Tips and Tricks for Writing Your Personal Statement
Date 17 December 2024
17.12.2024Are you trying to write your personal statement but don’t know where to start? This blog contains everything you need to know to showcase your talents and abilities as best as possible.
Writing Your Personal Statement
The Introduction
The opening line of your personal statement may be the most important, as it is your opportunity to capture the attention of the reader and make yourself immediately stand out. That being said, it’s also vital not to overthink it: the opening needs to be simple but unique. One of the most effective and original ways to start is to use an anecdote, perhaps describing the moment you became interested in the subject you plan to study. However you should avoid clichés like ‘Since I was young I wanted to be a nurse’.
The opening line of your personal statement may be the most important
Your Course
It’s worth explaining early on in your personal statement any past experience or relevant skills that you might have in your subject of choice, and why you would be perfect to study the course. The first 50% should be about subject interest. Many Universities are incredibly competitive and so it is important to describe in detail why you want to study the course, relevant experience and the skills you have in the area to make you stand out against other potential candidates. It is important to show that you understand the course you’re applying for.
Your Academic Journey
All Universities want to know about which subjects you have studied and what transferable skills you have gained from them, to get an idea of how well suited you would be for the course you are applying. If you are applying for a course you have studied past GCSEs (A-Levels, T-Levels etc.) then it is best to talk about that the most, however, if you are applying for something entirely new, I would recommend finding ways to relate your other studies to it. For example, I spoke about how analysing poetry in English Literature has improved my lyrical skills, as I applied for a Popular Music course.
All Universities want to know about which subjects you have studied and what transferable skills you have gained from them
Work Experience
When mentioning work experience, focus on how it has shaped your skills, knowledge, and understanding relevant to the field you’re applying for. Your aim is to link your experience to your future studies or career aspirations while showcasing your development, passion, and suitability for the role.
Extracurricular Activities
Now is your chance to highlight anything you have done outside of school/college that is worth sharing, such as employment, online courses, school clubs and more. You must link them back to your university course and explain how or why they are relevant. This is the perfect way to demonstrate leadership, adaptability or other core skills.
Your Conclusion
It’s best to include a conclusion in your personal statement as a way of summarising the main points you’ve made throughout and reminding the reader why you want to study the course, to keep all the information fresh in their brain after reading.
- Remember: You only have 4000 characters, so keep it concise and efficient!
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Joe is a first-year Popular Music student here at the University of Northampton, with a particular interest in creating scores for film and television, as well as writing and performing alternative rock music. Joe also works as a Student Representative for his undergraduate course, and is passionate about being involved within the University in any way possible.