6th May 2016 1:00
By Blue Tutors
University and college admissions service UCAS has recently warned students to avoid “hackneyed” phrases when writing their personal statements. According to the admissions service, thousands of applicants use the same opening phrases, with many beginning with sentences such as “for as long as I can remember…” and “I have always been interested in…” UCAS have urged students to be more creative when writing personal statements in order to ensure that their applications stand out. They have advised students not to be afraid to be more personal when writing personal statements, offering insights about themselves.
As private tutors we are often asked for help with university applications, especially the very important personal statement. Up to a certain point it is very easy to ensure that a student writes a good personal statement, and there are several things that each statement must do. It must be well-written and concise, clearly explain a student’s interest in the subject, their experience, and what they would bring to the course. These are elements it is easy for us to help with, by checking language, advising on a good structure, ensuring that the student has researched the subject and made the relevant points about themselves and the course. But how can we help students make their applications more personal?
At this point the question as to what will be compelling becomes more subjective. Some admissions tutors may be captured by a personal thought or story, but others may find this more hackneyed than the standard lines that UCAS is warning against. It can be helpful for tutors to give their students the opportunity to talk through in depth their interest in the subject, to get them used to giving a personal voice to their interests. I would also say that to some extent, the reason some of these phrases are used often is because they are effective. For example, one of the most used phrases UCAS refers to is “I am applying for this course because…”There is nothing inherently wrong with this at all – students need to ensure that they have answered this point directly and thoroughly – as long as their application as a whole stands out.