Personal Statement - a clear and shiny reflection of you!

Now this is the tricky part. A lot of what goes into distinguishing and filtering the large number of applications. A good personal statement can easily make it or break it for you.

Having read all this and more, my daughter became jittery and avoided sitting down to actually writing it!

It can be intimidating, yet I think it's a wonderful idea to put 'yourself in words'. Who you are, what you think and why this course, rather than just a name with a set of grades and numbers sent to the admissions office. Especially for international students who won't be facing the actual interview face to face. The personal statement is the personality of the person writing it. I sincerely wish we have something of this sort for admissions here in India too.

Most universities actually mention on their websites what it is that they expect of the students. It becomes fairly easy if you go through and keep those particular points in mind while writing.

Any standard written piece can be dealt with by following CODER. Something I found useful in CBSE books, while teaching English to senior classes.

C - Collect your ideas. (Keep scribbling down ideas that come to you over a period of time).
O - Order of the ideas. (Follow a logical sequence).
D - Draft your ideas cohesively. (Learn and use linking words and phrases).
E - Edit what you have written.
R - Revise (keep revising and editing till it's perfect!).

Another useful way for helping you kickstart your personal statement writing is this UCAS worksheet .  Complete this worksheet and you have something to start working on. Other than this read up as much as you can on other websites too. Just google 'personal statement' and immerse yourself in the gazillion sites. Then DO get down to writing.

Have a captivating opening moving onto a detailed yet crisp middle and a smart closing. I know easier said than done. But try doing it and it will become easier!

 'The student room' has some examples of actual personal statements, by subject, with reviews and constructive comments from experts which really helped a lot.

After my daughter had written the first draft, she and the rest of us in the family read, re-read and re-read for a month before she finalized it. Very satisfied that it was over. However, realizing just as soon that she had used much more than the character limit on the actual form. Resizing after an almost perfect PS proved to be even more difficult. She went back to reading what is expected and chose carefully the more important parts and with a heavy heart, cut out the rest!

So it takes patience. And commitment. Besides language skills. A few qualities even the admissions tutors are looking for in suitable candidates. A personal statement, after all, does speak about you!

Please feel free to leave your email in the comments to ask for more details of what went into my daughter's personal statement.

UCAS - Application Time

With the 'research' done and the 5 unis chosen, now came the time for the actual application.

UCAS, United Colleges and Asmissions Service, or the organisation through which you apply to the higher education courses in the UK. A centralized application system for the entire nation. Now that is something worth writing about.

It's unimaginable how this organization is actually so well organized! We have unequivocally been raving about this entire application procedure to our family and friends. Physically we didn't have to move more than just a few fingers - for typing, that is. And that's actually it!

Each and everything is given in detail, not just for reading but youtube videos demonstrating, directing, holding your hand and taking you through the entire procedure.  Hats off to you guys!

Do please keep the following few things in mind before applying:

1. The application dates and deadlines. All clearly stated on the website. The registrations are now open for  admissions in September, 2013. That means the students of class 12th and final year undergraduates should now be neck deep into the procedure.

2. Ask your teachers to write down 12th finals predicted marks for you on a school letterhead, subject-wise with each teacher's signature. This is not normally done in Indian schools, so you will have to explain exactly what you want. Also you will require a letter of reference (LOR) from either your present class teacher or a subject teacher. Find someone who really likes you! These letters should be signed by your principal with the school seal at the end. (Please feel free to ask me for more details, in the comments box.)

3. When registering for UCAS note down the password and username clearly in the same diary you were maintaining for tables and notes (as suggested in my previous post). You can register and save. Come back when you have all you material ready for application. You needn't do everything in one go.

4. Go to the chosen university websites and note down the university code as well as the subject code. Double check. Even if you're taking someone's help for applying, you must ensure these are filled in correctly. We took the help of an authorized consultancy here in Delhi. Back then we weren't too sure it could all have been done ourselves.

5. Prepare to write the most important aspect, if you haven't already -
your PERSONAL STATEMENT.

Questions to UCAS can be asked here

Some international student FAQs can be found here

You can always get in touch with them by calling - 0044 871 468 0 468 (for international calls). Timings - Mon to Fri 8:30 am to 6:00 pm UK time.  We spoke to them a couple of times during the application procedure and were always met with genuine help.


NEXT - ADVICE ON WRITING PERSONAL STATEMENT