Succeeding in your application to University: A guide for students, parents and teachers to prepare the perfect UCAS Personal Statement (includes 98 Personal Statement examples

Chapter 1: Background
The structure of this guide
The importance of the university Personal Statement
How a UCAS Personal Statement enhances your university application
Chapter 2: Applying to university through UCAS
What is UCAS?
Key dates: How to apply and when
What is on the UCAS form?
The importance of your reference
Chapter 3: Where and what to study
Choosing a course
Choosing a university
Applying to different subjects
Grade requirements and competition for courses
Chapter 4: Important factors to consider
Tuition fees and financial help
Taking a gap year: Help or hindrance
Working in the industry: Sandwich course
Repeating exams: Not the end of the world
Chapter 5: The Clearing process
Chapter 6: Personal Statement overview
The UCAS Personal Statement
Gathering ideas
What a UCAS Personal Statement should contain
The rules your UCAS Personal Statement needs to adhere to
Structuring your Personal Statement
The introductory paragraph
Justifying your choice of course
The main body
Describing your academic experiences
Writing about your work experience
Writing about your extra-curricular activities
Composing your concluding paragraph
Chapter 7: Writing tips
Top tips
Reflection
How to turn something mundane into a positive
The dirty dozen: Most common mistakes
Chapter 8: From ‘Draft’ to ‘Refined’
An example to consider
Enhancing your Personal Statement
Chapter 9: Overseas and mature students
Overseas students
Mature students
Chapter 10: Redrafting and proofreading
Chapter 11: Information for teachers and parents
Chapter 12: Further reference: Personal Statement examples
Chapter 13: Final thoughts
Appendix: Useful websites