Extract from Manchester Metropolitan University – Careers Service advice on…

Personal Statements

This is a key part of the application and is often the most challenging for students. This is their chance to sell themselves to the admissions tutors, to explain their motivations and ambitions and to emphasise their attributes and experience.

Admissions tutors are looking for students who can analyse their experiences in order to give clear reasons for application and course choice. A common weakness is that students describe what they have been doing, but do not relate this to what they hope to get out of their higher education course.

The content, style and spelling, punctuation and grammatical correctness of the student’s personal statement gives the admissions tutors an idea of the student’s communication skills - their ability to express information and ideas clearly.

What do admission tutors look for in a personal statement?

• The motivation that the applicant shows for subject choice, course choice, career choice and life in higher education

• The research that the student has carried out into course, institution, careers and subject.

• Relevant experience , evidence of how this has guided your choice.

• A glimpse of the student’s character. Jobs and responsibilities and interests made relevant to subject and course choice

• Positive concluding statement

There is no ideal or recommended way to structure a personal statement but a good personal statement should include:

• Course choice – enthusiasm for subject, reasons for subject choice.

• Career aim – how is course choice linked to career aim.

• Relevant work experience and positions of responsibility – work experience – what insights have been gained into area of study or chosen profession- what skills have been gained - use of examples as evidence of skills.

• Hobbies and interests – How these have contributed to skills or personality and how these relate to course choice or likely success at higher education level. Concluding Statement - should bring the admissions tutors attention back to the student’s course choice and the students ability to succeed at higher education level.

Note: Further advice from Manchester Metropolitan University, about UCAS applications, can be found at:

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/careers/heaware/applications/personalstatements.htm