Applying to the UK for university is an entirely different kettle of
fish than to the US. The biggest difference is that you are asked to
write a personal statement, not an essay. When I choose to apply for
universities in the UK, as an international student, the personal
statement was the bit that baffled me the most.
In all honesty, when I finally sat down to write my personal
statement, I stared at my computer screen for over two hours unable to
write a single word. I had magnificently perfected the art of
procrastination. You name it, Facebook, msn, ITunes, anything to prolong
commencing writing. It actually took until I stopped putting so much
pressure on myself and just told myself start with anything. Even if
it's rubbish, at least it's a start! My first draft was far from
brilliant, but after continuous proofreading, drafting and altering of
ideas, it became something I was proud of. It was me, all me, my writing
style, my passions and interest, my achievements, my ideas, my thoughts
and finally my dedication to the course I wanted to take.
The fact is that you cannot expect yourself to sit down at a computer
and simply start writing. You need to take time to think about what
you want this piece of writing to say about you. Writing a successful
personal statement isn't an easy task; it takes both time and patience.
Writing a personal statement is a lot about personal branding. The
content should revolve around the course you wish to take, your
achievements and your interests and passions.
Before you start writing, ask yourself the following questions:
to start writing. Try and find some inspiration to get you going. Trust
me, starting is the hardest part.
Some pointers to keep in mind when starting to write a personal statement:
value in life. This is not necessarily the case in writing a personal
statement. Just imagine how many of these things an individual in
admissions has to read. You cannot be modest in a personal statement;
you need to powerfully sell yourself to that university and the course.
The personal statement is not asking you to brag or boast but put
yourself forward in the strongest light possible. You need to try and
make yourself stand out from the crowd.
Undoubtedly writing a personal statement is difficult. Here at
Aureus, we understand that there is a huge amount of pressure placed on
writing a brilliant personal statement. Aureus can help take away some
of the strain of writing a personal statements along with all other
aspects of the university admissions process. Aureus has a team of
admissions consultants to help guide you through the steps and get you
into the university you desire. If you have any questions or queries
about how we can help you, please get in touch.
fish than to the US. The biggest difference is that you are asked to
write a personal statement, not an essay. When I choose to apply for
universities in the UK, as an international student, the personal
statement was the bit that baffled me the most.
In all honesty, when I finally sat down to write my personal
statement, I stared at my computer screen for over two hours unable to
write a single word. I had magnificently perfected the art of
procrastination. You name it, Facebook, msn, ITunes, anything to prolong
commencing writing. It actually took until I stopped putting so much
pressure on myself and just told myself start with anything. Even if
it's rubbish, at least it's a start! My first draft was far from
brilliant, but after continuous proofreading, drafting and altering of
ideas, it became something I was proud of. It was me, all me, my writing
style, my passions and interest, my achievements, my ideas, my thoughts
and finally my dedication to the course I wanted to take.
The fact is that you cannot expect yourself to sit down at a computer
and simply start writing. You need to take time to think about what
you want this piece of writing to say about you. Writing a successful
personal statement isn't an easy task; it takes both time and patience.
Writing a personal statement is a lot about personal branding. The
content should revolve around the course you wish to take, your
achievements and your interests and passions.
Before you start writing, ask yourself the following questions:
- What course you are interested in and why?
- What about me that is suited to this course?
- What past achievements do I have to convince the university that I am right for this course and this University?
- What makes me unique?
- What can I bring to light that will make me stand out?
- How am I going to get my personality to shine through?
to start writing. Try and find some inspiration to get you going. Trust
me, starting is the hardest part.
Some pointers to keep in mind when starting to write a personal statement:
- Try and remember that the personal statement is meant to be a somewhat formal piece of writing, unlike the US essay.
- It's essential that you avoid simply writing your life story, as in
most cases they are not interesting pieces of writing to read. - In theory a personal statement is your one chance to sell yourself
completely and to show the university how lucky they would be to have
you at their institution. Unlike the essay required by US universities,
the UK personal statement is really to explain your achievements and
explain your passion for the course you wish to take. - The personal statement has a strict word/character limitation to
abide by. It is vital that you maximize the allowance given to the best
you can. Don't ramble. Keep your arguments strong, short and sweet. - The universities in the UK don't just want to know that you have an
interest in politics, but why you have an interest in politics? They
want more than simply, 'In the summer I volunteered at a community
center'. They want to know why you did this, how were you inspired, how
it affected you.
value in life. This is not necessarily the case in writing a personal
statement. Just imagine how many of these things an individual in
admissions has to read. You cannot be modest in a personal statement;
you need to powerfully sell yourself to that university and the course.
The personal statement is not asking you to brag or boast but put
yourself forward in the strongest light possible. You need to try and
make yourself stand out from the crowd.
Undoubtedly writing a personal statement is difficult. Here at
Aureus, we understand that there is a huge amount of pressure placed on
writing a brilliant personal statement. Aureus can help take away some
of the strain of writing a personal statements along with all other
aspects of the university admissions process. Aureus has a team of
admissions consultants to help guide you through the steps and get you
into the university you desire. If you have any questions or queries
about how we can help you, please get in touch.
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