AI in Your Personal Statement: What you need to know

Hi everyone ! from one student who has successfully gone through the application process for undergrad and now for post grad too , I know just how daunting writing a personal statement for your university application can be . You want it to be good because this is your opportunity to showcase your achievements, passions, and future aspirations to admissions teams.
And in world where tech makes life easier , I know it can be tempting to want to use AI to showcase the best version of yourself. But it’s important to stay within UCAS regulations, which require you to write the statement yourself.
Here’s how you can ethically and effectively use AI to improve your personal statement without compromising its authenticity:
First of all let me start by saying do not use any AI to write your personal statement, write the initial draft yourself.
1. Use AI to Get Feedback on Your Drafts
Start by writing your personal statement from scratch. Focus on your experiences, skills, and goals. Once you have a draft, use AI to review it. Ask questions like:
“How can I make this opening more engaging?”
“Does this paragraph clearly show my enthusiasm for the subject?”
“ Does my personal statement cover all the points required ?”
AI can suggest ways to improve the clarity, flow, or structure of your writing without replacing your original thoughts.

2. Clarify Your Ideas
If you are struggling to articulate why you’re passionate about your subject? AI can help you brainstorm ways to express your enthusiasm. For example, I would have asked this:
“What are some ways I can show my interest in Energy Engineering through my extracurricular activities?”
This approach ensures your statement remains personal while benefiting from AI’s insights.

3. Polish Your Writing
Once your content is finished, use AI to identify where your writing can be more concise or impactful. You can ask:
“Are there any redundant phrases or complicated sentences in my statement?”
AI can highlight unnecessary repetition and suggest better word choices, helping you achieve a more refined statement and ideally that is what most students are looking for when using AI.

4. Check for Grammar and Spelling
There are many tools like Grammarly that are excellent for catching small errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

5. Ask for Suggestions, Not Solutions
The key to using AI ethically is to treat it as a guide rather than a shortcut. Use it to refine your ideas, but don’t rely on it to generate content. Avoid asking, “Can you write a personal statement for me?” Instead, use it to refine what you have already done.

6. Stay True to Yourself

Admissions teams are looking for authentic candidates and your personal statement should reflect your unique experiences . While AI can help you better articulate yourself , your statement should come from the heart.

AI is a great tool when used responsibly, it can offer invaluable suggestions to improve your writing while keeping you work authentic. Remember to use AI to refine, rather than create your personal statement .

I hope this helps and good luck with your application!
Cece
Energy Engineering student
De Montfort University