https://www.dropbox.com/s/limkpzt5v7qbs51/PERSONAL%20STATEMENT%20Lesson%20Plan.doc?m
PERSONAL
STATEMENT WRITING
- What is a personal Statement?
- Aims of the Personal Statement
- Getting Started
- Structure
- Language
- Examples
- Drafting and editing
- UCAS requirements and regulations
- Do’s and Don’ts
1. WHAT IS A PERSONAL STATEMENT?
A personal
statement is a way of communicating who you are, to ‘Sell’ yourself to a
particular University, course, employer, or gap year project.
Whichever
option applies to you at this time there are basic steps to go about writing
your personal statement, which can then be edited, or adjusted depending on how
you intend to use your personal statement.
We will
refer to the requirements of the UCAS form as this will apply to the vast
majority of you at some stage over the next year or so whether you are pursuing
University or Drama school (as several drama schools use the UCAS system for
application).
2. AIMS OF THE PERSONAL STATEMENT
Many
universities don't interview applicants, so the only information they have
about you is your UCAS form. Most of the UCAS form only contains your details,
the bits the universities are interested in is your grades, your references and
your personal statement. The personal statement is the only bit you really have
control over, so this is your chance to present a good image to the admissions
tutor, even if your grades don't really reflect that image.
If you are
applying to an oversubscribed university course, and everyone applying is
likely to have good grades, the personal statement is the only thing that tells
you apart from other applicants, so you want to try and make yours as good as
possible.
When the
admissions and subject tutors look at your personal statement, they are likely
to be asking two main questions:
1. Do we
want this student on this course?
2. Do we
want this student at this university?
These can be
broken down into a number of easier to answer questions:
·
Is the
student suited to the course that they are applying for?
·
Does the
student have the necessary qualifications and qualities for the course?
·
Is the
student conscientious, hardworking and unlikely to drop out?
·
Will the
student do their best and cope with the demands of the course?
·
Can the
student work under pressure?
·
Will the
student be able to adjust to their new environment at university?
·
What are
their communication skills like?
·
Are they
dedicated to this course and have researched it well?
·
Do they have
a genuine interest in the subject and a desire to learn more about it?
You need to
attempt to answer these questions in your personal statement.
3. GETTING STARTED
The first
priority is to get notes about yourself down on paper so that you then have
material to work with before you start to think about structure, language, or
detailed content.
The best way
to do this is to use a set of headings and write bullet points about how you
relate to these headings. Here are some headings to think about.
The
following personal statement inventory allows you to start collating the notes
you will need to write your personal statement. Write as much as you can.
|
Career Ideas- if unsure say so and add which careers you are researching at
present. Could also include gap year
plans.
|
|
What you want to study at
university and why
·
Specific aspects of the courses that interest you
·
Examples of coursework you have completed
·
Practical work you have enjoyed
·
Things you have read related to the subject area
·
Work experience or voluntary work in this area
·
Personal experiences which lead to the decision to
take this subject
·
Where you hope a degree in this subject will lead
|
|
Current Studies – and how they relate to jobs/careers/courses you are interested
in. Could also include; what you
enjoy, how it will prepare you for the courses to which you applying. Main
strand and additional studies
|
|
Work Experience – including any part-time jobs, Community and charity work, include the transferable skills you may have gained.
|
|
Related Extra-Curricular Experience – including productions, projects, etc.
|
|
Hobbies & other interests – anything different to above, transferable skills,
sport, charity work etc.
|
|
Gap year
·
Why you're taking a Gap year (if you are)
·
Why you want to take a gap year
·
What you plan to do
·
How this may relate to your course
|
|
Final paragraph – what you hope to gain from the course, and what you can contribute
to it.
|
4. STRUCTURE
The
following six-point structure is only one possible way to construct your
statement:
1.
INTRODUCTION
Why have you chosen that course
and why you are suitable?
e.g. “Having thoroughly enjoyed the vocational
study of BTEC level Theatre and AS level _____________ I have chosen a degree
that will enable me to pursue my interest in ___________ in even greater
depth. Working in such a varied number
of practical and theory areas has broadened my knowledge of the subject and it
should prove useful during my ____________ degree.”
e.g. “Success in my school/college studies and
extra work in…(state details of relevant
experience) has given me a secure academic foundation with which to
approach a degree course in…(state
degree title) with confidence and enthusiasm.”
2.
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
What
experience have you gained while in school and what skills have you developed?
e.g. “being nominated as a tutor group
representative in year 12 provided me with the opportunity to represent others
in a responsible and fair manner. I had
to extend my communication skills to speaking and listening in a large
group. This experience should enable me
to communicate effectively in an academic environment whilst at
university. In addition, I have been
involved in a number of drama productions as a technical assistant working as
part of a team and ensuring that stage management kept to deadline. I intend to seize the opportunity to take an
active part in a wide variety of cultural and social events during my
university life.”
Events staffing/organisation
Form representative
Teaching assistance
Productions
Helping staff – open evenings
Strawberry picking/Community
theatre/Stratford/Pre 16: connections/ SSF/Bloomsbury
3.
EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE SCHOOL
Identify
key experiences outside school.
e.g. “as a member of the National Youth
Theatre...”
4.
WORK EXPERIENCE
What
has your experience of work taught you?
e.g. “Work experience as a clerical assistant in
a busy office enabled me to develop a number of important skills. Working in a small team ensured that I was
able to listen carefully to others and work co-operatively with a variety of
different people. In addition, at
certain times I had to work independently which allowed me to use my own
initiative. Such skills will prove extremely useful on my ___________ degree.”
e.g. “My work experience was an enjoyable and
challenging experience. Being a…(state job title) enabled me to be
involved in a range of areas such as…(state
area/task) which developed…(state skills). In addition, I was able to...(state task) which was essential in
developing…(describe skill).”
5.
PERSONAL INTERESTS
Highlight
your relevant personal interests and hobbies, but don't mention anything
without making a point about it, e.g. 'going to the cinema'.
e.g. “As a regular member of my local hockey team
I am keen to pursue this interest at university. I played centre forward in the squad that won
the 2007 county trophy. I believe that I
have developed a number of abilities through playing sport: being part of a
team, listening and learning from others, and helping others in a supportive
way. These have all helped me develop
transferable skills which can be applied to a number of areas such as the
management of people.”
e.g. “my varied interests have broadened my
general knowledge, but also allowed me to co-operate with and learn from a
variety of different people, which will be particularly useful for my course at
university.
6.
CONCLUSION
One
way to conclude your statement is by linking your suitability for the course
with general university life i.e. your social skills – your ability to get
along with people/work with people.
Think
of an experience you have not mentioned which relates to your suitability for
university or use something you have mentioned in your personal skills section and
find a way of building on it for your conclusion.
Spend most
of your time on the start and finish of the personal statement. A good start
will interest the reader and cause them to read the statement properly rather
than just scanning it. A good ending will mean the reader remembers what you
wrote, and hopefully will recommend you. In my opinion it's a good idea to
start with why you want to take your subject, and finish with why you want to
go to university or what you want to do next.
5. LANGUAGE
Think about
the language you use when you write your personal statement. Personal
statements are often written in essay form. You are trying to communicate who
you are but should avoid being overly colloquial or adopting a voice or using
language that is false or overly formal.
You need to
use language that makes you sound enthusiastic about your courses and an
interesting person. If you're still wondering what sort of language to use look
at existing personal statements, prospectuses and on the web to find sentences
which you think fit your views.
University
prospectuses are a good place to look, find your course, see how it is
described and see if you can work anything similar into your personal
statement. Write down a list of words or sentences you would like to use.
6. EXAMPLES
Try to read
examples of existing personal statements ensuring that you use them for ideas
and inspiration only. Plagiarism of personal statements is viewed very
seriously and could jeopordise your chance of securing a place on a course or
job.
Example 1 (from www.studential.com)
Drama
has been a subject that has greatly influenced me both personally and
academically. I have found that through drama, I have been able to free my mind
and my heart. It has helped me to grow as a person and, through acting and
character work, I have been able to understand emotions and states of mind more
clearly. Drama gives me an immense feeling of release and I love the sense of
being part of something so full of energy and enthusiasm. I feel that the
dramatic talents that I have had have been a gift. I would love to get the
chance to learn more about the subject and gain more personal experience and
skills
During
my time at Plumstead Manor School and Negus Sixth Form, I have taken part in
many different performances, both dramatically and musically based. My
favourite of these was a performance of Macbeth, which we performed at
Greenwich Theatre as part of the "Shakespeare Schools" competition.
We chose to abridge it as a musical and I played Lady Macbeth. It was my first
major role in a performance and it was the turning point in my life. It was the
point at which I decided that I wanted to pursue a career as an actress. I have
never felt as alive as I did during both the preparation for and the actual
performance of the play. There was a real sense of excitement and teamwork
throughout the play and I felt completely at ease with my part
Another
performance that I particularly remember was my GCSE exam piece, "The
Ark." This was a play about a family grieving after the death of the man
of the house. I played the widow, and the script explored the different ways in
which people deal with grief and mourning. It was a very emotional play and I
found it a very interesting play to take part in. I enjoyed researching my
character, and spending a lot of time on characterisation and the feelings
involved. It was a very eye-opening experience, because it gave me a chance to
play a different type of part, as an older woman and as an emotional character,
as opposed to an angry one such as Lady Macbeth. I love trying new things and
"The Ark" gave me a chance to do that.
In
my spare time, I enjoy singing. I am in a church choir, which involves both
weekly Sunday services and Thursday rehearsals. It is a wonderful experience as
it constantly challenges me musically, as we learn many different pieces of
music in a variety of different languages. I think this is a wonderful
experience, as I am able to do something that I love whilst learning new things
and growing musically. Singing is something, like drama, that I feel able to
connect with. I love the skill that it takes, the precision it involves and the
beauty it produces. I also have singing lessons; I have recently taken my Grade
7 singing exam, for which I received distinction. This is also something that I
wish to continue with in the future, as it is something that I find really
interesting and enjoyable
I
also have a great interest in languages, particularly German. I chose to study
this at A-Level and hope at some stage to live in Germany. I have already had
experience of this, as every summer for four years, I worked at a riding
stable, both working with the horses, and taking young children on hacks in the
forest. I also taught the owner's daughter English. This was an amazing
learning experience, as I was given the chance to discover what it is like to
teach others. It was an exciting opportunity to improve on both my
interpersonal skills and my language skills. I found that I learnt a lot about
myself, and how I interact with others. I also found it a lot easier to analyse
and co-operate with others' methods of learning, which is always useful when
working in groups
In
my free time, I also spend a lot of time with young children. I have triplet
brothers who are three years old and I help with them, as well as a number of
other families for whom I regularly baby-sit. I enjoy doing this and I also
feel that it has greatly helped my personal skills and my knowledge and
understanding of how children learn and develop
Before
going to university, I am taking a GAP year in which I hope to be working in
Brazil teaching English or a variety of subjects to young children. I feel that
this will increase my preparation for university, giving me a chance to
experience things that only this GAP year could offer, which may at the end of
it, have a positive impact on the way I approach life and education. After my
drama degree, I hope to be accepted at a music college to do a post-graduate
classical singing degree. I would like to then try and combine both degrees by
hopefully getting into Opera and/or theatre work
I
know that this is career is right for me. However I get involved in the
industry it will be been the realisation of a passion which has been with me
for the majority of my years, and has been my motivation towards success in
education.
EXAMPLE 2
All my life I have been interested in films,
television, journalism, photography, radio and computers. But for the past
three I have been actively involved in each of these areas and as a result
become a true media studies student. It is not just a part of my education, but
part of my life as well.
There are several reasons why I have chosen the listed
courses to study at degree level; mainly based on the fact that Media is my
favourite subject. I absorb myself in all forms of media, continually wanting
to expand my critical understanding of this industry and its audience. These
courses provide a balance in practical and theory work that cater to my work
sensibilities. Before school I wanted to become a music video director and two
years on that aim still remains. My current studies have developed my teamwork
ability, drawing storyboards, writing evaluations, analysing media products,
editing video on Adobe Premiere and manipulating images via digital imaging
software such as Adobe Photoshop. These course units have enabled me to gain
insight into a range of areas from theoretical and practical perspective.
Understanding the processes involved in media
production and creating products has been a particular area of interest for me.
The practical media experience I have gained includes
web design, writing articles, directing and producing video work for
television, music videos and short films. I have also been a news reporter for
a week, performing live news broadcasts every hour during the school’s first
RSL broadcast. The course also provided lessons in photography which enjoyed
and have taken up as an extra curricular activity. This allows me to develop my
technical ability with a camera and express myself through a visual medium.
The English Literature A Level has complimented the
academic side of the AVCE course and improved my ability to analyse and provide
critiques of media texts. I enjoy reading literature such as ‘Hamlet and ‘A
Streetcar Named Desire’ as I am engrossed in researching the social and
historical contexts, which connects with marketing.
The school has chosen me to film such visiting live
acts as ‘Damage’ and ‘Ash’, a valuable experience where have learned how to
film live performances. My CD cover design in the first year was chosen for the
school’s annual student CD production. I have had professional work experience
through a project where two other students and myself produced a four-minute
video of how The BRIT School uses ifs funding where it was edited at a
professional post production company in London using Avid Symphony, and was
played at an award ceremony for the British Phonographic Institute.
Outside of school my love for art is kept alive upon
visiting theatre productions, concerts, the cinema and galleries in the West End.
This allows me to keep in touch with contemporary art and introduce myself to
new artists from who I can take inspiration. I am a member of the NFl,
attending exclusive interviews with major artists in the film industry, also
participate in sports activities (football, badminton). I believe this
non-media related outlet improves my standard of work.
I am currently involved with a continuously developing
project which comprises of creating and maintaining a website and is more than
just a personal hobby. The site provides artwork for concert recordings by an
American band called Counting Crows, where thousands of fans visit each month.
Each week new material including artwork and music must be intertwined with the
site’s theme, namely rock music. The site was made using Macromedia’s
Dreamweaver and Flash and enriches my technical ability in DHTML and
continuously expands my knowledge of the Internet, the target audience it is
aimed at and the graphic design.
I hope to graduate from my degree course as a creative
and independent individual with a greater awareness of everything involved in
my work. Although I have my eyes set on being a music video director I remain
dedicated to increase skills that will allow me to work in a variety of
professions within the media industry.
7. DRAFTING AND EDITING
Once
you have completed your personal statement you should read it back to yourself
and start to re-draft and edit it try to imagine what it would communicate to
someone who doesn’t know you.
It
is easier to edit and remove things from the first draft so don’t be to
concerned about the word limit and this is far easier than trying to come up
with more to write because it is too short.
Make
sure as you re-draft your personal statement, remind yourself of the aim of it
and what you are trying to communicate to the admissions officer, employer,
course leader who will be reading it.
You
will probably need to go through several drafts until your personal statement
is exactly as you want it.
Give
your personal statement to other people to read between drafts friends, family,
your tutor and other teachers.
8. UCAS requirements and regulations
Size and presentation
How
to provide your personal statement
You can
enter up to 4,000 characters (this includes spaces) or 47 lines of text (this
includes blank lines), whichever comes first. You do not have to use all the
space provided. When you save text, the system will tell you how many
characters are still available or if you have used too many characters. You can
preview your statement after you have saved it.
You will not
be able to change the presentation of your personal statement by using features
such as bold, italic or underlined text or foreign characters, such as á,
ë, õ. If you use these types of formatting or foreign characters, they will be
removed from the text when you paste it onto your application and save it.
We recommend that you prepare your personal statement
offline using a word-processing package and copy and paste it into the Apply
system. This is because Apply
will time-out after 35 minutes of inactivity. When you enter your personal
statement directly into Apply, you must save it to prevent your work being
lost.
If you want
to send more information, contact your chosen universities and colleges to check
that they are happy to accept further details. If they are, send it direct to
them after we have sent you your welcome letter and personal ID. Do not send it
to us.
Similarity detection
UCAS
Similarity Detection Service - guidance for applicants
This guide
is designed to help applicants using the UCAS application system to understand
our Similarity Detection process. All personal statements received in support
of an application are subject to testing. It has been widely broadcast that
some example personal statements found on the Internet have been used by
applicants, in some cases word for word. The system, called Copycatch, is used
to identify statements that show similarity, quantify the suspect material and
report the findings. It is a tool designed to help the admissions staff at
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) judge applications, and it is the
universities and colleges who will decide what action, if any, to take
regarding notified cases.
Research has
shown that 95% of applicants using the UCAS application system did indeed write
their own personal statements but the number who made use of other people's
material was sufficient to justify the implementation of the Similarity
Detection Service.
What the Similarity Detection Service does
The personal
statement in each incoming application is checked against a library of all
personal statements previously submitted to UCAS and sample statements
collected from a variety of web sites and other sources including paper
publications. Each personal statement received at UCAS is added to the library
of statements after it has been processed.
Any
statements showing a level of similarity of 10% or greater will be reviewed by
members of the UCAS Similarity Detection Service team. HEIs will be notified on
a daily basis of any cases where there are reasonable grounds for suspicion.
Applicants will also be notified that the UCAS Similarity Detection service has
found that their personal statement merits investigation. The decision about
what action, if any, to take regarding notified cases rests with the admissions
tutors at individual HEIs.
For more
information visit the UCAS website.
10. DO’S AND DON’TS
Do
include anything that sets you apart from other people
Do
draft and re-draft your work, up to 10 drafts is not unusual
Do
let other people read your drafts
Do include what in your life story makes you special,
unique or impressive
Do keep realistic and truthful, but equally although
it is not easy not hide what is true.
Do include the skills you have (e.g. problem solving,
willingness to learn, leadership, communication skills)
Do provide evidence to back up your claims
Don't try to
be funny or make jokes in your statement
Don't start
every sentence with I
Don't
include your hobbies and interests unless they are relevant
Don't use
vocabulary you don't normally use and just looked up in a dictionary
Don't use famous
quotes in your statement
Don't repeat
things already on your UCAS form
Don't write
a list of all your hobbies and interests without explaining them
Don't lie or
embellish the truth
Don't say
you are going to do something before you come to university
Don't
include boring phrases or hobbies which everyone does
Don't take
any political viewpoints
This document
has been compiled from a variety of sources from within the BRIT School and the
Internet.
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