't have spaces between my paragraphs because it ate away at my line count, even though I was within character count, and I am afraid that might have caused an issue. My paragraphs are visible on my google document, but on UCAS, they're non-existent. I am hoping it's a website thing but it will appear normal to the people that will read it.

The only way to have spacing between paragraphs in a UCAS PS is to leave blank lines.

If you didn’t then it makes it more difficult for admissions staff to identify the most important information quickly.

You won’t be rejected for bad formatting but it’s not ideal. I’m guessing you’ve already submitted your application?
Reply 6
Original post by PQ
The only way to have spacing between paragraphs in a UCAS PS is to leave blank lines.

If you didn’t then it makes it more difficult for admissions staff to identify the most important information quickly.

You won’t be rejected for bad formatting but it’s not ideal. I’m guessing you’ve already submitted your application?


I did . In the preview it looked fine, it made sense. There were no spaces between paragraphs but you could tell when a new paragraph started or ended. But it doesn't anymore and that is what is so frustrating.
(edited 6 months ago)
Original post by Mellifers
I think I messed up my Personal Statement and I don't know what went wrong when I copy pasted it from docs. The problem is is that paragraphs don't exist, but it didn't look like that on the preview when I submitted it. Instead of continuing on the next line, it's just sentence after sentence after sentence. Just a block of text. I feel like it's difficult to read. My introduction and ending are just GONE, it's just one very long paragraph.

I don't know if it's going to be an issue and I am scared if it's going to ruin my chances for offers from unis, I don't know if I am making it a bigger deal than it is. Does it actually matter? Will it be a problem?

My application was sent through and there is absolutely nothing I can do other than hope for the best at this point.

I was told that the uni's don't actually receive the ps in paragraphs. They just get one big ASCII file, essentially a massive block of text.
I think you'll be fine. It definitely won't come close to costing you any offers.
Reply 8
There are two places on UCAS where I can view my PS. If I go to ‘Important Information’ and ‘View all details’, I see my personal statement that is all crammed together. But when I go to the bottom of the page, to PS and References, my PS looks the way I intended it to. You can tell when a new paragraph starts! And I hope the universities will see the second format, not the abomination that is the first.
Original post by Mellifers
I did . In the preview it looked fine, it made sense. There were no spaces between paragraphs but you could tell when a new paragraph started or ended. But it doesn't anymore and that is what is so frustrating.

Ucas doesn’t strip out carriage returns/new lines. What you saw in your preview is likely to be how universities will see your PS (though some universities do strip out new lines while others will add space after new lines to make it easier to read).

Brevity is better in the case of PSs. Your audience is likely to be scan reading in 1-2 minutes maximum so short and to the point is better than using every line and every character available.
Original post by srichandmyneni
I was told that the uni's don't actually receive the ps in paragraphs. They just get one big ASCII file, essentially a massive block of text.
I think you'll be fine. It definitely won't come close to costing you any offers.

You were told wrong
Reply 11
I see. Thank you for the help

Original post by PQ
Ucas doesn’t strip out carriage returns/new lines. What you saw in your preview is likely to be how universities will see your PS (though some universities do strip out new lines while others will add space after new lines to make it easier to read).

Brevity is better in the case of PSs. Your audience is likely to be scan reading in 1-2 minutes maximum so short and to the point is better than using every line and every character available.

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