1. Introduction to Personal Statements How to promote yourself on paper © IntoUniversity 2015

2. Attending this session will allow you to ;  Understand what a personal statement is and why it is needed  Improve self-awareness by reflecting on your skills, experience, expertise and aspirations, and how these relate to your chosen university course  Begin to plan and draft your personal statement, deciding on which information to include and how this might be presented  Understand the ‘dos and don’ts’ of personal statement writing  Be able to identify and take responsibility for your future development goals © IntoUniversity 2015

3. Brainstorming In your groups share the information that you know about Personal Statements © IntoUniversity 2015

4. Other things to consider Each statement can only be 47 lines long Each statement must not exceed 4000 characters (including spaces) You can only submit one personal statement for all of your five different university choices © IntoUniversity 2015

5. Skills Bingo It’s not about what you have done, but what you have gained from it © IntoUniversity 2015

6. Best Candidate for the Course Who would you choose? © IntoUniversity 2015

7. Wallpaper Skills An invaluable skill that comes so naturally to you that you do not even notice it. For example Translating for your parents – multi-lingual, good communicator Helping out in the family business – financial competency Looking after younger siblings – trustworthy and responsible Enjoyed an activity since childhood - commitment © IntoUniversity 2015

8. UCAS Personal Statement Worksheet Time to plan your own Personal Statement © IntoUniversity 2015

9. Choosing a Course Do your research! UCAS website www.ucas.com University Prospectuses and websites Look at: Entry requirementsCourse length How you will be assessedCourse content Career opportunities © IntoUniversity 2015

10. pecific easurable chievable elevant ime specific S M A R T SMART Targets © IntoUniversity 2015

11. Introduction to Personal Statements Plenary You now have an excellent head start Linked your own skills to the qualities that a university will be looking for Produced a UCAS worksheet that is the template for your statement Identified and created an action plan to strengthen specific areas using SMART targets © IntoUniversity 2015

12. Overview of Workshops ModuleWorkshop Title and Topic 1Why Higher Education? Introduction to the benefits of choosing higher education 2Steps to choosing the right course Looks at the key factors to be considered 3 4Introduction to Personal Statements Students plan their own statements using a structured approach 5Preparing for Interviews Acquiring effective verbal and non verbal communication skills 6Preparing to go to university Practical steps to having a smooth transition from home to university life 7Student Finance Overview of the main areas of student finance and information on how to apply The Higher Education in FOCUS Teacher’s Toolkit consists of © IntoUniversity 2015