HOW TO CUT YOUR STATEMENT TO THE RIGHT LENGTH

                                            

St. John's College, Oxford: student residences

Although the horrors of  this year's  A-level results are  still in  the news,   students hoping for an Oxbridge place next year must now take a deep breath and move on with their UCAS   statement.Not only may teachers want to see a draft at the very start of term, but there may still be several rewrites ahead. Merging personal history  with  your academic interests and   achievements to create a profile likely to  appeal  to both Oxbridge and  other  admissions tutors  takes  time and reflection. If you start now, though, you  may even  be able  to still  do an extra bit of course-related research worth mentioning.

Applicants trying to live up to the high  expectations of  top  universities often find  that   their main problem is not a lack of academic  record  or  suitable  character  traits  but the  47 line word limit. How  do you cram in all you have achieved and still want to learn  about? Producing a factual yet  lively  account  of  the  academic  journey  one   has  so far undertaken and seeking to continue on without any rambling is often the most challenging task encountered by a sixth  former. The good news is  that it can be done by following the advice below:

        1. Don't repeat  yourself. Once you’ve said that you found helping pensioners expand their  computer skills or showing Year 5s  how to write a good story, you don’t need to add that you acquired valuable team-working skills and like working with people. However, mentioning that this has taught you something course-related, be it about programming quirks or child psychology, can be worthwhile.

           2. Do say what drew you to the course. Was it a lesson, a book, a school research project, an excursion, a talk or some TV programme?  How are you trying to find out more? Is there a science book, poetry collection or article on the latest stone age finds you have particularly enjoyed and can explain why? What you want to show here is that you are capable of intellectual activity beyond or  independent of what you're doing for school.

              3. Try to make sure the (few) extra-curricular activities you chose to list work in your favour. Have they taught you any skills useful for your course? Do they suggest particular strengths or character traits?  Also, are there any prizes you have won or  disadvantages overcome?

              4. Avoid space-filling generalisations such as “politics is a truly fascinating subject”. Just tell the reader what fascinates you personally about it. By briefly mentioning personal concerns or life experiences you may become more convincing, as well as more memorable.

          5 As said in my previous blog, don't  mainly focus on your degree subject in terms of your future career. If you are aiming for Economics, for instance, what tutors reading through your statement may well want know is which course-related financial, social or mathematical problems are of interest to you and how you are already exploring them.

          6. When mentioning a relevant book, don't try to summarise the contents. Instead, say what surprised, inspired or perhaps even shocked you when reading it.

            7. In terms of style, go for short and concise. Write in clear, non overly long sentences, using correct subject terms. As strong writing skills are prized by most  admissions tutors, it's alright, though, to mention a well received essay or research report (which the school may subsequently be asked to send in).

                  8. Now re-read, and re-read again, and not just for spelling errors.  Have you still said too much about the future you are aiming  for, but too little about what you bring to the course? Are your extracurriculars  taking up more space than your academic interests? Did you correctly name  any book or article mentioned and its author?  Do all this in good time, not when you're in a rush.

Still unsure how to create the kind of strong, memorable application which does you justice? For more detailed and   course-specific advice read OXBRIDGE ENTRANCE: THE REAL RULES, available from major bookshops and Amazon.