1. UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS David Winstanley Education Liaison Manager University of Liverpool Kieron Broadhead Student Recruitment Officer Goldsmiths, University of London

2. UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS Introduction Is there a secret formula to writing a personal statement that will guarantee you a place…?

3. UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS Introduction NO! However…

4. UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS Aims of the session By the end of this session, you will: Have identified key aspects of UCAS personal statement Be equipped with top tips Be aware of what admissions tutors are looking for in personal statements Be aware of the practicalities of writing personal statements in the UCAS Apply system Have seen real examples Personal Statements and References; good AND bad!

5. UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS Things to remember All HEI’s treat statements and references in different ways Some HEI’s give them more weight than others Practices can vary within institutions The personal statement and references are used in conjunction with a whole range of other factors

6. UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS Personal Statements Personal Statement overview: The importance of the personal statement Style and appearance What to include Tips for success Examples

7. UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS Personal Statements Importance: Most courses at most universities don’t interview Those that do interview will often base their questions on the statement Often the only chance the student has to differentiate themselves and impress the admissions tutor

8. UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS Personal Statements Style and appearance: It is a formal application There are 4,000 characters and 47 lines Paragraphs are important! Write in word processing software then cut and paste into Apply Spelling, grammar and punctuation should be perfect! Plagiarism Detection Software system – you won’t know; but they will!

9. UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS Personal Statements Content: Commitment, interest and enthusiasm! Analytical and reflective, not merely descriptive Relevant (and transferable) skills and abilities Work experience Understanding of the course applied for!

10. UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS Personal Statements Examples of activities/experiences to include: Duke of Edinburgh’s Award/CCF/CSLA (Leadership, commitment, teamwork) Young Enterprise (Management, workload balance, imagination) Volunteering and community engagement (Drive, communication, passion) Part time work (Workload balance, reliability, enthusiasm)

11. UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS Personal Statements List any prizes you have won – either inside or outside school What would you say has been your biggest achievement and why? Has anyone motivated you? If so, who and why? Do you have a favourite book, film, hobby? How have they influenced you? Have you faced any difficulties in life? Did it change you? Have you worked hard for something and finally achieved your goal? Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? What would your friends/family say if they were writing your statement? Questions to ask

12. UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS Personal Statements Personal statement preparation: Allow yourself time for thought and planning Jot down achievements throughout Year 12/keep a log Work with friend to think about what you can include University Education Liaison Teams are well-versed in this and happy to assist Ensure that you are around for UCAS preparation day on Jun 19th – those without much to include have a chance to rectify it!

13. CONTACT DETAILS David Winstanley Education Liaison Manager University of Liverpool 765, Brownlow Hill Liverpool L69 7ZX T: 0151 794 5932 E: d.winstanley@liv.ac.uk W: www.liverpool.ac.uk Kieron Broadhead Undergraduate Recruitment Officer Goldsmiths, University of London New Cross London SE14 6NW T: 020 7919 7572 E: K.Broadhead@gold.ac.uk W: www.goldsmiths.ac.uk