What Should You Avoid In A Personal Statement?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,
  • Whining. Don't whine in your ! …
  • Someone else is the hero. …
  • Reads like a . …
  • Lack of focus. …
  • Leaves out personal growth. …
  • Overcomplicated language. …
  • Incorrect grammar or spelling.

What should not be included in a personal statement?

  • NEGATIVITY. …
  • NOT MENTIONING YOUR SKILLS & ACHEIVEMENTS. …
  • EXAGGERATION & OUTRIGHT LIES. …
  • POOR SPELLING AND GRAMMAR. …
  • NOT GETTING FEEDBACK. …
  • STATING THE OBVIOUS. …
  • TALKING ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD. …
  • THE WORD PASSION.

What should you avoid in your personal statement for college?

  • Cliches. Cliches can be hard to avoid. …
  • Redundancy. Don't include your GPA in your personal statement. …
  • Spelling or Grammatical Errors. This cannot be overstated. …
  • Profanity or Slang. …
  • Quotes. …
  • Hyperboles. …
  • Plagiarism. …
  • Other People.

What should I cut out of my personal statement?

  • Eliminate adverbs. …
  • Make sure you need every “very” …
  • Get rid of the word “actually” …
  • Double-check how you use “that” and “which” …
  • Make better use of apostrophes. …
  • Try to hyphenate words whenever possible. …
  • Don't narrate your own writing.

How do I make my personal statement stand out?

  1. Plan before you write. …
  2. Format correctly. …
  3. Make your introduction clear and direct. …
  4. Include examples (but make sure they're relevant) …
  5. Put the ‘personal' in ‘personal statement' …
  6. If you've done your research – brag about it!

How do you write a strong personal statement?

  1. Explain the reason for your choice and how it fits in with your aspirations for the future.
  2. Give examples of any related academic or work experience.
  3. Show you know what the course will involve and mention any special subjects you're interested in.

Do you put your name on personal statement?

In the absence of any guidelines provided by the graduate school, your heading should include the

name

of the document you are submitting (e.g., “Personal Statement”), the school and department for whom you are writing it (e.g., “Ohio University College of Education”), and your name.

What does a good personal statement look like?

Tell the reader why you're applying – include your ambitions, as well as what interests you about the subject, the course provider, and higher education.

Think about what makes you suitable

– this could be relevant experience, skills, or achievements you've gained from education, work, or other activities.

Can you lie in your personal statement?

Untruths. Admissions tutors will be able to spot any fictions in your application. Firstly, and most crucially:

never, ever lie in your personal statement

. If you do, it will almost certainly come back to haunt you.

How do you end a personal statement for university?

  1. Tie it back to what you've written earlier. …
  2. Talk about the future. …
  3. Your university experience. …
  4. Take a break and come back to it. …
  5. Read back what you've written. …
  6. Don't waffle. …
  7. Make notes as you write. …
  8. What do your UCAS choices have in common?

How do I change I in a personal statement?


Using the third-person or “it” constructions

can be used to replace personal pronouns like “You” and “I”. Such words also help to reduce the word count of your essay and make it short and precise. For example, if you are writing “I conclude that”, replace those words with “it could be concluded that”.

How do I make my personal essay shorter?

  1. Circle or highlight all adverbs. Take them out. …
  2. Look for a single word or short phrase followed by a comma. …
  3. Delete helping verbs. …
  4. Delete to be verbs. …
  5. Turn some nouns into verbs: “I concluded” is better than “I came to the conclusion.”

Can a personal statement go over 4000 characters?

How long can the personal statement be?

There is no actual word limit

– instead, you have a maximum of 47 lines or 4000 characters to work with. This is all the space UCAS give you on their online system, Apply.

How do you write a unique personal statement?

  1. Work out why you want to study the subject you've picked. …
  2. Think about your transferable skills. …
  3. Include some anecdotes. …
  4. Don't leave out your difficulties. …
  5. Vary your language. …
  6. Make a list of all your achievements.

What do you mention in a personal statement?

  • Information about yourself.
  • Why you want to study the subject.
  • Your passion for the subject.
  • What type of you are.
  • Any previous assessments that you've done that relate to the course that you're applying for.
  • Your achievements.
  • Your hobbies.

How do you brag yourself in a personal statement?

  1. 10 Ways to Share Your Accomplishments Without Bragging. Here are 10 ways you can share your most interesting experiences and stories, without sounding like you are bragging:
  2. Share a Sense of Wonder. …
  3. Be Grateful for Your Success. …
  4. Be Self-Deprecating. …
  5. Avoid the Humble Brag. …
  6. Get a Wingman. …
  7. Don't Avoid the Achievement. …
  8. Use Humor.
Juan Martinez
Author
Juan Martinez
Juan Martinez is a journalism professor and experienced writer. With a passion for communication and education, Juan has taught students from all over the world. He is an expert in language and writing, and has written for various blogs and magazines.