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10 Applying for university Presenting yourself If you want to go to a university in an Englishspeaking country you have to apply for a place. An important part of your application is a personal statement in which you are supposed to present yourself. a) Think about the things you would like to communicate to an admissions officer at a university to convince them to accept you as a student. b) Make a list of aspects and research how you would best put them in English. Reading: How to write a personal statement a) The website thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk gives advice on how to write such a personal statement. Read this guide and highlight the main points. 1 2 This is your chance to say anything you like, in your own words, to persuade admissions tutors that yours is the brightest and best application ever to have crossed their desk. You can write what you like, but the key areas should probably include: • • why you want to study your chosen subject • • what particular qualities and experience you can bring to it • • details of any work experience or voluntary activity, especially if it is relevant to your course • • any other evidence of achievement, such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award 1 • • details of any sponsorship or placements you have secured or applied for your career aspirations • • any wider aspects of life that make you an interesting and well-rounded student • • if your first language is not English, a description of any opportunities you have had to use English (such as at an English-speaking school or work experience with a company that uses English) Remember that for most admissions tutors an awful lot of applications will cross their desk. Many applicants will get advice about how to write the statement and see model examples. The result is a tendency for personal statements to be rather similar 1 The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a charity for young people aged between 14 and 24 who set themselves objectives in four to five fields (volunteering, physical, skills, expedition and residential) and whose progress is monitored by adult leaders. The objective of this charity is to help young people to develop their skills and encourage them to serve their communities. 2 The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service is the British admission service for students applying to go to universities and colleges. and, to a hard-pressed admissions tutor faced with a large amount of UCAS 2 forms in their mailboxes, rather dull. Somehow you have to make it personal and stand out from the crowd. On the other hand, avoid being too wacky – not all admissions tutors will share your sense of humour and your form may be read by one who doesn’t. If there is anything about your application that is even slightly unusual, then explain why. […] In general, the more vocational the course, the more you need to emphasise your commitment to the profession and relevant experience you have gained. Conversely, the more academic the course, the more you need to enthuse about the subject and explain why you want to study it for several years. As with examinations, be honest. […] Be specific in what you write. Don’t just say you did some voluntary work; describe what you learned through the experience. Don’t just say you are interested in reading – after all, students have to be interested in reading as they do a lot of it; describe what you like to read and why. There is no ideal way to structure your statement, but it is a good idea to use paragraphs or sub-​ headings to make the presentation clear and easy for 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 118 Lifelong learning Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv