Personal Statements: What Admissions Tutors are looking for

1. Personal Statements: What Admissions Tutors are looking for

2. What I will cover today... • Personal statements in the UCAS process • What are personal statements? • What are admissions tutors looking for? • Areas to cover in a personal statement • Hints and tips for a good personal statement

3. The UCAS application form • 7 sections to complete: • Personal details • Choices • Education • Employment • Personal Statement • Reference • Pay/send

4. Personal Statements • The majority of courses do not interview, so this is may be your main opportunity to make an impression on the Admissions Tutors • The Personal Statement is your responsibility (Not your teachers, tutors, school/college) • An Admissions Tutor can see hundreds of forms in a day, so it is imperative that yours is easy to read, otherwise it might be put to the bottom of the pile!

5. Personal Statements • You can enter up to 4,000 characters or 47 lines of text (includes blank spaces/lines) • You will not be able to use features such as bold, italic or underlined text • Don’t include information that is available elsewhere on the form • Use structured text, not bullet points • We recommend that the statement is word processed offline, then copy and pasted into the Apply system

6. What are Admissions Tutors looking for? • Students with the academic potential to benefit from the course • Students who are motivated towards studying this particular course • Students with relevant experience for the course • The personal skills a student can bring to the course • The interests that a student has • Remember that that although each university cannot see your other choices, they will all see the Personal Statement

7. The course (1) • This part of the Personal Statement is of most interest to the Admissions Tutor • The more competitive the course, the more you should write about the subject • Should be around 30-50% of the Personal Statement • Needs to convey your enthusiasm for the subject and how it first developed

8. The course (2) • Which parts of the subject are of particular interest to you? • If studying the subject at the moment mention particular coursework or assignments you have enjoyed • Mention any extra reading around the subject you have done • If the course ties in with any career aspirations you may have say how you became interested in this career

9. Experience relevant to the course • Work experience is really important for courses leading to some professions, egmedicine, nursing, physiotherapy, teaching • For other courses, attendance at conferences or any other out of school visits related to your chosen subject is important • Say what insights this has given you into your chosen area of study/profession • Think about any experience you can gain that will strengthen your application

10. General skills and attributes • Personal: • Caring • Responsible • Trustworthy • Enthusiastic • Approachable • Hard working • Related to work/studies: • Good communicator • Team worker • Good organiser • Problem solver • Self motivated • Leadership • Initiative

11. Skills/Attributes/Interests – you as a person • Part-time work • Sports and other leisure pursuits • Volunteering or charity work • Student representative/prefects/mentoring • Social activities • Think about the skills that you have gained from these!

12. Qualities for Higher Education • Academic Skills: ability to handle information, ability to defend your opinion, knowledge of subject area, time management • Core Skills: Numeracy, literacy, IT, communication • Personal Characteristics: Motivation, self-organisation, creativity, flexibility • Social Skills: Teamwork, negotiation skills, helping and supporting others

13. And finally… • Be yourself • Do NOT Plagiarise! UCAS uses a similarity detection service • Personal Statements are checked against a library of those already in the system, and from a variety of websites and paper publications • Each new statement is added to the library after processing • Check spelling and grammar thoroughly • Keep a copy • Don’t put something down you can’t talk about! See www.ucas.ac.uk for more information

14. Punctuation Dear John: I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we are apart. I can be forever happy – will you let me be yours? Gloria Dear John: I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you I have no feelings whatsoever. When we are apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be. Yours, Gloria

15. Why choose Birmingham City University? • A top 30 university for placing students in graduate-level jobsSunday Times University Guide 2013 • £180 million investment programme - a top 10 university for facilities spendComplete University Guide 2013 • 90 per cent of students in work or further study within six months of graduatingDLHE Survey 2012 • Award-winning student supportWinner – “Outstanding Support for Students” Times Higher Education Awards 2010

16. Our approach • We focus on professional practice and employabilityOur staff have excellent links to and come from industry – working with the likes of Apple, Jaguar Land Rover, Cisco and Cartier Our courses are underpinned with practice-based learning and experienceWe ‘future proof’ our graduates by providing skills for real life • We take pride in our friendly, inclusive attitudeRecognised sector-leading partnerships between staff and students Award-winning outstanding student support • Providing real-life experienceWe offer practical solutions for business through placements, graduate employment and knowledge transfer Gain work experience through OpportUNIty - Student Jobs on Campus

17. Find out more… • University-wide Open Days • 5October 2013 • 9am – 3pm • 16 November 2013 • 9am – 3pm • 22 February 2014 • 9am – 3pm • Birmingham Conservatoire Open Day • TBC • Birmingham School of Acting Open Day • TBC www.bcu.ac.uk or Course Enquiries Team 0121 355 5595 www.facebook.com/birminghamcityuniversity www.twitter.com/MyBCU