Personal Statement
What is a personal statement?
The personal Statement is a letter you write to universities to introduce yourself and show your best side
Personal Statement Example
Having been born in the Germany, from a German mother and an Indian father, I feel that my background has given me a strong international outlook.
Travelling back and forth the home countries of my parents, I have seen both the affluence of Europe and India’s poverty. Witnessing these contrasts made me curious to understand the forces that drive the world’s economy, and see why such inequalities continue to exist, even after centuries of economic development.
Over the summer, I have been reading about India's economy, which is a fascinating topic for me, not just due to my family roots, but also because of the contrast between quick increases in wealth on one hand and the levels of poverty on the other.
Other aspects that I find fascinating about economy are the big Economic Theories. I particularly like the Tragedy of the Commons and the Coase Theorem. My interest in strategic decision-making started with the Game Theory, from which I understood more about the situations faced by oligopolies - the market structures in which a few companies dominate. These models have inspired me to read more about the Experimental Economics and Charles Holt's 'Markets, Games and Strategic Behaviour', because I was curious to see if people actually behave according to the theory.
I consider myself a motivated and hard-working person. For a couple of months, I’ve been offering Maths lessons to younger students. The experience of balancing part-time work with school made me better understand the need for efficient time planning and persistence. I can say I am proud of my newly developed design skills, which I acquired while working on some adverts for my mother's beauty business. To get a grasp of accounting, I have also assisted my mother with the book-keeping for annual tax returns. Working on this, made me realise how macro-economic factors can affect a local business; I particularly noticed how the demand for different cosmetic treatments has changed with the credit crunch.
My internet browser's homepage is set to receive notifications with the latest news from the BBC Business website. It is a priority for me to keep up-to-date with the world around me and what’s new in the global economy. Also, I like to read economic-related articles in various newspapers, to get different perspectives on the same topic. Reading books by famous economists, such as John Kay, helped me appreciate better how concepts have developed over time. Among the books I’ve recently read are 'The Penguin History of Economics' by Backhouse and Levitt's 'Freakonomics', which I found entertaining, but I thought lacked true economic substance. Because I wanted to also talk about the things I read, I became a member of my high-school’s debate team, to actually have the possibility to share ideas with other people and to put my knowledge to use. After 6 months of debating experience, I feel my communication skills have improved a lot. During our next debate session, I will be arguing for the wider use of congestion charges.
The recent economic turmoil has reinforced my belief in how economics is truly an essential part of our lives. Studying in a British University will provide the ideal environment to expand my knowledge and skills in the field I’m passionate about. After finishing my studies, I would like to start working in the finance industry. However, I will keep my mind open for various career paths in the economics area.
The questions below will guide you to write a complete statement about your motivations.
01 Why have you chosen this course?
Supporting Questions:
What does attract you to this subject? When did you start to like it? What inspired you?
Tip:
Avoid general answers such as: "I want to study engineering because I've always wanted to become an engineer". In this case, the real question is "why have you always wanted to be an engineer?". You can think about what inspired you and when you first started thinking about this area.
good example
“ I’ve decided to apply to Medicine because making your job to help patients is one of the most exciting things I can imagine for a profession. I started thinking about Medicine because both my parents are doctors and I’ve had the chance to do some first-hand job shadowing. Starting with 3rd grade, I had to spend a couple of hours per week at the hospital where my parents worked. Watching them interact with patients was really inspiring, especially as I noticed the feeling of hope they were spreading around for people who were basically in pain or physical discomfort. I realised I wanted to become the vehicle of that hopeful feeling myself and that’s how I decided I want to become a doctor. ”
bad example
“ I’ve decided to apply for Medicine because both my parents are doctors. I’m very attracted to this area and I’ve liked it since I was a child. ”
02 Why would you like to study in the UK?
Supporting Questions:
Why have you thought about studying in the UK? What do you like about the UK education system? How do you think this experience will benefit you?
Tip:
Deciding to study abroad is an important step which can say a lot about you, like the fact that you may be an adaptable and open-minded person. Point out these traits and make yourself stand out of the crowd.
good example
“ I first thought about studying in the UK when I read an article describing the British education system. The idea that it's one of the best educational systems in the world immediately caught my attention. Later on, I found out that one my friends was studying in the UK. I asked him how it was and he said he's really excited to have colleagues from all over the world. "What a great idea" (I said to myself) to study international business in an international environment! So I started the application process. ”
bad example
“ I would like to study in the UK. I read an article saying that British education is one of the best. I also have a friend who studies there. “
03 What can you say about yourself?
Supporting Questions:
What hobbies do you have? What is your greatest passion? What are your skills and how did you develop them?
Tip:
Your achievements - give examples of school projects, volunteering or work experiences where you developed relevant skills for the courses you are applying to. Your hobbies and what they say about you - for example, if you like to play football, this may show that you’re a good team player; if you like trips in nature, you may be adventurous.
good example
Achievements
“ The fact that I lead a group project for Biology, showed me that I have project management skills. I had to work with 4 other colleagues to create a small-scale model of the human body.
At some point, we were stuck and I took initiative to organize the activity - I distributed the tasks and I set some clear deadlines. In the end, this made all the difference between success and failure. ”
Hobbies
“One of my greatest hobbies is playing football because I like to be a team-player, on the field but also outside it.
I'm also passionate about playing guitar and sometimes I give small concerts for my friends. I think music is a great way to bring everyone together.”
bad example
Achievements
“ I'm very good at project management. ”
Hobbies
“ I like to play football, to go out with friends, to watch movies and to cook. I also like to play the guitar. ”
04 What are your future plans?
Supporting Questions:
What is your career plan? How will you be able to reach it by doing this course? What do you see yourself doing in 5 years from now?
Tip:
Write about how you see your career. Point out how your course can help you achieve your future plans.
good example
“I am thinking to continue with a master after I finish the course in Business Management but what's really important is what I will be doing after that. Even if I don’t have a detailed plan, I know I would love to become an entrepreneur. I am thinking to start a business in the publishing industry.”
bad example
"After I finish my course in International Business, I plan to continue my studies with a master’s degree in Management."
05 Why should you be accepted?
Supporting Questions:
If you could say one thing about yourself that could impress the admissions team, what would it be?
Tip:
Now's your chance to really shine. Make your Personal Statement stand out of the crowd by showing why you are a great candidate. You can write about your biggest achievement so far or what do your friends like about you the most.
good example
“The very first construction ever made of concrete was a simple boat. The CN Tower in Toronto, one of the tallest structures in the world, is actually made of the same material. Isn’t that something? Well, I’ve wanted to start my statement pointing out that change is possible, a simple thing from the past can literally change history years later. I am attracted by the prospect of being able to translate abstract ideas into reality, and using science to create innovative solutions. I want to make a lasting difference and leave behind a legacy.” (Power Statement for a Civil Engineering course)
bad example
“From a very young age I’ve been interested in constructions. One of my greatest joys was to play with lego and to construct structures like bridges and towers from the different pieces. I also liked to watch the real construction sites in my city. This has been a very deep passion of mine since I was small, so it’s my dream to study on Construction Engineering.”
06 If you already finished high-school, what have you been doing since then?
Supporting Questions:
Did you work or volunteer after high-school? If yes, what skills did you develop and how could you use them during your course?
Tip:
If you are over 21, your professional experience is the main factor that will be taken into consideration in the evaluation of your application. It’s important to write about any work or volunteering experiences that would be relevant for the course you are applying for. In case your experience is not relevant for the course, justify why you decided to change your career direction.
good example
“Even though I didn't have the chance to finish my high-school education, this hasn’t stopped me from starting on a great career path. I’ve been working for the last 6 years as a Support Worker and, during this time, I’ve worked with hundreds of disabled adults helping them improve their motor skills. For me, it's truly great to be able to make a difference in people’s lives. I would like to continue on this path, so I would like to start a university course on Social Work.”
bad example
“I'd like to apply for a course in Law. I am not entirely sure if I would really like this field, but some of my best friends have completed their degrees in Law and they currently have successful careers. I have been working for the past few years as a Marketeer for a local business, but I’ve been thinking to change career paths for a while so Law might seem like a good option.“
