UCAS personal statement season is upon us.
If you want to apply to a university course in the UK, unfortunately you're going to have to write one. But it's not all bad! I genuinely believe learning to write about yourself is a great skill to develop because some day you're going to have to write CVs and job applications and all sorts of things. So, we have a guide on how to go about writing a great personal statement here.
Don't have enough to write about in your personal statement?
The guide includes some things you could use. If you're tight on time, my personal favourite is online work experience or MOOC's (Massive Online Open Courses). You can do them from home, at any time. And this guide has links to some great ones. They're a great way to beef up your skills and show how interested you are in your subject.
You can even write about podcasts you've listened to to demonstrate your interest in an area. What did that inspire? Has that made you consider a new career opportunity? Here are some cool podcasts you could start with.
Our best advice
At the end of the day, universities are businesses, they want to know that you will stay on your course for the whole time and that you're a good business decision. So what you really want to show them is that you are a dedicated, well rounded student. Talk about your hobbies so they know you will add to the campus experience, show them that you have read about your subject and that you're ready to throw yourself in.
Remember to start writing early and ask teachers, family or friends to proofread it. Then you can redraft until you are ready to submit. The earlier you write, the earlier you submit, the earlier you will receive offers from your universities. It will also be off your back in time to study for your exams, which your future self will thank you for. We know it's not due to January (excluding Oxford, Cambridge and medicine courses, sorry), but try and get it done by October/November so that you can move on.
Are you at a UK State School?
Make sure you sign up for Zero Gravity! They match school students with current uni students to help guide you through the UCAS process and give you top tips. Once you have a login for the community platform, you can also attend online masterclasses and chat to other students on forums. This is another way you could get your personal statement proofread, so use it!
And finally...
We know you can do it. You may think you have nothing to write about, but we believe you do. Here are three skills we are sure you have: