The ingredients of a killer university application are always a hot topic of debate among tutors and students alike. Should you write it in multi-coloured felt tip pen? Should the first letter of every line spell out “I love Biology”? Do you have to play a whole orchestra of instruments and captain the school’s underwater chess team to have a hope of standing out?
None of these things are true, but, as a journalist, I have learned the lesson that the way you write something is often as important as what you write. I remember being told when writing my own personal statement that the word “passion” was best avoided when that passion could be better communicated by describing the ways in which I showed extra dedication to my chosen subjects and enthusiasm for my proposed course.
The Times’s Good University Guide met four first-year students from around the country this week to ask them what they think made them stand out from the crowd when applying to university. Karishma Mali, Kate Foley, Lottie Kingdon and Ed Scrivens all agreed that you do not necessarily need to have a glittering extra-curricular career, but do need to demonstrate that your interest in your chosen subject has encouraged you to explore beyond the confines of your curriculum.
For literature and arts students, this often involves wider reading, where you may have explored other works by prescribed authors or been to see adaptations of their work in theatre or film. Have you ever attended any lectures on your chosen subject or undertaken a week’s work experience at a company that works in your particular field? Are there any unfolding stories in the news and current affairs that have been relevant to your course and made you more interested to pursue that path?
Another tip from our first-year students, however, was to be completely sure that you can stand by every claim in your application. Think of it as a script for your interview – you will be asked in detail about every book you claim to have read so only mention them if you can happily talk about why they are relevant. The same goes for all your achievements – think about what they say about you and why an admissions tutor should care.
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And one final point made by our first-years was not to be afraid of being controversial. Tread carefully, but as long as you can stand by and defend the reasons you dislike Jane Austen or disagree with Sigmund Freud, then why not be brave and mention them?
Ultimately, any professor or tutor is looking for a student who is enthusiastic, willing to learn, open to debate and, equally importantly, will be interesting and fun to work with. Demonstrate this in your application and an interview will surely follow.