10 things to put in personal statement

What To Include In A Personal Statement: 10 Quick Tips

Sometimes, you just need to know exactly what you should include in a personal statement, from how to write about your academic progress to whether to mention your passion for martial arts.  This post gives you exactly that – it’s a quickfire guide to the personal statement essentials.

So how do you know what to include in a personal statement?

You should always include evidence of your motivation and ambition in a personal statement. You should also include evidence of your academic knowledge and potential, your practical engagement with the subject and your relevant transferable skills.

But what’s the next step once you’ve explained why you want to study a particular subject? Here are 10 quick tips for exactly what to include in a personal statement…

Personal Statements: Academic Knowledge Tips

First and foremost comes the academic evidence that underpins the rest of your application and gives your personal statement depth and legitimacy.

When you’re thinking about what to include in a personal statement, you must consider these three points…

1 Don’t List Qualifications; Demonstrate Knowledge

Listing your qualifications without giving any context or showing just how the knowledge you have is relevant is a big mistake that I often see in personal statements. Your pending results and achieved qualifications are important, but without elaboration and detail, they’re not very helpful.

You’re likely to enter the data on these elsewhere in your application, so don’t waste space repeating them.

The key thing is to show the reader how you have used that knowledge and what the value of your academic understanding is.  

Here’s an example…

2 Evidence Your Wider Reading and Research

When it comes to what to include in a personal statement, evidencing the depth of your research and wider reading is key to receiving an achievable offer.

Universities look for candidates who have engaged in reading beyond the set curriculum, and if you can show that you have the skills to undertake accurate academic research using online or IRL libraries, then they can be reassured that you have the foundational skills needed to start the course successfully.

So, do make sure that you refer to books, articles, lectures or other sources that you have accessed outside of your taught program, but also refer to what you have learned from them in relation to the demands of the course you are applying for.

Don’t write…

I read ‘Broken Societies’ by A P Mann and watched a documentary on social change on YouTube. Unsuccessful Applicant

…instead, write…

Having read ‘Broken Societies’ by A P Mann, I discovered that communities with accessible childcare facilities were more cohesive and successful than those with fewer resources, leading me to deepen my understanding of the impact of social inequality by watching Dr Luba’s TED talk ‘Why Social Inequality Exists’. This knowledge will be particularly valuable during my undergraduate study of Sociology. Successful Applicant

You can check out my post on outstanding personal statement examples for some more detailed information right here .

3 Use the Vocabulary of Your Subject

Something that many applicants miss is the value of using the specific vocabulary of your subject.

So, rather than using generic language, think of your personal statement as an opportunity to have a one-way conversation at a higher academic level. Use specific terminology that will allow the reader to see that you have a strong understanding of your subject.

Don’t just throw in words to sound clever; you haven’t got the space available to do that.

Your vocabulary must be properly contextualised and used accurately.

If you use the right terminology when you’re evidencing your knowledge, it’s likely that your writing will become more concise and direct, which will actually give you more room to write more content.

Why not check out my post on what makes a great personal statement for more details?

When it comes to vocabulary, grammar and sentence structure, I often recommend that students make use of Grammarly .

The basic version is free, and it can be an invaluable aid, not only for proofreading your personal statement, but for creating impactful and compelling points. It’s a great tool for writing accurately and concisely, and if you get used to using it now, you’ll already be ahead of the competition at university.

You can sign up for the free version of Grammarly here , or hit the banner below for more details.

Personal Statements: Practical Experience Tips

When it comes to adding value to a personal statement, it’s important to include evidence of your practical engagement with the subject. This isn’t just because universities want to see evidence of energy and dedication.

It’s because one of the key differences between school and higher education is having the ability and vision to apply theoretical concepts practically.

Here’s how you can demonstrate that you already have this skill…

4 Prove Your Connection to the Subject

Make sure that your personal statement illustrates that you have undertaken practical work directly related to the subject you want to study. Even if you don’t think you have this experience, you probably do.

Here are a few examples…

As always, make sure that you do more than just list the experience, but discuss its impact and value, and make sure the reader sees clearly how it relates to the demands of the course they are offering.

Check out my post here for some more awesome personal statement strategies .

5 Show how Your Experience Relates to the Course

It’s vital that you demonstrate the ways in which the experience you have had is directly relatable to your proposed course of study and to show clearly how, having had that experience, you are a more suitable candidate .

Read through your content and, for each moment of description, add some relevance…

If you want to discover exactly how to check your personal statement, check out my post here .

6 Explain the Value of Practical Experiences

When you’re writing about a practical experience, it’s important to outline its value to you.

This shows an admissions team that you understand the experience in relation to your subject and that you have an awareness of the potential of that experience in relation to your learning.

Think of it this way… how has the experience better prepared you for higher education compared to someone who hasn’t had the same opportunity?

Examples might be:

• An online course has given you a better understanding of a specific aspect of your field of study
• A performance has given you the opportunity to master your nerves and focus your preparation
• Working in a team at summer camp, and winning an award, has given you a better understanding of how to use research in practice

Personal Statements: Transferable Skills Tips

Transferable skills are extremely important elements when you’re considering what to include in a personal statement.

You can read my full post on these very specific transferable skills here , and get a fuller idea of the wide range of ways in which they can be of immense value to your application and to your success on the course of your choice.

In short, a transferable skill is a quality you possess that isn’t directly related to your field of study but adds value to your ability to navigate life.

We’re talking about things like punctuality, wellbeing, organisation and social engagement.

Here are three quick tips for making the most of them in your application…

7 Analyse Relevant Transferable Skills

Most importantly, you must make sure that you include the transferable skills that are most likely to relate to and enhance your choice of subject. So, if you are applying to read Chemistry , how will your maths skills be of value (and can you give an example from your own experience to evidence this?)

If you’re applying to read Sports Sciences , how will your understanding of nutrition and biology support your future studies?

If admissions teams can see these links made clearly in your personal statement, they’ll have the confidence to make you an offer.

8 Evidence the Benefit of Transferable Skills 

It’s not enough just to show the links between relevant subject skills.

It’s also important to encourage the reader to recognise the benefit of more obvious transferable skills. Like before, think about how they will demonstrate your suitability and dedication to a field of study.

You might outline ways in which being organised will help the quality of your practical work in Biology, or analyse the way that your capacity to learn independently will underpin your dissertation.

Equally, expertise in note-taking and revision methodology might be of great value for a specific course, whilst confidence in public speaking might be vital in a degree like History and Politics .

9 Broaden Your Skills Remit

The last tip in this section is key and is often missed by applicants who run out of room in their personal statement and sacrifice the mention of broader transferable skills.

However, these can really make a difference if you can show the value of their inclusion.

You might have gained stamina and self-discipline from competing in martial arts. How will that be of value in a university setting? Perhaps editing the school paper has given you an eye for structure and detail. Maybe your study of Art History will be aided by your scrapbooking experiences?

Importantly, you mustn’t just describe the experience.

You must consider the value of the transferable skill to your application.

Admissions tutors don’t really care if you can play the piano to a high standard (unless you’re applying for a Music course). What they are interested in is the eye-hand coordination this may have given you if you are applying for a degree in Fashion and Textiles , for example.

Here’s an example of a description without too much value attached to it…

A better version would be…

Bonus Personal Statement Tip: Add Value!

Last but not least, we come to tip 10, which is all about value.

You must remember that value in a personal statement needs to be demonstrated from two perspectives.

First, you need to outline the value of the course, campus or institution to you as an individual. Second, you need to clarify the value you will add to that institution, faculty or community.

10 Demonstrate Your Value to the Institution

There are three ways that you can illustrate your potential value to a university (or an employer).

Sometimes applicants find this aspect of what to include in a personal statement challenging, as it can feel boastful to talk about your own qualities and potential, but it’s important that you put your reservations to one side.

Admissions teams want to see your ambition and excitement for what you’ll bring to their organisation, and successful candidates often include the following…

• Ways in which they have already made a tangible difference or contribution to their local or school community by mentoring others, acting as a prefect, sitting on the student council or running academic or lifestyle support groups.
• Ways in which they have contributed to the social or sporting life of their school or community and will continue to do so as an undergraduate .
• Ways in which the opportunities offered by the university (academic, pastoral and co-curricular) connect with their goals and ambitions. This indicates a high level of engagement and contribution to the life of the institution, as both parties are well-aligned.

If you’re ready to start your personal statement, then check out my great post on how to begin . Equally, you can find out exactly what to avoid in your personal statement in my post right here .

Good luck with your personal statement, and don’t forget to contact me if you’d like some 1-1 support. You’ve got this! D

Research and content verified by Personal Statement Planet .

David Hallen

I've worked in the Further Education and University Admissions sector for nearly 20 years as a teacher, department head, Head of Sixth Form, UCAS Admissions Advisor, UK Centre Lead and freelance personal statement advisor, editor and writer. And now I'm here for you...

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How to Write a Strong Personal Statement

• Ruth Gotian
• Ushma S. Neill

A few adjustments can get your application noticed.

Whether applying for a summer internship, a professional development opportunity, such as a Fulbright, an executive MBA program, or a senior leadership development course, a personal statement threads the ideas of your CV, and is longer and has a different tone and purpose than a traditional cover letter. A few adjustments to your personal statement can get your application noticed by the reviewer.

• Make sure you’re writing what they want to hear. Most organizations that offer a fellowship or internship are using the experience as a pipeline: It’s smart to spend 10 weeks and $15,000 on someone before committing five years and $300,000. Rarely are the organizations being charitable or altruistic, so align your stated goals with theirs
• Know when to bury the lead, and when to get to the point. It’s hard to paint a picture and explain your motivations in 200 words, but if you have two pages, give the reader a story arc or ease into your point by setting the scene.
• Recognize that the reviewer will be reading your statement subjectively, meaning you’re being assessed on unknowable criteria. Most people on evaluation committees are reading for whether or not you’re interesting. Stated differently, do they want to go out to dinner with you to hear more? Write it so that the person reading it wants to hear more.
• Address the elephant in the room (if there is one). Maybe your grades weren’t great in core courses, or perhaps you’ve never worked in the field you’re applying to. Make sure to address the deficiency rather than hoping the reader ignores it because they won’t. A few sentences suffice. Deficiencies do not need to be the cornerstone of the application.

At multiple points in your life, you will need to take action to transition from where you are to where you want to be. This process is layered and time-consuming, and getting yourself to stand out among the masses is an arduous but not impossible task. Having a polished resume that explains what you’ve done is the common first step. But, when an application asks for it, a personal statement can add color and depth to your list of accomplishments. It moves you from a one-dimensional indistinguishable candidate to someone with drive, interest, and nuance.

• Ruth Gotian is the chief learning officer and associate professor of education in anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, and the author of The Success Factor and Financial Times Guide to Mentoring . She was named the #1 emerging management thinker by Thinkers50. You can access her free list of conversation starters and test your mentoring impact . RuthGotian
• Ushma S. Neill is the Vice President, Scientific Education & Training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She runs several summer internships and is involved with the NYC Marshall Scholar Selection Committee. ushmaneill

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What to include in a Personal Statement

Personal Statement Tips

What you need to include in your personal statement.

Ready to start your personal statement, but unsure where to begin? Crafting a compelling personal statement is crucial when applying for admission to your desired course.

Your personal statement is the opportunity to show universities who you are, your ambitions and why you’re passionate about the course you’re applying for. Before you dive into writing, it’s good to understand what you should include in your personal statement to make the most of the 4000-character count.

The purpose of your personal statement

Your personal statement is there to show admissions tutors why you’d be a good student for the course you’re applying for and what sets you apart from other candidates.

University admissions tutors tend to look for similar things in your personal statement: a bit about yourself, information about your aspirations and how they link to your chosen course, why you’re interested in the course, and specific skills you already have that will support you in your studies.

What to include in your personal statement

Before diving into writing your personal statement, create a plan of what you want to include and a breakdown of the topics you want to cover. This will help you write more concisely and confidently.

A bit about you, your hobbies and interests

This is a great opportunity to introduce yourself – share information about yourself, your background and any life experiences that have shaped your interest in your course. It’s great to include information that isn’t just education-related too! Tell them a bit about your hobbies and interests beyond your studies.

This is also a great way to flex more of your skills! Many of these could relate back to your subject. For example, keen readers, you could discuss your love for a book you enjoyed recently – a great way for prospective English Literature students to show that they look at the subject beyond the classroom.

Express your passion for the subject

Of course, they want to understand why you want to apply to the specific subject and also see that you are passionate about it too. If there are any areas of the subject that sparked your interest, and you’re looking forward to exploring more, this is the perfect chance to share!

Show off your key skills

Admissions tutors aren’t only interested in your academic achievements, but also other skills you have gained that could be applied to your studies. Give examples of where you’ve used organisational skills, solved a problem or effectively communicated with someone. This will help admissions tutors see how you’d fit in among the other students on campus.

This is also a subtle way of showing your hobbies and interests. If your key skills have been best communicated in a football match, a swimming meet or in a debating society, then show how your passion for these hobbies has manifested in the use of key skills.

Share your achievements

The admissions tutor will receive your predicted grades and recommendation letters alongside your application, so don’t feel you need to share this with them in your personal statement too. Instead, focus on expanding on specific areas of your studies that you have excelled in and the different skills they’ve given you and can be applied to your chosen course.

You can also talk about any achievements. This could be educational awards you’ve won, as well as achievements outside of school.

Writing your personal statement

Now you have all the ingredients, it’s time to get writing! The structure of your statement is just like any essay. Start with a compelling introduction that grabs the reader’s attention and gives an overview of what you’ll be talking about. The majority of your personal statement with then be made up of paragraphs that discuss the specific topics outlined in your plan. To finish, round off your statement with a conclusion. Summarise the key points and show, again, your enthusiasm for applying to the subject.

Some students find that it's easier to write the introduction last. This is a better way of summarising information you already know will pop up later.

With careful thought and planning of what to include and making sure the essential areas are included will be the start of you crafting a fantastic personal statement. If you’re looking for a helping hand, our personal statement examples can help you visualise what your personal statement can look like.

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How to Write a Personal Statement That Wows Colleges

← What Is an Application Theme and Why Is It Important?

10 Personal Statement Examples That Work →

  Most of the college applications process is fairly cut and dry. You’ll submit information about your classes and grades, standardized test scores, and various other accomplishments and honors. On much of the application, your accomplishments must speak for themselves. 

The personal statement is different though, and it’s your chance to let your voice be heard. To learn more about the personal statement, how to choose a topic, and how to write one that wows colleges, don’t miss this post.

What is the Personal Statement?

Personal statements are used in both undergraduate and graduate admissions. For undergrad admissions, personal statements are any essays students must write to submit their main application. For example, the Common App Essay and Coalition Application Essay are examples of personal statements. Similarly, the ApplyTexas Essays and University of California Essays are also good examples .

Personal statements in college admissions are generally not school-specific (those are called “supplemental essays”). Instead, they’re sent to a wide range of schools, usually every school you apply to. 

What is the Purpose of the Personal Statement?

The personal statement is generally your opportunity to speak to your unique experiences, qualities, or beliefs that aren’t elsewhere represented on the application. It is a chance to break away from the data that defines you on paper, and provide a glimpse into who you really are. In short, it’s the admissions committee’s chance to get to know the real you.

So, what are colleges looking for in your personal statement? They are looking for something that sets you apart. They are asking themselves: do you write about something truly unique? Do you write about something common, in a new and interesting way? Do you write about an aspect of your application that needed further explanation? All of these are great ways to impress with your personal statement.

Beyond getting to know you, admissions committees are also evaluating your writing skills. Are you able to write clearly and succinctly? Can you tell an engaging story? Writing effectively is an important skill in both college and life, so be sure to also fine-tune your actual writing (grammar and syntax), not just the content of your essay.

Is your personal statement strong enough? Get a free review of your personal statement with CollegeVine’s Peer Essay Review.

How To a Choose A Topic For Your Personal Statement

Most of the time, you’re given a handful of prompts to choose from. Common personal statement prompts include:

• Central aspect of your identity (activity, interest, talent, background)
• Overcoming a failure
• Time you rose to a challenge or showed leadership
• Experience that changed your beliefs
• Problem you’d like to solve
• Subject or idea that captivates you

One of the questions that we hear most often about the personal statement is, “How do I choose what to write about?” For some students, the personal statement prompt triggers an immediate and strong idea. For many more, there is at least initially some uncertainty.

We often encourage students to think less about the exact prompt and more about what aspects of themselves they think are most worthy of highlighting. This is especially helpful if you’re offered a “topic of your choice” prompt, as the best essay topic for you might actually be one you make up!

For students with an interesting story or a defining background, these can serve as the perfect catalyst to shape your approach. For students with a unique voice or different perspective, simple topics written in a new way can be engaging and insightful.

Finally, you need to consider the rest of your application when you choose a topic for your personal statement. If you are returning from a gap year, failed a single class during sophomore year, or participated extensively in something you’re passionate about that isn’t elsewhere on your application, you might attempt to address one of these topics in your statement. After all, the admissions committee wants to get to know you and understand who you really are, and these are all things that will give them a deeper understanding of that.

Still, tons of students have a decent amount of writer’s block when it comes to choosing a topic. This is understandable since the personal statement tends to be considered rather high stakes. To help you get the ball rolling, we recommend the post What If I Don’t Have Anything Interesting To Write About In My College Essay?

Tips for Writing a Personal Statement for College

1. approach this as a creative writing assignment..

Personal statements are difficult for many students because they’ve never had to do this type of writing. High schoolers are used to writing academic reports or analytical papers, but not creative storytelling pieces.

The point of creative writing is to have fun with it, and to share a meaningful story. Choose a topic that inspires you so that you’ll enjoy writing your essay. It doesn’t have to be intellectual or impressive at all. You have your transcript and test scores to prove your academic skills, so the point of the personal statement is to give you free rein to showcase your personality. This will result in a more engaging essay and reading experience for admissions officers. 

As you’re writing, there’s no need to follow the traditional five-paragraph format with an explicit thesis. Your story should have an overarching message, but it doesn’t need to be explicitly stated—it should shine through organically. 

Your writing should also feel natural. While it will be more refined than a conversation with your best friend, it shouldn’t feel stuffy or contrived when it comes off your tongue. This balance can be difficult to strike, but a tone that would feel natural when talking with an admired teacher or a longtime mentor is usually a good fit.

2. Show, don’t tell.

One of the biggest mistakes students make is to simply state everything that happened, instead of actually bringing the reader to the moment it happened, and telling a story. It’s boring to read: “I was overjoyed and felt empowered when I finished my first half marathon.” It’s much more interesting when the writing actually shows you what happened and what the writer felt in that moment: “As I rounded the final bend before the finish line, my heart fluttered in excitement. The adrenaline drowned out my burning legs and gasping lungs. I was going to finish my first half marathon! This was almost incomprehensible to me, as someone who could barely run a mile just a year ago.”

If you find yourself starting to write your essay like a report, and are having trouble going beyond “telling,” envision yourself in the moment you want to write about. What did you feel, emotionally and physically? Why was this moment meaningful? What did you see or hear? What were your thoughts?

For inspiration, read some memoirs or personal essays, like The New York Times Modern Love Column . You could also listen to podcasts of personal stories, like The Moth . What do these writers and storytellers do that make their stories engaging? If you didn’t enjoy a particular story, what was it that you didn’t like? Analyzing real stories can help you identify techniques that you personally resonate with.

3. Use dialogue.

A great way to keep your writing engaging is to include some dialogue. Instead of writing: “My brothers taunted me,” consider sharing what they actually said. It’s more powerful to read something like:

“Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” they taunted. “Having some trouble?” They prodded me with the ends of the chewed branches and, with a few effortless scrapes of wood on rock, sparked a red and roaring flame. My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame. 

Having dialogue can break up longer paragraphs of text, and bring some action and immediacy to your story. That being said, don’t overdo it. It’s important to strike a balance between relying too much on dialogue, and using it occasionally as an effective writing tool. You don’t want your essay to read like a script for a movie (unless, of course, that’s intentional and you want to showcase your screenwriting skills!).

Want free essay feedback? Submit your essay to CollegeVine’s Peer Essay Review and get fast, actionable edits on your essay. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Personal Statements

1. giving a recap or report of all the events..

Your essay isn’t a play-by-play of everything that happened in that time frame. Only include relevant details that enrich the story, instead of making your personal statement a report of the events. Remember that the goal is to share your voice, what’s important to you, and who you are. 

2. Writing about too many events or experiences. 

Similarly, another common mistake is to make your personal statement a resume or recap of all your high school accomplishments. The Activities Section of the Common App is the place for listing out your achievements, not your personal statement. Focus on one specific experience or a few related experiences, and go into detail on those. 

3. Using cliche language.

Try to avoid overdone quotes from famous people like Gandhi or Thoreau. Better yet, try to avoid quotes from other people in general, unless it’s a message from someone you personally know. Adding these famous quotes won’t make your essay unique, and it takes up valuable space for you to share your voice.

You should also steer away from broad language or lavish claims like “It was the best day of my life.” Since they’re so cliche, these statements also obscure your message, and it’s hard to understand what you actually mean. If it was actually the best day of your life, show us why, rather than just telling us.

If you want to learn more about personal statements, see our post of 11 Common App Essay Examples .

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

A guide to writing the best personal statement for your college application (with template and examples!)

Why is boasting about a best friend SO much easier than writing about yourself? Unfortunately, writing about yourself is exactly what a personal statement essay requires you to do–whether it’s for your college admissions application, or for a scholarship application to pay for college . Here’s our guide, to ensure you’re well-equipped to write a killer personal statement!

First off, what’s the purpose of a personal statement?

What topics can i write about, how do i decide what to focus on, in my college essay, okay, i’ve got my personal statement topic. but now i have to actually write it. 😱what do i do .

• Do you have personal statement examples? 

Now it’s your turn.

Your personal statement should share something about who you are, something that can’t be found in your resume or transcript.

For colleges:

• It should paint a picture for colleges to understand who we are and what we bring to the table. This is why it’s often better to tell a story, or give examples, rather than just list accomplishments.
• It should complement the other parts of your application. Consider your college application as a whole. Your personal statement, application short answers, and supporting documentation should together tell a story about who you are. This also means not being super repetitive with your personal statement and your short essays. (For instance, if you have to answer 3 questions AND submit a personal statement, maybe they shouldn’t ALL focus on music.)

For scholarship applications:

• It should indicate why you’re deserving of the scholarship. This often means making sure your essay relates to the scholarship provider’s goals. (Get more help on writing a killer scholarship essay here , and then make sure you’re applying as efficiently as possible. )
• It should showcase your strengths. This doesn’t mean it can’t acknowledge any weaknesses, but it surely shouldn’t only focus on negative aspects!

It can be overwhelming to figure out where to start. First, figure out what your choices are. Some colleges may have very specific college essay prompts. That said, many students apply using the Common App, which this year offers these 7 topics to choose from : 

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? ( Psst – If you choose this topic, you can sign up for Going Merry and apply for a scholarship bundle : one essay, multiple scholarships! )
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

You’ll notice that #7 is a catch-all that allows you to submit any personal statement about anything at all . 

So maybe that doesn’t help you narrow it down. 

Here’s a 3-step solution:

STEP 1. Brainstorm about your life

Dedicate 5-10 minutes each to brainstorming about these 4 sets of questions.

You can do this by yourself (writing down your thoughts), or do this exercise out loud with a friend or family member, and then jot down notes as you’re talking. If you “think out loud” better than you do on paper, brainstorming with someone else may be the way to go! 

(A) What were defining moments in your life?

How did these moments in your life changed you, what did you learn from it, and how has it shaped your future plans? Some topics might include:

• An accident or injury
• A best friend you made (or lost)
• A defining talk with a peer
• Something new you tried for the first time
• Revealing a sexual or gender identity, to friends or family
• Discovering something about your family ( e.g., see Jesus’s story )
• Moving to a new city
• Traveling somewhere, or learning about a new culture ( e.g., see Gabby’s story )
• Your first pet (new responsibilities as a fur mom or dad)

(B) What have you chosen to spend time on?

Remember to focus not just on the what , but also the why – What were your motivations? How did you feel? What have you learned? Some topics on this might include: 

• The moment you joined band, color guard, or the soccer team. 
• A time you struggled with that activity – e.g., Maybe you got passed over for captain of the soccer? Or maybe you got an injury and had to sit out on the sidelines? 
• Maybe a moment you really fell in love with that activity – e.g. Maybe the first time you investigated a story for the school newspaper and realized journalism was your calling?

(C) Whom or what are you inspired by?

How did you find out about this person or thing? Why are you inspired? In what ways are you inspired? Is there anything that inspiration has made you do (e.g. join a club, do an activity or internship on the topic)? Some topics on this might include: 

• Technology – Maybe a specific App made you inspired to learn to code? 
• Person in your life – Maybe meeting someone (or knowing someone in your family) has affected you? 
• A show, movie, book, or podcast that inspired you to look at life differently
• A dance or song that has made you interested in performing arts

(D) What are you proud of?

Make a list of all the things you’re proud of. These can be milestones, hobbies, qualities, or quirks that are what make you, you. Topics to consider might be:

• Times you saved the day – like that epic left-handed catch you made on the field
• Personal qualities – Maybe you’re really funny, or amazingly calm under pressure. What are some examples of times when you showed those qualities?
• Random life things you’re amazing at – Baking a mean chocolate brownie. Guessing how many gumballs are in a jar. Tell a story when that amazing talent was handy!

Don’t worry if some of your ideas repeat between sections. This is just a way to get ideas flowing! 

STEP 2. Shortlist your ideas

Identify your strongest ideas out of the bunch. This should probably be very few (2-4).

STEP 3. Freewrite about your possible essay topics.

Once you’ve brainstormed some ideas and identified 2-4 winners, we agree with Find the Right College – just start freewriting! Start by writing a few sentences or paragraphs about any of your shortlisted topics, and let the words flow. Write for about 15 minutes, on each shortlisted topic. Don’t worry about structure or organization – this is just an exercise so you feel comfortable getting the thoughts out of your head and onto paper. 

It will also allow you to see which of the topics seems to have the most “legs” — often, you’ll notice that your best topic will:

• Be the easiest to write about (those 15 minutes flew by!)
• Lead you to tell at least one interesting story
• Feel like it genuinely reveals something important about who you are
• Not be captured easily by other parts of your application (you’ll need a full 500 words to really be able to tackle this meaty topic)

Well, let’s start here: What makes a personal statement good or even great ?

Here are some things to keep in mind: 

1. Get personal.

Remember the “personal” in personal statement. We all have a story to tell, and we all have a different journey that led us to where we are today. We might think “someone already wrote about this” or we might think our story isn’t unique, but IT IS.

2. Speak like you.

Write your personal statement in a genuine tone that reflects who you are . There’s no right or wrong tone – just make sure your tone represents YOU. This means, in particular, not using big words just to show off. Often, this just seems like you’re trying to hard. (Or, even worse, you accidentally use the word incorrectly!)

3. Think about your audience.

Who will you be writing your personal statement for? What message do you want to convey? If it’s for to the college admissions committee, how do you show you’ll align well with the culture of the school? If it’s for a scholarship provider, how do you show you support their mission?

4. Hit the big three: Story, Implication, Connection to college/major.

Most successful college essays do at least 3 things: 

• Mention at least one anecdote or story. (“Show, don’t tell.”)
• Explain why that anecdote or story is important to who you are.
• End (or begin) by connecting this information, to why you are applying to this specific college. This may include information about the major (why you think their department/program is great), or more general information about what attracts you to the school (e.g., location, sports, extracurricular activities, Greek life). Get specific so the school knows you’re really interested in them! This is the one piece of your personal statement that probably shouldn’t be cut & paste.

Here’s an example of how to use that personal essay template:

• Story: When I was 11, my family traveled to Italy and visited museums — one specific painting made me fall in love with art. ( 1-2 paragraphs )
• Why important: After that trip, I did lots of art and studied lots of art. Mention specific extracurriculars. ( 3 paragraphs )
• Why this college: I want to apply to X college because of its excellent art program, which I can also complement by joining Y and Z clubs. Since it’s in New York, it’ll also offer my the opportunity to visit the countless art museums like MOMA. ( 1 paragraph )

5. Hit the length.

Make sure you keep within the required length. Normally if you aim for 500 words, you’re golden. Some college or scholarship applications will allow you to write up to 600 or 650 words.

6. Edit your work.

Once you’ve written your personal statement, step away from it. There was a time when we used to rely on pencil and paper to write down all of our ideas and information (including first-draft college essays). Now, we mainly rely on screens, so our eyes grow tired, causing us to miss typos and grammar mistakes.

So save that document in an easy-to-find folder on your computer. Then stepping away from your computer and taking a break helps relax your mind and body and then refocus when you come back to edit the document.

( Psst – If you’re applying for scholarships with Going Merry, we’ve got built-in spellcheck, and we allow you to save essays in your documents folder, so no work will get lost! )

We can’t stress this one enough: Don’t submit your personal statement without checking your spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc.! All the grammar things! Your personal statement reflects who you are, from the topic you choose to the style you write it in, so impress colleges (or scholarship providers) with excellent structure and great grammar!

7. Then, ask someone else to edit it too.

We recommend asking a friend, counselor, or parent to read your personal statement before you submit the document. One more set of eyes will really help you get a second opinion on the tone, writing quality, and overall representation of who you are in your personal statement.

8. Be brave, and hit that “submit” button on your personal statement!

Finally, when everything is completed, click submit! Don’t hold back!

9. Remember, personal statements for your college app, can also be reused as scholarship essays.

Get double-use out of your personal statement. Going Merry is your home for all things scholarships–fill out a profile, get matched to eligible scholarships, and apply. You can even save essays so that you can easily upload the same one for multiple scholarship applications. (We were inspired by the Common App to make applying for scholarships easier.)

Register for an account here , get the full lowdown on how it works , or just sign up for the newsletter below (to get 20 scholarship opportunities delivered to our inbox each each week!).

Do you have personal statement examples ? 

Oh yes we do. First, here are some excerpts of personal statements from members of our very own Going Merry team!

Charlie Maynard, Going Merry CEO – wrote about what matters most to him and why, for his grad school application.

• The open paragraph read: “Being open to new ideas and able to take advantage of opportunities is what is most important to me. The most extraordinary times in my life have come as a result of moments when I’ve seized opportunities. This has been evident in my educational life, my travels around the world and my professional career.”
• This anchored the main topic of his essay. He then went on to explain examples.

Charlotte Lau, Going Merry Head of Growth – wrote for her college Common App personal statement:

“As a child, I was never close with my father, though we were always on good terms. He made me laugh and taught me all the things that made me into a young tomboy: what an RBI is, how to correctly hook a fish when I feel it biting, what to bring on a camping trip. But whenever I was upset, he wouldn’t know how to comfort me. He is a man of jokes and words, not of comforting motions.

But as I grew older and I too became infatuated with words—albeit in written form—our topics of conversation became more diverse and often more profound. We continued to watch sports games together, but during commercials, we’d have epistemological and ethical discussions more fitting for a philosophy class than a chat during a Knicks’ time-out. During these talks, my father would insert stories about his youth. They’d always be transitory or anecdotal, told as if they were beside the point. Still, I’d eagerly commit them to memory, and, over time, I began to get a sense of who my father was—and, in turn, who I am.”

Now, here are some excerpts from other sample personal statements:

These 3 are college essays about personal characteristics:

Essay 1: Humorous essay about getting a D and learning a lesson

“Getting a D probably isn’t the worst thing in the world, but it’s not something anyone wants to see, let alone put, on a college application. It came back to me, scrawled in red, on the first big history test of the year. The one the teacher had assured us was a third of our grade. I could already see my chances of a four-year college going up in smoke and my school year hadn’t even started yet.

What happened? I’m not a D student. I’ll get the occasional C as well as the occasional A. D’s are out of character for me, and enough of a stomach punch to really get my attention. The short version is, I didn’t study, and I don’t remember precisely why. There is always a reason not to study, isn’t there? I didn’t study and I went into a test woefully unprepared and got beaten up.

I had two options here. I could accept that I was in fact a D student despite what I had thought. Or I could study hard for the next test and try to bring my grade up by the force of the average.”

Essay 2: Why a talent (in this case, one at football) is also a responsibility

“Talent is not remarkable. It’s usually the first thing anyone compliments. “You’re so talented.” It doesn’t mean what they think it means. It doesn’t mean I worked hard. It means I was lucky, or blessed, or anything else you want to call it.

I have talent. I’ve known since I was old enough to hold a football. The game just makes intuitive sense to me. The pathways of the players, both my team and the others, where the ball has to go, and what I’m doing. In the silence before a snap, I’m already playing out what is going to happen, watching the holes in my lines, tracing the route of my receivers. […]

It is far too easy to view talent as an excuse. For me, it is a motivator. For my talent, I will accept nothing less than a dream that only a tiny percentage of people ever get to experience. To get there, I’m willing to work hard and wring every last accomplishment from myself.

Talent is a responsibility. Because you had nothing to do with acquiring it, you are compelled to achieve every last bit you can with it. While I had grown used to thinking varsity would be it, that was not the case. Now, I can focus on the goal while I accomplish the steps.”

Essay 3: On living with depression

“Before I was diagnosed, I had been told it was a normal part of growing up. I was told that teens are moody. I would grow out of it. I couldn’t imagine anyone growing out of what I was feeling. I couldn’t imagine anyone surviving.

Diagnosis and medication have saved my life, allowing me to see the world as people without my brain chemistry would. […] what I found was a place of tiny kindnesses.

It might sound bad—as though kindness can only exist in the smallest forms. This is not what I mean. There are extraordinary people out there who devote their lives to doing very large, very important things for others. I’m not talking about them, partially because they are extraordinary. They are not the norm.

What is normal are the tiny kindnesses. These do not cost a person much of anything. A slice of time, a moment of openness, and little else. They are a smile when you’re feeling down, a comforting hand on the shoulder, a moment to talk.”

And here are 3 college personal statements, about what drove their interest in their intended major: 

Essay 4: On why this applicant wants to study music

“My great-great-uncle Giacomo Ferrari was born in 1912 in Neverland, NY, the youngest of four sons. His parents had emigrated from Italy with his two eldest brothers in the early 1900s in search of a better life in America. Their struggles as immigrants are in themselves inspiring, but the challenges they faced are undoubtedly similar to those that many other immigrant families had to overcome; because of this, the actions that my relatives embarked upon are that much more extraordinary. Giacomo’s oldest brother Antonio, my great-grandfather, decided to take a correspondence course in violin, and to teach his youngest brother Giacomo how to play as well. Giacomo Ferrari eventually became an accomplished violinist and started a free “Lunchtime Strings” program for all the elementary schools in the Neverland area, giving free violin lessons and monthly concerts.

As a native English speaker who has had the privilege of studying viola and violin with trained, private teachers, I can only imagine the perseverance it took for my great-grandfather and great-great uncle to learn an instrument like the violin out of booklets and lessons that were not even written in their native language. Their passion and dedication to learning something new, something not part of their lives as blue-collar, immigrant workers, and their desire to share it with others, has inspired me as a musician and a person. It is this spirit that has motivated me to pursue an MA at Composition at the University of XXX.”

Essay 5: On why this applicant wants to be an allergy specialist

“Suddenly I started scratching my neck, feeling the hives that had started to form. I rushed to the restroom to throw up because my throat was itchy and I felt a weight on my chest. I was experiencing anaphylactic shock, which prevented me from taking anything but shallow breaths. I was fighting the one thing that is meant to protect me and keep me alive – my own body.

[…] After that incident, I began to fear. I became scared of death, eating, and even my own body. As I grew older, I became paranoid about checking food labels and I avoided eating if I didn’t know what was in the food. I knew what could happen if I ate one wrong thing, and I wasn’t willing to risk it for a snack. Ultimately, that fear turned into resentment; I resented my body for making me an outsider.

In the years that followed, this experience and my regular visits to my allergy specialist inspired me to become an allergy specialist. Even though I was probably only ten at the time, I wanted to find a way to help kids like me. I wanted to find a solution so that nobody would have to feel the way I did; nobody deserved to feel that pain, fear, and resentment. As I learned more about the medical world, I became more fascinated with the body’s immune responses, specifically, how a body reacts to allergens.”

Essay 6 : On why this applicant wants to study medicine  

“My passion for teaching others and sharing knowledge emanates from my curiosity and love for learning. My shadowing experiences in particular have stimulated my curiosity and desire to learn more about the world around me. How does platelet rich plasma stimulate tissue growth? How does diabetes affect the proximal convoluted tubule? My questions never stopped. I wanted to know everything and it felt very satisfying to apply my knowledge to clinical problems. distinct concepts together to form a coherent picture truly attracts me to medicine.

It is hard to separate science from medicine; in fact, medicine is science. However, medicine is also about people—their feelings, struggles and concerns. Humans are not pre-programmed robots that all face the same problems. Humans deserve sensitive and understanding physicians. Humans deserve doctors who are infinitely curious, constantly questioning new advents in medicine. They deserve someone who loves the challenge of problem solving and coming up with innovative individualized solutions. I want to be that physician. I want to be able to approach each case as a unique entity and incorporate my strengths into providing personalized care for my patients. Until that time, I may be found Friday mornings in the operating room, peering over shoulders, dreaming about the day I get to hold the drill.”

You made it this far. Now, it’s time to write your personal statement!

Ready to reuse your personal statement for scholarship applications? Sign up for Going Merry today for free to keep track of your scholarship applications and essays. We’re your one-stop shop for scholarship searches and applications.

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10 key things to include in a strong personal statement

Written by Elizabeth Holmes

The personal statement within your application form can be of any length, but you are often offered one side of A4 with space for another, which immediately indicates that you are expected to write a great tome of a thousand words, and that fellow candidates will do so also.

Whilst your qualifications and experience get you through the door, the personal statement is an important opportunity for you to tell the decision maker who you are and exactly why you fit that role.

Include your research

Firstly, do the research about the school. Use their career site or webpage to get to know their values and priorities. This will allow you to include in your statement exactly why you’re right for that school. Don’t be afraid to refer to their mission statement or Ofsted report.

Always personalise

Yes, you do need to personalise your statement every time you apply to a different teaching job.

Fit the specifications

Relate your experience to their job specifications, and give examples. E.g. if they are looking for ‘ability to engage successfully with parents’, your statement must show how you meet that requirement, such as: ‘I maintain an open-door policy for parents after teaching hours and have found that two-way conversation results in a more joined-up approach to learning and behaviour between school and home.’ This will then form the basis of your interview questions so be ready with the actual example of a child you have supported this way.

Keep it concise

Don’t be tempted to write War and Peace. A 400-word statement that gives focussed information is more powerful than a 1,000-word demonstration of your supercalifragilistic literary powers. That said, use a varied vocabulary – after all, a teacher should be able to find alternative words for ‘enthusiastic’.

Stay logical

As a teacher (of any subject) your literacy is expected to be high so there should be no spelling or grammar errors. Organise it into logical paragraphs and get someone else to spell-check it manually. There should certainly not be any evidence that you have cut and pasted from an application for another school. Errors such as this are a quick way for a Head to cut down their pile of applicants.

Talk about your subject

Enthuse about your subject or specialism. If you enjoy it, say why. This is critical in leadership roles where you will be responsible in translating the curriculum into a real learning programme.

Focus on what you have learnt

Explain what you have learned from the different schools you have worked in but avoid criticising anyone, no matter how tempting it may be!

Highlight your transferable schools

Include transferable skills from inside and outside of the classroom. If you have come from another industry, don’t be afraid to say so. Your recent and relevant training in technology or a trade is in fact of great benefit to schools so explain what you think you bring to the table.

Mention your future plans

Include your long term plans – much of what a school is looking for includes the person you are going to become.

Be selective with your hobbies

Don’t bother telling them that you love socialising. If you want to include hobbies, relate each to the value it portrays, be it health, papercraft, music, performance or family or community.

If you aren’t sure what skills could be of use to the school, your recruitment consultant can help.

Perfected your personal statement?  Check out our CV tips   to ensure your application is ready to go!

About the author

Elizabeth holmes.

After graduating with a degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Reading, Elizabeth Holmes completed her PGCE at the Institute of Education, University of London. She then taught humanities and social sciences in schools in London, Oxfordshire and West Sussex, where she ran the history department in a challenging comprehensive. Elizabeth specialises in education but also writes on many other issues and themes. As well as her regular blogs for Eteach and FEjobs, her books have been published by a variety of publishers and translated around the world. Elizabeth has also taught on education courses in HE and presented at national and international conferences.

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What to include in a personal statement

Knowing what to include in your personal statement and what to avoid will improve your chances of having your university application accepted. these are our tips..

What to include

What not to include, what to remember before you start.

One of the most important parts of your university application is your personal statement. Knowing what to include won’t only help your chances of earning a place on your ideal course but will help you stand out from other applicants.

Include the following when crafting your personal statement:

• Why you want a place on the course
• Your career aspirations and how your chosen subject fits into these (if you’re still unsure on your future career goals, give an idea of what you’d like to move into upon graduation)
• Qualities and experience you’ll bring to your studies, supported with evidence of how you’ve demonstrated these qualities or gained such experience
• Examples of any relevant work, volunteering or academic experience to support your claims. Identify what you took away from each experience and link it to why you’ve chosen to apply for the subject
• Other examples of learning and growth to support your claims, including extracurricular activities and achievements. This shows unis that you’re willing to engage with other aspects of the university experience beyond your studies
• Any sponsorships or placements you've acquired or have applied for, with an explanation of why they’ll help with your career aspirations
• If your first language isn't English, describe any opportunities you've had to use English (such as attending an English-speaking school or working somewhere where the main language is English)
• Details of your gap year, if you plan to take one, and how it contributes to your interest in your chosen subject
• Positive language, especially when describing your experience, that shows why you want to study your chosen subject
• Challenges you’ve faced during the covid pandemic, how you’ve positively handled these and what they have taught you
• Words and sentences in active voice, such as ‘I intend to...’, ‘I strongly believe that...’ and ‘My future career aspirations include...’

Amanda, one of the senior Paramedic Science lecturers at the University of Brighton , shared with us what she expects students to include in their personal statement:

Consider the subjects you're studying and their relevance to the course you're applying for. Demonstrate research into any professional bodies associated within the field you're applying for (if relevant). Articulate your preparedness for undergraduate study or awareness of the differences between college and university, in terms of study and level of expectations. Explain what's been learned from your experiences and how this will help with your future career aspirations. Amanda Blaber, Senior Lecturer at the University of Brighton, Honorary Fellow of the College of Paramedics, and Senior Fellow Advance HE (Higher Education Academy)

You don’t need to include everything in your personal statement. You only have 4,000 characters and 47 lines to work with, so keep your writing clear and concise

Avoid including:

• Plagiarised content, under any circumstances. All personal statements are scanned by detection software – if you’ve used someone else’s work, your offers can be withdrawn
• Words that make you sound too clever or gimmicky – there’s no guarantee that admissions tutors will understand your humour
• Waffle or padding – only include relevant information
• Quotations or quirky language – unless it’s relevant and makes sense based on the qualities you’re describing
• Any mention of specific universities or course names – you’ll be using the same personal statement for each course and university you apply to
• A list of your qualifications – unis will already have this information, so there’s no need to use up space listing them again
• Additional papers to UCAS – these can be sent directly to the universities you’re applying to, with your UCAS application number attached
• Anything that might come across as immature or that you can’t sensibly talk about in an interview
• Excuses as to why you haven’t been able to gain relevant experience
• Tips for writing your personal statement               
• How to make your personal statement stand out

The task of writing your personal statement may initially feel overwhelming. But by leaving yourself enough time and starting with a plan, you’ll eventually craft a personal statement to be proud of.

Do the following before you start:

• Leave yourself plenty of time to plan and write your personal statement
• Write your first draft somewhere other than on the application itself, such as on Word or Google Docs. You can then copy and paste your personal statement into UCAS Apply
• Keep the language clear and concise throughout – you have a limit on character count
• Remember that a first draft is a first draft. Your personal statement doesn’t need to be perfect right away. Re-read and edit your piece as much as you like before the deadline
• Find 2–3 people willing to proofread your personal statement and give feedback. They might notice any mistakes you’ve missed
• How to start a personal statement

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CV personal statement examples

If you want to secure job interview, you need a strong personal statement at the top of your CV.

Your CV personal statement is a short paragraph which sits at the very top of your CV – and it’s aim is to summarise the benefits of hiring you and encourage employers to read your CV in full.

In this guide I have included 17 CV personal statement examples from a range of professions and experience levels, plus a detailed guide of how to write your own personal statement that will get you noticed by employers

CV templates 

17 CV personal statement examples

To start this guide, I have included 10 examples of good personal statements, to give you an idea of how a personal statement should look , and what should be included.

Note: personal statements are generally used by junior candidates – if you are experienced, check out our CV profile examples instead.

Graduate CV personal statement (no experience)

Although this  graduate has no paid work experience, they compensate for it by showcasing all of the skills and knowledge the have gained during their studies, and demonstrating how they apply their knowledge in academic and personal projects.

When you have little or no experience, it’s important to draw out transferable workplace skills from your studies and extracurricular work, to showcase them to employers.

Graduate CV personal statement (part time freelance experience)

This candidate has graduated with a degree in biochemistry but actually wants to start a career in digital marketing after providing some digital freelance services to fund their studies.

In this case, they haven’t made much mention of their studies because they aren’t relevant to the digital marketing agencies they are applying to. Instead they have focused their personal statement around their freelance work and passion for the digital field – although they still mention the fact they are degree educated to prove their academic success.

School leaver CV personal statement (no experience)

This candidate is 16 years old and has no work experience whatsoever, but they compensate for this by detailing their academic achievements that relate to the roles they are applying for (maths and literacy are important requirements in finance and accountancy roles).

They also add some info on their extracurricular activities and school work-placements, to strengthen this student CV further.

    Top tips for writing a CV personal statement

• Thoroughly research the jobs and companies you are planning to apply for to identify the type of candidate they are looking for – try to reflect that in your personal statement
• Don’t be afraid to brag a little – include some of your most impressive achievements from education, work or personal life
• Focus on describing the benefits an employer will get from hiring you. Will you help them to get more customers? Improve their workplace? Save them time and money?
• If you have no work experience, demonstrate transferable workplace skills from your education, projects, or even hobbies

School leaver CV personal statement (part time experience)

Although this person has only just left school, they have also undertaken some part-time work in a call centre alongside their studies.

To make the most of this experience, they have combined their academic achievements with their workplace exposure in this personal statement.

By highlighting their GCSE results, summer programme involvement, work experience and expressing their ambitions to progress within sales, this candidate really makes an appealing case for hiring them.

College leaver CV personal statement (no experience)

This candidate has left college with good grades, but does not yet have any work experience.

To compensate for the lack of workplace exposure, they have made their A level results prominent and highlighted skills and experience which would benefit the employers they are targeting.

Any recruiter reading this profile can quickly understand that this candidate has great academic achievements, a passion for IT and finance and the ability to transfer their skills into an office environment.

College student CV personal statement (freelance experience)

As this student has picked up a small amount of freelance writing work during their studies, they have made sure to brag about it in their personal statement.

They give details on their relevant A level studies to show the skills they are learning, and boost this further by highlighting the fact that they have been applying these skills in a real-life work setting by providing freelance services.

They also include key action verbs that recruiters will be looking for , such as creative writing, working to deadlines, and producing copy.

Academic CV personal statement

Aside from junior candidates, the only other people who might use a personal statement, are academic professionals; as their CV’s tend to be more longer and detailed than other professions.

This candidate provides a high level overview of their field of study, length of experience, and the roles they have held within universities.

School leaver CV personal statement with and sports experience

Although this person has no work experience, they are still able to show employers the value of hiring them by selling their other achievements and explaining how they could benefit an organisation.

They expand on their sports club involvement to demonstrate their teamwork, leadership skills, communication and motivation, which are all important traits in the workplace, and will be looked upon favourably by recruiters and hiring managers.

They also draw upon their future plans to study business studies and take a part time job, to further prove their ambition and dedication.

History graduate CV personal statement

This history graduate proves their aptitude for both academic achievement and workplace aptitude by showcasing valuable skills from their degree and voluntary work.

They do this by breaking down the key requirements for each and showing how their skills could be beneficial for future employers, such as listening, communication, and crisis management.

They also describe how their ability to balance studies alongside voluntary work has not only boosted their knowledge and skills, but also given excellent time management and organisational skills – which are vital assets to any employer.

Law graduate CV personal statement

This legal graduate makes the most from their work university work placements by using it to bulk out the contents of their CV personal statement.

They include their degree to show they have the necessary qualifications for legal roles, which is crucial, but more importantly, they showcase how they applied their legal skills within a real-life work setting.

They give a brief overview of the types of legal professionals they have been working alongside and the type of work they have been carrying out – this is all it takes to get the attention of recruiters and show employers they have what it takes to fulfil roles in the legal sector.

Medical student CV personal statement

This medical student proves their fit for the role by showcasing the key skills they have gained from their studies and their work experience placements.

In just these few sentences, they are able to highlight the vast amount of experience they have across different disciplines in the industry, something which is particularly important in the medical sector.

As they have not graduated yet and are still studying, they have provided proof of their most recent grades. This can give the recruiter some indication as to the type of grade they could be graduating with in the near future.

Masters student CV personal statement

This masters student has started by specifying their area of study, in this case, accounting, and given details about the specific areas of finance they are most interested in. This can hint towards their career goals and passions.

They have then carefully listed some of the key areas of accounting and finance that they are proficient in. For example, business finance, advanced corporate finance and statistics.

They have also outlined some of the transferable skills needed for accounting roles that employers will be looking out for, such as communication, attention to detail and analytical skills.

Finance student CV personal statement

As this finance student has recently undertaken some relevant work experience, they’ve made sure to shout about this in their personal profile.

But more than this, they have included a list of some of the important finance skills they gained as a result of this work experience – for example, financial reporting, processing invoices and month-end reconciliations.

Plus, through power words and phrases such as ‘prevent loss’ and ‘ improve upon accuracy and efficiency’, they have also showcased how they can apply these skills in a workplace setting to benefit the potential employer.

Internship  CV personal statement

This digital marketing professional has started their personal profile by outlining their most relevant qualifications and work experience, most notably their freelance role as a content manager.

They have also provided examples of some of the key marketing skills that potential employers might be looking for, including very detailed examples of the platforms and tools they are proficient in – for example, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest.

They have then closed their statement by giving a detailed description of the type of role or opportunity they are looking for. In this case, an in-house position in a marketing company.

Graduate career changer personal statement

Switching careers as a graduate can be tough. Especially when it comes to writing a personal statement that will attract employers in your new chosen field.

This candidate is looking to move from history teaching into journalism, so they have created a statement which briefly mentions their current workplace, but mainly focuses on highlighting transferable skills which are relevant to journalism. They achieve this by discussing the writing skills they use in their current role, and mentioning their hobby of writing – including some publications they have been featured in for extra brownie points.

Business management graduate personal statement

This business management proves their ability to work within a junior business management position by swiftly highlighting their impressive degree (to ensure it is not missed) and summarising some of the real-life experience they have gained in management during their university placements and volunteering. They do not let their lack of paid work experience, stop them demonstrating their valuable skills.

PhD graduate

PhD graduate roles attract a lot of competition, so it’s important that your CV contains a personal statement that will quickly impress and attract recruiters.

This candidate provides a short-but-comprehensive overview of their academic achievements, whilst demonstrating their exceptional level of knowledge in research, languages and publication writing.

By highlighting a number of skills and abilities that are in high-demand in the academic workplace, this CV is very likely to get noticed and land interviews.

How to write a personal statement for your CV

Now that you’ve seen what a personal statement should look like and the type of content it should contain, follow this detailed guide to one for your own CV – and start racking those interviews up.

Guide contents

What is a CV personal statement?

Cv personal statement or cv profile, personal statement format, what to include in a cv personal statement.

• Personal statement mistakes

How to write persuasively

A personal statement is a short paragraph at the top of your CV which gives employers an overview of your education, skills and experience

It’s purpose is to capture the attention of busy recruiters and hiring managers when your CV is first opened – encouraging them to read the rest of it.

You achieve this by writing a tailored summary of yourself that explains your suitability for the roles you are applying for at a very high level, and matches your target job descriptions .

One question candidates often ask me is , “what is the difference between a personal statement and a CV profile?”

To be honest, they are almost the same – they are both introductory paragraphs that sit at the top of your CV… but there are 2 main differences

A personal statement tends to be used more by junior candidates (graduates, school leavers etc.) and is relatively long and detailed.

A CV profile tends to be favoured by more experienced candidates , and is shorter in length than a personal statement.

Note: If you are an experienced candidate, you may want to switch over to my CV profile writing guide , or example CV profiles page.

To ensure you grab recruiters’ attention with your personal statement, lay it out in the following way.

Positioning

You need to ensure that your personal statement sits at the very top of your CV, and all of it should be totally visible to readers, without the need to scroll down the page.

Do this by reducing the top page margin and minimising the space taken up by your contact details.

This will ensure that your whole personal statement can be seen, as soon as your CV is opened.

We have a Word CV template which can help you to get this right.

Size/length

Your personal statement needs to contain enough detail to provide an introduction to your skills and knowledge, but not so much detail that it bores readers.

To strike the right balance, anything between 8-15 lines of text is perfect – and sentences should be sharp and to-the-point.

As with the whole of your CV or resume , your personal statement should be written in a simple clean font at around size 10-12 to ensure that it can be read easily by all recruiters and employers.

Keep the text colour simple , ensuring that it contrasts the background (black on white is best) and break it into 2 or even 3 paragraphs for a pleasant reading experience.

It should also be written in a punchy persuasive tone, to help you sell yourself and increase your chances of landing interviews , I cover how to do this in detail further down the guide.

Quick tip: A poorly written CV will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to create a winning CV in minutes with professional CV templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Once you have the style and format of your personal statement perfected, you need to fill it with compelling content that tells recruiters that your CV is worth reading.

Here’s what needs to go into your personal statement…

Before you start writing your personal statement, it’s crucial that you research your target roles to find out exactly what your new potential employers are looking for in a candidate.

Run a search for your target jobs on one of the major job websites , look through plenty of adverts and make a list of the candidate requirements that frequently appear.

This research will show you exactly what to include in your personal statement in order to impress the recruiters who will be reading it.

Education and qualifications are an important aspect of your personal statement, especially if you are a junior candidate.

You should highlight your highest and most relevant qualifications, whether that is a degree, A levels or GCSEs. You could potentially go into some more detail around modules, papers etc. if they are relevant to the roles you are applying for.

It’s important that you discuss the experience you have gained in your personal statement, to give readers an idea of the work you are comfortable undertaking.

This can of course be direct employed work experience, but it doesn’t have to be.

You can also include:

• School/college Uni work placements
• Voluntary work
• Personal projects
• Hobbies/interests

As with all aspects of your CV , the content should be tailored to match the requirements of your target roles.

Whilst discussing your experience, you should touch upon skills used, industries worked in, types of companies worked for, and people you have worked with.

Where possible, try to show the impact your actions have made. E.g . A customer service agent helps to make sales for their employer.

Any industry-specific knowledge you have that will be useful to your new potential employers should be made prominent within your personal statement.

For example

• Knowledge of financial regulations will be important for accountancy roles
• Knowledge of IT operating systems will be important for IT roles
• Knowledge of the national curriculum will be important for teachers

You should also include some information about the types of roles you are applying for, and why you are doing so. Try to show your interest and passion for the field you are hoping to enter, because employers want to hire people who have genuine motivation and drive in their work.

This is especially true if you don’t have much work experience, as you need something else to compensate for it.

CV personal statement mistakes

The things that you omit from your personal statement can be just as important as the things you include.

Try to keep the following out of your personal statement..

Irrelevant info

Any information that doesn’t fall into the requirements of your target roles can be cut out of your personal statement. For example, if you were a professional athlete 6 years ago, that’s great – but it won’t be relevant if you’re applying to advertising internships, so leave it out.

Generic clichés

If you are describing yourself as a “ dynamic team player with high levels of motivation and enthusiasm” you aren’t doing yourself any favours.

These cliché terms are vastly overused and don’t provide readers with any factual details about you – so keep them to a minimum.

Stick to solid facts like education, skills , experience, achievements and knowledge.

If you really want to ensure that your personal statement makes a big impact, you need to write in a persuasive manner.

So, how do you so this?

Well, you need to brag a little – but not too much

It’s about selling yourself and appearing confident, without overstepping the mark and appearing arrogant.

For example, instead of writing.

“Marketing graduate with an interest in entering the digital field”

Be creative and excite the reader by livening the sentence up like this,

“Marketing graduate with highest exam results in class and a passion for embarking on a long and successful career within digital”

The second sentence is a much more interesting, makes the candidate appear more confident, throws in some achievements, and shows off a wider range of writing skills.

Quick tip: A poorly written CV will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to create a winning CV in minutes with professional templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Your own personal statement will be totally unique to yourself, but by using the above guidelines you will be able to create one which shows recruiters everything they need.

Remember to keep the length between 10-20 lines and only include the most relevant information for your target roles.

You can also check our school leaver CV example , our best CV templates , or our library of example CVs from all industries.

Good luck with the job hunt!

• Personal Statements

10 things not to put in your personal statement

To help you figure out which things are best to leave out of your personal statement here is a list of 10 things to avoid writing:

• Skip the quotes and clichés - If you’re using a popular quote or phrase then other applicants will be too. The aim of your personal statement is to show you’re unique, not make you sound like everyone else.

Skip the jokes too - The admissions tutor doesn’t know you and you aren’t there to explain why something is funny, so leave the jokes for your friends.

• Irrelevant personal facts -  Your personal statement is meant to show why you are the right candidate for the course so filling it with irrelevant facts such as you like to swim on holiday is just taking up valuable space that could be better used.
• Lies -  If you haven’t done it or can’t do it, don’t say that you have or can. It’s as simple as that.
• Plagiarism -  All universities use plagiarism detection software so as much as you might like the personal statement examples you find on the internet you will get caught if you copy them.
• Negative comments -  Talk about prizes, awards, qualifications, and any other relevant experience that makes you look good. Don’t say you were a mediocre student or couldn’t play football to save your life.
• Random lists -  Lists are boring, fact. Listing every book you’ve ever read or all the countries you’ve visited isn’t going to impress anyone or demonstrate why you’re the candidate the university should pick.
• Boasting -  Ok so you should sell yourself but making sweeping boasts about your abilities will just make it harder for you to live up to the university’s expectations if you get accepted.
• “I like socialising” etc -  Statements like this make admissions tutors yawn. They don’t care where you like to party or hang out so leave it out.
• Poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation -  Your personal statement needs to be 100% perfect, make sure it is before you submit it.  

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Alan Bullock Careers

Independent careers adviser and writer, ucas personal statements: 20 things to put and 20 things not to put (2023 update).

“This is a must-read for students applying for Uni, especially the don’ts.” (Head of Careers, University of Warwick, October 2021)

I originally wrote this several years ago as four separate online articles for the former Which? University website. The articles were extremely popular at the time and reached many thousands of readers, drawing lots of positive feedback from students, parents, teachers and advisers alike. I re-published them on my blog as one integrated article in 2021 and have since made some further improvements to it.

My aim is to prompt applicants with some suggestions about the kind of content universities like to see in a personal statement … and what they would prefer not to see.

One message I would like to add as a preface is that your personal statement will be very important for most courses at some unis and for some courses at most unis, especially if there’s strong competition for places. But equally, it’s fairly unusual for applicants to be rejected purely because of their statement, as long as they’ve researched and prepared for it sensibly and written it with care. In that context, my advice would be to see it as an opportunity not a threat, a point which is reinforced in the quote right at the end of the article.

———-

Article 1: 10 things to put in your personal statement

No two personal statements should be the same (the clue is in the personal ) but there are certain additions that will get the attention of the admissions tutor reading it, whatever subject you want to study. 

I asked admissions tutors for their views on this and here’s what they said. 1. Explain your reasons for wanting to study the course

What motivates you to take this course at university level? Mention how your interest developed, what you’ve done to pursue it or how you’ve drawn inspiration from your current studies. Or just demonstrate your enthusiasm for the subject.

“Be specific from line one.” (English admissions tutor)

  2. Explain how you’re right for the course

Provide evidence that you fit the bill. Demonstrate how you meet the selection criteria, or show that you’ve researched the course or profession and understand what studying the subject at university level will involve … and that you’re prepared for this.

“Keep on topic and show that you’ve really done your research and know why you want to do the course.” (Sport admissions tutor)

3. Reflect on what you’ve learned beyond the classroom

If possible, outline how you’ve pursued your interest in your chosen subject beyond your current syllabus. This is sometimes referred to as your ‘super-curricular’ learning.

For example, talk about any further reading you’ve done around the subject and give your critical views or reflective opinions about it. This could be from books, quality newspapers, websites, periodicals, scientific journals, films, documentaries, videos, radio programmes, podcasts, blogs, vlogs, attending public lectures and so on.

However, try to avoid mentioning the wider reading that everyone else is also doing. For example, I’ve often seen personal statements for Economics that mention Levitt and Dubner’s book ‘Freakonomics’, but this book is so popular and well-known that it once prompted a busy university admissions tutor to say to me: “If I have to read about Freakonomics one more time, I’ll scream.” A slight exaggeration of course, but hopefully you get my drift.

4. Reflect on any relevant experience(s) …

Reflect on your experiences, explaining what you’ve learned from them or how they’ve helped develop your interest in the subject. This could be work experience, work shadowing, a part-time job, volunteering, university open days or tasters, summer schools, museum or gallery visits, stage performances, cultural events, archaeological digs, visits to the local courts, travel, competitions, a maths challenge or even just a conversation with someone who does what you want to do.

“It doesn’t have to be anything fancy.” (Archaeology admissions tutor) 

5. … Especially if you’re applying for a vocational subject

Reflecting on relevant experience or observation will be essential for some professional courses, where in effect you’re applying for the career as well as the course:

“ Reflect  on your experience, don’t just describe it. Talk about the skills the profession needs, how you’ve noticed this and how you’ve developed those skills yourself.” (Occupational Therapy admissions tutor)

“Whatever environment you’ve been in, what did you spot or learn from what happens there? Or what did you observe about how the qualities exhibited by professional staff helped them engage effectively with patients or service-users?” (Medicine admissions tutor)

6. Can you demonstrate transferable skills?

Yes you can! And admissions tutors will want to hear about them. For example, it could be your ability to work independently, teamwork, good time management, problem-solving, leadership, listening or organisational skills. 

7. Expand on the most relevant ones

But don’t simply list off the skills you think you have. Think about which ones relate most readily to the course you’re applying to, then demonstrate how you’ve developed, used or improved one or two of them. Again, admissions tutors want to hear about  specific  examples, like:

• projects or assignments (what role did you play, what went well?)
• positions of responsibility (what did you achieve, how has it improved your self-confidence?)
• activities like sport, music or drama (what did you learn from your role, how did you work as a team?)
• activities like Young Enterprise or the Duke of Edinburgh Award (what was the biggest challenge and how did you overcome it …. or what went wrong and what did you learn from that?)
• volunteering or part-time job (what have you observed, what extra responsibilities have you taken on, what skills have you demonstrated yourself?)

8. Show that you’re a critical thinker

University is all about being able to think independently and analytically, so being able to demonstrate that you’re working like this already is a big plus point. Explaining how one of your A-Level or IB subjects, a BTEC assignment, a T-Level placement, or additional studies such as the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) has made you think more critically could be an effective way of doing this.

“If you’re taking the EPQ, do talk about it as it’s the kind of studying you’ll be doing at uni.” (Modern languages admissions tutor) 

9. What’s the longer-term plan?

Mention what your longer-term goals are if you can do this in an interesting way or if you’ve got a specific path in mind. But if you do, then try and show a spark of individuality or imagination.

“Just saying you want to be a journalist isn’t going to stand you out from the crowd.” (History admissions tutor)

If you haven’t got a specific path in mind, maybe just talk about what you’re looking forward to at uni and what you want to gain from your course or from university life.

If you’re applying for deferred entry, do mention your gap year plans if you’ve made a firm decision to take a year out. Most courses are happy for you to take a gap year, but will want to know briefly how you plan to spend it. 

10. Keep it positive

It can be difficult to get going with your personal statement, but don’t panic. Start with your strengths, focus on your enthusiasm for the course and talk positively about yourself. Or check out my separate article on ‘How to write a killer opening’.

Article 2: 10 more things to put in your personal statement

My original top ten of what to put in your personal statement was so popular, they asked me to write some more. So to help you ensure that your personal statement stands out, here are ten more key points that uni admissions tutors – the people who will actually be reading your statement – told me they’re really looking for.

1. Paragraphs

Use paragraphs rather than one solid block of text. This will help you to organise your material and make it more readable. A statement with clearly-defined, well-structured paragraphs will look a lot easier on the eye to an admissions tutor who has hundreds to read. Because you can’t indent on UCAS Apply, leaving a line between each paragraph will look even better. But on the other hand, if you do leave a line between paragraphs, they will all count towards your 47 and therefore you won’t be able to write so much. Deciding whether to leave a line between paragraphs is therefore a matter of personal choice and it might even be a good question to ask at a uni open day ,  to see which they prefer. One way to get the best of both worlds and to make the most of all 47 lines is not to leave a line between your paragraphs, but to tweak them so that the final line of each paragraph finishes midway or at least before the end of the line. That way, it still looks like a separate paragraph.  

2. A balance of academic and extra-curricular content

Universities tend to suggest that you focus about 75% on your academic interests and why you want to study the course, and no more than 25% on the extra-curricular dimension that shows you’re a rounded person. This is a useful guideline.

That said, it’s not a hard and fast rule. So if you don’t do much outside your studies, don’t pretend, just focus mainly on your academic interests and talk about what you  think  instead of what you do. Different courses will need different approaches too, especially if you’re applying for a professional course like Medicine, Nursing, Primary Teaching or Social Work, which will need much more emphasis on your relevant insights or experience.      On the other hand, for subjects like Law, Psychology, Engineering or Business, where having relevant work experience is very useful but not actually essential, maybe think about other ways that you’ve observed or engaged with the subject, or demonstrated relevant skills, like in your wider reading, hobbies, personal life, enterprise activities or part-time job.   

3. Evidence that you’ve researched your choices

If your statement is all about your passion for media production, but their course is all about media theory and analysis, they won’t be impressed. Likewise, raving about Ancient Rome won’t impress if their history course starts in 1500. So do research the courses thoroughly and ensure that the content of your statement shows that you know what you’re applying for. Some university websites (such as Bristol and LSE) have sections on what their admissions tutors typically look for in personal statements and this sometimes includes specific advice for individual courses. You could be at a big disadvantage if you haven’t checked these out.

4. Engagement with your chosen subject

An admissions tutor wants you to stand out from the crowd, but in a good way. You won’t achieve this by being bizarre, or with meaningless clichés like ‘I was born to dance’, ‘biology is my life’ or ‘it has always been my dream to be a vet’.

Instead, show your genuine enthusiasm and engagement with your chosen subject by reflecting on what you gained or learned from the book you found in the library that changed your views, or the relevant experiences you’ve had, or a project you did, or the podcast you just heard, or the summer school or public lecture you went to. This will help you get the tutor’s attention and demonstrate that you’ve engaged with a subject in a reflective way.

5. Lateral thinking

Do talk about what inspires you about your chosen course, but try to avoid the more obvious and popular things that hundreds of other applicants will write about. For example, a Criminology statement that reflects on crime in the 19th century or the causes and effects of vandalism on the estate where you live might have more impact than yet another one that talks about serial killers or a TV series that everyone else watches too. Think outside the box. 

6. Honesty and being yourself  

Be honest and be yourself. It’s your voice they want to hear. And if there’s even a remote chance that you might be invited for an interview, your statement will need to stand up to close scrutiny. You won’t want any exaggerated claims coming back to haunt you. 

7. Enthusiasm and curiosity

Admissions tutors are likely to love their subject and they want to teach students who share their enthusiasm. If you can also demonstrate curiosity, maybe by giving one or two examples of what you’d like to learn more about, that’s even better.

“Most of all we want people who are enthusiastic about the course”.  

8. Saying HOW  

SHOW, DON’T TELL. Provide examples and evidence that demonstrate what you think or do. For example:

• HOW has playing basketball improved your teamwork skills?
• HOW has doing the Duke of Edinburgh Award made you a better leader?
• HOW did reading about the historical context of Yeats’ poetry change your understanding?
• HOW did you get the elderly man with dementia in the nursing home where you volunteer to tell you about his life?
• HOW did you get a new insight into law or psychology in your Saturday job on the deli counter at Sainsbury’s?
• HOW did you personally cope with the academic or personal challenges caused by the pandemic?

9. Saying what you want from your course

Admissions tutors often mention this. As well as outlining what you can offer them, what do you want them to help  you  achieve? 

10. Ending on a positive note

Make the conclusion short and sharp, choosing your key message carefully and conveying it concisely. Don’t simply regurgitate what you’ve already said. Finish on a positive note with something that adds to your statement.

If you’re struggling to think of a conclusion, two unis I spoke to said they especially look out for applicants who will be good ambassadors for the university. If you already do things at school or college that make you a good ambassador, maybe mention how you hope to build on this at uni.

Article 3: 10 things NOT to put in your personal statement

University admissions tutors read hundreds of personal statements from students each year. But what don’t  they want to see? Here are some of the ‘pet hates’ they mentioned … and it might be best to steer well clear of them.

1. Quotations

It’s your voice they want to hear, not Coco Chanel, Einstein, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, David Attenborough, Descartes or Napoleon’s. So don’t put a quote in unless it’s really necessary to make a critical point, otherwise it’s a waste of your 47 lines.

“We ignore quotes, so it’s a waste of space.”

“So many applicants use the same quotes and the worst scenario is when it comes right at the start of the statement with no explanation.”

“I don’t care what Locke thinks, I want to know what YOU think.”

Or as a Sport admissions tutor said: “I’m totally fed up with Muhammad Ali quotes.”

Avoid giving a list of all the books you’ve read, countries you’ve visited, work experience placements you’ve done or positions you’ve held. For starters, it’s boring to read. It’s not what you’ve done, it’s what you think about it or learned from it that matters.

A Dentistry admissions tutor summed it up well:

“I would much rather read about what you learned from observing one filling than a list of all the procedures you saw.”

3. Platitudes and over-used clichés

Avoid ‘from a young age’, ‘since I was a child’, ‘I’ve always been fascinated by’, ‘I have a thirst for knowledge’, ‘the world we live in today’, ‘law is all around us’, … hopefully you get the idea. They constantly recur in personal statements and don’t really say anything. Or as one admissions tutor said: “Don’t give me platitudes” .

In my own experience, and I’ve read thousands of statements over the years, the first two on that list are probably the most frequent. If you’ve written your first draft and ‘from a young age’ or ‘since I was a child’ are in the first line, ditch it and try to think of a more specific way to open your statement.

4. Bigging yourself up with sweeping statements or unproven claims

More phrases to avoid: ‘I genuinely believe I’m a highly motivated student’ or ‘My achievements are vast’. Instead give specific examples that provide concrete evidence. Show, don’t tell!

5. The word ‘passion’

If possible, try to demonstrate your passion but don’t actually use the word.

“The word ‘passion’ (or ‘passionate’) is incredibly over-used.”

“Try to convey your passion without using the word ‘passion’.”

6. Stilted vocabulary

Frequent use of words or phrases like ‘fuelled my desire’, ‘I was enthralled by’ or ‘that world-renowned author Jane Austen’ make you sound a bit fake or like you’re over-using the thesaurus.

If you wouldn’t say something in a day-to-day conversation or discussion, don’t say it in your statement. It’s even worse if you get it slightly wrong, like ‘I was encapsulated by the bibliography of Richard Branson’ or ‘it was in Year 10 that my love for Chemistry came forth’ (or, worse still, ‘came fourth’, which is what one applicant actually wrote).

7. Plagiarism, lies, exaggeration or using AI

UCAS uses stringent similarity and plagiarism software and your chosen universities will be told if you copy anything from another source. Don’t be tempted to do it!

This extends to using an AI tool such as ChatGPT too, although UCAS does advise that you could use ChatGPT legitimately to give you ideas about topics that might be relevant to your chosen subject or to suggest ways of structuring your statement or to check your draft statement for readability.

As for exaggeration, don’t say you’ve read a book when you’ve only read a chapter; you never know when it might catch you out at a university interview.

“If you didn’t do it, read it or see it, don’t claim it.”

8. Trying to be funny or quirky

Humour, informality or quirkiness can be effective in the right setting but it’s a big risk, so be careful.

“It can be spectacularly good – or spectacularly bad.”

“An admissions tutor is not guaranteed to have your sense of humour.”

“Weird is not a selling point.”

9. Negative comments or excuses

Don’t talk about why you haven’t done something, or why you dropped a subject. Focus on the positives.

10. Irrelevant personal facts – the ‘So what?’ rule

Before you write about playing badminton, or how your love of reading started when you were given a Beatrix Potter book when you were five, apply the ‘SO WHAT?’ rule. Does it make a useful contribution and help explain why you should be given a place on the course? If not, scrap it. 

Article 4: 10 more things NOT to put in your personal statement

My original 10 personal statement don’ts article was so popular that they asked me to come back with this follow-up. So here’s a fresh set of things you really shouldn’t include in your statement.

1. Incorrect spelling and bad grammar

Don’t forget poor punctuation either. These are obvious and easily-avoided issues, so check and double check before you submit your application. Grammar and spelling crimes could result in rejection, especially if you’re applying to a very competitive course. 

“Law is a subject that requires precision and one spelling mistake can mean rejection.” (Law admissions tutor) 

My personal favourite was the student who wrote: “I have a part-time job as a waiter at Raymond Blanc’s Brassiere”. A brassiere is a bra and the correct word should have been Brasserie, but the good news is that we spotted and corrected it. He also added an excellent sentence reflecting on the transferable skills he developed in the role and subsequently got offers from all five unis he applied to.

2. Long sentences

Keep it concise. If some of your sentences are several lines long and only separated with commas, or worse still not punctuated at all, try to break them up with more full stops. 

3. Stating the obvious

Consider this sentence: ‘In my work experience I learned to communicate effectively with clients, which is an important skill in accountancy.’ It’s the last part of this sentence that’s stating the obvious. Admissions tutors don’t need you to tell them it’s an important skill, that much is obvious. Instead, explain  how  you learned to communicate effectively and maybe give them an actual example. Or alternatively, elaborate on what you’ve observed yourself about the importance of effective communication in accountancy.  

4. Repeating irrelevant academic details

Your qualifications, subjects, grades and other personal details are listed elsewhere in your UCAS application, so you don’t need to list them in your personal statement or start by saying ‘I am currently studying…’. It’s a waste of those precious 4,000 characters. Nor do you have to write about all the subjects or courses you’re taking, unless you really want to. Be selective. Statements that say ‘Maths has given me this, English has given me this and Psychology has given me this…’ tend to come across as dull and unimaginative. Besides, admissions tutors especially like to know what you have engaged with  beyond  the syllabus rather than just within it. 

5. Rhetorical questions and other waffle

‘So why should I be considered for a place on your course?’. ‘Why astrophysics?’. To put it bluntly, rhetorical questions like these just sound patronising; they serve no purpose and waste space. The same applies to waffle of any kind. As a senior admissions tutor once told me, “we have a waffle detector gland” .  

6. ‘When I was young’

This is a common complaint from admissions tutors. It can be tempting to begin your personal statement with something that first inspired you when you were six, but unis actually prefer to hear about something more recent or, better still, what is it that inspires you now? This is another reason why ‘from a young age’ or ‘since I was a child’ tend to be ineffective.  

7. Flattery

Some statements have a tendency towards flattery, with sentences like ‘it would be an honour to be offered a place at your world-renowned university’. Don’t do it! It’s not what an admissions tutor wants to hear. What they do want to find out is what  you  can offer  them , or what you aspire to learn from them, not that you’re only choosing their course or university because of its prestigious reputation.

8. Names of universities

Avoid showing preference for a specific university unless there’s a good reason to mention them or unless you’re applying for only one.

9. Being formulaic … and letting adults interfere

“Too many statements are formulaic” is a frequent comment I’ve heard from universities. Following a standard formula or template could mean that your statement just won’t stand out. Yes, there are guidelines and criteria you might wish to follow and it’s very sensible to do so. But do be imaginative as well, within reason.  That said, don’t be too weird or off-the-wall in your approach. But equally, don’t let anyone force you to be excessively conventional either and don’t be afraid to demonstrate your individuality.

It’s right to get your personal statement proof-read too but be cautious about letting other people edit it for you. If you do, the danger is that your own voice gets lost and it may end up sounding more like the 47-year-old person who edited it than the 17-year-old who wrote it. There’s a balance to be struck here, which is reflected in a couple of other quotes I’ve picked up from admissions tutors:

“The worst statements are polished but boring.”

“If an adult has helped you write it, we can tell.”    

10. Finally, don’t panic!

Stay calm. It’s difficult not to perceive your statement as a scary obstacle, but admissions tutors want you to view it as an opportunity to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the course, along with any insights or experiences that show you are a good prospective uni student. A Geography admissions tutor at a Russell Group university explained it like this and I think it’s a reassuring way to conclude this article:

“The reason students come here is because they’re fascinated by the subject. So we just want you to demonstrate this in your statement, along with an extra-curricular dimension that provides a bit of evidence to show that (for example) you work well in a team.”

You might also find it useful to check out my other two personal statement articles, which you’ll find adjacent to this one on the blog page of my website:

• How to write a killer opening : https://alanbullockcareers.com/2022/06/25/ucas-personal-statements-writing-a-killer-opening-june-2022-update/
• Applying for a mixture of courses : https://alanbullockcareers.com/2022/06/25/ucas-personal-statements-applying-for-a-mixture-of-courses-june-2022-update/

©  Alan Bullock, updated 20/9/2023

My featured image is a photo I took at Swansea University’s Bay Campus.

http://www.alanbullockcareers.com

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