Top 20 Personal Statement tips Part 2: Countdown from #10 to #1
As part of the launch for my new guide “How to write your UCAS Personal Statement” I’ve been counting down my top 20 tips over on Instagram.
In Part 2 of this article, we check out tips ten to one, and examine them in just a little bit more detail.
#10 Don't use quotes
But wait, I hear you say, who doesn't love a good quote? I mean, I even use quotes in my newsletter every week! Well, I do love a good inspirational quote, but I'll tell you who doesn’t. Admissions tutors. And especially when they read the same quotes over and over again. Whether it’s Mahatma Gandi, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, John Lennon or your favourite author, there are plenty of people who have amazing things to say about the world. But, ultimately, admissions tutors don't want to hear from them. They want to hear from you.
#9 Avoid jokes, humour and slang
Your UCAS Personal Statement is a piece of professional writing. It is not the place for slang. And definitely not for jokes. The chances of the admissions tutor understanding your sense of humour? Slim.
#8 Use reflective writing
This is not straightforward, and there are entire courses devoted to it. But ultimately, reflective writing is all about finding a way to dig deeper into an experience that you had, to make it more interesting and relevant to the reader. There are plenty of different models you can use to help you do this, but here is one that you can use:
Description: Describe what happened.
Feelings: Tell the reader how you reacted.
Evaluation: Was it a good or a bad experience?
Analysis: What sense can you make of the situation?
Conclusion: What can you conclude from your analysis?
Action: What action will you take? What will you do differently next time?
If you can cover each of these for the examples you use in your statement, you’ll really be using your experience to the max. (This model is from "Learning by Doing" by Graham Gibbs)
#7 Be honest, straightforward and truthful
It might sound obvious, and perhaps I shouldn’t have to say it, but basically, however tempting it may be, don’t make stuff up. By all means make the most of everything you've done, and make it sound as impressive as you can. But don't exaggerate. And definitely don't lie. You'll stack up problems for the future. And you'll put your referee in a very awkward position!
#6 Don't copy someone else's work
UCAS use software to detect plagiarism (plagiarism is just a fancy way of saying copying). They'll highlight any plagiarism they find to the universities you have applied for. While different universities will react in different ways (and most don’t have a clear policy on it), you can be sure that it will damage your application. And it could even result in a straight rejection.
#5 Proofreading is crucial
There is little excuse nowadays for poorly proofed work. You can use spell-check and grammar checkers, and there are plenty of AI tools where you can check your work. But my top tip here really refers to when you should do your proofreading. I strongly suggest you do your proofing and checking before you ask anyone for feedback. Otherwise, the reality is they'll just proofread your work and think that’s all you need. You'll miss the chance for great feedback on the content, structure and relevancy of your statement.
#4 Get your feedback in this order:
A trusted friend or family member.
A subject expert (probably a teacher!).
Your university counsellor (or other UCAS expert).
Why do I say this? Well, your friends and family will know the essentials, and can give you feedback on the main content: why you are choosing the course, and what you have done to show that you will be a good student. They’ll have better knowledge than your teachers about everything relevant you have done.
Once the basic content is there, the subject expert can then help you refine your statement to focus on what’s most important for the specific subject you’re applying to. And they can make sure you have demonstrated the most important skills and attributes.
Finally, the UCAS expert can help you fully refine the structure, keep the statement well rounded, and really polish the final writing.
#3 The best way to get feedback
I once read that Steve Jobs (Founder and CEO of Apple) used to ask just one simple question when he wanted feedback on his presentations. He wasn’t interested in having people massage his ego by telling him he was great. Nor did he want people to say what bad, without thinking how it could be improved. So he asked just this: "How can I make it better?".
I’ve been using this ever since, and it really helps people to focus on helpful feedback. You should try it when asking for feedback on your Personal Statement.
#2 Consider your mindset
This is a beautiful, simple idea from James Clear (author of Atomic Habits). He suggests replacing “I have to” with “I get to”. If you are cooking dinner for your family, it can feel like “I have to cook dinner for my family”, and no one feels positive about that. However, if you express it as “I get to cook dinner for my family”, suddenly it becomes an opportunity. You have the chance to decide what to cook for them, to choose your favourite dish, and to impress them with your skills!
So to get yourself started on your Personal Statement, instead of thinking "I have to tell the admissions tutor what a great student I'll be", you can change your mindset by considering "I get to tell the admissions tutor what a great student I'll be". Suddenly it’s less of a chore, and more of an opportunity!
#1 Remember, it’s YOUR Personal Statement
Finally we’ve made it to number one! While I haven’t necessarily ranked the tips from 20 to 2 in order of importance, I have definitely saved the most important one until last. And it’s this: Remember that it’s your Personal Statement. Make it personal and own it. This means that ultimately it's your decision what to put in, and what to leave out. It's your motivation you are demonstrating. And it’s your skill and experience that you are showing off. No one else can do this for you.
So own the process, from start to finish. Use every resource that is available. Take responsibility for how you approach the writing process, what you write, how you get feedback, and when you do the work. You’ll have to take the consequences of the outcome, so take ownership of the task.
These are my top ten tips. I really hope you have found them helpful and that at least one of them will change the way you write your UCAS Personal Statement for the better.
What next?
If you’d like to read tips #20 to #11, have a look at my previous article.
For loads of other hints and tips on How to write your UCAS Personal Statement, download my free guide here.
