Top tips for personal statements &
references
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How important is the Personal Statement?
 Most courses at universities do not
interview
 Those that do interview will often
base their questions on the personal
statement
 Often the only chance applicant has
to impress the admissions team
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Activity time
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Which of the following lines is NOT from a real UCAS
personal statement?
It was a catch 12 situation
I think of myself as a worm
hearted individual
English is like a second
language to I
Twice a week I attend marital arts
classes
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What admissions staff tell UCAS they are looking for
in a personal statement
Evidence of:
• Independent study skills
• Self-awareness
• Motivation and commitment
• An understanding of the course
• Good numeracy and literacy
• Essay writing
• Research skills
• Time management skills
• Enthusiasm to go beyond the syllabus
Top Tip – avoid ‘list addiction’
I enjoy watching football, I play netball for a local club, I sing in the choir, I
belong to the debating society, I am taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh
Award scheme, I work in Tesco on Saturdays and I shop for my Granny on
Monday after school.
Be selective (i.e. amplify key activities)
I have been an active member of a Sheffield-based debating society for
the last two years. This has proved really interesting as I have had the
chance to research and defend viewpoints that I would normally not
agree with; an exercise which I’m sure will prove valuable as a Law
degree student.
Quiz
Answer 1 1
Question
A personal statement
There is no
TRUE
is a maximum of 47
maximum length
lines or 4000
to
a personal
characters
whichever
comes
first
statement
FALSE
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Quiz
Answer 2
Question 2
You can use
A
personalin a
paragraphs
TRUE
personal
statement
statement
can be–
remember that blank
written in
lines count towards
paragraphs
FALSE
the maximum
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Quiz
Answer 3
Question 3
Apply will not spell check
your work – we
The
UCAS Apply
recommend you prepare
TRUE
your
personalhas
statement
software
offline using a word-
spelling
and and
processing package
copy and paste it into
grammar checks
FALSE
apply
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Quiz
Answer 4
TRUE
Question 4
You
You can
onlywrite
writeaone
personal
statement
different PS
for each
and
it will
be used
of your
choices
for all your choices
FALSE
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Quiz
Answer 5
Question 5
You cannot use italics,
TRUE
bold or underlining in
You can use bold,
your personal
italics & underlined
statement - the system
characters
will automatically
FALSE
remove these
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Quiz
Question
Answer 66
TRUE
The personal statement
could be
used askeep
the basis
You
should
a
for an interview. Keep a copy
copy of your
so you are prepared to
personal
statement
answer questions
on it
FALSE
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Quiz
Answer 7
Question 7
All personal statements
TRUE
There’s
no by
problem
are checked
our
copycatch
system for
in using material
similarities – see
I’ve found on the
www.ucas.com for
web
FALSE
more details
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Quiz
Question 8
TRUE
Answer 8
There
is a minimum
For applications
length
of 1000
submitted
by 30 June
characters
FALSE
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Quiz
Answer 9
Question 9
The link on Apply will take
you to a section on
TRUE
www.ucas.com where you
There is a link to a
can find help and advice
‘Personal
on writing anstatement
effective
personal
statement
guide’ on
Apply .
Take time to read it
FALSE
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Writing UCAS references
References – not school reports
The UCAS reference should contain nothing of an
overtly negative nature
“Mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in foolish dreams.”
Iconic 20th century scientist Albert Einstein
“...has set herself an extremely low standard
which she has failed to maintain.”
Best selling author & millionairess Jilly Cooper
“... if he can’t learn simple biological facts he would
have no chance of doing the work of a specialist and
it would be a sheer waste of time, both on his part,
and of those who have to teach him” ”
Nobel Prize 2012 – Physiology Sir John Gurdon
Key words
“INDEPENDENT”
“INSIGHTFUL”
“OBJECTIVE”
“MEANINGFUL”
A profile of performance and potential
prepared by professionals
Must ADD VALUE to the application
Reference – key facts
 47 lines or 4000 characters (whichever comes first) – preview
if cutting and pasting from Word or similar
 Timeout in Apply after 35 minutes
 Extended European character set can be used (Æ)
 Can begin populating as soon as an applicant registers
 Will not be seen by applicant prior to submission to UCAS
(even if the application has to be sent back for correction of
errors or omissions)
 Under Data Protection Act, applicant can request a full copy of
the application (including reference) post-processing by UCAS
(£10 administration charge)
A common format model for reference
Information on school/college
Special circumstances (if applicable)
Subject by subject report
Suitability for chosen course
Concluding endorsement
Writing subject reports – what would universities like to know?
Academic and practical
skills specific to your
subject
Motivation and suitability
Student capability as an
independent learner
Are assignment results a
fair reflection of ability?
Examples of exploring the
subject beyond the bounds
Ability to work hard and
for the chosen HE course
of the school or college
curriculum
Any additional preparation
Performance in individual
by student in support of
application
modules or course
components
keep to deadlines
Attainment in comparison
to rest of group
Predicted grades
• Around 40% over-predict
• Can lead to offers that the cannot be met
• Around 10% under-predict
• Can result in no offer
• Adjustment available for those placed with firm choice who
• meet all offer conditions and
• exceed sat least one offer condition
• Always record in space provided above reference
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Red card offences
Text here
Reference writing: Don’ts
Use it to promote school or college
Directly mention one institution by name
Paste in information on the wrong student!!
Plus, avoid over the top eulogising…
… and when he is not working towards World Peace, he
enjoys
learning
languages
from
scratch,
writing
symphonies and playing a standard of golf that Tiger
Woods can only dream about.
How to contact us
• 8:30am – 5:30pm
• Applicant line and social media
support open until 6pm
•
•
•
•
Staff/advisers: 0845 123 8001
Students: 0871 468 0 468
Fax: 01242 544 961
@ucas_centres
Dedicated Schools email address coming soon
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Thank you for listening and joining in. Any final
questions?
[email protected]
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