Not knowing how to start yours personal statement can be frustrating, especially if you're not used to writing texts. Generally, there are two types of students: the one who starts out making the mistake of writing “my name is so-and-so” (let's remember that this information will be exhaustively in all your documents, so why waste time repeating that?) and the one who spends too much time thinking about that super creative first sentence that, in the end, won't have the desired effect.
Reviewers want to find succinct text that captivates them through their own ideas and skills, not gimmicks and shallow words.
As said once by Michele Raimondo, International Officer at the University of Westminster, this is one of the most important documents for a candidate, as “most courses and universities do not do interviews – and those that do are based on their personal statement to ask the questions - so this is your only chance to differentiate yourself from the other candidates and impress the evaluators”.
Some reviewers believe that the opening sentence is the most difficult to write, so it should be left for last. “Don't spend so much time on the intro. Focus on the main content of your letter. Start with the second paragraph, where you explain why you want to take that course – that’s what we’re really interested in,” says an evaluator in an interview with Which?University.
The best texts are usually those that are genuine and specific from the start, explaining your enthusiasm for the course, your understanding of the area and what you want to achieve with it.
Read more: Personal statement: what to include and what to avoid in your text
Still, the first paragraph is always a difficult thing to write. Therefore, Here are some suggestions to get you inspired:
– Your interest in the course is most important. Start by explaining why you chose him; – Remember: the best personal statements they go straight to the point; – Start with a short sentence that indicates the reason why you are interested in studying in a particular area; – Explain your enthusiasm. what motivates you wanting to join this course?; – Show that you know what you are applying for. Don't say you want to study something because it's interesting, go beyond that; – Avoid starting with “since I was little” or “I always wanted to” and prefer to quote what inspires you now instead of lifting the past.
every year the UCAS publishes a list of the most common phrases used to start the personal statement. This is a way of asking candidates to avoid clichés and be more original. In 2017 these were the most used phrases:
– From a very young age; – As long as I can remember; – I am applying for this course because; – I have always been interested in; – Throughout my life I have always liked.
Still among the sentences, at position 11 was a specific quote from Nelson Mandela. This serves as a warning not to use famous quotes – they are hated by reviewers, especially if there is no explanation of why they are used in the text. As the name implies, it's your "personal statement", so if you're not Nelson Mandela himself, there's no reason to include a thought that isn't yours.
Necklace approach There is a technique very well seen in texts of this type, called “necklace approach” (something like an “approach necklace”), which consists of making a connection between the first sentence of the text and the final paragraph to reinforce what was said at the beginning.
If you start, for example, by explaining what currently motivates you to study the chosen course, it may be a good idea to end by mentioning why you would love to apply these studies at the university in question.
In short, be authentic and sincere. Don't try to impress raters with secondary elements or gimmicks. Once your text is finished, send it to us! loveUK consultants specialize in reviewing personal statements and other application documents. And best of all, it's a free service. for more than 30 universities. Get in touch right now by e-mail: contato@loveuk.org.br.
