Personal statements can make or break university applications. It is your opportunity to showcase your passion, set yourself apart from other candidates, and explain why you should be accepted.
Unfortunately many candidates make mistakes that weaken their statements, and may even affect their chances of being accepted. If you don’t want to end up in that boat, here are 5 common mistakes that you need to avoid:
1. Not Focusing on the Course
Always remember that your personal statement should highlight the reasons you would be a good fit for the specific course to which you’re applying. Everything in it must connect to the course somehow for it to be relevant.
If you don’t focus on the course, it will make your application less appealing – especially to top institutions such as Oxbridge or Russel Group Universities. To avoid this, always prioritize academic interests or extracurricular activities that are directly related to the course that you want to pursue, or involve skills relevant to it.
2. Poor Structure and Flow
Some candidates are so focused on cramming as much as they can into their personal statement that they overlook its structure and flow. The result tends to be a disorganized mess with no clear narrative that jumps from one topic to the next.
When writing your personal statement, map out its structure in advance. It should include an introduction that covers the reason you’re applying, several paragraphs on relevant subjects, projects, work experience or extracurricular activities, and finally a conclusion that sums up why you think the course is the right fit.
If you want more advice on how to structure it, check out the UCAS personal statement guide.
3. Too Many Clichés
Unfortunately many applicants end up including overused phrases in their personal statement such as “I’m passionate about…” or “I love this subject because…”. More often than not these clichés won’t help you stand out as admission tutors will spot them a mile away, and may even count against you.
The best way to dodge this mistake is to be specific and describe your experiences instead of just stating them. For example, instead of stating, “I’m passionate about history,” write, “Seeing the pyramids in Egypt made me question how they came to be and sparked my interest in history.”
4. Common Spelling and Grammar Issues
Honestly you’d be surprised how often common spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors sneak their way into personal statements. Although these mistakes are almost always due to carelessness, they can make your statement look unprofessional.
The good news this mistake is easy to fix: Just carefully proofread your statement several times, and take advantage of tools to check grammar such as Grammarly. If possible ask teachers or family members to review your statement as a final check before you submit it.
5. Exaggerating Accomplishments
Exaggerating your qualifications or achievements a little bit may feel harmless - but can make you look dishonest if exposed. For example, stating you’re ‘an accomplished coder’, when you really just took a basic course isn’t particularly harmful – but can raise doubts as to whether all your other accomplishments are exaggerated too.
The last thing you want is for admission tutors to have doubts about your honest so it is best to avoid any form of exaggeration. Be upfront, honest, and crystal clear regarding all your accomplishments.
Conclusion
See how easy it is to avoid these common mistakes? As long as you’re careful, you should be able to turn out a focused, well-structured and authentic personal statement will improve your odds of impressing admission tutors.
