OXBRIDGE ENTRANCE AND YOUR UCAS STATEMENT

Stuck with your UCAS statement? Writing a personal statement that does you justice, yet is at most 47 lines long and appeals to different universities is a task that can paralyse even the ablest student.
Here is some advice that will move you on:

 1.      My statement is too long

Chuck any lengthy quotations from famous people. It is your voice the reader wants to hear. And if you belong to lots of school clubs or have half a dozen volunteer jobs, give just two or three relevant examples, each time saying briefly what skills or insights you gained.

 2.      What do they really want to know?
Oxbridge dons like students who bubble with unanswered questions. So, tell them what intrigues you about the world or your field. Also, as any Oxbridge course will require you to do masses of reading, talk about course-related books you have read - don’t just list them.

3.      Should I mention my career plans?
Yes, if they are directly related to the course. If so, try to also show an awareness of the challenges involved in your future career and the qualities you bring to it.

4.      I am applying for several different courses. How much should my statement focus on the Oxbridge one?
Not too much, or this may alienate other course leaders.  The best strategy here is to create a broader profile of your strengths and interests first. Then name a couple of different academic areas which therefore appeal to you, with reference to specific courses. Ideally, their subject areas should not be too far apart!

For more advice on how to write a strong, memorable UCAS statement, see p. 110 onwards of OXBRIDGE ENTRANCE: THE REAL RULES.