It is that time of year when schools begin to put pressure on your dear child to come up with a passable personal statement to ease their passage to university. Funnily enough, this always seems to coincide with said child being placed back in your care for two months…a strange coincidence.
In Clarendon’s experience, schools rarely give helpful and concrete advice on how to write these things, leaving your child fumbling around with ideas like, ‘It’s my least worst subject’ and ‘History of Art is my fave because we go on holiday to Tuscany every Summer’.
Clarendon has a brilliant track record when it comes to personal statements. In the last 2 years we’ve helped our students get offers from 92 out of 100 unis, including Oxbridge.
Here are our tips to help you this Summer:
1. Do make sure it is written by September
The deadlines for Oxbridge applications this year is 15th October 2022 and the deadlines for UCAS is 25th January 25th 2023. Obviously, having a final draft is a must for Oxbridge candidates, but we would advise all UCAS candidates to get the personal statement out of the way in the Summer, so that they can focus on their A levels in September.
2. Convince your chosen university of your passion for the subject itself
This is crucially important, and can be done through the following:
- Explaining your personal connection to the subject (how did it start, what has developed it?).
- Show that you have read further into the subject than your A level course.
- Explain why you think reading the subject is important.
- Suggest how your A levels might help with your understanding of your chosen subject.
3. Include extra-curricular if it relates to your chosen course
Work experience relevant to the course will look great on a personal statement. Also, for parents of students going into lower sixth, encourage them to enter Oxbridge essay prizes for their chosen subjects. Even if they’re not entering for Oxbridge, it looks impressive on any personal statement, regardless of whether you’ve won or not. Ask Clarendon for more details and help with the essays.
4. Exclude extra-curricular activities that aren’t relevant
Writing about your experiences in the orchestra is great, if you are reading Music. However, writing about your experiences in the 1st hockey team is less impressive, if you are reading Archaeology. Certain activities will also mark you as having been to a certain type of school, which may be unhelpful.
5. Show some humility
Hopefully, your accomplishments and the style in which you write about your chosen subject will clearly suggest what an outstanding candidate you are. There is no need to say this explicitly. Additionally, showing how eager you are to expand your knowledge will read better than suggesting you are already an expert.
