Your personal statement is an important part of your postgraduate application. This is your chance to engage the Admissions Tutors and demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm for your chosen subject. The word limit is usually between 500 – 1000 words. It must be in English and in your own words.
Does Warwick care about personal statements?
Every UCAS application requires a personal statement. However, they are usually not as relevant as your school qualifications. Think of the process of writing a personal statement as an opportunity to reflect on our plans for the subject(s) you want to study at university and why. Revise your statement a few times.
Do universities actually care about personal statements?
Your personal statement is a really important part of your application, and your chance to sell yourself to your chosen university. “Ultimately, a personal statement is a chance for you to convey why you would like to study a particular course, and how you hope this will benefit you in the future.
Is personal statement really important?
Writing your personal statement is one of the most important things you’ll do when applying to university – it should be personal, engaging, and most importantly, written by you. It’s extremely important to write your personal statement yourself.
Does personal statement matter Cambridge?
Admissions decisions at Cambridge are based solely on academic criteria (ability and potential). Personal statements are often used as a basis for discussion at interview. In a personal statement we are looking for applicants to: explain their reasons for wanting to study the subject.
Can you get rejected because of personal statement?
If your writing is flagged as unoriginal, the universities you are applying to will be alerted to this and are unlikely to make you an offer. If your statement is entirely unoriginal, then your application stands a good chance of being rejected entirely, leaving you without any options.
Do UK universities actually read personal statements?
Your UCAS personal statement will be read by all UK universities you apply to, so should not be overly tailored to any one institution, unless you are applying only to one.
What should you avoid in a personal statement?
7 Things to Avoid in Your Personal Statement
- Whining. Don’t whine in your essay!
- Someone else is the hero.
- Reads like a resume.
- Lack of focus.
- Leaves out personal growth.
- Overcomplicated language.
- Incorrect grammar or spelling.
Do lecturers read personal statements?
You probably have loads of enrichment activities to talk about, and they may seem more interesting, but don’t fall into the trap of talking about them too much. Your personal statement will be read by a lecturer, and their main priority is selecting students who will be the best academics.
What phrases to avoid in a personal statement?
Try to avoid overly using words such as “also”, “as well as”, “additionally” and so on. These make your personal statement read more like a dispassionate list of things you’ve done rather than making it flow nicely.
What makes a bad personal statement?
Avoid using up valuable words with obvious statements. Write succinctly and explain points without repeating yourself. Don’t tell the admissions tutor what they already know – instead, expand on how you’ve acquired certain skills and why they’re important.
What is a bad personal statement?
They’re full of clichés
Not only is it clichéd, it’s also pretty boring. Think of your personal statement as your ‘first impression’ – don’t encourage the admission tutor to make false assumptions without even meeting you. Avoid using any phrases that you’ve spotted online, or sentences that don’t really mean anything.
Are personal statements more important than grades?
It depends very much on the university you’re applying to, but the key thing to remember is in your application to many universities it’s your one chance to convey something about yourself other than your grades.
Do Oxbridge care about personal statements?
At the University of Oxford we read every personal statement, multiple times, so it is definitely worth spending a good amount of time writing it. We are interested in your potential in your chosen subject, so we are very keen to hear about anything academic.
Can a good personal statement make up for grades?
You may think that your personal statement won’t matter as much to unis as your grades and experience but a great personal statement could make all the difference between you and a candidate with the same grades.
What percentage of people get a Cambridge interview?
Cambridge Interview Admissions Statistics
Cambridge generally Interviews around 70% of applicants, which gives those who perform well in Interviews a better chance. Oxford, on the other hand usually Interview less than 40% of applicants.
Can you plagiarize yourself personal statement?
Revised on 26 July 2022. Plagiarism often involves using someone else’s words or ideas without proper citation, but you can also plagiarise yourself. Self-plagiarism means reusing work that you have already published or submitted for a class.
Can you plagiarize your own personal statement?
There are programs available for applicants to check their own personal statements for plagiarism, but in general, if you have not used any other sources while writing it really should not be an issue.
Can you lie on your personal statement about work experience?
Don’t Lie!
This means that whatever you write about work experience in your Personal Statement, you could be asked to elaborate on – and they will be able to tell if you’ve claimed something that isn’t true!
Should you mention ADHD in a personal statement?
I think that mentioning your ADHD would be a great thing to include in your personal statement as it makes you who you are. It’d be great to include how you overcame challenges relating to your ADHD to highlight your resilience, passion and commitment to pursuing further education.
Can your UCAS referee see your personal statement?
Remember, your referee will need to see your personal statement before they can write your reference.