With the Oxbridge UCAS deadline for 2017 applications racing towards us
this Saturday the 20th of October, now is the time to make sure you
have everything in order for the best chances at getting to interview stage. As
with all universities, your personal statement is a hugely significant part of
the application.
But a personal statement for an application to Oxford or Cambridge is
not like any other personal statement. This is because the ethos of the
Oxbridge universities is different to other universities – what they’re looking
for in your personal statement is a show of your passion and knowledge for the
subject you’re applying for in order to prove your love and enthusiasm for
studying it, and your skills and potential in succeeding in it.
What makes this particularly difficult is that you can only submit one
personal statement for all of your UCAS applications to all of your chosen
universities. Remember to never mention any university or course by its exact
name in your personal statement, as it will go to multiple admissions teams.
The important thing is to try to tailor your personal statement for Oxbridge
whilst still satisfying the expectations of your other choices. You can’t gear
every paragraph just to Oxbridge as you will be missing important details that
other universities look for when assessing candidates for their intake. However
you can balance this by writing around 90% of your personal statement about
your subject passion with the remaining word count, summarize your school and
personal achievements such as being a prefect, clubs you have been part of,
hobbies and external interests. This should be enough as other universities
will likely be aware you have applied to Oxbridge, as your application will be
submitted to them months before their final deadline in January.
When writing about your passion for your chosen subject for an Oxbridge
application, be sure to discuss in depth your knowledge and further reading
around the subject. Refer to specific book titles and even passages if you need
to, and discuss your own thoughts on the subject. However, be careful of what
you do say – make sure you are confident in your knowledge and have read all
the sources you cite in details. This is because Oxbridge interviewers will
discuss the topics you have mentioned in your personal statement at length and
will expect you to go into real depth in your answers. Make sure everything you
claim to have done and read is true – do not embellish the truth because the
interviewers will be able to tell.
Our best advice is to have a professional look over your personal
statement before you submit it. Our expert consultants can advise on what to
write and help you revise your drafts, as well as discuss interview techniques,
find you a tutor and more. Give us a call today on 01865 522066 or email consultants@independenteducationconsultants.co.uk.
