Personal StatementsPersonal Statements

How to make a good first impressionHow to make a good first impression

Cat Murdoch, Student Recruitment Officer, University of OxfordCat Murdoch, Student Recruitment Officer, University of Oxford

Simon Baalham, History Tutor, Oxford Brookes University

Dr Valerie Worth, Senior Tutor, Trinity College,University of Oxford

One of a large number of potential selection criteria

� GCSE Grades or equivalent

� AS Grades or equivalent

� AS Module Scores

� A2 Predicted Grades or equivalent

� Personal Statement

Personal Statements in Context

� Personal Statement

� Teachers’ Reference

� Admissions Tests/ Written work/ Portfolios

� Interviews/ Auditions

Importance of the Personal Statement

� Vital part of the Application procedure

� Allows students to:

� Explain why they want to study this course

� Show their motivation and commitment

� Make a good first impression

� Sell themselves to admissions tutors� Sell themselves to admissions tutors

General Advice to Stress to Students

• Statement will be seen by all UCAS choices• Subject specific nature• Different courses?

• Likely to be discussed at interview

• Stringent similarity and plagiarism measures in place

• Specific examples, not general statements

• Should be personal but not “quirky”

General Advice

DO DON’T

…Plan it first …Start with ‘I’ve always wanted to

study…’

…Sell yourself …Sound boastful

…Be honest and sound natural …Try to be funny or controversial…Be honest and sound natural …Try to be funny or controversial

…Check spelling and grammar! …Use repetitive language

…Proof read and get someone else to

proof read

…Leave it to the last minute

Suggested Structure

60-75% Academic

•I want to study…

•My current studies…

•I have read/ watched/ visited…

•It was interesting

25-40% Extra

Curricular

•It was interesting because…

•In my spare time I …

•I had work experience at…

•I enjoy…

Academic Section

� Motivation to study subject

� “I have always been fascinated by…!”

� Specific reasons

� Career plans if applicable

� Inspiration taken from current studies

� Again specific elements� Again specific elements

� Even if it is not in the most directly related subject

� Good opportunity to mention Extended Project if applicable

Super Curricular Activities

• Summer schools

• Work experience

• Public lectures

• Voluntary work

• Competitions

• Read newspapers• Read newspapers

• Read scientific journals

• Read books

Extra Curricular Section

� Some Universities take this section into consideration more than others

� Universities as communities

� What they have gained and learnt from work experience

� Extra-curricular should focus on transferable skills

� Skills that are not necessarily subject specific but will be of benefit to students on the course

Improving the Extra Curricular Section

�� I enjoy swimming.I enjoy swimming.

�� I currently swim for the Great Britain squad.I currently swim for the Great Britain squad.

�� Every Thursday I train with the local Every Thursday I train with the local swimming team and also help the junior swimming team and also help the junior team to develop their technique.team to develop their technique.

�� -- commitmentcommitment�� -- time managementtime management�� -- team workteam work�� -- caring naturecaring nature

Example of a Personal Statement

Give specific examples to evidence your statements, such as:

� ‘In English I have studied many areas and particularly enjoyed contemporary women's poetry and 17th Century drama. In women's poetry I studied Atwood's 'Manet's Olympia' and Duffy's 'Standing Female Nude' when I attended the Sutton Trust Summer School. I was attracted to these poems as I think that although they are similar in subject matter and theme, they are dealt with from two very different perspectives. For my English course I am currently reading Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World. I am enjoying these novels as they are both about future dystopian societies. At home I am currently reading Mark Haddon's ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’, which I find interesting due to the unusual narrative style.’

Example of a Personal StatementGive specific examples to evidence your statements, such as:

For the past four years I have developed a strong interest in philosophy and

politics and greatly enjoyed debates on these topics. Upon studying economics in

the sixth form I found it to be a fascinating topic, especially since it complemented

many of the political issues I had been interested in, such as the economic

problems facing Nazi Germany for much of the inter-war period.

Politics has been a hobby outside school for the past few years. I have spent

much time debating politics with friends and I find myself continually re-evaluating much time debating politics with friends and I find myself continually re-evaluating

my own views, especially with regards to political theory. I am especially

interested in the politics of Germany during the Nazi era. On that particular topic I

have found ‘Rise and fall of the Third Reich” by William Shirer to be of particular

interest. I find Hitler’s use of effective propaganda, especially with regards to the

indoctrination of the Hitler youth truly incredible, as well as how it relates to

modern propaganda techniques…

Example of a Personal Statement

‘I have chosen to study French and Spanish as a joint course firstly due toa love of these two cultures gained through visits to the countries. I havestudied in a French language school in Bordeaux and have also taken alanguage and culture course in Barcelona, as well as taking part in anexchange with a school in Pamplona. My choice of subject is especiallydue to a keen interest in the literature of these cultures, and I really relishthe prospect of broadening and deepening my knowledge of them throughfurther study and time abroad. I have read widely in both languages andhave particularly enjoyed Molière and Voltaire (French) because…, andhave particularly enjoyed Molière and Voltaire (French) because…, andMárquez and Borges (Spanish) because.... I have worked hard to acquirea thorough knowledge of the grammar of both languages, and I strive tospeak and write them as accurately as possible. A friend and I started theschool’s Modern Languages Society: we invite visiting speakers and showforeign language films. One of my favourite films that we have shownis….’

Example of a Personal Statement

‘I have chosen to study French and Spanish as a joint course firstly due toa love of these two cultures gained through visits to the countries. I havestudied in a French language school in Bordeaux and have also taken alanguage and culture course in Barcelona, as well as taking part in anexchange with a school in Pamplona. My choice of subject is especiallydue to a keen interest in the literature of these cultures, and I really relishthe prospect of broadening and deepening my knowledge of them throughfurther study and time abroad. I have read widely in both languages andhave particularly enjoyed Molière and Voltaire (French) because…, andhave particularly enjoyed Molière and Voltaire (French) because…, andMárquez and Borges (Spanish) because.... I have worked hard to acquirea thorough knowledge of the grammar of both languages, and I strive tospeak and write them as accurately as possible. A friend and I started theschool’s Modern Languages Society: we invite visiting speakers and showforeign language films. One of my favourite films that we have shownis….’

Accepted for French & Spanish – Oxford

Example of a Personal Statement‘So‘So herehere itit isis mymy attemptattempt toto convinceconvince you,you, inin lessless thanthan aa page,page, thatthat II wouldwould bebe

suitedsuited toto aa placeplace atat youryour institutioninstitution.. YouYou know,know, I’veI’ve readread otherother personalpersonal

statementsstatements andand I’mI’m temptedtempted toto dodo whatwhat theythey dodo:: beginbegin withwith mymy motivationmotivation forfor thethe

chosenchosen course,course, relaterelate itit toto mymy futurefuture plansplans andand somewheresomewhere inin therethere outlineoutline mymy

extraextra--curricularcurricular activitiesactivities.. JustJust putput mymy detailsdetails intointo thatthat structurestructure –– whatwhat couldcould bebe

easier?easier?

YetYet here’shere’s whatwhat nagsnags meme:: I’mI’m applyingapplying toto aa coursecourse centredcentred onon languagelanguage andand

literature,literature, andand atat thethe corecore ofof thethe literaryliterary studystudy isis thatthat howhow somethingsomething isis writtenwritten cancan

conveyconvey thethe complexitycomplexity whichwhich isis notnot evidentevident fromfrom thethe subjectsubject mattermatter alonealone.. IfIf II letlet

onlyonly thethe contentcontent ofof thisthis statementstatement speakspeak forfor me,me, wouldn’twouldn’t thatthat showshow meme toto bebe

unawareunaware ofof thisthis crucialcrucial factfact aboutabout writing?writing? OrOr wouldwould youyou notnot eveneven noticenotice suchsuch anan

implication?implication? HowHow dodo II writewrite thisthis whenwhen II reallyreally havehave nono ideaidea howhow deeplydeeply you’reyou’re

goinggoing toto considerconsider mymy wordswords –– oror eveneven exactlyexactly whatwhat youyou wantwant toto knowknow aboutabout me?me?

SoSo -- II admitadmit itit –– II havehave aa quirkyquirky wayway ofof approachingapproaching thingsthings –– butbut II thinkthink that’sthat’s mymy

strongstrong point,point, sincesince originalityoriginality (and(and thethe boldnessboldness toto bebe original)original) areare necessarynecessary forfor

progressprogress.. YetYet soso isis reverencereverence toto Tradition,Tradition, andand II amam inin nono shortshort supplysupply ofof thatthat

(would(would II bebe applyingapplying forfor ClassicsClassics ifif II didn’tdidn’t appreciateappreciate Tradition?)Tradition?) ThisThis

combinationcombination ofof traits,traits, alongalong withwith aa generalgeneral enthusiasmenthusiasm forfor learning,learning, areare whatwhat II

havehave toto offeroffer..

Example of a Personal Statement‘So‘So herehere itit isis mymy attemptattempt toto convinceconvince you,you, inin lessless thanthan aa page,page, thatthat II wouldwould bebe

suitedsuited toto aa placeplace atat youryour institutioninstitution.. YouYou know,know, I’veI’ve readread otherother personalpersonal

statementsstatements andand I’mI’m temptedtempted toto dodo whatwhat theythey dodo:: beginbegin withwith mymy motivationmotivation forfor thethe

chosenchosen course,course, relaterelate itit toto mymy futurefuture plansplans andand somewheresomewhere inin therethere outlineoutline mymy

extraextra--curricularcurricular activitiesactivities.. JustJust putput mymy detailsdetails intointo thatthat structurestructure –– whatwhat couldcould bebe

easier?easier?

YetYet here’shere’s whatwhat nagsnags meme:: I’mI’m applyingapplying toto aa coursecourse centredcentred onon languagelanguage andand

literature,literature, andand atat thethe corecore ofof thethe literaryliterary studystudy isis thatthat howhow somethingsomething isis writtenwritten cancan

conveyconvey thethe complexitycomplexity whichwhich isis notnot evidentevident fromfrom thethe subjectsubject mattermatter alonealone.. IfIf II letlet

onlyonly thethe contentcontent ofof thisthis statementstatement speakspeak forfor me,me, wouldn’twouldn’t thatthat showshow meme toto bebe

unawareunaware ofof thisthis crucialcrucial factfact aboutabout writing?writing? OrOr wouldwould youyou notnot eveneven noticenotice suchsuch anan

implication?implication? HowHow dodo II writewrite thisthis whenwhen II reallyreally havehave nono ideaidea howhow deeplydeeply you’reyou’re

goinggoing toto considerconsider mymy wordswords –– oror eveneven exactlyexactly whatwhat youyou wantwant toto knowknow aboutabout me?me?

SoSo -- II admitadmit itit –– II havehave aa quirkyquirky wayway ofof approachingapproaching thingsthings –– butbut II thinkthink that’sthat’s mymy

strongstrong point,point, sincesince originalityoriginality (and(and thethe boldnessboldness toto bebe original)original) areare necessarynecessary forfor

progressprogress.. YetYet soso isis reverencereverence toto Tradition,Tradition, andand II amam inin nono shortshort supplysupply ofof thatthat

(would(would II bebe applyingapplying forfor ClassicsClassics ifif II didn’tdidn’t appreciateappreciate Tradition?)Tradition?) ThisThis

combinationcombination ofof traits,traits, alongalong withwith aa generalgeneral enthusiasmenthusiasm forfor learning,learning, areare whatwhat II

havehave toto offeroffer..

NOT Accepted – Oxford

What Admissions Tutors are looking for

• Suitability for the course

• Passion for the subject

• Taking an interest outside curriculum

• Super curricular activities

• Work experience if relevant

• Academic potential

• Evidence of Independent thought• Evidence of Independent thought

• Analytical

• Self motivated

• Teachable?

• How well the student would fit into the course and university environment

Conclusion

•A good personal statement should be:• Subject focussed• Weighted towards Students’ academic interest and activities• Critical of their experiences and skills• Honest but positive

•Students should bear in mind while writing their statements•Students should bear in mind while writing their statements• It should appeal to all institutions• It should be “personal”•“Anything they say may be used in evidence!”• That this is their only chance to make a good first impression• That it is just one element of the Admissions Process

Any Questions?