6 Personal Statement Points You Need To Remove
Your personal statement is the most important aspect of your application. The statement provides you with an opportunity to explain why you want to study at the university and how you are the candidate worthy of a placement.
With the deadline for the 2023 summer postgraduate intake deadline approaching very quickly, we thought it would be an excellent opportunity to help you clean your personal statement.
#1 Inspiring quotes
Sometimes life can be tough, and sometimes you remember that “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. While it’s motivating for your everyday life, you may want to leave them away from your personal statement, including those from prominent figures in the field you want to study.
The admission officer wants to read what inspires you, not a collection of inspirational quotes from Instagram.
#2 Accolades
It’s extremely important to back your personal statement filled with hard evidence. However, it’s unwise to fill your statement with a long list of accolades and accomplishments. Stick to the path and be selective with your chosen points – use the chosen points to explain how they demonstrate your passion and eligibility for the course.
#3 Origination stories
It can be tempting to write “once upon a time” or “when I was younger” during your statement but you must avoid these. Your statement should explain your motivation behind applying for a master’s, but you don’t always have to paint a 4-hour picture. Giving achievements and accolades is much more persuasive than trying to prove a story that may or may not have happened.
#4 Exaggerating lies
It can be tempting to exaggerate your achievements to help make your application stand out but it may come back to betray you. It doesn’t require to be something big such as an internship or a grade bump, but pretending you’ve worked at a big company can still haunt you – even if you end up being invited for an interview.
There is no requirement to make your statement glow. All you need to do is prove you are passionate about your chosen course and that you are capable of studying it at a postgraduate level.
#5 Avoid flattery
While typing your statement, you should aim to mention why you chose the institution and how the programme and department can benefit you and your long-term goals. In this section, you should also mention a few aspects of the course that sparked your interest, as well as any other information such as the experience of an alumnus.
But what you should avoid is excessively flattering the institution as a whole. This means the reputation, the tutors, the department and the equipment. This would be seen as wanting to use the institution for personal gain, rather than how you could help to build and maintain the reputation, community, and networking of the institution.
#6 Scholarships and funding applications
We understand that funding your master’s is not an easy thing to find, especially if you’re looking at a top-tier university or course, or if you’re an international student. However, the universities themselves are a common source of scholarships or bursaries. You can find all the information on their website, and you can very well email to discuss options or clarifications.
However, your personal statement is not the place to request funding. It is no secret the funding stage is an important problem for prospective students, but you do not want the admission committee to think you applied just for their scholarship opportunities.
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