How to write a personal statement

Here are the golden rules to writing personal statements:

The do's

• Answer the ‘why’. 50-75% of your personal statement should explain why you want to do the course. Express your enthusiasm and motivation for the subject and tie it off with evidence of your knowledge, maturity and responsibility.
• Bridge the gap. It’s OK to take a gap year, but if this is your plan, use your statement to share how you’re going to make the most of that year off.
• Take initiative. Give examples of where you’ve done something you didn’t have to. For example, extracurricular activities, work experience or taster days.
• Stand out. Think of your skills or achievements that set you apart from other applicants.
• Be reflective. Write about your experiences in the industry, and how you’ll use what you learned to excel in the course. This shows that you’re able to reflect, analyse and write coherently.
• Be positive. Even if you feel insecure about something, put a positive spin on it. Talk about where you’re excited to grow instead of just shedding light on things you can’t do.
• Practice and share. Four or more drafts before you hit on the final letter is normal. It’s best to start off by writing too much and then cutting it down. Share your drafts with teachers, parents and friends to get pointers and feedback.

The don’ts

• Avoid typos and small mistakes at all costs, it looks like you didn’t check your work or couldn’t be bothered to run a spellcheck.
• Check other things, like the date of birth field. Many type the date they filled in their form instead of their date of birth and vice versa.
• Choose a sensible email address and not that embarrassing one you created when you were 11!

Follow these rules and you’ll be on the right track. Good luck!