UCAS & Personal Statements
Session Plan
Aims: To improve the quality of personal statements on UCAS forms
Objectives:
To encourage students to think about why they want to do a particular subject.
To identify factors that will make them stand out from other applicants.
To identify things they can do to enhance their applications.
Duration
Activity
5 mins
Introduce topic, aims and objectives
10-15
mins
Deliver ‘UCAS & Personal statement’ presentation (to slide 8 ‘Average personal statement’)
15-20
mins
Personal statement Activity 1: Making the most of the
language
(see below for activity 1 & powerful verbs list)
5-10 mins
Personal statement Activity 2: Making the most of your
experiences
(see below for activity 2 & list of extra curricular activities)
5 mins
Deliver final powerpoint slides (the ‘first sentence’ slides at the
end are optional)
Discussion point: Slide 12 – what can they do to enhance
their application? Is there work experience, reading, plays,
conference, competitions etc that they could get involved in to
demonstrate commitment beyond the classroom?
5 mins
(Optional – if appropriate you can give them the ‘personal
statement starter sheet’ to get them started thinking about the
content of their personal statement)
Questions, comments, feedback
40 - 60
mins
Total time
Resources
Powerpoint presentation
– UCAS & Personal
Statement
Paper and pens
Print outs of powerful
verbs list
Paper and pens
‘Extra-curricular activities
list’ (printed out & cut up
into individual activities)
Powerpoint presentation
Optional – personal
statement starter sheet
for each student (see
below)
Personal Statement – Activity 1
Making the most of the language
Duration: 15-20 mins
As a whole group
Ask each student to write quick sentences to explain:
Why they are interested in the subject they are thinking of studying
Ask for a show of hands as to how many used the verbs
a) enjoy
b) involved in
c) took part in
Explain that these are weak verbs and appear non-commital and unenthusiastic i.e. to be involved in
something doesn’t mean you were any good at it, to enjoy an activity isn’t as persuasive as being
passionate about, or fascinated by etc.
Hand out the ‘Powerful verbs list’. Ask them to rewrite their sentences using one of these verbs.
Teaching note: Most will have to completely rewrite the sentence to use more effective verbs as
these require more in-depth thought about the subject or activity.
The most important question to ask, and ask repeatedly, is ‘Why?:
Why are they interested in English? Why does fiction appeal? Why Ian Rankin / Magical Realism in
particular?
Feedback:
Choose a couple of people to read out both their old and new sentences and ask whole group to
observe/comment on the difference between the two.
Powerful Verbs List (for use with Personal Statement Activity 1)
from www.getintouni.com/Free/PowerfulVerbs/
Accelerated
Consolidated
Explored
Joined
Produced
Sorted
Accomplished
Constructed
Expressed
Judged
Programmed
Spearheaded
Achieved
Consulted
Extended
Projected
Specialised
Acted
Contacted
Extracted
Promoted
Specified
Activated
Continued
Proofread
Spoke
Adapted
Contributed
Proposed
Sponsored
Addressed
Controlled
Protected
Staffed
Adjusted
Converted
Proved
Standardised
Administered
Conveyed
Finalised
Provided
Started
Advanced
Convinced
Fixed
Publicised
Streamlined
Advertised
Coordinated
Fit
Strengthened
Advised
Corresponded
Located
Purchased
Focused
Advocated
Created
Logged
Forecasted
Aided
Critiqued
Formed
Allocated
Cultivated
Formulated
Analysed
Customised
Fostered
Answered
Fabricated
Facilitated
Fashioned
Found
Kept
Launched
Learned
Led
Lifted
Listened
Lectured
Structured
Qualified
Studied
Questioned
Suggested
Summarised
Maintained
Managed
Raised
Manipulated
Ran
Marketed
Rated
Maximised
Reached
Measured
Realised
Supervised
Supplied
Applied
Debugged
Fulfilled
Appraised
Decided
Furnished
Approved
Defined
Arbitrated
Delegated
Arranged
Gained
Reasoned
Delivered
Mediated
Ascertained
Gathered
Received
Demonstrated
Merged
Assembled
Generated
Recommended
Designated
Mobilised
Assessed
Governed
Modified
Reconciled
Designed
Recorded
Detected
Monitored
Targeted
Assigned
Grossed
Determined
Motivated
Recruited
Taught
Assisted
Guided
Reduced
Terminated
Attained
Developed
Referred
Tested
Augmented
Devised
Regulated
Tightened
Authorised
Diagnosed
Rehabilitated
Totalled
Awarded
Directed
Helped
Related
Tracked
Hired
Remodelled
Traded
Rendered
Trained
Reorganised
Transcribed
Repaired
Transformed
Replaced
Transmitted
Reported
Translated
Represented
Travelled
Researched
Tutored
Discovered
Balanced
Dispensed
Began
Displayed
Boosted
Dissected
Briefed
Distributed
Budgeted
Diverted
Built
Documented
Drafted
Calculated
Captured
Earned
Catalogued
Edited
Centralised
Educated
Chaired
Effected
Charted
Eliminated
Checked
Emphasised
Clarified
Employed
Classified
Encouraged
Coached
Enforced
Collaborated
Engineered
Collected
Enhanced
Combined
Enlarged
Communicated
Enlisted
Compared
Ensured
Compiled
Entertained
Completed
Established
Composed
Estimated
Computed
Evaluated
Conceived
Examined
Conceptualised
Executed
Condensed
Expanded
Conducted
Expedited
Conferred
Experimented
Conserved
Explained
Handled
Navigated
Headed
Negotiated
Heightened
Netted
Honed
Hosted
Hypothesised
Observed
Obtained
Opened
Operated
Ordered
Identified
Orchestrated
Illustrated
Organised
Imagined
Originated
Implemented
Outlined
Improved
Overcame
Improvised
Overhauled
Incorporated
Oversaw
Influenced
Informed
Initiated
Innovated
Inspected
Inspired
Installed
Instituted
Integrated
Interacted
Interpreted
Interviewed
Introduced
Invented
Inventoried
Investigated
Involved
Issued
Surpassed
Surveyed
Sustained
Synthesised
Systematised
Reshaped
Resolved
Uncovered
Responded
Undertook
Restored
Unified
Retrieved
United
Reviewed
Updated
Participated
Revised
Upgraded
Performed
Revitalised
Used
Persuaded
Routed
Utilised
Increased
Indexed
Supported
Photographed
Pinpointed
Piloted
Pioneered
Placed
Planned
Played
Predicted
Prepared
Prescribed
Presented
Presided
Prevented
Printed
Prioritised
Processed
Saved
Validated
Scheduled
Verbalised
Screened
Verified
Searched
Vitalised
Secured
Volunteered
Selected
Separated
Weighed
Served
Widened
Shaped
Won
Shared
Worked
Simplified
Wrote
Simulated
Sketched
Sold
Solved
Personal Statement - Activity 2
Making the most of your experiences
Duration: 5 - 10 mins
Part 1
Divide the audience into small groups (approximately 6 in each group if possible).
Choose one of the extra curricula activities listed on the ‘extra curricular activities list’ (see below).
Ask each group to come up with a list of skills and attributes associated with that activity that might
make a positive impression in a Personal Statement
Feedback: The first group gives one attribute from their list. The next group must come up with a
different one. Go round the groups making sure no group repeats something that has already been
said.
Part 2
Either:
Print out the ‘extra curricular activities’ list and cut into individual activities, Distribute several of the
remaining activities to each group and ask them to come up with attributes.
Feedback: choose several examples at random and ask that group to comment.
Or:
Read out the remaining activities one at a time and ask for suggestions of attributes demonstrated by
this activity and potential relevance in a Personal Statement from the group as a whole.
Teaching Note: Stress the importance of writing about why they did any extra-curricular activities
and the skills and experience they gained from them rather than just listing what they did.
e.g. Why would an admissions tutor be interested in their fund raising activities? Why do they think
this has improved their leadership skills?
Extra Curricular Activities List
(for use with Personal Statement Activity 2)
Captain of the First Fifteen at Rugby
Part-time job at Tescos
Looking after 3 younger brothers and sisters after school
Lead role in the Christmas drama production
Black belt at Karate
Winner of the Young Adults essay writing competition
Fund raising for Children in Need
Steward at local fun run
DJ on hospital radio
Taking part on Ten Tors
Sixth Form Committee
Member of local swimming squad
Set up website for recycling / swapping books and games
Volunteer at a Residential Care home for the elderly
Babysitting
Personal Statement Starter Sheet
Name:
Subject/course interested in studying:
1. Have you attended a university residential?
Yes
No
2. Have you attended a subject taster session?
Yes
No
3. Have you done any work placements?
Yes
No
If yes, write here what you have done and how long it was for:
4. Do you have or have had a part-time job?
5. Have you done any voluntary work?
Yes
Yes
No
No
If yes, write here what you have done and how long it was for:
6. Have you ever won an award or competition? Yes
If yes, what was it for:
7. List your hobbies and interests:
8. List any roles of responsibility you have or have had in the past:
No