1. If you are applying to an oversubscribed university course, e.g. physiotherapy, medicine, etc and everyone applying is likely to have good grades, the personal statement is the only thing that will set you apart from other applicants. During 2010/11 over 600,000 of them will have been written…there were only 400,000 places. 1 out of every 3 people who apply to University are unsuccessful. The most competitive selection procedure of your life. Personal statement – why so important?

2. HonestImportant ConciseIndividual Why my chosen course? Current studies Future SkillsQualitiesChosen course RelevantExamplesTime consuming DraftsConfidencePositiveStructured AccurateScary Motivation

3. The UCAS Personal Statement You must:  Sell yourself – make yourself stand out from other candidates  Be honest – you may need to back up your statement at an interview at a later date  Be concise – NO waffling!

4. Structure……..  Beginning, middle and end  With possibly thousands to read, your start needs to convince the admissions tutor to keep on reading!!  You can enter up to 4,000 characters (including spaces) or 47 lines of text (including blank lines).  Clear font e.g Times New Roman or Arial font size 12  Prepare your statement by reading through and redrafting several times.  Ensure you have saved the document somewhere safe!

5. The sales pitch……… why me?………

6. Choice of subject “Throughout my education, my interest in studying Law has increased greatly. Not only does it appeal as a subject that will challenge me intellectually but also as one which I believe is central to the future direction of society….” Make links to current studies “I have very much enjoyed A’level History. Studying the battles of the First World War gave me an historical context for some texts I subsequently studied in English. This has also helped develop my analytical and research skills……” Gaining from the experience “… I have particularly enjoyed my time on the school council, where School matters are discussed and decisions made. This, together with public speaking has helped increase both my confidence and communication skills. Through my involvement as vice captain in tutor group sports competitions I have learned how to encourages and inspire others. Diplomacy has also been important when selecting teams ”

7. Real examples Some UCAS applications are stored online. It is important that you get a feel for the type of language and style that is used in the particular field you are looking to study in. http://www.studential.com/personalstatem ents/ Please select the course that you like and read through some application examples before you begin to draft your own effort.

8. So what do they say?...... Time spent reading the personal statement varies from 1 to 10 minutes I look for students who are interesting to teach It provides the information for a meaningful interview The only way to tell those who are just good at the subject from those who are really interested All I want to know is whether they have a burning desire to study the subject A good statement can make the difference for borderline cases http://www.bham.ac.uk/videoaudio/video/applytouni.shtml

9.  “Careful research is the key to finding the right course at the right university. When assessing applicants, I look for individuals who understand and show motivation for the course of their choice and who have taken the opportunity to find out about and gain a feel for our university.”  (Admissions tutor, engineering, UMIST)

10. Things to avoid  Spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors  Repetition  Failure to demonstrate passion for chosen course  Lack of structure  Mentioning a particular institution or course  Bullet points or a list  Don’t waffle!  A last minute attempt

11. What are universities looking for?...  Relevant academic ability  Motivation  Study skills  Relevant experience (initiative)  Enthusiasm for the subject  Personal achievements  Commitment  Someone who will be interesting to teach http://www.ucas.ac.uk/about_us/stat_services/stats_online/data_tables/subject/ A verage number of applications per place for all subject areas, up to 2009

12. Useful websites  www.ucas.com lists all the full time higher education courses in the UK www.ucas.com  http://www.studential.com/guide/write_personal_statement.htm http://www.studential.com/guide/write_personal_statement.htm  www.prospects.ac.uk Graduate jobs and IAG. Careers advice, jobs, post graduate study, info on graduate destinations www.prospects.ac.uk  www.agr.org.uk Association of Graduate Recruiters – if you search around the site there’s some useful info relating to the graduate job market. www.agr.org.uk  www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u great source of career info lists jobs, qualifications and salaries www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u  www.yourfuture-eastmidlands.co.uk lists all vocational courses available in the east midlands- a very comprehensive site www.yourfuture-eastmidlands.co.uk  www.aimhigher.ac.uk national site with general Higher Education information www.aimhigher.ac.uk  http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/datablog/2010/jun/15/university- tables-spreadsheet - University league tables by subject http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/datablog/2010/jun/15/university- tables-spreadsheet  www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

13. Some common questions  How far back should I go when mentioning my hobbies and interests?  Only mention things which help support your application; a long list of everything you’ve done is much less impressive than picking one or two things and writing about the skills you learned through them. Activities undertaken recently will certainly carry more weight than those you did in junior school.  I’m not interesting or unique…what should I do?  Everyone has aspects to their personality that make them interesting, it’s just a case of putting them into words. You may find it helpful to ask someone close to you like a friend, relative or teacher.  How should I end my personal statement? Don’t just let it fizzle out; this is your final chance to impress. Avoid being too general by writing something like “I am looking forward to becoming a psychologist”; be much more specific and end on a very positive note by closing your statement with something like “I am passionate about working with young children in the future and therefore highly detrmined to make the most of my degree and achieve my ambition to become a developmental psychologist.”