Personal Statement Basics

The personal statement is the most important part of your application. If you are applying for a course that does not require an interview, the admissions team will be making a decision mostly based on your statement. If you are applying for a course that does have an interview, then the admissions team will decide whether to put you through to interview based on the statement, so either way it is really important. But don’t see it as a threat – it’s a great chance for you to let the university know why you are so motivated to study that subject and how you have developed that interest.

The maximum length is 4000 characters including spaces, which is around 500-700 words depending on how long your words are. Make sure you aren’t over the character count as UCAS will cut you off once it reaches 4000. If you’re struggling to keep within the character count, ask ASPECT to take a look and try and cut it down for you. It should be in paragraphs and have a clear introduction and conclusion; it should be written as an essay rather than a letter. 75% of your statement should be about your motivation to study the subject and how you have developed this interest and your relevant skills through college and work experience, and then 25% is about your extra activities.

What goes in the personal statement?

Make sure you keep your statement content really relevant to the subject you are applying for. You should write about your current course and any other courses you have done that are relevant, and mention your work experience. If you have done extra reading around the subject you are applying for or have attended lectures that have added to your interest, the university would love to know how these have inspired you.

Remember not to just explain what you did, but also make it clear to the university what knowledge and skills you have gained from each experience. Which modules on your course have been really good preparation for the degree you’re applying for? Did you get so inspired by a lesson you then researched into the subject in your own time? How have you developed your teamwork and leadership skills in your part time job? Really let the university know how these experiences have prepared you for university study.

Using the ABC Method will help you check that you are expanding enough on the points you are making.

A – Activity (e.g. module on your course, work experience, Duke Edinburgh award)
B – Benefit (e.g. the skills or knowledge you gained from the experience)
C – Course (e.g. how has this prepared you for the degree you’re applying for?)

C is the really important part for the university, so make sure you always relate back to the degree you’re applying for.

Top Tips

Here are some top tips for writing your personal statement that will hopefully help refine your statement:

Write a plan first – do a mind map with different sections for each paragraph and then use the ABC method to expand your points
Read examples, but don’t copy – there are loads of example personal statement on the internet which can be great for ideas, but don’t copy as UCAS have a plagiarism filter
Use the documents on SharePoint to help you – there are guides and presentations on SharePoint to help you with your statement so make sure you are making the most of them
You don’t need to write it in order – if you’re struggling with the introduction write another paragraph first and come back to the introduction later
Be specific – rather than listing every single thing you’ve done, it’s more important to let the university know what skills and knowledge you have gained from your experience
Be positive – the universities want to know you are passionate about the subject you’re applying for, so use positive words and show how much you love this subject!
Ask for help if you’re struggling – remember that the ASPECT team are here to help

Civil engineering is an exciting job which leads people into successful careers working on important projects.

With Weston College announcing its new Higher Level Apprenticeship in Civil Engineering, we take a look at how civil engineers are transforming the country...

Hinkley Point C

Hinkley Point’s new nuclear reactor will be the biggest construction site in Europe, and the most expensive structure ever constructed. 5,600 people will be employed at the project’s height, and Civil Engineers are in short supply to meet the project’s demands. When finished, it will account for 7% of the country’s energy. Click here to find out how the College is supporting Hinkley.

Heathrow expansion

Heathrow Airport – one of the busiest airports in the world – is expanding, and creation of a new runway will reshape the landscape forever. Two new passenger terminals and transport hubs will be built, connected by an underground passenger transit and baggage system. An extra runway will enable 740,000 flights a year, and could be constructed over the M25 – which would present a unique proposition for the engineers tasked with designing the build. This project will take a massive amount of planning and construction, and will involve civil engineers from across the UK.

Electrification of the Great Western train line

The electrification of the Great Western train line is the biggest investment in the Great Western railway since Brunel built it more than 150 years ago. The project is hoped to stimulate economic growth in the South West by improving commuter and transport links, and investment in infrastructure is one of the Government’s key focuses in the post-Brexit economy.

Flood defences

15 years ago, Leeds was inches away from devastating floods. Work has now started on an innovative £45m flood alleviation scheme to protect the city in the future, with major construction work in the town centre and surrounding areas. Improving the flood defences in this area will provide 22,000 jobs over the next 10 years, and 150 apprenticeships have been created for the project.​

Queensferry Crossing

Currently under construction in Scotland, the Queensferry Crossing is a road bridge under construction in Scotland which will carry the M90 motorway over the Firth of Forth. The bridge will be a massive 2.7km. The £1.35 billion project is directly employing over 1000 people.

Our new courses

Weston College’s new Higher Level Apprenticeship in Civil Engineering is taught both on site and at the College’s brand new Future Technology Centre. Wessex Water has confirmed that it will be recruiting the first cohort of apprentices to study within the programme in January 2017.

The new programme is a Level 4 apprenticeship which incorporates an NQV Diploma in Construction Site Supervision and an HNC in Construction in the Built Environment.

Click here to find out more.

If you’re starting College next week and feeling a little bit nervous, we have some top tips to help settle the nerves and make sure you’re prepared to have the best experience!

It is very normal to have nerves before starting college, so don't worry about this. We wish you the best of luck with your course and hope you enjoy your time at Weston College.

Not sure what you’ll need to bring to college?

Here is a list of equipment that the think every learner should come to College prepared with. Please see below some more specific items you will need for certain courses