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UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS. Kieron Broadhead Student Recruitment Officer Goldsmiths, University of London. David Winstanley Education Liaison Manager University of Liverpool. Is there a secret formula to writing a personal statement that will guarantee you a place…?.
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UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS Kieron Broadhead Student Recruitment Officer Goldsmiths, University of London David Winstanley Education Liaison Manager University of Liverpool
Is there a secret formula to writing a personal statement that will guarantee you a place…? UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTSIntroduction
NO! However… UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTSIntroduction
By the end of this session, you will: Have identified key aspects of UCAS personal statement Be equipped with top tips Be aware of what admissions tutors are looking for in personal statements Be aware of the practicalities of writing personal statements in the UCAS Apply system Have seen real examples Personal Statements and References; good AND bad! UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTSAims of the session
All HEI’s treat statements and references in different ways Some HEI’s give them more weight than others Practices can vary within institutions The personal statement and references are used in conjunction with a whole range of other factors UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTSThings to remember
UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTSPersonal Statements • Personal Statement overview: • The importance of the personal statement • Style and appearance • What to include • Tips for success • Examples
UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTSPersonal Statements • Importance: • Most courses at most universities don’t interview • Those that do interview will often base their questions on the statement • Often the only chance the student has to differentiate themselves and impress the admissions tutor
UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTSPersonal Statements • Style and appearance: • It is a formal application • There are 4,000 characters and 47 lines • Paragraphs are important! • Write in word processing software then cut and paste into Apply • Spelling, grammar and punctuation should be perfect! • Plagiarism Detection Software system – you won’t know; but they will!
UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTSPersonal Statements • Content: • Commitment, interest and enthusiasm! • Analytical and reflective, not merely descriptive • Relevant (and transferable) skills and abilities • Work experience • Understanding of the course applied for!
UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTSPersonal Statements • Examples of activities/experiences to include: • Duke of Edinburgh’s Award/CCF/CSLA (Leadership, commitment, teamwork) • Young Enterprise (Management, workload balance, imagination) • Volunteering and community engagement (Drive, communication, passion) • Part time work (Workload balance, reliability, enthusiasm)
UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTSPersonal Statements Questions to ask
UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTSPersonal Statements • Personal statement preparation: • Allow yourself time for thought and planning • Jot down achievements throughout Year 12/keep a log • Work with friend to think about what you can include • University Education Liaison Teams are well-versed in this and happy to assist • Ensure that you are around for UCAS preparation day on Jun 19th – those without much to include have a chance to rectify it!
CONTACT DETAILS Kieron Broadhead Undergraduate Recruitment Officer Goldsmiths, University of London New Cross London SE14 6NW T: 020 7919 7572 E: K.Broadhead@gold.ac.uk W: www.goldsmiths.ac.uk David Winstanley Education Liaison Manager University of Liverpool 765, Brownlow Hill Liverpool L69 7ZX T: 0151 794 5932 E: d.winstanley@liv.ac.uk W: www.liverpool.ac.uk