The Best Personal Statement Advice I've Been Given

*This is a post that I wrote during my own university application process. I thought that it would be a good time to publish now that current year twelves are off school, which would make the perfect opportunity to start your personal statement!*

I am assuming that you know which subject(s) you are applying for, but if not, now is the time to be making lists and talking to students studying you’re a-Level subjects at university. I knew that I wanted to study English but changed my mind from English Language and Linguistics and English Language and Literature from year twelve to year thirteen after visiting a UCAS fair and looking at the websites of universities I wanted to go to. Let me know if you would like to see a future post on deciding which degree to apply for!

1. Start writing now! The sooner you start writing, the easier it will be to keep going and finish sooner.
2. Think, and I mean really think, about why you love the subject. If you have a genuine 'passion' (the most abominable word ever) for the subject, this will shine through your writing.
3. Make a list of all your academic and extracurricular achievements and activities. This is an obvious one, but it's the best place to start!
4. Don't start at the beginning. This is quite controversial, but your magic, opening line is most likely to come after you've drafted the rest of your statement. 
5. Set aside an hour to write. Write everything that comes to your head, then give it to somebody and ask them to cut out what they don't think is relevant. This way, you have your first draft!
6. Get everybody you can bear with to read it. Your teachers, your form tutor, your head of year, parents, siblings, friends, boss- anybody who you think will have a useful input.
7. Keep drafting until you're happy with it. It's a process, and one that will take time, but you will get there!

If you'd like to see a post where I talk specifically about applying for English, let me know!

What advice would you give to somebody writing a personal statement?

Marti