UCAS STATEMENT TOO LONG? HERE'S HOW TO CUT IT!

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1. Don't repeat  yourself. Once you’ve said that you found working with that first aid team really enjoyable, you don’t need to add that you acquired valuable team-working skill and like working with people.

2.  Don’t list everything you have done. Just mentioning six different extra-curricular activities is pointless. Instead, show that you are organised enough to do a couple of challenging things alongside your studies. Then say which useful (but not blindingly obvious) insights or skills you’ve gained.  

3. Avoid space-filling generalisations such as “biology is a truly fascinating subject”. You want to focus on what fascinates you personally. The application chapters of OXBRIDGE ENTRANCE: THE REAL RULES* offer lots of advice on this.

4. Write in clear, not overly long sentences, using correct subject terms. Florid, convoluted phrases will just make the reader wonder if an adult wrote this for you. As strong writing skills are prized by admissions tutors, you may want to mention a well received essay or research report you did in the space gained.  

5. Don’t try to solve your space problem by copying a UCAS statement found online: Admissions tutors now have the software to identify plagiarism.

6. Most crucially, don’t leave the final cut to the very last moment.  Writing a good UCAS statement is a major job. If you rush it, the result could be not just typos but a confused narrative or fatal omissions.

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 *   - As Oxbridge admissions rules frequently change, applicants need to read the current, 2016 edition of the guide (ISBN 978-09545944-80). The alleged downloads of this book are at best extracts of old, outdated editions. Avoid!