Many students agonise over writing a UCAS personal statement. As a general rule, I suggest keeping it relatively simple – be honest, and give the impression you would be a suitable student for the course. Don’t worry if you haven’t got a huge list of extra curricular activities. At the same time, you don’t want to appear one-dimensional.
Things to Do in Your Statement:
- Write with perfect grammar and spelling.
- Be Honest
- Give the impression you are interested in this subject and will be motivated to study
- Give the impression that you will be a likeable student to teach.
- If possible, make a link between what you have done in your spare time and the course you propose to do
- Be sincere
- Don’t be afraid to mention your good qualities.
Things To Avoid
- Don’t be arrogant. You have to give a good impression of yourself without appearing over the top. It is a fine balance, which many students have difficulty doing.
- Don’t list your hobbies with little explanation ( I play football, I watch TV, I like music e.t.c)
- Say in your spare time you play computer games (yes, I have seen drafts with sentences in like. ‘My favourite hobby is playing computer games’
- Feel obliged to excessively promote yourself (you’re not a politician standing for election. – Your admission to University does not depend on how many swimming badges you received at the age of 11.)
- Put in tired clichés “It’s always been my life long dream to be an Economist…” (no body has this dream)
- State the obvious all the time. “I read newspapers, which gives me up to the date information about the economy”
- Make sentences excessively long.
More ideas here on writing a personal statement
good tips! thanks
Hi,
i think, the personal statement should be kept simple and reflect you real interests.
The real it is the better chances of getting an offer, as you will look genuine.
Dont forget, A degree from A top University in Ecnomics will not gurantee you a big job in the long run or comforts in life.
As You should be productive and make an efficient use of all posibalites in hand.
Give a try, be genuine, Dont be upset if things did not go your way. You will happy, eventually.
‘Things to Do in Your Statement:
Write with perfect grammar and spelling.’
then
‘(your not a politician standing for election.)’