There’s nothing worse than staring at a blank screen or piece of paper.
Our quick start guide will get you started in the right direction.
Need more help, check out our Complete Personal Statement Guide.
Contents
First things first: Just Write!
Writing of any sort is always easier once you already have something on paper.
To get started think of your Personal Statement as having just 3 sections:
- Introduction: Why you’re excited about the course
- Main Body: Why you are a great pick for the course
- Conclusion: A powerful yet concise summary of your achievements and aspirations for the future. What makes the course you are applying for so enticing to you?
General Pointers
Be positive and enthusiastic throughout your statement, not just at the beginning and end! Remember not to be tempted to exaggerate or ‘stretch’ the truth! You will be found out eventually. The whole point of the exercise is to find out the best and most interesting bits about you and your life, nothing more or less.
Introduction
Why are you interested in the course? Can you pinpoint an experience earlier in life that ignited your interest?
What is it about the career that excites you? Be realistic! Talk about what you will be doing in the first 5-10 years, not at the end of your career.
Now that you’ve shown excited you are, you need to show that you are equipped to do it!
Main Body
First write out all activities you engage in, both in school and out. Don’t worry yet about how you will write about them, just get the bare facts down first.
Now translate this into ‘transferable skills’ you have built up over the years, but be realistic about the skills you have picked up in each experience.
Don’t know which skills to talk about? It’s best at the start to list all you can think of but in order of priority.
For example almost all courses want to see that you can work in a team, manage your time effectively and have good communication skills with proper English.
Now you have your experiences and the skills you have learnt listed, check your future job requirements!
What are your future course directors and employers looking for in a candidate?
Conclusion
Tell the reader how all your experiences come together to make you the ideal candidate for your chosen course and career.
Show you are excited for the future but give a reason why!
Have an idea of what you want to achieve in your work? Now is a good time to show you have a vision for the future, not just the next year.
Following the above should give you a solid framework to build upon.
Congratulations, you have your First Draft!
The Next Steps
Writing your Personal Statement is an iterative process. Start early and do lots of drafts.
Rushing your Personal Statement or paying someone else to write the whole thing for you will clearly come across and negatively affect your application. Take your time! This may be the first major application you are doing but CV and Personal Statement writing is a skill you will need for life.
At Acrosophy we have developed a Personal Statement Handbook that is the result of years of work as university admissions tutors. Once a rough draft of your personal statement is completed you are then eligible for our Personal Statement Review Service.
Acrosophy provides bespoke consulatation packages for those applying to university.
Book an introductory call to find out more or schedule a private consultation.