Hi there, I'm Luna.
I'm a bit like an AI, except instead of making pictures of people with 16 fingers, I can help you find the perfect course and uni.
Would you like some help in your search?
If you’re applying to uni, you’ll need to write a personal statement. It’s something that’s been done for many years now, so why does it seem so difficult to start? If you need a hand with getting started on your personal statement, we’re here to help! Check out our five simple steps to writing beginning your personal statement below...
Step 1: Research your subject
Thankfully this one is easy, because at this point you should know what subject you’re applying for and you’ll have given it a bit of thought as to what it entails.
In a way, you are also the subject of this piece of writing, so have a think about what you want to tell people about yourself and why you’re excited to study at the next level.
Step 2: Make a general plan
Don’t try to plan out the whole text exactly at this stage, because ideas will develop when you begin writing and you’ll want some room to include them. Bullet points are a great place to start. List all your relevant achievements, goals and aspirations, and use this as a starting point to structure your personal statement.
If you’re more of a visual thinker, you can write them on little pieces of paper and move them around on the table to sort out the structure.
Step 3: Start writing
It’s as simple as that! Open a fresh document and begin to expand on your bullet points and craft thoughts into text. It’s a good idea to do this in a separate program rather than writing it straight into UCAS, because you’ll be able to use spelling and grammar checks, save your progress and you won’t accidentally hit submit when you’re halfway through writing it.
Step 4: Do your introduction
Your intro should cover why you’re interested in the subject you’re applying for and why it’s a good fit for you. It doesn’t need to be a full synopsis, but rather a short and intriguing paragraph which leads the reader on to the main body of text. Make sure that it’s an appropriate length for your statement - neither too long nor too short.
This is often the place where people procrastinate the most, so if you’re having trouble getting started then a good tip is to sit in front of a friend or family member and try to explain to them why you want to apply to university. This can help you get the ideas out there, and then it’s simply a case of writing them down.
Step 5: Keep writing!
Carry on. Don’t stop. Take breaks of course, but really have a proper go at it, and once that first draft is finished, the process of editing and refinement is much less daunting than getting started in the first place. You can use friends, parents, and teachers as a sounding board to improve it until you’re ready to submit.
Need more personal statement help? Check out our personal statement guide!
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