Writing a Personal Statement – how to overcome the blank page syndrome?

As you probably know, the most important part of your application, that you’ll send to the British universities, is Personal Statement. The purpose of this letter is to show the admissions team why they should choose you, what makes you a great candidate for the chosen course, etc.

We know – easier said than done. Starting usually turns out to be the hardest part of the entire process. Hence, we've prepared this short article for you to help you overcome this ungrateful blank page syndrome

First of all...

...imagine that you're part of the admissions team at the university. You read dozens of personal statements every day. At some point, you get a bit tired. Is there anything in particular that can draw your attention? If so, what? Apply it in your letter to make sure that it stands out…

Then, create a mind map. Take a piece of paper and write down everything that comes to your mind regarding your dreams, plans, skills, interests, achievements, knowledge, etc. Don’t be afraid of expressing your opinions – they make you who you are, after all! You can even mention what play or book disappointed you and why as long as it’s connected with your interests.

Once you’re finished, connect thoughts that have something in common using a colour pen and write some detail about why exactly they’re connected above the arrow. Try focusing mostly on those things that are more or less about your course – if you want to become a doctor, don’t describe your cooking skills too much.

Remember, you have a limit of characters/words for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Use it wisely. 

Secondly…

…don't forget that some courses involve being invited to an interview, which is a qualification conversation. Thanks to it, the university will check if you are suitable for practicing a particular profession, such as a doctor, architect, or journalist (interviews usually concern medical, artistic, and humanities courses). So expect to be asked about the issues you raised in your personal statement, and avoid lying – the members of the admissions committee have a lot of experience in reading similar motivation letters, which allows them to sniff out any falsehoods. So don't skip the subjects you could talk about for hours, topics in which you feel confident.

Thirdly…

…don't devote too many lines to considerations about your extracurricular activities. Their description should take up no more than one paragraph! Additionally, try to create it in such a way that it refers to the course you have chosen, showing that you have acquired skills that somehow relate to the chosen field of study.

And finally – remember to think outside the box!

Present yourself to the university in the best possible light. Your skills are the product that you can sell only through your personal statement. So use these 47 lines as effectively as possible!

And if you're not sure whether you're going in the right direction with your work, you can write to us through messgener (FB) or via email at [email protected].