Personal Statements: Why Universities Ask for Them and How to Write One

Writing personal statements are often a key a part of university applications, and especially so for business school admissions. But what are they, why do universities ask for them, and how do I write one?

In this guide, we’ll cover exactly that to help you understand the importance of personal statements and tips to help you get started writing yours!

What Is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement involves writing about your experience, skills, achievements, and ambitions. It’s usually required to apply for business school, and it’s an opportunity to sell yourself to the university and persuade the admissions board that you’re a suitable applicant.

Personal statements differ from CVs. They’re instead structured in paragraphs, and it’s not just about listing experiences. It’s about describing how these have given you skills that will help you at university and throughout the course.

Why Do Universities Ask for Them?

Personal statements help universities decide on applicants who are the most suitable for the institution and specific course.

As many business school programs are over-subscribed, these often play a crucial role in the selection process. If you’re applying for a high-demand course, your personal statement may just be the deciding factor on whether you get an interview or not!

Personal statements allow you to share more information than can be squeezed on a CV and gives universities a more detailed look at what makes certain applicants stand out from others.

A good personal statement should convey enthusiasm and passion for the course subject and the applicant’s suitability for the program. University admissions are also often looking for evidence of leadership, teamwork, communication, commitment, motivation, research into the subject matter, and any relevant key skills.

How Do I Write a Personal Statement?

It can be difficult to know how to get started writing your personal statement. So, here are some tips to help you!

1. Plan it out and have a clear structure.

Have your motives for applying for the course clear in your mind. Being confident in your choice makes this easier, so spend some time researching the course further. Then, start planning out what details you’re going to include in your personal statement. This will help provide you with something to refer back to and allows you to order your thoughts into a clear structure. Then, set out to write approximately 500 words, and always finish with a small paragraph summarizing the key points you want the admissions team to remember.

2. Cover the topics universities want to hear about.

There are a number of topics you need to cover in a personal statement. This includes reasons for wanting to study the course, why you’re suitable, why you want to study in that country, current or previous studies, related interests and hobbies, academic and professional achievements, and work experience. Don’t be generic. Try to make it as personal as possible as universities want to learn about you and how you fit with what they value.

3. Show off enthusiasm, motivation, and what makes you unique.

Make sure you’re showing how excited you are about the prospect of joining the program and the motivation that drives you. Your statement should also be personal and a true reflection of yourself. So, be original and avoid the cliches admissions teams see again and again. Think outside of the box and focus on what sets you apart.

4. Make sure everything you share is relevant.

As there’s often a word or character limit for personal statements, don’t waste any space on information or details that aren’t relevant to your chosen course and career path. So, double check that everything you’re including really is relevant.

5. Review your grammar.

Spelling and grammar matters, so you’ll need to look over your personal statement and go through multiple rounds of editing. It’s also often helpful to ask others to proofread your statement and provide feedback, so you can fix errors and make improvements.

6. Try to convince, not inform.

When writing a personal statement, focus on convincing the admissions teams that you are a great candidate for their course and not just informing them of your experience. This can be challenging if you haven’t done this style of writing before, so take your time working on this. And find ways you can “show” and not just “tell”.

7. Talk to alumni or current students.

Find alumni or current students you can chat to and ask them how studying at the university is or was and how they achieved their goals while or after they studied. Universities love to know that you talked with alumni or current students. It shows you’ve thoroughly researched the institution.

8. Don’t forget to include your goals and aspirations.

Within your personal statement, make sure to add what your aspirations are and what you hope to achieve by studying there. This should include your professional, academic, and personal goals and can show universities what your motivations and objectives are.

9. Get help from educational consultants.

Writing personal statements is often tricky and overwhelming, so getting help from expert educational consultants can provide you with valuable feedback. This can allow you to improve your statement and the rest of your application.

Unify is here for you! We partner with the top educational consultants in the world to ensure you prepare the best application possible for business school. So, let us help you improve your personal statement and CV and prepare for interviews.Get in touch with our team of college counselors and career coaches for free advice and hands-on support for preparing a strong business school application.