Personal statement for 6th form application

[Xfactored]

Dd is applying for 6th form college. In the summer I rang the college, spoke to the admissions officer, who said that admission depends on exam results. Full Stop. She said any other information asked for or given in the application is just to 'provide discussion topics for an interview'.
The application form has a section for general interests / responsibilities, and , in brackets it says 'if you wish, you can attach a personal statement'.
Last week, though, we went to the open day and in the principal's talk she said that entry is based on 1) exam results and 2) personal statements, which must demonstrate a commitment to the college. So...a PS isn't optional but compulsory and, in fact, a crucial factor in the process.
So, this is just a moan, that i feel the college is misleading in its application information, and also to ask what other peoples experiences are.
For the PS, we're thinking: personal intro, why she wants to study the subjects, work experience/ interests, and then how much she wants to get into this particular college.
(it depresses me a bit that she has to get into all this BS so young!)

[creamteas]

Obviously I can't see the form, but my interpretation of what you have said is that if you can't fit in everything you want to say in the general interests / responsibilities box, you can attach a fuller PS document.

This is certainly what happens round here on all of the post-16 application forms I've seen.

[olivo]

Do they not cover this in their careers lessons at school? We do this with our year 11s, show them example PS, check application forms before adding our references.

[NoComet]

Collage DD1 has applied to doesn't ask for any kind of PS at all.

It's a very bland form indeed, just what do you want to do, exam grades expected, exams passed.

Therefore, DD has stuck on her music and her technical hobby exam passes as well as her one early GCSE

And actually, I realise typing this, totally accidentally she's forgotten a 1/2 course art exam. She's doing full course at the moment.

[circular]

DD1 had to do PS for 5 out of 6 applications last year. all schools, not colleges.
Most seemed to want why they want to go to the school, why subjects chosen, and how they would contribute to 6th form life. She varied them slightly as all the forms were different, and in some cases some of the stuff she would have included was already covered in separate questions.