The time has come to write your personal statement. You've heard about it from your teachers or your friends in the year above, you might have even seen some examples, but that doesn't make it any easier to get started. Your statement will be personal to you, and you want it to stand out when it's being looked at by universities. We've pulled together some of the top information out there about what makes a great personal statement.
"Use simple language," says Jeanette Eriksson, Head of Admissions at London Met. "Research your choice of course. Forget the clichés and think about your particular love for the subject you have chosen. Above all, be honest and enthusiastic throughout your personal statement – examples really do show you are dedicated to learning within your area of interest."
Make sure you are studying a subject you are interested in
The most important part of writing a personal statement is being happy with the course you have chosen. London Metropolitan University has a helpful course finder that can help you narrow down your search to find the perfect course. Once you have found the best course for you, you will find it easier to write your statement.
We run UCAS application workshops to help you with your application. Vidya Beeharry, who advises applicants, says "the main thing with personal statements is that people find it hard to start. Once they do, they don't know where to stop! There is often too much waffling and not enough facts. Academics (lecturers) need to see that applicants are whole, well-rounded people.”
Find out what each university expects
Every university has different requests for each personal statement. UCAS state that it is best to take notes and visit each establishment to see what each place is looking for before applying. This allows you to make sure that you have all the points and information you need before you begin writing.
Spend time planning
Make sure to outline everything you would like to include about why you want to be on your chosen course and what to include from your notes to make sure your statement is strong. This can be done in a "list form as suggested by UCAS or in a revision style format. You don’t want to miss out on including something that could make your statement even better.
Limit yourself to 4,000 characters
UCAS believe the best personal statements are those, "close to [the] 4,000 character limit." This means that you should keep your statements interesting, punchy and formative throughout. Your personal statement is the first time your tutors get to see what interests you and why you have decided to apply for the course.
Be sure to share it before you send it off
The best way to make sure you have made no mistakes and included the correct information is to share it with those around you. Teachers, careers advisers, friends and family members will be able to give you a second opinion on your work. Or book on to one of our our full list of undergraduate courses.
Make sure to check it again
After you’ve made any changes go through and check your statement again. Afterwards, you can get those you asked before to read it again. They will be able to tell you if it has improved or not and if any more additional elements need to be addressed before you send it off.
Meet the deadline and apply
Once you are happy with your statement make sure to submit it before the deadline. Once your statement has been sent you should receive an email letting you know that your application was successfully received by the university.
Every year, London Metropolitan University helps hundreds of students find places on full-time undergraduate degrees. You can start a course at London Met in September, but many are also available to start in January. Take a look at our full list of undergraduate courses or contact our course enquiries team for more information.
Written by Joey Tamburello. Joey is a first class graduate of the London Met Journalism degree. She runs her own entertainment blog, Let’s Start With This One.