How to Write a Winning UCAS Personal Statement

Ian Stannard

• Publisher: Trotman Education
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9781909319899
• eBook ISBN: 9781909319905
• Edition: 3
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Higher Education

The personal statement is a pivotal part of your UCAS application and the section that applicants agonise over the most. Admissions tutors will see hundreds of personal statements for one course alone, so how can you make yours stand out from the crowd?
Uniquely written in direct collaboration with universities, this bestselling guide provides current and accurate insider information on what admissions tutors are really looking for. Helping you to make informed choices and positive applications, it is packed full of vital tips on:

• How to tailor the perfect personal statement for your chosen course, with a collection of subject-specific chapters
• The best way to showcase your skills
• Which classic mistakes you MUST avoid
• What an ideal personal statement looks like – and how to write one
• 
  Fully updated to reflect the latest admissions procedures, this is a must-read for anyone wanting to write a winning UCAS personal statement and land a place on their dream course.

INTRODUCTION

The first thing you must remember is that your personal statement will probably be the only opportunity you get to ‘talk’ directly to the Admissions Selector on the programme you want to study. It is therefore vitally important that you make this statement as effective as possible!

DURHAM UNIVERSITY

The personal statement is probably the most important piece of writing that most students aiming to gain entry to higher education will complete outside of an examination hall. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, the supply of good courses in many areas of study is outstripped by demand. The result is that, for some highly competitive courses, the number of applicants can exceed supply by ten times.

Most universities do not interview candidates. You are unlikely to be interviewed unless you are applying to Oxford, Cambridge, veterinary science, medicine or a profession-allied-to-medicine course (dentistry, nursing, physiotherapy). Instead, they rely principally on four pieces of information when deciding whether to offer the applicant a place:

1the student’s academic record so far (GCSE or alternative results) and their current academic profile – are they studying A levels, International Baccalaureate or an equivalent qualification such as the Pre-U? This may become more important as we move away from the AS exams.

2the student’s personal statement

3the academic reference provided by the school or college

4the predicted grades that the school or college provides. Predictions are provided by the school and are normally based on the pupil’s most recent performance in class or in mock exams.

My experience of talking to many current admissions tutors is that they look first at the academic record and second at the personal statement. They do look carefully at predicted grades and the academic reference, but increasingly they base their decision on the actual GCSE grades achieved to date and the quality of the personal statement.

Note: The loss of their ability to look at completed AS grades for some students will make their job harder and increase the significance of the predicted grades and the pupils’ GCSE results. Some universities use GCSE results as a first sift, removing applicants whose grades fall below a certain threshold.

Many schools now write references that are somewhat bland. In the past, they were confidential, so referees could be honest with admissions tutors. Today they are not, and many schools feel unable to be as candid. For that reason, their usefulness is diminished.

Universities still read the references, but they are concerned about their usefulness. This is highlighted by the University of Leicester, who have a few useful comments to make that all applicants can bear in mind when talking to the school or college about a reference.

Here is a selection of suggestions direct from Leicester’s admissions tutors.

It may seem like an obvious point to make, but many references are plain and generic and could have been written about anyone. I have also seen the occasional one where the teacher has forgotten to change the name of the student from the last time they used the reference.

DR DANIEL ATTENBOROUGH (LAW)

Include something on how well this student might be suited to studying in HE (not just in academic terms but in terms of independence, organisation, etc.). Try to avoid repetition/overlap with personal statement – the reference should ‘add value’ to the application.

DR PATRICK WHITE (SOCIOLOGY)

Detailed prediction for each subject is good. ‘If they work hard could achieve a B’; ‘should easily achieve a B’ – this gives a stronger feel for the likely grades. References that talk about the course, not the student are not so useful.

DAWN WEDD (ECONOMICS)

RECORD NUMBERS APPLYING!

University applications have reached record levels. More than 593,000 people applied to start courses in the autumn of 2016, up 2% on 2015. The rise in applications is across the board, with increasing applications from all regions of England and Northern Ireland. The gender gap is also growing, with women driving the increasing demand for places. In England, 35% of 18-year-olds are applying to university, but below this headline figure is evidence to suggest that the majority of these applicants are now women.

Recent figures also show that the demand from the EU and USA for UK courses is rising. It is a myth that these applicants will impact on UK applicants – most UK universities have quotas of overseas students to ensure that the mix remains predominantly UK based. But this is not always the case, so do look at this carefully. One UK university with a very high non-UK student base is the London School of Economics.

All these figures indicate that, despite rising fees, the demand remains buoyant.

WIDENING PARTICIPATION – ACCESS TO UNIVERSITY FOR UNDER-REPRESENTED GROUPS

Where work still needs to be done is in the widening participation area. All universities have made great progress in encouraging applications from applicants in disadvantaged groups. However, it is still the case that applicants from middle-class backgrounds are twice as common as those from lower socio-economic groups. There are many reasons for this, but this is not the time or the place to discuss them.

King’s College London is one of many universities that actively seek applicants from groups that are not as well represented in UK universities. The aim behind widening participation is to ensure that student bodies at universities reflect the diversity represented in wider society.

King’s College’s website refers to the following groups whom they want to see apply:

•young people from low-income backgrounds

•young people from low-participation neighbourhoods (where very few people go on to higher education)

•young people whose parents did not go to university

•young people in or leaving care

•young people living with a disability

•young people from an ethnic minority

•those returning to learning as mature students.

So, if you are an applicant who meets one of the above criteria, then you are more likely to be offered a place! Please also make this clear in your personal statement and ask the school to reinforce this in their reference. They really do actively look for applicants who could be just like you – so don’t hide, and be bold. Sometimes the grades required of such applicants are lower to reflect this. This is controversial, but it is a reality that most universities will admit to when cornered!

‘SO WHAT?’ YOU MAY ASK

Well – it is hard to get a place at a good university and it appears to be getting harder every year. Therefore, it is vital that you follow these basic rules of thumb:

1Your UCAS application must be handed in on time and be free from errors. There is a school of thought that says that an early application gives an applicant an edge. This depends on the policy of the university. Some offer places throughout the application cycle (normally September to mid-January) and others operate what is known as a ‘gathered field’ approach and wait until the closing date. However, in my experience an early application cannot do any harm. Don’t forget that Oxford, Cambridge, medical, veterinary and dental applications must be completed by 15 October.

2Your personal statement must sell you in a way that is compelling, engaging and well informed. A lazy approach to this key document is fatal, particularly if you are applying to a course that is oversubscribed. A busy admissions tutor is looking for a reason to reject you as much as to offer you a place! In the real world, tutors wi...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• PREFACE
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• PART ONE THE PROCESS, A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
• PART TWO ACADEMIC PROFILES
• PART THREE FURTHER INFORMATION
• Back Cover