C. What’s in a Personal Statement? Dr Jeremy Rawson, Undergraduate Admissions Tutor, Magdalene...

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C. What’s in a Personal Statement? Dr Jeremy Rawson, Undergraduate Admissions Tutor, Magdalene Coll w do Course Directors and Admissions Tutors interpret your statement

Transcript of C. What’s in a Personal Statement? Dr Jeremy Rawson, Undergraduate Admissions Tutor, Magdalene...

Page 1: C. What’s in a Personal Statement? Dr Jeremy Rawson, Undergraduate Admissions Tutor, Magdalene College. How do Course Directors and Admissions Tutors interpret.

C. What’s in a Personal Statement?

Dr Jeremy Rawson, Undergraduate Admissions Tutor, Magdalene College.

How do Course Directors and Admissions Tutors interpret your statement?

Page 2: C. What’s in a Personal Statement? Dr Jeremy Rawson, Undergraduate Admissions Tutor, Magdalene College. How do Course Directors and Admissions Tutors interpret.

UCAS Personal Statements

Are you portraying the right image?

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What a Course Director/Admissions Tutor Might Look for

The UCAS form gives information on a candidate’s academic record, their academic and social interests and justification for their chosen course.

• Has the candidate got an appropriate academic background (GCSE, AS,A2) for the course they have applied for?

• Do they have the right (predicted) grades?

• Motivation to read their chosen course – evidence for extra-curricular activities, reading or work experience relevant to the course.

• Aptitude/skills for the course: Well-motivated, organised, responsible character with good time management.

Some Tutors/Directors may put more or less emphasis on the personal statement in relation to academic track record and school reference.

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What a Course Director/Admissions Tutor Might Look for

Extra-curricular activities: Are they important?

Yes!

- The workload for many top University courses is high compared to school work

- Much of the work requires students to be organised and self-motivated

- Some extracurricular activities (esp. work experience) show specific subject-oriented motivation

Undertaking extra-curricular activities shows that you can accommodate your current workload and would not be overloaded with a heavier study programme.

Managing significant and regular extracurricular activities alongside your studies shows commitment and an ability to organise your time effectively.

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What a Course Director/Admissions Tutor Might Look for

Extra-curricular activities: Are they important?

No!

- Most Universities will support almost any type of extra-curricular activity, however obscure. So whether you want to join the tiddly-wink society or football team there’s likely to be others to share your interests!

- In most cases we’re not really bothered what you do in your free time, but regular commitment(s) to some activity is very positive.

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What a Course Director/Admissions Tutor Might Look for

Extracurricular Interests: Balance the emphasis of your statement between extra-curricular activities and interest in your chosen courseFrom a young age, I have been fascinated by law and was thrilled at the possibility of studying it at A-Level. In August 2007, I was able to spend two weeks working at XXXX Solicitors in Luton. Most of my time was spent in the Conveyancing department, where XXXX, a partner in the firm, taught me how to draw up commercial leases and business contracts, and about buying, selling and renting residential properties. I most enjoyed meeting clients and discussing their cases. I found that moving house many times as a child enabled me to be sympathetic and relate to the clients. My time at XXXX has made me more intent on pursuing a career in the law, as I liked the work and fitted in well with the staff.

I believe my current studies of Law, English Language and History complement each other well and would give me an advantage at university, as they have furthered my strong reading and writing abilities, and taught me to be more logical and investigative. I also took Religious Studies at AS-level as I like learning about other peoples' beliefs, and it helped me to become more open-minded .

I enjoy getting involved with activities in my Sixth Form, such as planning the Summer Ball in Year 12. I was chosen by our Deputy Head Girl to take the minutes for the meetings and email them to the other committee members, and my minutes were commended by my Head of Year. I was also asked to assist with the Sixth Form Induction Evening. My duties involved welcoming prospective students and their parents, handing out prospectuses, and talking to them about my own experiences of Sixth Form. In Year 13, I was chosen as a History subject mentor to help struggling Year 12 students, and I also helped out on a trip to Germany with students in years 7 to 9.

Outside of school, my hobbies include photography, bass guitar, and writing. In 2006, I came second in a XXX writing competition for young people in XXXX. Having grown up in France, I am bilingual, and my next challenge is to write a short story in French. I also have a part-time job at XXXX, which has taught me about working with others, as well as coping with pressure. One of the crucial parts of my job is ensuring that customers are satisfied, and occasionally dealing with complaints. I believe the people skills I have gained from XXXX will help me in other aspects of my life.

I regularly attend my local church and Christian youth group. In July 2007, I had the opportunity to go to Kosovo for a fortnight with other members of the youth group. Our aim was to help widows and orphans affected by the Yugoslav Civil War and the ethnic cleansing of Kosovans in 1999. We redecorated homes and schools, ran children's clubs, distributed aid, and visited a Roma gypsy camp. It was a very profound and moving experience, and one I hope to repeat at some point in the future. This is the reason for my deferred entry to university. I plan to spend a few months fundraising, and then return to Kosovo for the remainder of the year to continue the work we started there.

I believe that I am a confident and enthusiastic person who would benefit greatly from studying at university. I am passionate about the law and would like to have a career as a lawyer. I also have a keen sense of justice and an interest in Sociology and Criminology and would consider working with the Prison Service or the CPS. I think that studying Law at university would help me make the best possible use of my analytical and writing skills, and that a career in Law would satisfy my need to help others.

Opinions differ but I’d suggest 60-80% of your personal statement should focus on your motivation for your chosen course.

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What a Course Director/Admissions Tutor Might Look for

Career Goals: Is the course appropriate for the career path proposed?

“The road to becoming a practicing doctor is a long and very demanding one but I believe I have the motivation, commitment and ability to succeed. Acquiring various skills through numerous activities, I feel that I will be more than capable of contributing both academically and physically to the medicine course at a higher education institute.”

Two very different medicine statements

“My interest in medicine was growing up with me ever since I was a small child. Seeing people around me suffer encouraged me more. But I got my hyper to be a doctor when my small brother was born with all the illness he was born with.”

One is clearly more eloquent than the other but both applicants have chosen a medicine course in order to be a doctor!

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What a Course Director/Admissions Tutor Might Look for

Career Goals: Is the course appropriate for the career path proposed?

“There are many things that I still want to do and learn, and I see university as the best opportunity to get involved more in drama and music, try some debating and hopefully take up a sport. Although having done relatively little so far, I regard university as a place where I can realise my potential in every aspect of life and also have a lot of fun studying what I love. ”

Two very different last paragraphs from applicants for English:

“Although some would argue the study for an English degree is not vocational I see the next few years of my life as the opportunity to become immersed in a subject I love. To develop my potential as a writer, I need to analyse and understand the work of those who inhabit library shelves. This course offers me the chance to explore the depths of Shakespeare, unravel the mysteries of Byron and grow in confidence as a literacy critic and person.”

Which is better? Why?

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What a Course Director/Admissions Tutor Might Look for

Gap Year:

Justify how it helps prepare you better for your course/future career. Ensure your time is spent on valid/useful experiences:

- Extended work experience (Medicine, Engineering, Bio-sciences, Economics)

- Travel (languages, Geography, History, Art etc.)

“I have a great love of music and during my gap year I am intending to start violin lessons again as well as possibly learning the guitar. I have also enrolled in classes to learn Russian. A friend and I are planning a trip there in the future but I also feel that I would enjoy the challenge learning would pose.”

Chemistry Applicant:

“I intend to defer entry to university for a year in order to travel to New Zealand and Italy, where I hope to gain both valuable work experience, and improve my grasp of Italian culture and language, in which I am already fluent. I look forward to this experience and also to the rewards and challenges of higher education.”

Chemical Engineering Applicant:

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Conclusions

• Balance your personal statement between motivation for your course and your extracurricular activities

• Showing interest in your subject beyond the classroom is really important

• Use your experiences in and out of school to justify your course choice(s)

• Where possible tie in skills from extracurricular interests into skills required for higher education – but don’t be too tenuous!

• If you’re taking a gap year justify how it will strengthen your application.

• Your personal statement is often all a University knows about you. For a smaller number of top UK Universities, you may be asked for interview. The content of your personal statement is a good starting point for discussion. So be prepared to discuss your statement!

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Sources

• UCAS webpages

• Many personal statements are available on-line (all statements used here were in the public domain)