Personal Statement UCAS deadline - DECEMBER I’ve got ages Personal Statement 1 st draft deadline JULY 18th Ahh!!! weeks

Writing your personal statement is NOT easy! It is the most important part of your UCAS application Having a draft personal statement NOW, even if you have not finalised what or where to study, is essential. You can edit it later. Don’t delay....start today! weeks

Read all the information given Research your chosen courses/university Don’t expect to get it perfect first time! - get the content in place then worry about getting the finer details right We are here to help! weeks

The evolution of a personal statement weeks

The evolution of a personal statement What? Why? And Don’t Panic....bit by bitweeks Maths Because I like it

The evolution of a personal statement Maths Personal Achievements Other Interests Positions of Responsibility Why maths? Start End Future Prospects Other academic stuff weeks “ When will I use that?” Love/enjoyment Opens many doors Physics/CERN Playing Football Refereeing Duke of Edinburgh Looking forward Different aspects of maths Problem solving Passion for stats City job Internet company Fundraising for Cricket AS results Cricket Suduko Coaching Fulfil potential

The evolution of a personal statement Research!!!!!!!!!! Read the UCAS advice Can you adapt anything for your statement? weeks Read the exemplar personal statements

The evolution of a personal statement Start weeks “Some statements start with quotes, some include jokes, and some set out to be unusual or eye-catching. Sometimes it works, but it might have the opposite effect to what you hoped. The admissions decision maker may not share your sense of humour so be careful when trying to make your statement stand out.” – UCAS advice “When will I use that?” – common in classroom Seeing past the daily use of maths Beauty of maths No problems only solutions Get the content in place first...worry about sentence structure, vocabulary and grammar later! Top Tip!

The evolution of a personal statement Why my subject weeks Why you're applying for the course you've chosen: Why you're suitable for the course: I thrive on the challenge Elegance in the solutions pure, stats, mechanics, decision AS grades – reinforcing ability Use powerful adjectives and verbs – use a thesaurus Top Tip! Universities like to know the types of skills you have that will help you on the course, or generally at university. They also like to see if you've been involved in any accredited or non-accredited achievements.

The evolution of a personal statement Future Prospects weeks If you know what you'd like to achieve after completing a university course, explain how you want to use the knowledge and experience that you gain. Other Subjects Business world needs maths Maths is my passion Opens doors City career? Physics Trip to Switzerland Don’t make your language too flamboyant – an admissions officer should not have to read a sentence twice to understand it Top Tip!

The evolution of a personal statement Achievements / Hobbies/ Responsibilities weeks 'The strongest applicants are those who can link their extra-curricular activities to their proposed course of study.' D of E – challenge and camaraderie, sense of achievement Internet Book company – teamwork, commitment, organisation Football – playing, coaching and refereeing – problem solving and quick decision Cricket –organising and fundraising Don’t start every sentence or paragraph the same way Top Tip!

The evolution of a personal statement weeks Ending Don't expect to be able to write your personal statement whilst watching TV or surfing the internet - this is your future, so make the most of the opportunity to succeed..' Excited/looking forward Next chapter of study Stick to the truth...you may be asked questions in an interview Top Tip!

The evolution of a personal statement Expand it weeks “When will I use that?” – common in classroom Seeing past the daily use of maths Beauty of maths No problems only solutions Do use your best English and don't let spelling and grammatical errors spoil your statement. When will I ever use this?”, an all too common refrain in a maths classroom. Many students can not see past the daily functional need for maths, mainly managing their finances. To me, the beauty of mathematics is not learning the individual techniques to answer a specific type of question, but being equipped with the tools and logic to solve any issues thrown in my path. I do not believe in problems, only solutions that have not yet been discovered. I thrive on mathematics, thoroughly enjoying the challenge of being given a problem and deciphering the information presented to determine the solution. Simple yet effective vocab Personal passion Enthusiastic/strong verbs

The evolution of a personal statement Review it Read it through Don’t worry if it is too long at this point. weeks Check grammar and spelling

The evolution of a personal statement Send it to your Form Tutor to review Take on board suggested changes. Keep going until you are happy! weeks Make amendments Get the length correct

The evolution of a personal statement And relax..... No.. decide which university... plan visits and open days! weeks