Personal Statement Advice

Hi all,

I know many of you are currently working on your personal statements, so I thought I would give some advice that helped me when I was writing mine.

Firstly, getting started can sometimes be the hardest part. What helps me when writing is creating first a plan in bullet points of what I am going to write in each section. Then just start writing, even if at first you don’t like how it sounds or feel like you can’t find the right thing to say just write what comes to mind as once you start it is easier to get going. You can always then change it later, when something else comes to mind. A personal statement may take a few drafts.

Structure

This is the structure I followed:

Intro (20%) What course/subject you want to study and why
Main part (60%) Show you have the academic skills and relevant experience to complete the course successfully.
Out of college experience/interests (10%) Make them relevant to skills needed to be a successful student for the course you want to do.
Conclusion (10%): Summarise briefly what you have said and why you are the right candidate for the course.

Research

It is important to research each course you are applying for. Look at the course website pages and write down any skills they mention, or it seems you will need to study the course and then you can keep you PS relevant to the list.

STAR Method

When it comes to writing about your skills it is important to give examples and not just say that you have the skills. A good way to do this is by following the STAR method.

Situation: What is the situation you faced?

Task: What tasks were involved in that situation?

Action: What actions did you take?

Result: What was the results of those actions? What did you learn?

A second opinion

If you have anyone at college or sixth form who you can send your personal statement to for some feedback, make sure to do so. It may also be helpful to get a family member or friend to look over it, as they will be able to spot things that you may not have noticed. I also read what I write out loud, which really helps me see what does and doesn’t make sense.

I hope this was useful and maybe gave you some inspiration to start writing.

Good Luck 😊

-Grace (Kingston Rep)