Putting the finishing touches to your personal statement.

If you are applying to medicine/dentistry/veterinary or Oxbridge, the deadline is drawing near: 15 October 2021 (18.00hrs UK time). Our consultants offer this handful of useful tips to put that final shine on your work.

• Read your statement aloud. Doing this will pick up those overly long, clunky sentences which give admissions tutors the heebee-jeebies.  Be succinct in all that you say.
• Show – don’t tell. Admissions tutors are experienced in reading between the lines. You don’t need to tell them that working with the elderly taught you patience. They’ll figure that out.
• Be active– In your use of verbs, go with I learned, I understood, I realised, rather than using the passive voice. 
• Tell the truth – avoid the temptation of shoehorning in reading/interests/ activities as a way of ‘showing off’. Interviewers will spot that a mile off, just be yourself !
• Above all, be reflective ! How has your learning/work experience/virtual education changed how you think ? 

You are unique, and your personal statement is the opportunity for you to showcase this. Your journey to deciding the course/university you wish to apply to is special to you. Make sure that you get that across in your personal statement. 

You will feel a sense of relief once the UCAS application is out of the way. Sadly, this is temporary ! You need to recharge your batteries and go full steam ahead preparing for the interviews and aptitude tests which are your next hurdle.

Use all the resources at your disposal – online past papers, broadsheets, podcasts etc., etc.,

Interviewers do not expect you to arrive at the right answers – what they want to see is your train of thought which will give them insight into that vital quality ‘teachability’.

We wish the class of 2021/22 every success at this stage of the journey !