Ranked the second and third best universities in the world respectively, Oxford and Cambridge are the crème de la crème of higher education. However, for prospective students, there are only so many places available. With Oxbridge having by far the lowest acceptance rates of any university in the UK, you need to do everything possible to stand out from the crowd if you hope to be enrolled.
One of the best ways to do so is with a great personal statement. Comprising 4,000 characters about why you are suitable for the course you’ve chosen, there are certain things you can do to get your statement noticed, the most important of which we’ve outlined in this article.
If you’re still struggling with writing your personal statement after reading our tips, however, then you may want to get some professional assistance. 6med is one of the UK’s leading university preparation companies and offers personal statement support to help you nail this part of the application process, with everything from one-day personal statement crash courses to ongoing draft reviews.
But before you enlist the help of professionals, see if our three top tips for writing the perfect Oxbridge personal statement give you the guidance you need.
1. Plan what you want to write
Don’t start writing your personal statement until you have a good idea about what you want to say. Writing it off the top of your head can result in an unstructured and overall subpar personal statement. So, begin by considering the following questions:
- Why do you want to study your chosen course?
- What about you that makes you particularly suitable for the subject, taking into account things like your personality and experiences?
- What other relevant skills and experiences do you have?
Be sure to make notes in a way that makes sense for you, whether it’s bullet points, a mind map or something else. Don’t feel like you have to write down everything at once either — you might want to carry your notes with you and add to them as and when the inspiration comes.
It’s also a good idea to check out some sample Oxbridge personal statements to give you a better idea of the kind of things you need to include and the structure you should follow. The Student Room has some great resources for both Oxford and Cambridge.
2. Know your subject inside-out
Demonstrating deep knowledge of your subject area will show how committed and interested in it you are. This is something that is sure to impress Oxbridge admissions officers and help you stand out from the crowd.
You can do this by reading past and current research papers and keeping up to date with any news around your subject. Then, when it comes to writing your personal statement, you can include a sentence or two about the implications of your findings on your subject and desire to study it. You might even get extra brownie points for including research from fellows at the college you’re applying to.
That said, don’t crowbar irrelevant information into your personal statement for the sake of it — only include subject knowledge that genuinely enhances your application.
3. Demonstrate your individuality
Most applicants have similar kinds of experiences, whether it’s being on a sports team, playing an instrument, or doing the Duke of Edinburgh’s award. However, don’t hesitate to talk about a more niche interest that can help distinguish you from the rest, whether it’s having your own blog, a unique travelling experience you’ve had, or something else.
The same is true for work experience. However, do think carefully about whether it really enhances your personal statement. It’s unlikely that having a paper round demonstrates your suitability for your course, for example.
When including extracurricular activities in your personal statement, it’s recommended that you do so in a couple of sentences at the end, unless they’re especially relevant to your course. This part of your statement is mainly about demonstrating that you’re a real person with interests outside of the classroom, and isn’t the crux of your application.