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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

UCAS personal statements , do they really all get read by someone?

15 replies

brimfull · 05/11/2009 09:21

all those thousands of statements each uni course must receive

does some poor bugger have to read them all?

dd in the process of doing hers and I just wondered

OP posts:

herewegrow · 05/11/2009 11:27

They sure do!!! I worked in undergraduate admissions for a "good" London uni. for a couple of years, there was about 8 of us in the team and we had to check all the details on the UCAS forms and read the personal statements.

The statement is the bit that makes the applicant "real" and can show personality and outside interests.

I would recommend spending time writting a decent personal statement.

Hope that helps!

Original poster

brimfull · 05/11/2009 11:46

oh right

so is it true that the opening sentence is all important making ours stand out

OP posts:

rosieposey · 05/11/2009 11:51

We were always told that our personal statement was the thing that differentiated whether you application was kept or thrown in the the bin. Any spelling mistakes and bad grammer (apparently) and you dont have a chance. HTH

herewegrow · 05/11/2009 15:52

I can only say for the Uni I used to work for but the whole statement was read. If the advice is about the opening sentence then I would follow that advice.

So many statements are similar and dare I say a little drab. I have wanted to do / study . . . . since the age of .... etc etc

stickylittlefingers · 05/11/2009 15:55

yes! Can be like torture, but yes, every one gets their chance.

Lilymaid · 05/11/2009 16:02

Glad the effort that DS2 has recently made (together with suggestions of DH and myself) will be read by someone.
DH used to help with mock university interviews at DS1's school and was always amused/worried by what some of the students had written in their personal statements - especially where they said that X was a particular interest and when they were asked about X in an interview knew nothing about it!

Judy1234 · 20/12/2009 13:46

IN some ways if most people are getting AAA it can with the school's report be the most important thing on the form. Avoid at all costs children copying them from the internet as those reading them know which those are. Be passionate about your subject too. people want to teach students who love their course. My daughter had won a cruise down the Nile aged 8 (something most 8 yar olds don't win!) so started her statement with that as to why that made her want to do ancient history etc which was a nice and very true little story unique to her.

Hassled · 20/12/2009 13:53

Ex-DH is a lecturer and reads a lot of personal statements. And he says the best ones are the ones where the enthusiasm for the subject is very very clear - he had one which basically said "I really love Biology, Biology is great, all I want to do is Biology, Biology is my life" and was completely sold on the guy.

AMerryScot · 21/12/2009 14:39

They don't all get read. A lot of universities screen applications based on GCSE results. Some Russell Group courses won't touch you without 6 or 7 A* at GCSE.

The best personal statements are passionate about the subject but also written in a very captivating way.

muddleduck · 22/12/2009 17:50

They don't all get read, but you can't know in advance whether any particular one will be.
We read the boderline cases in great detail and quickly skim the "dead certs" to check they are broadly ok.

4teenmum · 01/01/2010 20:55

DD1 submitted her UCAS form on December 18th after much drafting and re-drafting of her personal statement. She received an offer (for accountancy) from Northumbria on 22nd December and an offer from University of East Anglia on 23rd December. There is no way either University read her personal statement.
I think it depends on where you have applied to and what subject you want to do. We went to a talk at Leicester University in September (Chemistry) and the admissions tutor said they only read the personal statements of the students who were coming for a visit (after they had sent out the offers)

InMyLittleHead · 02/01/2010 00:03

ime, admissions tutors check the grades first and if they match what they're looking for they go on to the statement. Otherwise, straight to bin.

mumeeee · 02/01/2010 13:04

A lot of universities do read personal statements,

onadietcokebreak · 03/01/2010 17:46

I bloody hope so I put so much effort into mind!

I think they really matter for courses that have high applications and I hope mine makes the grade!

seimum · 18/01/2010 22:45

My dd1 really struggled with her personal statement - then her careers tutor told her that 'you're a girl and you want to do physics, they won't bother looking at your personal statement'.
She got 4 offers & is now studying at York.

However, for dd2 who wants to study history/politics/philosphy-type subject I expect the personal statement may be rather more important.

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