Virtual Higher Education Convention Questions Archive - Personal Statements
Personal Statement Questions
Personal Statement Answers
I'm thinking about applying for medicine - any advice on what I should be including on my statement? What will help it to stand out?
University of Aberdeen replied:
The Medicine selectors will want to be convinced of your commitment to medicine, and that you understand the core qualities needed by a doctor. Evidence of research into what doctors do, what training they have to complete and how committed and motivated they have to be should be provided. They will also want to know about your experience of teamwork.
University of Glasgow replied:
It will also help if you are aware of the different teaching styles used by medical schools. For example there are schools offering traditional pre-clinical/clinical courses and those offering problem based learning. If one style suits you better mentioning that in a statement and applying to institutions offering your preferred style may assist your application.
I don't do any activities outside of school - what other things can I put on my personal statement? I do look after my younger sisters after school - could I include that?
University of Glasgow replied:
If you haven't any positions of responsibility at school or college focus instead on your general skills, Emphasise achievements/experiences, Career plans, Any work experience or voluntary work, Any mentoring work, Any other achievements e.g. Duke of Edinburgh or Young Enterprise
University of Aberdeen replied:
Clearly your hobbies and interests are of interest to selectors, particularly if you can show that these have been sustained over a long period of time. Also, any extra-curricular or voluntary activities that you take part in at school.
University of Stirling replied:
Do you have a part-time job? If so, try to write about this and the skills that this has taught you - working in a team, communication skills, time management, managing your money etc. All of these help to build a picture of you as an attractive candidate for universities!
University of Aberdeen replied:
Indeed you could. It will help if you can briefly say what kind of commitment this involves, and for how long you have had this responsibility.
University of Stirling replied:
Definitely - this is a position of responsibility in itself. It will be particularly relevant if you are applying for a course that relates to people, behaviour or society, however the skills that you have developed will no doubt prove useful to you, whatever you end up studying.
I am applying for Law at Edinburgh University. The entry requirements are BBBB, I have AABBC. However, it was stated that most applicants have grades AAA-AAAAB. Do you think it would be useless applying or is there still a chance I will be accepted with a good personal statement and strong predicted grades in my 6th year?
University of Aberdeen replied:
First of all, this is quite a specific question to a specific university, so the best advice is for you to contact their Law selector directly to obtain an answer. They won't hold it against you!!!
Secondly, most universities set their going-rates for entry realistically, i.e. they don't have other secret going rates that they don't tell you about.
Thirdly, you will very likely be competing with other applicants, and the selector will be choosing those that he or she feels have most potential. You might be chosen over someone with higher grades if your personal statement and academic reference put you in a more favourable light.
University of Stirling replied:
I agree that the best advice is to contact Edinburgh directly for an answer. In case it is any help I will tell you how Strathclyde would view your application: you could expect a Conditional Offer and if you are taking three subjects in S6 this is likely to be ABB. This could be in Highers or Advanced Highers and the Law School would generally specify which subject they wanted the A in - probably the subject for which your school predicts you will gain an A.
Your Personal Statement and Reference will be read with interest but they are unlikely to cause a variation in your Conditional Offer unless there are special circumstances to take into consideration.
How much do personal statements mean? Are my grades more important and if applicants are all graded roughly the same is that when personal statements count? Do universities really read all the statements?
University of Glasgow replied:
Your personal statement will be used particularly when selecting students for high pressure areas such as Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Teaching or Dentistry for example. The selectors will be looking for evidence that you have a thorough knowledge of the demands that the profession will make on you! You can then build on that at interview.
University of St Andrews replied:
UCAS Personal Statements are a very important part of the selection process together with your qualifications and your teacher's reference. At the University of St Andrews we look forward to reading Personal Statements as they give us a real insight into your motivations and aspirations for applying.
Queen Margaret University replied:
Your personal statement is a very important part of your UCAS form. Every application that comes into the university is looked at and especially the personal statement. Sometimes this is the only time that you can really "sell" yourself to the university as many degree courses do not offer an interview.
University of Aberdeen replied:
Remember that all universities reject some applicants. If you apply to a university and end up in their pile of potential rejects then you will need a personal statement that will tip the balance in your favour.
University of Strathclyde replied:
At Strathclyde we read all Personal Statements with interest. They are particularly important for vocational courses, where relevant personal qualities are just as important as grades.
A good Personal Statement may also persuade a Selector to make an offer if your S5 results have been poor and a significant improvement is required in S6 - you can use it to convince us that your S5 results did not reflect your true ability and that your S6 results will paint a different picture. And if we have any places left on a course in August, when the Highers results are published, we may confirm a place for an applicant who has fallen just short of the grades but has a strong Personal Statement and Reference.
I plan to apply for 2 or 3 completely different courses. When I'm discussing why I've chosen the career in my personal statement should I write about why I'm interested in each of them individually or will that make it appear like I'm not really interested in the course. Alternatively should I be more general and just write that I'm interested in working in the health sciences sector?
University of Aberdeen replied:
This can present a difficulty if the courses you are applying for are radically different and are highly selective. However, few selectors will be put off if you show that you have a wide range of interests and experience, provided you convince them that you have fully researched their own subject area and are committed to it.
University of Strathclyde replied :
This is a tricky one. A non-vocational course, such as Biological Sciences, is liable to make you an offer provided you are within reach of the required grades and express some interest in the relevant subjects. However vocational courses in health care are generally looking for evidence that you have really researched the career area, and it is difficult to show this without mentioning the specific careers. Also, it is hard for you to create as strong an impression of your commitment as it will be for someone who is focussing on one career.
Try to talk to practitioners in the careers you are considering (work shadowing is great, but can be difficult to arrange)as well as looking at careers literature, and see if that might lead you to focus on a particular area of health care. Also, I would suggest making direct contact with a Selector for one of the vocational courses you are considering and ask whether they would be put off by you applying at the same time to another vocational course.
As with most questions which have been posted today the best way forward is to be bold and make direct contact with the relevant Selector (usually named in the Prospectus).
I know positions of responsibility look good on a personal statement but not everyone is able to be a prefect or house captain. What other things would look good?
University of Aberdeen replied:
Positions of responsibility in any kind of club, society or voluntary organisation can be helpful. Even part-time work if you have had to manage stock or money.
University of Glasgow replied:
What we look for in a Personal Statement:
- Be truthful
- Make it interesting
- Emphasise skills
- Emphasise achievements/experiences
- Be relevant
- Why you have chosen the course
- Career plans
- Any work experience or voluntary work
- Any mentoring work
- Any other achievements e.g. Duke of Edinburgh or Young Enterprise
A good example is:
"…My application to study English is a natural progression from my studies of the subject at school and in extra curricular activities. I find literature enjoyable and challenging, and my studies to date have allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the influence of personal, social and political circumstances on writers’ styles and works…."
University of Strathclyde replied;
Think of some of the qualities that make a good student: hard working; organised; self motivated; disciplined; reliable; determined; good time manager (you might be able to think of more).
Now go through them one by one and give a real example from your life which suggests you have that quality - it doesn't have to be something of earth shattering significance, and if it is a more unusual example than being a prefect or completing your Duke of Edinburgh then it can actually make you sound more like a real person and help to produce a convincing and individual Personal Statement.
A parent replied:
When my daughter applied for university in 2004, her personal statement included her travels where she learned how other people live, her paper round (local free paper) which taught her about discipline and a work ethic, as well as helping her learn more about her local community. It really is a question of looking at what the student has done/does currently and talking it up - truthfully.
