can you talk about work experience in personal statement

Home › University › How To Write A Personal Statement? 10 Tips + Student Questions Answered › How To Write About Work Experience In Your Personal Statement

How To Write About Work Experience In Your Personal Statement

• Published October 25, 2021

Table of Contents

We get it – you’re dying to include your work experience in your personal statement, but how do you write about work experience in your personal statement ? Work experience is an essential component of your personal statement . It shows that you are passionate and knowledgeable about your chosen course. Some courses require prior work experience before you can apply.

So if you’re looking for a way to showcase your work experience, this blog post is just what you need. Learn how to write about work experience effectively in your statement to help you stand out from the crowd and get into the university of your dreams.

Check The Course Requirements For Work Experience

Some courses require you to have work experience before applying (e.g. medical courses.) You may need to complete a certain number of working hours before you’re eligible. It’s best to check out the course requirements before writing your work experience personal statement. If you’re thinking of applying to medicine then check out our medical personal statement advice , likewise with our how to write a law personal statement .

With that said, other courses don’t require work experience. But it does elevate your personal statement if you have relevant work experiences to share.

Examples Of Work Experience

Perhaps the greatest obstacle to writing your work experience personal statement is determining whether an activity counts as “work experience” or not. Here are examples of work experience you may need to include:

• Extracurricular Activities

These are activities that are not included within your formal curriculum. Being a member of the sports team, debate club, Red Cross, or theatre group are good examples.

• Formal Work Placements

Formal work placements are exposures to real-world experience. These are often required as part of your curriculum.

• Volunteer Work

There are tons of volunteer work you could’ve participated in. Maybe you helped out at animal shelters, environmental conservation activities, or feeding programs.

• Part-Time Jobs

Part-time jobs are significant for your work experience personal statement. Working as a customer service agent, freelance writer, or salesperson at a local store demonstrates a sense of responsibility on your part. Mention what’s relevant to the course you’re applying for! Competitions. Look out for competitions in areas that interest you, for example, design, writing, maths, or business.

• Personal Projects

Your personal projects reflect what you love doing. That’s why there’s a high probability they’re related to the course you’re applying for.

If you love coding, you may have built websites. Love writing? Maybe you’ve set up your own blog! Write them down in your work experience personal statement.

• Leadership Positions

If you occupied leadership positions in your organisations relevant to your chosen course, mention them! Universities are on the lookout for motivated individuals willing to take responsibility.

The list of work experiences to include in your personal statement hopefully helps, but make sure to check out our what not to put in a personal statement .

Writing down your leadership positions can take your work experience personal statement up a higher notch.

State Your Work Experience

You now have a solid idea of relevant work experience you need to include in your personal statement. But how will you present it? Here are questions to eliminate writer’s block:

Make good use of these starters to kick off your writing. Brainstorm all relevant details of your work experience. We’ll sort them out later. And, if you’re wondering how to start a personal statement then wonder no more!

Discuss What You Learned, And Why It’s Essential

After stating the facts about your work experience, it’s time to get to the heart of the matter. You are writing your work experience personal statement not to brag about your achievements, but showing why you’re serious about your course .

That’s why discussing what you learned is essential. Beyond your role, share what insights you’ve gained that helped shape your character.

If you’re not sure how to start, let these questions unknot your ideas:

• How did this position impact you?
• What are the primary skills you’ve gained that are relevant to your course?
• How does this experience influence your decisions in pursuing your study goals?
• How does this experience relate to your general ability to succeed in your course?
• What are the major lessons you’ve learned that are helping you grow as an individual person ?
• What is your biggest takeaway from this position?
• Are there significant interactions that impacted your desire to take the course?

After answering these questions, craft a powerful paragraph that demonstrates how deep your understanding is.

The more interesting facts you share about yourself, the better. Bring your work experience personal statement to life with vivid details that convey essential ideas about who you are.

Ideas For Essential Skills

You may be unaware of skills you possess that are relevant and essential for your course. To make sure you won’t forget to mention them, here are skill ideas common across fields:

• The ability to communicate to higher-ups, colleagues, and clients
• Perseverance amidst challenges
• A sense of duty and obligation
• Eagerness to serve the community, especially the marginalised
• Critical thinking skills to overcome setbacks
• Initiative to work independently
• Knows how to work in a team setting
• Shows energy and enthusiasm to
• Motivation to work hard and do well

These are some of the common skills valuable across several fields of study. Among these, which describes you most? Go ahead and write about it!

Demonstrate Understanding Of The Course You’re Applying For

Your work experience should deepen your understanding of the course you’re applying for. Dig deeper and reflect on these points:

• How is your course making a positive change in the world? If you’re eyeing health-related courses, explain how health workers significantly impact people’s lives. Do you want to apply for education-related courses? Relay a story of how significant educators in your life changed you for the better.
• Mention the gaps and problems you see in the field. Do you see a severe lack of health facilities? Perhaps you’ve witnessed the challenges teachers and professors experience in the education system.
• What do you plan to do about it? Demonstrate that you’re applying for your chosen course because you want to help solve the problems that you see. Convince the admissions board that you’re the person for the course by writing about your desire to be an agent of change!

Reach Out To People Who’ve Been Where You Want To Be

To enhance your work experience personal statement, reach out to people who’ve been where you want to be. University students and practising staff are the perfect individuals you can approach.

Set appointments with them and ask them about their experience. What is it like to be in their position? What are the challenges that they see? What are they doing to improve their field of study?

Best of all, solicit advice on how to write your work experience personal statement. What skills do the admissions boards search for?

Then go back to your personal statement and write about your new connections. Mention how their insights and advice shed greater light on how your work experience will help you succeed in your course.

Do this, and you’re guaranteed to show a richer work experience personal statement.

Read Up On The Current Situation Of Your Chosen Field

Soak up knowledge on the current challenges and breakthroughs of your chosen field. Read journal articles, news websites, and featured stories. You can also visit blogs written by practitioners or university students.

Make sure to cite authoritative sources and figures when discussing the status quo. Then weave the information back to your work experience.

Do you have similar experiences with the figures you’ve mentioned? Have they discussed situations you experienced yourself? How are you making a difference in the field? Will your perspective matter?

What a perfect way to build credibility for your work experience personal statement!

Check Out Work Experience Personal Statement Examples

You now have a rich draft of your work experience personal statement. But you’re unsure of how to word and structure it.

Why not check out work experience personal statement examples on the web? Examine how they presented their experiences and insights. Make sure to read as many examples as you can.

Choose your top 3 favourites and save them in your documents. If you’re short of ideas, go back to them. Don’t forget to highlight paragraphs, sentences, and words that inspire you.

Be Authentic And Vulnerable 

Don’t be afraid of being vulnerable in your work experience personal statement. The admissions board needs to know if you are genuinely passionate about this course or not, so don’t hold back!

But remember to stay authentic. Don’t overdramatise mundane events. State events as they happened, and share your realisations as they are. Authenticity is a precious factor!

Action The Above To ‘Work’ On Your Personal Statement

With the suggestions mentioned above, you’ll be able to craft a more compelling and impactful work experience personal statement. Understand that this is YOUR story. Don’t copy others’ work experience personal statements.

Make your own angle and spin, and rest assured that the admissions board will want to read about YOU in your chosen course!

Related Content

What are ucas points – an introduction.

Real Alumni Stories

Learn more about our alumni through their success stories.

• Real stories about our Alumni
• Students share their programme experiences
• Case studies from Alumni heading to Oxbridge
• Alumni insights and stats

Empower Your Child's Future: Book Your Complimentary Consultation Now

• Receive tailored advice to match your child's interests and goals.
• Gain insights from our experienced programme consultants.
• Get answers in real-time, making your decision-making process smoother and more informed.

* Terms and Conditions may apply

Secure priority enrolment for our new summer school location with a small refundable deposit.

" * " indicates required fields

Receive priority enrolment for new summer school locations by registering your interest below.

Our programme consultant will contact you to talk about your options.

• Family Name *
• Phone Number
• I'm a Parent
• I'm a Student
• Yes. See Privacy Policy.
• First Name *

Would you like to receive anything else?

• Prospectuses
• Residential Syllabus Overviews (ages 13-15)
• Residential Syllabus Overviews (ages 15-18)
• Residential Syllabus Overviews (ages 16-18)
• Online Syllabus Overviews (ages 13-18)
• Immerse Education Prospectus 2024
• Career Insights - London Course Guide
• Career Insights New York
• Career Insights San Francisco
• Online Insights Prospectus
• Online Research Programme Prospectus
• Academic Insights - Cambridge & Oxford Prospectus
• Academic Insights Sydney
• Academic Insights Toronto
• Female Future Leaders
• Dates & Fees
• Architecture
• Artificial Intelligence
• Business Management
• Business Management (Sydney)
• Business Management (Career Insights)
• Computer Science
• Creative Writing
• Creative Writing (Sydney)
• Creative Writing & Film (Career Insights)
• Earth Sciences
• Engineering
• Engineering (Career Insights)
• Engineering (Sydney)
• Film Studies
• International Relations
• International Relations (Sydney)
• Medicine (Career Insights)
• Medicine (Sydney)
• Natural Sciences
• Psychology (Sydney)
• Veterinary Studies (Sydney)
• Banking & Finance (New York)
• Business Management (London)
• Data Science & Analytics (San Francisco)
• Creative Writing & Film (London)
• Entrepreneurship (San Francisco)
• Engineering (London)
• Fashion & Design (New York)
• Health Tech & Biotechnology (San Francisco)
• Marketing & Entertainment (New York)
• Medicine (London)
• Law (New York)
• Software Development & AI (San Francisco)
• Architecture & Design (Career Insights)
• Biotechnology
• Business Management (Toronto)
• Computer Science & AI (Toronto)
• Criminology
• Engineering (Toronto)
• English Literature
• Fine Art (Career Insights)
• Game Design (Career Insights)
• Law (Career Insights)
• Mathematics
• Medicine (Toronto)
• Nanotechnology
• Computer Science & AI
• Sustainability

Complete Your Request

How to get work experience for your personal statement

You've worked out what you want to study at university . You're excited and relieved to have made that big decision.

But now you're faced with the prospect of writing your personal statement. Arghhhh!

You've heard here and there that it's a good idea to write about your work experience.

But what work experience should you be writing about? And, how do you get it?

Start with the subject you've decided you want to study. Break it down into three areas:

1. What you're actually going to be learning

2. The skills that are involved

3. What careers people go into after studying your subject

Now, I'd hope that you've got quite a clear idea of the answer to number 1, but the other two might take some research on your behalf.

I'll give you an example: Geography. It's what I studied at university so it's easy for me to talk about.

What are you actually going to be learning?

Look at the prospectus or course outline for your subject. For Geography, it will be split into Human and Physical and give you lots of topic areas that might range from Volcanology to the Social Geography of Latin America.

This is all very broad, but as you go through your time at university you will be given the chance to specialise more and more.

Pick out the things that are listed in the course outline that interest you most and write them down.

What are the skills involved?

Think about what studying your subject will actually involve. Will you have to do lots of numerical analysis? Will you have to give presentations? Will you have to do large amounts of reading? You'll almost certainly have to summarise large quantities of information and create logical arguments.

All of those skills were involved in studying Geography. If you're studying maths the range of skills may be smaller, similarly if you're studying English.

If you don't know what's involved, find out. Call the admissions tutor at your preferred university or ask your teachers for that subject at school

What careers do people go into after studying your subject?

When I studied Geography everyone said “Oh, you're going to be a teacher then.”

At the time that wasn't my intention, although I did end up becoming a Geography teacher later. I just thought it showed a severe lack of imagination on the part of most of the general population.

I just googled what people do when they've got a Geography degree to see what would come up. The answer was very varied. Anything from becoming a weather forecaster to town planning. There are also lots of generic jobs like the business analyst / project manager role I did at Tesco straight after leaving university.

For you, it might be a lot more straight forward. If you want to study medicine most of the people will become doctors. If you want to study law most people will become solicitors or barristers. But, if you're studying history or archaeology it is probably more complicated.

Now you know what you'll be studying, the skills involved and what people end up doing put all this together to narrow down to the kind of work experience you're most interested in. So, if you want to study English you might decide that you want to get publishing experience.

Now you have to go about finding and contacting publishing firms to see if they'll take you on for a week or so. If people say no, be persistent. Keep trying and eventually someone will say yes!

What if no one will give me work experience?

If you can't get work experience in your chosen field, then try to get experience in a field that uses the same skills as your chosen degree course. So, if you want to study maths and you know you want to be a banker but you can't get a place, try accountants instead. You'll still be working with money and numbers so you'll get similar experience that you can write about.

Writing about your work experience in your personal statement

Once you've got your work experience, if you want it to count towards getting a place at your chosen universities, you need to write about it in such a way that makes the admissions teams think, ‘This person is perfect for our course!'

Find out how to do that in my Personal Statement Masterclass.

You might also like...

What’s the difference between personal statements for vocational courses and academic subjects?

3 Personal Statement Mistakes to Avoid to Get University Offers

Help with achieving your goals this Christmas holiday

When should you write a UCAS personal statement?

How important is a UCAS personal statement?

What is a UCAS Personal Statement?

Lucy Parsons

Click here to leave a comment below, leave a reply:.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Telephone Tel: +44 (0) 20 7499 2394
• Email Email: [email protected]

Strategic Guidance

• Private Oxbridge Consultation
• International Oxbridge Consultation
• Postgraduate Applications Guidance
• Book a Complimentary Call

Comprehensive Support

• The Premier Service
• Oxford and Cambridge Interview Preparation Weekend

Targeted Support

• Oxbridge Personal Statement Support
• Oxbridge Admissions Test Support
• Oxbridge Interview Preparation Support

Application Guidance

• ‘Aspiring to Oxbridge’ School Talk
• Teacher Training Workshop
• Individual Guidance Consultations

Personal Statement Support

• Personal Statement Group Workshop
• Personal Statement Consultations

Admissions Test Preparation

• Admissions Test Day
• Admissions Test Course

Interview Preparation

• Interview Preparation Day
• Interview Preparation Course

Free Library

• Oxbridge Interview Resources
• Admissions Tests Resources
• Student Library
• Teacher Library
• Keeping You Current
• Webinar Library

Our Publications

Course reports, oxbridge applications.

• Become A Tutor
• Our Offices
• Dukes Education

News & Press

• Widening Access
• Publications
• Sign In Register
• Sign In    Register

12 Personal Statement FAQs and answers!

There is often a large amount of confusion surrounding how to write personal statements, especially when it comes to oxford and cambridge and other top research universities., every year, we have thousands of students ask us what qualities go into making a successful personal statement., to help, we have broken down this question into 12 of the most frequently asked questions our prospective students ask when they are trying to draft their personal statements., 1. how do i write the introduction.

Introductions are often disappointingly generic. To help you achieve more specificity and concision, the best way to write a good personal statement introduction is to complete the rest of it first. When you are getting started on the first draft, it can be overwhelming to begin at a blank page, but discussing your achievements and interests – relevant to the courses and universities you are applying to – can help you clarify what your motivation to study the subject really is. Then you can come back and explain the reasons behind your passion for Mathematics, Anglo Saxon literature or your subject of choice.

2. How many books should I talk about?

This question can be answered in various ways depending on the subject you intend to study. Clinical scientific subjects will not require many book mentions, however, Arts and Humanities personal statements for Oxbridge see a great benefit from discussing at least two books in detail, with further reading mentioned.

It’s also important to remember that academic sources shouldn’t be only limited to books. A well-rounded personal statement discusses specific theories, touches on lectures you have attended or essays and articles you have read to gain a better understanding of specific academic points rather than a general discussion. One of the biggest pitfalls students fall into when drafting Oxbridge personal statements is getting stuck waffling about general points around a subject of interest. To avoid getting stuck in general chatter, try to use only specific examples in your personal statement.

Centrally, admissions tutors want to see that you know you are getting yourself in for. Only reading a couple of books from their introductory list will therefore not tantalise them; try to follow your interests in a bit more depth and look at readings and ideas which are representative of degree level material.

3. What do I do if I have no work experience?

Referencing work experience in your personal statement is dependent on the subject you intend to study. A rule of thumb is to ask yourself whether you think an academic in the faculty you are applying to will think your work experience was relevant for the course. If you are applying to study History, for example, your two-weeks at an accounting or law firm organising files will be of little interest.

For Medicine, work experience is integral not only to the application process but will help build a strong personal statement. When applying to a vocational subject such as Medicine, where possible you should always ensure you are able to reference at least one work experience placement held. If you don’t have any work experience and your personal statement is due, make sure to arrange some and refer to this in the future tense in your personal statement when talking about your upcoming placement.

Work experience can also be useful for other more vocation-leaning subjects, such as architecture and engineering. More widely, doing work experience is extremely useful to help you begin thinking about what you might want to do with your career, and can build highly useful skills, but, unless it is relevant to the course content, it is unlikely to proffer you any credit for university admission.

4. How long should I talk about extra-curricular activities?

Leading research universities are looking for your potential to succeed on the course you are applying for. Nevertheless, two applicants who seem academically matched might be distinguished from each other by their ability to balance their time with several other things. Do include what you do outside of academia, then, but keep non-relevant activities mentioned to a minimum rather than an exhaustive list. This might mean sacrificing some of the things you do outside of your course and focus on those few things you do most often, or to the highest level. (N.B. Your reference might be able to discuss some of your extra-curricular activities too, and you don’t want to overlap this material).

What you do mention, try to link to your subject. This might be easy, as with an English literature student who has directed lots of theatre, or less easy, such as a maths applicant who plays the violin to a high level. Nevertheless, making these links convincingly can bring originality and creativity to your statement.

5. How can I tailor it for different courses?

Subjects like HSPS at Cambridge or Classical Archaeology and Ancient History at Oxford might make it tricky to tailor your statement for different courses. Oxford and Cambridge are very understanding of this, and specific guidance can usually be found on faculty websites about their expectations.

However, as a rule of thumb, focus on the areas of convergence between the courses you are applying for. If these differ in title, then avoid stating the title of the course in your statement and instead refer to the disciplinary area or focus instead. This involves: a) making sure the courses you are applying for are sufficiently similar to give you a chance of doing this, and b) doing your research on the course content and options so that you are covering the appropriate material.

This research stands even if you are applying for the same titled course everywhere. English, for example, is taught very differently at Oxford to Bristol, and focusing on an interest which does not feature in either course will result in your application being put aside.

Doing this research early can also help you to direct your reading and research to build material for your personal statement which speaks to all your choices.

6. How should I talk about my other A-level subjects?

Lots of students are told to discuss the skills they have gathered from their A Level subjects, but we caution around this; your UCAS application includes a full list of A-Level subjects studied, and your school reference will discuss your A-Level abilities. Talking about the time management or analytical skills you gained from studying history, and the logical skills you gained from physics, can therefore come across as ‘fodder’ which could have already been inferred.

You can, however, talk about how other subjects provide further insight into the course or subject you’d like to study. For example, students who have taken Classics that intend to study English Literature at university can talk about translating texts, such as the Aeneid, and how this helped gain a greater understanding of classical influence in modern English Literature. As with the whole statement, the more specific you can make this, the better.

7. How long should it be?

This is an easy one. Your personal statement should be at most, 4,000 characters or 47 lines, whichever you meet first. Although it can be shorter, we strongly recommend taking full advantage of the available space. Ideally, you want your first draft to be much longer so you can cut down and edit your personal statement to be shorter, rather than using general waffle or struggling to fill the space.

Cutting it down is usually relatively easy, but it might take an outside eye to see the ‘wood from the trees’. Any non-relevant, generic material, anything which is likely to be in many other statements, and frilly, decorative language or repetition can all be chopped down.

If you find you are struggling to reach 4,000 characters or 47 lines, you probably need to revisit the body of your personal statement and discuss more subject-specific content. You may, alternatively, need to go back to the research and reading phase of writing.

8. What formatting should I use?

The final version of your personal statement will be submitted in a digital form with no formatting options, so there is no need to worry about formatting. That means you won’t have to decide what font or colour to use and there is no need for styles such as bold or italics. If you do include these, they won’t appear in the submitted version.

Your school should already have discussed best practice for writing your personal statement but as a reminder – do not write your statement draft in the real form! As with any content that is going to be submitted digitally, you should write it in a word document first (Microsoft Office, Google Docs, Pages, etc) where you can save a copy locally to your computer (and back-up regularly). This way, you can avoid the devastating loss of your best statement draft due to an accidental refresh or the internet dropping out.

9. How many paragraphs should it be?

There is no set-in-stone rule for the number of paragraphs but generally, a well-structured personal statement will be broken up into five or six paragraphs and be easy to read. Admissions tutors will need to comprehend your statement very quickly, so structure with this in mind.

A frequently-successful structure follows this pattern: an introduction, two to three course/subject-specific main paragraphs, a penultimate paragraph detailing your extracurricular activities, and then a final summary paragraph. The final two paragraphs are sometimes pushed together to form one.

10. Will they find out if I slightly…exaggerate my talents?

Yes! Your personal statement for Oxford and Cambridge should be considered a springboard for your interview and you could and should expect to be questioned about any single detail of it. At Oxbridge Applications, every year, we have students that approach us in January who are upset that their Admissions Tutor spent 20 minutes focused on a certain author when “I only mentioned that book briefly as a side note”.

However, you DON’T need to be an expert, or even particularly knowledgeable, about a particular idea or author to mention it in your statement. If you are questioned about an aspect of an author’s work you have mentioned which you are unsure about, then be intellectually honest and say so, but try your best to have a go given what you already know about them or similar authors/ideas.

This is not only the case for authors/books mentioned, but also if you put forward a highly ambitious or critical view in your statement. If you want to argue that Marx was totally wrong, then you better be ready to defend your view in a nuanced way. The bottom line is: stay intellectually honest and err on the side of modesty; academics tend to become less rather than more sure about the ‘truth’ the further they delve into their subject matter.

11. How many teachers should check my personal statement?

Preferably, you will get your drafted personal statement checked by at last two of your teachers or guidance advisers. One should be subject-specific who can check over the content of your paragraphs and the other can be from a different department to provide feedback on grammatical accuracy and quality of the statement.

Getting guidance from second and third parties can be useful ensure you retain editorial control, and that your voice and taste runs through the statement. If you try to include everyone’s different opinion, you can quickly end up with a jumbled statement that no longer reflects on you and your communication style and strengths.

Make sure you leave plenty of time between completing your first draft and the Oxbridge personal statement deadline ensuring you have time for others to check it over and you can make changes as necessary.

12. Should I start my personal statement with a quote?

‘Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.’ Oscar Wilde.

How much have you learned about me from reading Wilde’s words?

Quotes are used each year by applicants who end up getting offers from top universities, including Oxford and Cambridge. It’s not necessarily going to bring your application to an end. Quotes are also awarded marks in certain A Level subjects, if you have taken the time to remember them and give them a bit of context.

However, your personal statement gives admissions tutors the chance to hear your voice, and to get a sense of what you might be like as a student on their course. By definition , using a quote – i.e. someone else’s words – is not personal. It is therefore preferable to avoid using a quote unless it’s absolutely essential. Using a quote doesn’t make YOU sound more interesting.

Before you decide to use a quote, think long and hard. If you would really like to use a quote, try to make it as pithy and concise as possible, and make sure it elevates and builds on what you are saying; that it expresses something you couldn’t have otherwise expressed on your own. (Also, by ‘quote’, we are not talking about specific concepts or theories – these are absolutely fine to include.)

Driven by 20 years of research and first-hand experience in guiding thousands of applicants, our consultations provide an honest and detailed assessment with guidance on individual personal statements.

If you would like to speak to one of our oxbridge-graduate advisors about your own personal statement, contact our oxbridge advising team on  +44 (0)207499 2394 , email at [email protected] , or request a callback  to discuss your situation., explore oxbridge applications, request a callback, application resources, related content, what are the benefits of tutoring, 3 things you should avoid during your oxbridge interview, demonstrating your passion for your subject.

Our Oxbridge-graduate consultants are available between 9.00 am – 5.00 pm from Monday to Friday, with additional evening availability when requested.

• Tel: +44 (0) 20 7499 2394
• Email: [email protected]

Oxbridge Applications, 14 – 16 Waterloo Place, London, SW1Y 4AR

• Private Oxbridge Application Consultation
• Oxbridge Personal Statement Support Package
• Oxbridge Mock Interview Preparation and Support
• Personal Statement Workshop and Checks
• Schools Mock Interviews – Online and In-School
• Teacher Training Workshops – Online and In-School
• Oxbridge Preparation Days – Online and In-School
• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Safeguarding & Child Protection
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Company Registration Number: 3757054

Recently Updated Blogs

Blog the oxford traffic light system: what you need to know, blog a comprehensive month-by-month guide to your university application, blog applying for maths at university take an admissions test, blog exercising self-care during school or university exams, blog our experts’ tips for a productive easter holidays, choosing a college, a slippery question, added to cart.

• Career Exploration
• Arts, Communications, & Media
• Education, Nonprofit, & Social Impact
• Business, Consulting, Finance, & Marketing
• Government, International Affairs, Law, & Public Policy
• Health Professions Advising
• Graduate School
• Signature Internships
• Grants Program
• Internship Credit
• Short Internship Projects (SHIPs)
• Fellowships for Undergraduates
• Fellowships for Graduates
• Class of 2025 Fellowship Planning
• Fellowships for International Students
• Civic Engagement

Writing a Personal Statement

Preparing to Write

Brainstorming, don't forget, sample prompts.

A personal statement is a narrative essay that connects your background, experiences, and goals to the mission, requirements, and desired outcomes of the specific opportunity you are seeking. It is a critical component in the selection process, whether the essay is for a competitive internship, a graduate fellowship, or admittance to a graduate school program. It gives the selection committee the best opportunity to get to know you, how you think and make decisions, ways in which past experiences have been significant or formative, and how you envision your future. Personal statements can be varied in form; some are given a specific prompt, while others are less structured. However, in general a personal statement should answer the following questions:

• Who are you?
• What are your goals?
• How does this specific program/opportunity help you achieve your goals?
• What is in the future?

A personal statement is not:

• A variation of your college admissions essay
• An academic/research paper
• A narrative version of your resume
• A creative writing piece (it can be creative, though)
• An essay about somebody else

Keep in mind that your statement is only a portion of the application and should be written with this in mind. Your entire application package will include some, possibly all, of the materials listed below. You will want to consider what these pieces of the application communicate about you. Your personal statement should aim to tie everything together and fill in or address any gaps. There will likely be some overlap but be sure not to be too repetitive.

• Personal Statement(s)
• Transcripts
• Letters of recommendations
• Sample of written work
• Research proposal

Preparing to Write A large portion of your work towards completing a personal statement begins well before your first draft or even an outline. It is incredibly important to be sure you understand all of the rules and regulations around the statement. Things to consider before you begin writing:

• How many prompts? And what are they? It is important to know the basics so you can get your ideas in order. Some programs will require a general statement of interest and a focused supplementary or secondary statement closely aligned with the institution's goals.
• Are there formatting guidelines? Single or double spaced, margins, fonts, text sizes, etc. Our general guideline is to keep it simple.
• How do I submit my statement(s)? If uploading a document we highly suggest using a PDF as it will minimize the chances of accidental changes to formatting. Some programs may event ask you to copy and paste into a text box.
• When do I have to submit my statement(s)? Most are due at the time of application but some programs, especially medical schools, will ask for secondary statements a few months after you apply. In these instances be sure to complete them within two weeks, any longer is an indication that you aren't that interested in the institution.

Before you start writing, take some time to reflect on your experiences and motivations as they relate to the programs to which you are applying. This will offer you a chance to organize your thoughts which will make the writing process much easier. Below are a list of questions to help you get started:

• What individuals, experiences or events have shaped your interest in this particular field?
• What has influenced your decision to apply to graduate school?
• How does this field align with your interests, strengths, and values?
• What distinguishes you from other applicants?
• What would you bring to this program/profession?
• What has prepared you for graduate study in this field? Consider your classes at Wellesley, research and work experience, including internships, summer jobs and volunteer work.
• Why are you interested in this particular institution or degree program?
• How is this program distinct from others?
• What do you hope to gain?
• What is motivating you to seek an advanced degree now?
• Where do you see yourself headed and how will this degree program help you get there?

For those applying to Medical School, if you need a committee letter for your application and are using the Medical Professions Advisory Committee you have already done a lot of heavy lifting through the 2017-2018 Applicant Information Form . Even if you aren't using MPAC the applicant information form is a great place to start.

Another great place to start is through talking out your ideas. You have a number of options both on and off campus, such as: Career Education advisors and mentors ( you can set up an appointment here ), major advisor, family, friends. If you are applying to a graduate program it is especially important to talk with a faculty member in the field. Remember to take good notes so you can refer to them later.

When you begin writing keep in mind that your essay is one of many in the application pool. This is not to say you should exaggerate your experiences to “stand out” but that you should focus on clear, concise writing. Also keep in mind that the readers are considering you not just as a potential student but a future colleague. Be sure to show them examples and experiences which demonstrate you are ready to begin their program.

It is important to remember that your personal statement will take time and energy to complete, so plan accordingly. Every application and statement should be seen as different from one another, even if they are all the same type of program. Each institution may teach you the same material but their delivery or focus will be slightly different.

In addition, remember:

• Be yourself: You aren’t good at being someone else
• Tragedy is not a requirement, reflection and depth are
• Research the institution or organization
• Proofread, proofread, proofread
• How to have your personal statement reviewed

The prompts below are from actual applications to a several types of programs. As you will notice many of them are VERY general in nature. This is why it is so important to do your research and reflect on your motivations. Although the prompts are similar in nature the resulting statements would be very different depending on the discipline and type of program, as well as your particular background and reasons for wanting to pursue this graduate degree.

• This statement should illustrate your academic background and experiences and explain why you would excel in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (UMass Amherst - M.S. in Civil Engineering).
• Describe your academic and career objectives and how the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies can help you achieve them. Include other considerations that explain why you seek admissions to the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and your interests in the environmental field (Yale - Master of Environmental Management).  
• Please discuss your academic interests and goals. Include your current professional and research interests, as well as your long-range professional objectives. Please be as specific as possible about how your objectives can be met at Clark and do not exceed 800 words (Clark University - M.A. in International Development and Social Change).
• Write a 500- to 700-word statement that describes your work or research. Discuss how you came to focus on the medium, body of work, or academic area you wish to pursue at the graduate level. Also discuss future directions or goals for your work, and describe how the Master of Fine Arts in Studio (Printmedia) is particularly suited to your professional goals (School of the Art Institute of Chicago - MFA in Studio, Printmaking).
• Your statement should explain why you want to study economics at the graduate level. The statement is particularly important if there is something unusual about your background and preparation that you would like us to know about you (University of Texas at Austin - Ph.D in Economics).
• Your personal goal statement is an important part of the review process for our faculty members as they consider your application. They want to know about your background, work experience, plans for graduate study and professional career, qualifications that make you a strong candidate for the program, and any other relevant information (Indiana University Bloomington - M.S.Ed. in Secondary Education).
• Your autobiographical essay/personal statement is a narrative that outlines significant experiences in your life, including childhood experiences, study and work, your strengths and aspirations in the field of architecture, and why you want to come to the University of Oregon (University of Oregon - Master of Architecture).
• Personal history and diversity statement, in which you describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. You may refer to any educational, familial, cultural, economic or social experiences, challenges, community service, outreach activities, residency and citizenship, first-generation college status, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how your life experiences contribute to the social, intellectual or cultural diversity within a campus community and your chosen field; or how you might serve educationally underrepresented and underserved segments of society with your graduate education (U.C. Davis - M.A. in Linguistics).
• A Personal Statement specifying your past experiences, reasons for applying, and your areas of interest. It should explain your intellectual and personal goals, why you are interested in pursuing an interdisciplinary degree rather than a more traditional disciplinary one, and how this degree fits into your intellectual and personal future (Rutgers University - Ph.D in Women’s and Gender Studies).
• Your application requires a written statement to uploaded into your application and is a critical component of your application for admission. This is your opportunity to tell us what excites you about the field of library and information science, and what problems you want to help solve in this field. Please also tell us how your prior experiences have prepared you for this next step toward your career goals and how this program will help you achieve them (University of North Carolina Chapel Hill - Master of Science in Library Science).
• After watching the video, please describe what strengths and preferences as a learner you have that will facilitate your success in this innovative curriculum. What challenges in our curriculum do you anticipate and what strategies might you use to address these challenges? (MGH Institute of Health Professions PT - They recently redesigned their curriculum)
• Your personal goal statement should briefly describe how you view the future of the field, what your goals are to be part of that future, and what brought you to pursue an advanced education degree in your chosen field. You may include any other information that you feel might be useful. (Northeastern PT)
• Personal Statement: In 500 words or less, describe a meaningful educational experience that affected your professional goals and growth and explain how it impacted you. The educational experience does not need to be related to this degree. Focus on the educational experience and not why you think you would be a good professional in this field. (Simmons PT)
• Personal Statement (500 word minimum): State your reasons for seeking admission to this program at this institution. Include your professional goals, why you want to pursue a career in this field and how admission to this program will assist you in accomplishing those goals. (Regis College Nursing)
• “Use the space provided to explain why you want to go to this type of program.” (AMCAS)
• Address the following three questions(Though there is no set limit, most statements are 1–2 pages, single-spaced.): What are your reasons for pursuing this degree? Why do you wish to pursue your degree at this institution? How do you intend to leverage your degree in a career of this field? (Boston University MPH)
• Please submit a personal statement/statement of purpose of no more than 500 words for the department/degree of choice. Professional degree essays require a clear understanding of the _______ field and how you hope to work within the field. Be sure to proofread your personal statement carefully for spelling and grammar. In your statement, be sure to address the following: what interests you in the field of _____ what interests you in a specific degree program and department at this institution and what interests you in a particular certificate (if applicable). Please also describe how you hope to use your ________ training to help you achieve your career goals. (Columbia PhD in Public Health - Epidemiology)
• Because each Home Program requires significant original research activities in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree, we are interested in obtaining as much information as possible about your previous research experiences. Those who already have such experience are in a better position to know whether they are truly interested in performing ______ research as part of a graduate program. Please include specific information about your research experience in your Statement of Purpose. You may also use the Statement to amplify your comments about your choice of Home Program(s), and how your past experiences and current interests are related to your choice. Personal Statements should not exceed two pages in length (single spaced). Make sure to set your computer to Western European or other English-language setting. We cannot guarantee the ability to access your statement if it is submitted in other fonts. (Stanford Biosciences PhD)
• Your statement of purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the Department of ____ at ___ University. It would be helpful to include what you have done to prepare for this degree program. Please describe your research interests, past research experience, future career plans and other details of your background and interests that will allow us to evaluate your ability to thrive in our program. If you have interests that align with a specific faculty member, you may state this in your application. Your statement of purpose should not exceed two pages in length (single spaced). (Stanford Bioengineering PhD)
• Statement of purpose (Up to one page or 1,000 words): Rather than a research proposal, you should provide a statement of purpose. Your statement should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying for the course at this institution and your relevant experience and education. Please provide an indication of the area of your proposed research and supervisor(s) in your statement. This will be assessed for the coherence of the statement; evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study; the ability to present a reasoned case in English; and commitment to the subject. (Oxford Inorganic Chemistry - DPhil)

Related resources

A 10-Step Guide to Writing an Outstanding Personal Statement

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Applying to college can be daunting, especially when it comes to writing a personal statement. This essay showcases not just your writing skills but also your unique personality, achievements, and aspirations. Understanding that while grades are crucial, a personal statement often becomes the differentiating factor in your application. To navigate this essential component, we’ve compiled a ten-step guide, replete with examples, to ensure your personal statement leaves a lasting impression on admissions officers.

Applying to college can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to writing a personal statement. This essay not only showcases your writing skills but also highlights your unique personality, achievements, and aspirations. While it may seem unnecessary, tedious, time-consuming, and just another tick-the-box, know that as each application is processed, grades are just one of the criteria of selection, more often than not a personal statement becomes the differentiating factor.

To help you navigate this crucial component of your application, we’ve compiled a ten-step guide, complete with inspiring examples to ensure your personal statement makes a lasting impression on admissions officers.

• Start Early and Brainstorm Begin the process early to give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm. Reflect on your experiences, achievements, and motivations. Think about what makes you unique, both in terms of personality and life experiences.
• Understand the Prompt Make sure you clearly understand what the college is asking for. Each institution may have different prompts or questions. Tailor your response specifically to each prompt, ensuring you answer it fully and directly. Be comprehensive and succinct in your answers, choosing words that convey your candidature the best.
• Create an Outline Draft an outline to organize your thoughts and ensure a coherent flow of ideas. This will help you structure your statement effectively, making sure every part contributes towards presenting a compelling narrative.
• Exhibit, Don’t Tell Use specific examples to demonstrate your qualities and achievements. Instead of stating that you’re a great leader, describe a situation where you demonstrated leadership. This method makes your statement more engaging and believable.
• Focus on Your Strengths While it might be tempting to cover a wide range of subjects, focusing on a few key strengths or experiences can have a stronger impact. Depth over breadth is crucial in personal statements.
• Be Authentic Admissions officers can tell when a statement is genuine. Write honestly about your experiences and passions and let your natural voice shine through. Authenticity is key to making a personal statement stand out.
• Get Feedback After drafting your statement, seek feedback from teachers, mentors, or friends. They can provide insights on clarity, grammar, and the overall impact of your essay. They all have a perspective of you from an external viewpoint, so do not skip this step.
• Revise and Edit Use the feedback to revise your statement. Look for areas where you can clarify your points, eliminate redundancy, and correct grammatical errors. This step is crucial for polishing your final submission.
• Keep It Concise Adhere to the word limit. Being able to express your thoughts concisely and effectively is a skill appreciated by admissions officers.
• Final Review Before submitting, do a final review. Read your statement out loud to catch any remaining errors or awkward phrasing. Make sure it sounds natural and is easy to read.

Examples of Exemplary Personal Statements:

Example 1: The Innovator Jane’s personal statement begins with a vivid description of her tinkering with a broken radio at age eight, which sparked her interest in technology. She intertwines her personal journey with her academic achievements, such as leading her school’s robotics team to a national competition. Jane uses specific examples, like designing a new robot navigation system, to demonstrate her passion and skill in engineering.

Example 2: The Community Leader John opens his statement with a powerful recount of organizing community relief efforts during a local flood. Highlighting his role in mobilizing volunteers and coordinating with local authorities, he demonstrates strong leadership and commitment to his community. His narrative includes feedback from the community and the personal growth he experienced, providing a well-rounded view of his character.

Example 3: The Attentive Listener Emma’s personal statement explores her profound appreciation for music and its role in shaping her interpersonal connections. She describes an afternoon spent sharing playlists with a group of international students, which turned into a deep discussion about cultural expressions through music. This experience not only highlights her listening skills but also illustrates her ability to forge meaningful relationships through shared interests.

Example 4: The Compassionate Leader David writes about his high emotional quotient and how it spurred him to lead a community initiative focused on animal welfare. His personal statement recounts organizing local workshops to educate people about animal kindness and launching a successful campaign for a local shelter. David’s story reflects his empathy and leadership in translating compassion into actionable community improvement.

Commentary: Every life is extraordinary; it’s how you narrate your story that captures the reader’s eye. Your personal statement should reflect your unique experiences and aspirations.

Conclusion:

In crafting your personal statement, remember, you don’t have to be extraordinary in the usual sense—honesty and transparency are key. Be a dreamer of the art of the possible; dream as big as you can and let those dreams articulate themselves in your words. This approach not only reveals your true self to admissions officers but also shows your potential to contribute meaningfully to their academic community. Start your adventure today! Use these steps as your guide to find the university that best fits your future goals. Dream big and achieve even bigger.

A 10-Step Guide to Picking the Right University

Do You Need Student Contents Insurance?

Study in uk – a guide for students from the uae and pakistan, navigating your graduate studies journey, ai-powered learning revolution: how tech supercharges your studies, exam success strategies: your ultimate guide for the academic final stretch.

• Features for Creative Writers
• Features for Work
• Features for Higher Education
• Features for Teachers
• Features for Non-Native Speakers
• Learn Blog Grammar Guide Community Events FAQ
• Grammar Guide

How to Write a Personal Statement (with Tips and Examples)

Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

What is a personal statement, 6 tips on how to write a personal statement, personal statement examples (for college and university), faqs about writing personal statements, conclusion on how to write a personal statement.

How do you tell someone who you are in just a few hundred words?

It’s certainly no easy task, but it’s one almost every college applicant must do. The personal statement is a crucial part of any college or university application.

So, how do you write a compelling personal statement?

In this article, we’ll give you all the tools, tips, and examples you need to write an effective personal statement.

A personal statement is a short essay that reveals something important about who you are. It can talk about your background, your interests, your values, your goals in life, or all of the above.

Personal statements are required by many college admission offices and scholarship selection committees. They’re a key part of your application, alongside your academic transcript, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities.

The reason application committees ask you to write a personal statement is so they can get to know who you are. 

Some personal statements have specific prompts, such as “Discuss a period of personal growth in your life” or “Tell us about a challenge or failure you’ve faced.” Others are more open-ended with prompts that essentially boil down to “Tell us about yourself.”

No matter what the prompt is, your goal is the same: to make yourself stand out to the selection committee as a strong candidate for their program.

Here are some things a personal statement can be:

It can be funny. If you have a great sense of humor, your personal statement is a great place to let that shine.  

It can be vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to open up about hardships in your life or failures you’ve experienced. Showing vulnerability can make you sound more like a real person rather than just a collection of application materials.  

It can be creative. Candidates have got into top schools with personal statements that take the form of “a day in the life” descriptions, third-person short stories, and even cooking recipes.

Now we’ve talked about what a personal statement is, let’s quickly look at what a personal statement isn’t:

It isn’t a formal academic paper. You should write the personal statement in your natural voice, using first-person pronouns like “I” and “me,” not in the formal, objective language you would use to write an academic paper.

It isn’t a five-paragraph essay. You should use as many paragraphs as you need to tell your story instead of sticking to the essay structure you learned in school.

It isn’t a resumé. You should try to describe yourself by telling a clear and cohesive story rather than providing a jumbled list of all of your accomplishments and ambitions.

Here are our top six tips for writing a strong personal statement.

Tip 1: Do Some Serious Self-Reflection

The hardest part of writing a personal statement isn’t the actual process of writing it.

Before you start typing, you have to figure out what to write about. And that means taking some time to reflect on who you are and what’s important in your life.

Here are some useful questions you can use to start your self-reflection. You can either answer these on your own by writing down your answers, or you can ask a trusted friend to listen as you talk about them together.

What were the key moments that shaped your life? (e.g. an important friendship, a travel experience, an illness or injury)

What are you proud of? (e.g. you’re a good listener, you always keep your promises, you’re a talented musician)

How do you choose to spend your time? (e.g. reading, practicing soccer, spending time with your friends)

What inspires you? (e.g. your grandmother, a celebrity, your favorite song)

Doing this self-reflection is crucial for figuring out the perfect topics and anecdotes you can use to describe who you are.

Tip 2: Try to Avoid Cliché Topics

College application committees read thousands of personal statements a year. That means there are some personal statement topics they see over and over again.

Here are a few examples of common personal statement topics that have become cliché:

Winning a tournament or sports game

Volunteering in a foreign country

Moving to a new home

Becoming an older sibling

Being an immigrant or having immigrant parents

If you want to make a strong impression in the application process, you need to make your personal statement stand out from the crowd.

But if your chosen personal statement topic falls into one of these categories, that doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t use it. Just make sure to put a unique spin on it so it still delivers something the committee hasn’t seen before.

Good writing = better grades

ProWritingAid will help you improve the style, strength, and clarity of all your assignments.

Tip 3: Show, Don’t Tell

One common mistake you might make in your personal statement is to simply tell the reader what you want them to know about you, such as by stating “I have a fear of public speaking” or “I love to cook.”

Instead of simply stating these facts, you should show the committee what you’re talking about through a story or scene, which will make your essay much more immersive and memorable.

For example, let’s say you want the committee to know you overcame your fear of public speaking. Instead of writing “I overcame my fear of public speaking,” show them what it was like to be onstage in front of a microphone. Did your palms get clammy? Did you feel light-headed? Did you forget your words?

Or let’s say you want the committee to know you love to cook. Instead of writing “I love to cook,” show them why you love to cook. What’s your favorite dish to cook? What does the air smell like when you’re cooking it? What kitchen appliances do you use to make it?

Tip 4: Connect the Story to Why You’re Applying

Don’t forget that the purpose of your personal statement isn’t simply to tell the admissions committee who you are. That’s an important part of it, of course, but your ultimate goal is to convince them to choose you as a candidate.

That means it’s important to tie your personal story to your reasons for applying to this specific school or scholarship. Finish your essay with a strong thesis.

For example, if your story is about overcoming your fear of public speaking, you might connect that story to your ambition of becoming a politician. You can then tie that to your application by saying, “I want to apply to this school because of its fantastic politics program, which will give me a perfect opportunity to use my voice.”

Tip 5: Write in Your Own Voice

The personal statement isn’t supposed to be written in a formal tone. That’s why they’re called “personal” statements because you have to shape it to fit your own voice and style.

Don’t use complicated or overwrought language. You don’t need to fill your essay with semicolons and big words, unless that’s how you sound in real life.

One way to write in your own voice is by speaking your personal statement out loud. If it doesn’t feel natural, it may need changing. 

Tip 6: Edit, Edit, Edit!

It’s important to revise your personal statement multiple times in order to make sure it’s as close to perfect as possible.

A single typo won’t kill your application, but if your personal statement contains multiple spelling errors or egregious grammar mistakes, you won’t be putting your best foot forward.

ProWritingAid can help you make sure your personal statement is as clean as possible. In addition to catching your grammar errors, typos, and punctuation mistakes, it will also help you improve weaknesses in your writing, such as passive voice, unnecessary repetition, and more.

Let’s look at some of the best personal statements that have worked for successful candidates in the real world. 

Harvard Personal Statement Example

Love. For a word describing such a powerful emotion, it is always in the air. The word “love” has become so pervasive in everyday conversation that it hardly retains its roots in blazing passion and deep adoration. In fact, the word is thrown about so much that it becomes difficult to believe society isn’t just one huge, smitten party, with everyone holding hands and singing “Kumbaya.” In films, it’s the teenage boy’s grudging response to a doting mother. At school, it’s a habitual farewell between friends. But in my Chinese home, it’s never uttered. Watching my grandmother lie unconscious on the hospital bed, waiting for her body to shut down, was excruciatingly painful. Her final quavering breaths formed a discordant rhythm with the steady beep of hospital equipment and the unsympathetic tapping hands of the clock. That evening, I whispered—into unhearing ears—the first, and only, “I love you” I ever said to her, my rankling guilt haunting me relentlessly for weeks after her passing. My warm confession seemed anticlimactic, met with only the coldness of my surroundings—the blank room, impassive doctors, and empty silence. I struggled to understand why the “love” that so easily rolled off my tongue when bantering with friends dissipated from my vocabulary when I spoke to my family. Do Chinese people simply love less than Americans do?

This is an excerpt from a personal statement that got the applicant admitted to Harvard University. The applicant discusses her background as a Chinese-American by musing on the word “love” and what that means within her family.

The writer uses vulnerable details about her relationship with her grandmother to give the reader an understanding of where she comes from and how her family has shaped her.  

You can read the full personal statement on the Harvard Crimson website.

Tufts Personal Statement Example

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry’s “Cars and Trucks and Things That Go,” and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon. Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration. Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear. I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

This is the beginning of a personal statement by Renner Kwittken, who was admitted into Tufts University as a pre-medical student.

Renner uses a humorous anecdote about being a pickle truck driver to describe his love for nanomedicine and how he got involved in his field. You can feel his passion for medicine throughout his personal statement.

You can find Renner’s full essay on the Tufts Admissions page.

Law School Personal Statement Essay Example

For most people, the slap on the face that turns their life around is figurative. Mine was literal. Actually, it was a punch delivered by a drill sergeant at Fort Dix, New Jersey, while I was in basic training. That day’s activity, just a few weeks into the program, included instruction in “low-crawling,” a sensible method of moving from one place to another on a battlefield. I felt rather clever for having discovered that, by looking right rather than down, I eliminated my helmet’s unfortunate tendency to dig into the ground and slow my progress. I could thus advance more easily, but I also exposed my unprotected face to hostile fire. Drill sergeants are typically very good at detecting this type of laziness, and mine was an excellent drill sergeant. So, after his repeated suggestions that I correct my performance went unheeded, he drove home his point with a fist to my face. We were both stunned. This was, after all, the New Army, and striking a trainee was a career-ending move for a drill sergeant, as we were both aware. I could have reported him; arguably, I should have. I didn’t. It didn’t seem right for this good sergeant, who had not slept for almost four days, to lose his career for losing his temper with my laziness. Choosing not to report him was the first decision I remember making that made me proud.

These are the first three paragraphs of an anonymous personal statement by a Wheaton College graduate, who used this personal statement to get into a top-25 law school.

This statement describes a time the applicant faced a challenging decision while in the army. He ended up making a decision he was proud of, and as a result, the personal statement gives us a sense of his character.

You can find the full essay on the Wheaton Academics website.

Here are some common questions about how to write a personal statement.

How Long Should a Personal Statement Be?

The length of your personal statement depends on the specific program you’re applying to. The application guidelines usually specify a maximum word count or an ideal word count.  

Most personal statements are between 500–800 words. That’s a good general range to aim for if you don’t have more specific guidelines.  

Should Personal Statements Be Different for Scholarships?

Many scholarship applications will ask for personal statements with similar prompts to those of college applications.

However, the purpose of a personal statement you’d write for a scholarship application is different from the purpose of one you’d write for a college application.

For a scholarship application, your goal is to showcase why you deserve the scholarship. To do that, you need to understand the mission of the organization offering that scholarship.

For example, some scholarships are meant to help first-generation college students get their degree, while others are meant to help women break into STEM.

Consider the following questions:

Why is this organization offering scholarships?

What would their ideal scholarship candidate look like?

How do your experiences and goals overlap with those of their ideal scholarship candidate?

You can use the same personal anecdotes you’d use for any other personal statement, but you’ll have a better chance of winning the scholarship if you tailor your essay to match their specific mission.

How to Start a Personal Statement

You should start your personal statement with a “hook” that pulls the reader in. The sooner you catch the reader’s attention, the more likely they’ll want to read the entire essay.

Here are some examples of hooks you can use:

A story (e.g. When the spotlight hit my face, I tried to remind myself to breathe. )

A setting description (e.g. My bedroom floor is covered with dirty laundry, candy wrappers, and crumpled sheet music. )

A funny anecdote (e.g. When I was a little kid, my friends nicknamed me Mowgli because of my haircut. )

A surprising fact (e.g. I've lived in 37 countries .)

There you have it—our complete guide to writing a personal statement that will make you stand out to the application committee.

Here’s a quick recap: 

A personal statement is a short essay that shows an application committee who you are

Start with a strong hook that pulls the reader in

Tell a story to engage the reader 

Write in your own voice, not in a formal tone

Good luck, and happy writing!

Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

Username or email  *

Password  *

Forgotten password?

[email protected]

+44 (0)20 8834 4579

Personal Statement: 4 Tips For Writing About Work Experience

Follow these tips to make sure you can effectively write about work experience in your Personal Statement.

Work experience is an essential component of your Medicine Personal Statement .  Whether you worked every Saturday at your local nursing home, spent two weeks on a hospital placement or did some volunteering for a charity, here are four things you need to do when writing about work experience in your Personal Statement.

Figure Out What You Learned

Make a list of the most important things you learned from your work experience before you actually start writing your Medicine Personal Statement. Ideally you should have kept a work experience diary , so you can revisit this now to come up with your key learning points. 

Consider the skills that are essential for working in Medicine, such as teamwork, communication, empathy and leadership skills, and think about where you saw these skills in action during your work experience. Admissions tutors don’t want to just see a list of your work experience activities in your Personal Statement – they want to hear about what you observed and what it taught you about the realities of a medical career.

It’s likely that you will be asked to talk about your work experience at Medical School interviews too – so coming up with key learning points for your Personal Statement is also useful interview prep .

You only have 4,000 characters for your Personal Statement, so try to be concise and focus on the important details. Remember that your Medicine Personal Statement structure needs to balance Motivation, Exploration and Suitability. Work experience is a significant part of it, but it isn’t the only thing you should write about!

You can always write a first draft Personal Statement that’s too long and then cut it down later. If you’re struggling with this, ask someone else if they can read it to get a fresh perspective.

Make Sure You Stand Out

Get The Best Personal Statement Advice

Don’t Compare Your Work Experience To Others

Don’t worry if you know other people who are applying to Medical School and it seems like their work experience is more ‘impressive’ than yours.

The quality of your reflection on work experience is a lot more important than what you actually did. You won’t get extra credit for shadowing a renowned surgeon at a prestigious hospital. In fact, certain Medical Schools even say in their work experience requirements that they consider practical, hands-on work experience to be more valuable than workplace shadowing.

As long as you have some form of work experience that you can relate to Medicine, link to a Doctor’s skill set and reflect on, this is all that matters.

If you’re invited to interview, some Medical Schools will use your Personal Statement to formulate interview questions. This means that whatever you write about work experience in your Personal Statement, you could be asked to elaborate on – and they will be able to tell if you’ve claimed something that isn’t true!

It might be tempting to exaggerate in your medical Personal Statement when you’re trying to prove your strength as a candidate to study Medicine. But remember that you’re only at the beginning of your journey into a medical career and you aren’t expected to know everything. Medical Schools just want to know that you have done some work experience to explore your interest in Medicine and learn more about the realities of being a Doctor. Be honest and don’t make bold claims that you can’t back up.

Prep Packages

Get the best prep at the best price. Save up to 25% with prep packages for UCAT or Interview. Plus a new range of exciting medical experiences.

Trusted Courses

Our courses are trusted by world-leading schools and thousands of aspiring medics every year. 5*-rated UCAT and Interview Courses are available in person or live online.

1-2-1 Tutoring

Need one-to-one help? Our Doctor-trained Medicine tutors are ready to help you boost your UCAT score, nail your interviews and get you into Medical School.

Join Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list for weekly updates and tips on how to get into Medicine.

PREVIOUS ARTICLE

A Day In The Life Of A Medical Student On Placement

NEXT ARTICLE

How To Start Writing Your Medicine Personal Statement

Loading More Content

• [email protected]
• +44 (0) 333 050 7764 (Mon-Fri (9AM-5PM)
• Award-Winning Medicine Application Support
• +44 (0) 333 050 7764 (Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM)

You decide how much you want to pay for our Personal Statement Bundles!

Other PS Support

All UCAT Support

All Interview Support

• All-In-One Tutor
• UCAS Statement Tutor
• Interview Tutor
• Medicine Mock Interviews
• A-Level Tutor
• Medical School Guides & Reviews
• Medical School Success Calculator
• PS Free Resources
• UCAT Free Resources
• Interview Free Resources
• Our Guarantee

Writing About Work Experience

Home » Application Guide » Writing About Work Experience

We believe in leveling the playing field. You can pay whatever you want  for our Personal Statement bundles!

Application Guide Menu

PS Self-Study

Awesome ps resources., awesome resources + course.

Your work experience will surely have been an interesting and fulfilling time. So making sure you talk about it in your Personal Statement is essential. 

But how can you put your experiences into words? 

This guide will help you understand how to put pen-to-paper. 

Why Do I Need To Write About Work Experience?

No matter how many fascinating surgeries you’ve observed, hours you’ve volunteered at your local care home, or general insights you learned about Medicine, all of the work experience you’ve done will only help your Medical School application if it is well represented in the 47 lines you’ll send off to UCAS.

In my experience as a 6med tutor, I have met many impressive Medicine applicants who can tell me all about their wonderful work experience in person but whose written accounts are limp and lacklustre.

This short article will help you to write dynamically about your work experience in your personal statement; you’ve done the hard work, just make sure you don’t sell yourself short when it comes to writing about it!

Need some extra guidance with writing about your work experience effectively.

Signing up to the Personal Statement Bundle means you’ll be guided by expert Medics who will help you write the perfect Personal Statement and provide unlimited redraft submissions. 

Want to learn how to Write the Perfect Personal Statement? T his bundle is the one for you…

Quality Over Quantity

Now when I talk about quantity, I am not saying that your work experience should only be mentioned in passing in your Personal Statement. On the contrary, work experience should form a substantial chunk of the statement and is often the first section after the introduction.

What I am saying is that it is far more valuable to write thoughtfully and comprehensively about a few different experiences than to reel off soulless lists citing the dozens of placements you have completed.

This should come as good news because it takes the pressure off finding as much work experience as possible!

When you unpack and describe a particular experience it demonstrates that you were not only physically present, you were also mentally attentive.

The Importance Of Utilising Work Experience

Hypothetically, Alex is sitting in a GP consultation with a diabetic patient thinking about what he is going to have for dinner. Laura is in the same consultation analysing and reflecting upon the doctor-patient dynamic, asking questions when appropriate and later looks up a drug she had never heard of before. Although both students did the same work experience, one was passively observing and the other actively engaging. Even if Alex did five more placements with the same attitude, Laura’s single experience at the GP is of much more value to Medical School Admission Tutors. The only way that universities will know that you are a “Laura” not an ‘Alex’ is if you tell them in your Personal Statement!

Check out these Personal Statement Inspiration and Examples Articles:

Dentistry Personal Statement Examples – KCL (Emmy)

Dentistry Personal Statement Examples – KCL (Saif)

Dentistry Personal Statement Examples – Cardiff (Eera)

Taking It To The Next Level

“Ok so quality over quantity I get it, I need to show that I was paying attention in my work experience but how exactly do I do that?” Well I like to think of three levels of description in this context:

• This is what I did
• This is what I learnt
• These are some interesting details

“This is what I did”

This is the most basic part of writing about your work experience, telling the Medical Schools what you have actually done. Where you went, how long you were there, the things you saw etc.

This is obviously a crucial place to start and if you find that you haven’t actually done very much then go out and find some work experience!

However, don’t panic if you haven’t done loads, remember it’s quality over quantity and you can flesh out what you have done by taking your writing to the next level.

“This what I learned”

If you leave your writing at level 1, as far as the Medical School are concerned, you might as well have been an ‘Alex’, at the hospital perhaps, but on Instagram and Facebook the whole time!

Every time you write about your work experience it is essential that you say why it is relevant by describing what you learned. Think carefully, there are probably many different lessons that can be taken from any one experience you’ve had.

For instance, using the previous diabetic consultation example, you may have learned about the increasing prevalence of chronic conditions in primary care, the importance of good communication skills in encouraging behaviour change, and about the glycation of haemoglobin.

Talk about what you learnt, how you felt, what you found surprising/inspiring, how your preconceptions were challenged, how you think the doctor/health professional might have improved the patient experience, any examples of leadership/teamwork you witnessed etc.

This is the kind of information that will really put flesh on the bones of your work experience writing and show Medical Schools that you are a ‘Laura’.

“These are some interesting details”

While you should always take your writing to level 2, sometimes it is appropriate to go a step further and offer some more specific, anecdotal details.

For example, you observed a diabetes consultation (level 1) where you learned about the use of glycated haemoglobin to measure glucose control (level 2) which was especially fascinating because it built upon what you had previously learned about proteins in your A-Level Biology (level 3).

These kinds of details can also be useful in linking together initially unrelated parts of your personal statement to make your writing flow better. For instance you could move seamlessly from talking about a diabetic patient onto any academic achievements of yours by taking a detour through your A-Level Biology.

It is not necessary, or even possible given your limited word count, to take every point to level 3.

However, used effectively and sparingly, the odd extra detail can act like icing on the cake, adding flavour to your writing and making your Personal Statement truly personal and therefore more memorable.

A lot of the Personal Statements I read from students can be forgettable because they speak so generally . The human memory needs interesting and unique details to latch onto and you can provide them.

This principle applies not just to work experience but to everything you put in your Personal Statement.

For example, you’ve played the cello for 9 years (level 1) which has trained your capacity for sustained hard work (level 2) and you recently enjoyed playing Bach’s Prelude in G for your grade 8 exam (level 3).

An Admissions Tutor is more likely to remember the one student who likes Bach among the dozens of others who have mentioned that they play musical instruments.

Learn how to demonstrate your reflections to Admissions Tutors effectively in our One-Day Personal Statement Crash Course . 

Do engage with your work experience – be ‘Laura’ not ‘Alex’!

Don’t panic about not having done tonnes of work experience, it’s quality over quantity.

Don’t just say what you did, always supplement it with what you learnt.

Don’t be afraid to occasionally go into detail to make yourself stand out.

There’s plenty more ways to perfect your Personal Statement!

Learn how you can write an amazing personal statement for free on our Personal Statement Resources page. Our top guides include:  

Are you feeling stuck with your Personal Statement?

unlock infinite medical wisdom

Just leave your email in the box and you’ll receive weekly updates and the best tips for your medical application!

Application Support

• Personal Statement
• Crash Courses
• 1-1 Tutoring

Free Resources

• Personal Statement Free Resources
• Medicine Application Guides

Other Stuff

• UCAT.Ninja™
• Exams.Ninja
• School Support
• Tutor With Us
• Help Centre

Lost with your application?

A friendly medic is just a phone call away! Get some helpful advice and get on track with your application.

• UCAS Guide >
• Personal Statement >

Personal Statement: Work Experience

Introduction.

Talking about your work experience is important in your personal statement, some universities have work experience as a requirement, so demonstrating that you have done work experience in your personal statement is essential.

A common question we get asked is how many experiences should I mention? We recommend you reference at least 2 experiences out of your hospital, GP and volunteering placements. On top of this, try to focus on the interesting aspects too, for example if you spent 5 days at a GP surgery with 1 day being full of interesting patients you saw with the GP, focus on this instead of the other 4 days where you were doing menial tasks. 

How do I talk about my work experience?

You should follow this structure:

• What work experience you did – was it a hospital placement, volunteering, work shadowing?
• Where you did it – was it in a hospital, GP surgery, hospice, care home?
• What you saw – was there a particularly memorable interaction that you remember, or did something you see stand out to you?
• Reflection – what did your experience tell you about medicine? Did it make you more certain that a career in medicine is right for you?

When talking about your work experience placements, try to focus on skills demonstrated by doctors that you have seen, this will help focus your writing. Within each work experience it is important that you are:

• Reflective – don’t just state what you did or saw, but talk about what you learnt about the role of a doctor in this particular work experience setting. This is how to impress the examiner as it shows insight and maturity of your thoughts that they are looking for in medical students.
• Positive yet Realistic – It is important that your work experience has shown you the reality of becoming a doctor, as it isn’t the glamours role that it is sometimes portrayed on TV or in movies. Therefore, showing your realistic understanding is important. On top of this, showing that you are still positive about being a doctor will help to demonstrate your commitment to the profession. Try to maintain this positive tone throughout your personal statement. 

Examples of writing about work experience:

“ I saw how the GP was always rushed due to the number of patients he had to see, and how stressful and challenging a job medicine is ”

Although this shows your insight into the realities of medicine, it is written in a rather negative tone. This makes the reader feel like this is a job no one would want to do, especially not someone who has seen this and identified this as a problem. Instead why no try:

“ I appreciate the GPs skills in time efficiency and management, which enabled him to see so many patients in the day ”

This instead focuses on the positive attributes of the doctor that enables him to function with more ease in a challenging role. This positive spin is still acknowledging the large number of patients that the GP has to see, however, comes across to the reader in a much more positive way. Try to replicate a similar thing with your own examples. 

So, hope you found that all useful! In a nutshell – Talk about at least 2 different work experiences, focus on the interesting aspects of your work experience, remember to reflect, as this is what the examiners are looking for, try to focus on one skill demonstrated by a doctor per experience

Frequently Asked Question

🎤 what is a work experience personal statement.

A work experience personal statement is a section of a job application or university admission application that describes a candidate’s relevant work experience. This statement is used to demonstrate the candidate’s skills and experience to the employer or university and to show how this experience will contribute to their future success.

💎 Why is work experience important for a personal statement?

Work experience is important for a personal statement because it demonstrates the candidate’s relevant skills, knowledge, and work ethic. It can show how the candidate has applied their skills in real-world situations and how they have developed professionally. This information can be valuable to employers or universities when considering candidates.

🏆 What is the best opening sentence for a personal statement?

The best opening sentence for a personal statement is one that immediately grabs the reader’s attention and sets the tone for the rest of the statement. Here are some examples of effective opening sentences:

“As a lifelong lover of science, I have always been fascinated by the way that the natural world works.”

“Growing up in a family of artists, I have always had a deep appreciation for the power of creativity and self-expression.”

“From a young age, I knew that I wanted to make a difference in the world and help those in need.”

“As a first-generation college student, I have overcome numerous obstacles to pursue my passion for learning and personal growth.”

“Throughout my life, I have been driven by a strong sense of curiosity and a desire to explore new ideas and experiences.”

These opening sentences all effectively introduce the writer and set the stage for the rest of the personal statement. They grab the reader’s attention and provide a glimpse into the writer’s personality, passions, and motivations.

📖 What should I include in my work experience personal statement?

In your work experience personal statement, you should include a brief description of your work history, including any relevant experience, responsibilities, and achievements. You should also highlight the skills and knowledge you have gained from your work experience and explain how these skills will contribute to your future goals.

🧵 How long should my work experience personal statement be?

Your work experience personal statement should be concise and focused. It should typically be no more than two or three paragraphs in length, but this can vary depending on the requirements of the application.

📌 Can I include volunteer experience in my work experience personal statement?

Yes, you can include volunteer experience in your work experience personal statement if it is relevant to the position or program you are applying for. Volunteer experience can demonstrate your commitment to the field and show that you have developed skills and knowledge that are applicable to the position or program.

✨ How can I make my work experience personal statement stand out?

To make your work experience personal statement stand out, you should focus on the specific skills and experiences that make you a strong candidate for the position or program. You can also use examples and anecdotes to illustrate your achievements and demonstrate your passion for the field.

Cancel reply

• Personal Statement: Motivation for Medicine
• Personal Statement: Conclusion

Related links

• FREE Applying for Medical School Course
• FREE Applying to Dentistry Course
• FREE Applying to Vet School Course
• FREE UCAT Past Papers

With UCAS guidance and application advice, personal statement feedback, UCAT/BMAT support, interview coaching, and more!

A unique opportunity to explore the world of healthcare through interactive simulations and real-life case studies. Run by senior physicians

5-day programme with insights into the medical profession. Includes accommodation and ALL meals!

5-day programme with insights into the dental profession. Includes accommodation and ALL meals!

Please provide the mobile number of a guardian/parent

If you're ready and keen to get started click the button below to book your first 2 hour 1-1 tutoring lesson with us. Connect with a tutor from a university of your choice in minutes. (Use FAST5 to get 5% Off!)

• - Google Chrome

Intended for healthcare professionals

• Access provided by Google Indexer
• My email alerts
• BMA member login
• Username * Password * Forgot your log in details? Need to activate BMA Member Log In Log in via OpenAthens Log in via your institution

Search form

• Advanced search
• Search responses
• Search blogs
• Writing about your...

Writing about your work experience in your personal statement—case examples

• Related content
• Peer review
• Alison Walker , associate editor BMJ

All applicants need to write about their work experience in their personal statement to demonstrate why they are a good candidate not only for a place at medical school but also as a future doctor. How have successful medical students done this? I asked four students at different medical schools to tell me how they got their work experience, what they did, and, most importantly, how they put into words what they learnt from it all.

My main work experience placement during sixth form was volunteering at a care home for elderly people for almost a year. The application process was straightforward: I called the care home, was sent an application pack in the post, and was then interviewed by the manager a few weeks later. The placement involved visiting once a week for a few hours to provide company for some of the residents. Although this was not work experience in a hospital, I was able to reflect on how it highlighted the difficulties of being a doctor in my personal statement. I wrote:

“I have experienced both sadness and frustration with regards to a resident who suffers from Alzheimer’s, because she learns to trust me, only to forget who I am later on. Despite this I visit her regularly because a few kind words on my part, grants her a sense of security. This, amongst other experiences, has allowed me to begin to appreciate the intensity of the emotional stress doctors face daily.”

Out of all the work experience I did (including shadowing consultants at various hospitals) I now know that it was volunteering at the care home that most accurately reflected what it is like to look after people who are sick.

I emailed as many consultants as I could, starting by looking at departments that interested me in the hospitals near to where I lived. In my email I was very concise, explaining a little about myself and how even spending one day with them would be invaluable for my application to medical school. Surprisingly, most of my hospital experience came from these emails. I received a lot more “no” than “yes” responses to my emails, but be persistent and don’t give up easily.

Make sure you take notes during your work experience. Write down your thoughts, feelings, and anxieties. What went through your head when you witnessed your first ward round, or a patient cried in a consultation? Beyond how you feel at the time, also think about the science behind whatever you see. Pay attention to the aspects of your experience that told you something interesting and intriguing about being a doctor, caring for a patient, or even how complicated the National Health Service can seem to be.

When you come to write about your work experience in your personal statement, make sure whatever you say is unique to what you’ve seen, how you felt, and what that means to you as a prospective medical student. For example, one sentence from my personal statement stated:

“While on an intensive care unit of the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, I witnessed how complex ethical issues, like withdrawal of treatment and whether or not to resuscitate, were a part of the daily challenges faced by healthcare professionals in their care of every patient.”

In this example I thought about what I had seen in a way that looked at medicine as a whole and not just as a specific event that I had observed while on the wards. Translating your experience into a personal statement can’t be done overnight, but with time it is more than possible.

Sending many emails and calling around helped hugely—you just need to put yourself out there. The places I contacted were keener to help me if I explained (on the phone or by email) exactly what I wanted to gain from the work experience. Teachers are sometimes able to help, but ultimately it is down to you to put in the time to search online and make telephone calls and send emails.

What I realised from my work experience was that medicine wasn’t the glamorous and easy job that so many medical dramas make it out to be. I saw many negative aspects, including the long hours (one surgeon said he hadn’t seen his children in weeks, even though he lived with them) and the need to make emotionally demanding decisions.

Here are some of the ways I reflected on the variety of my work experience:

“To gain more patient contact, I volunteered in a nursing home, feeding patients and assisting in moving and handling. It was here that I discerned the lesser-known aspects of healthcare: paperwork, understaffing, and even violence towards healthcare staff.

I have been fortunate to shadow many doctors on the wards and in theatre, observing mastectomy, coronary artery bypass surgery, and seton placement. I saw how the multidisciplinary team works together in a demanding hospital environment. The doctors’ focus on patient centered care hugely impressed me; the duty of a doctor to respect patients’ decisions (providing the patient has capacity and has made an informed decision) reminds me that doctors, aside from being highly competent, must also recognise patients’ moral values.

To learn about other aspects of healthcare, I spent two weeks at a pharmacy where I learnt about confidentiality. I also volunteered at a dental clinic, practising manual dexterity in aspiration.”

One thing I’ve found from running access to medicine and outreach events at my university is that admissions tutors are only interested in what you’ve learnt from your work experience. It is notoriously difficult to gain work experience involving patients, and it isn’t a prerequisite at all. What is more important is explaining how your work experience makes you a better candidate, especially when you’ve shown how you’ve taken on board the things you’ve learnt.

For my work experience I spent one week at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) in London, one week in a general practice surgery, as well as lots of voluntary bits such as helping in care homes and at a school for children with learning disabilities.

I got most of the voluntary work experience through my school, but I also emailed organisations myself to gain as much experience as I could. I am lucky enough to have a family friend who is a general practitioner and who let me attend the practice for a week, and for the RNOH placement I applied via an application form which is freely available on its website. Here’s how I wrote about it:

“My work experience at a local GP surgery demonstrated to me the resilience and stamina that a doctor requires, as I was able to shadow a doctor treating a range of patients on home visits, telephone surgeries, and walk in clinics.

It is fascinating to me that the job of an orthopaedic surgeon can be to essentially break a patient’s bones in order to improve them. Only in medicine am I able to find an array of diverse cases that never fail to intrigue me. Whilst shadowing a registrar at an orthopaedic hospital I was able to follow a patient from clinic to theatre who suffered from severe arthritis.

This led me to volunteer on a weekly basis for a year at Meadow Wood School for children with physical and neurological impairments; developing the compassion and knowledge to help them cope with their disabilities.”

I gained a lot of insight into the day to day life of doctors in hospital and a general practice environment. However, my most valuable experience was in the voluntary sector as it taught me communication skills that were invaluable. Overall, I think the amount of experience and what it was really doesn’t matter—it’s how you weave it into your personal statement and how you present it that does.

Originally published as: Student BMJ 2015;23:h3359

Competing interests: None declared.

Provenance and peer review: Commissioned; not externally peer reviewed.

Law Personal Statement – Work Experience

A top law personal statement must include work experience. Begin with any relevant legal job experience you’ve had, but don’t forget to mention any other professional experience you’ve had. It’s critical to talk about your job experience properly, which requires…

• Don’t just describe what you’re doing; analyse it.
• Rather of just describing the activities you participated in, you should use your job experience to illustrate your talents as a prospective law student. You could also wish to demonstrate your inquisitive and curious thinking by sharing some meaningful views on your job experience.

Photocopying, filling up legal forms, composing emails, and examining cases were all part of my employment experience at a local law company. I was on work experience for two weeks, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This excerpt is inadequate because it just lists the duties that the student performed at the legal firm without analysing the skills involved, reflecting on their thoughts, or demonstrating that what they learned was novel and worthwhile.

I found the necessity for a lawyer to be both accurate and creative when working with a small legal practise. The demands of legal templates, papers, and paperwork needed uttermost focus and correctness, while I was encouraged to think creatively and analytically after thinking on a client’s situation in order to give a successful recommendation. This multifaceted character of a lawyer’s work intrigues me since I believe I am capable of excelling in a challenging and varied work environment…

This student conveys the activities they accomplished during their law work experience while also mentioning how the tasks made them feel and what they personally saw. The student’s ability to recognise the range of the lawyer’s work is impressive.

• Skills connection
• Universities will appreciate any type of professional experience if you can demonstrate how it helped you build skills and traits that are relevant to law school. Consider the following abilities…
• Thinking Critically

Top tip for your work experience paragraph: analyse, don’t describe!

Tutors frequently make remarks about students’ lack of analysis. Instead of analysing and demonstrating your analytical and legal talents, you describe what you’ve done or make a list of your abilities. Show, don’t tell, is the mantra you should use throughout and try your best to follow.

Here’s an example to help you – 

• I read legal documents and chatted with clients during my professional experience. I honed my communication and analysing abilities.
• This student has some relevant job experience, but instead of analysing their time there and displaying their abilities, they have merely listed their activities and skills learned. The trouble is that the instructor will not accept your word for it; you must demonstrate, not simply declare, the talents you have acquired.
• I conducted an examination of two legal papers throughout my job experience. In the second paper, I discovered that little wording changes had a huge impact on the text’s overall effect. This made me realise how important language is.
• This made me realise how important language is in law; a simple one-word change from ‘A must accomplish job X’ to ‘A may complete task X’ affects the structure of the document dramatically, and this tight focus analysis is a talent I’d like to cultivate in law school.

This kid performs a far better job of exhibiting his or her analytical abilities. The student describes their own unique interpretation of a particular and distinct experience. This is a wonderful approach to demonstrate your analytical abilities to the instructor rather than just informing them.

A Summary of your Law personal Statement – Work Experience Section

The job experience paragraph in your Law Personal Statement is an important element of your personal statement since it demonstrates your abilities and devotion to the field of law. It’s critical that you make the most of your professional experience by retaining a personal tone and showcasing (rather than saying) the skills you learned.

→How do you describe work experience in a personal statement?

When describing your work experience in a personal statement, it’s important to focus on the skills and knowledge you gained, as well as how they have developed your interest and understanding of the legal profession. Here are some tips to help you describe your work experience effectively: Start with an engaging opening sentence that grabs the reader’s attention and sets the tone for the rest of your personal statement. Provide specific details about your work experience, including the name of the organization, your job title, and the duration of your employment. Use active verbs to describe the tasks and responsibilities you had in your role. For example, instead of saying “I helped with legal research,” say “I conducted legal research to support the development of case strategies.” Emphasize the skills you developed through your work experience, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, teamwork, and attention to detail. Provide examples of how you have used these skills in your work. Highlight any achievements or successes you had during your work experience, such as completing a challenging project or receiving recognition for your work. Connect your work experience to your interest in and potential as a future law student and lawyer. Explain how your work experience has shaped your understanding of the legal profession and how it has prepared you for the challenges of law school and a career in law. Remember to be concise and focused when describing your work experience in your personal statement. Use specific examples and anecdotes to illustrate your points and demonstrate your potential as a law student and lawyer.

→What type of work experience is preferred in a law personal statement?

Any work experience that allows you to develop your legal knowledge and skills is highly valued in a law personal statement. This could include internships, placements, volunteering, or pro bono work at law firms, legal clinics, or other related organizations. Admissions tutors also appreciate experience in other industries that require strong legal knowledge and understanding, such as finance or government.

→Can I include work experience that is not related to law in my personal statement?

Yes, you can include work experience that is not directly related to law in your personal statement, as long as you can demonstrate how it has helped develop transferable skills that are relevant to the legal profession. For example, experience in customer service, communication, and teamwork can be highly valued in law firms and legal organisations.

→How should I present my work experience in my personal statement?

When presenting your work experience, focus on the skills and knowledge you gained, rather than just the tasks you performed. You should also demonstrate how your experience has developed your interest and understanding of the legal profession. Use specific examples and anecdotes to illustrate your points and show how you have applied what you learned in real-life situations.

→What if I don’t have any work experience in the legal industry?

If you don’t have any work experience in the legal industry, you can still showcase your interest and potential by discussing relevant extracurricular activities or academic projects. You can also highlight any transferable skills you have developed through other work experience or activities. However, it’s worth noting that relevant work experience is highly valued by admissions tutors, so if possible, you should try to gain some before applying.

→How important is work experience in a law personal statement?

Work experience is crucial for a law personal statement as it showcases your practical understanding of the legal industry. This not only demonstrates your interest in the field but also proves your ability to apply legal principles to real-life scenarios. Admissions tutors highly value relevant work experience, as it helps them gauge your potential as a future law student and lawyer.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Personalised 1-1 tuition, tailored to your LNAT needs by our expert tutors

A comprehensive online course to boost your LNAT preparation! Written by our LNAT experts

Prepare for your interview with the help of our expert Oxbridge tutors, who will personalise your sessions according to university and college

• FREE Applying to Oxbridge Course
• FREE Applying to Law Course
• FREE LNAT Past Papers

Chiefs' Harrison Butker blasted for commencement speech encouraging women to be homemakers

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has aggravated one of the internet's biggest culture wars by telling a class of college graduates that one of the “most important” titles a woman can hold is homemaker.

During a commencement speech last weekend at Benedictine College, a Catholic liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, the NFL player railed against abortion, Pride month and Covid-19 lockdown measures.

Drawing the most viral backlash this week, however, was a section of his speech in which he addressed the female graduates specifically — telling them that it’s women who have had “the most diabolical lies” told to them.

“How many of you are sitting here now, about to cross this stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world,” Butker said. “But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”

The criticisms that followed took aim at Butker as well as the NFL.

"Hey @NFL — If you want to continue to grow your female fan base and any other marginalized group (straight white men are already watching your product), come get your boy," wrote Lisa Guerrero, a former NFL sideline reporter and now an investigative journalist for "Inside Edition."

He went on to tell the graduates that his wife would agree that her life “truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.” It is her embrace of this role, he said, that made his own professional success possible.

Butker’s comments share similarities with some of the more extreme ideas around gender roles that have gained traction in communities that promote “ tradwife ” lifestyles or other relationship dynamics that center on traditional gender roles .

“Listen, there’s nothing wrong with his wife being a homemaker. Homemakers are wonderful, that’s not the point,” filmmaker Michael McWhorter, known by his more than 6 million TikTok followers as TizzyEnt, said in a video response. “The point is he seemed to be acting as if you should be ashamed if you don’t want to be a homemaker, or, ‘I know what you really want to do is just stay home and have babies.’"

The speech was the latest incident to add fuel to the flames of this increasingly vocal cultural battle, much of which is playing out online. While many prominent right-wing men have voiced such beliefs before, they’re usually confined to internet forums, podcasts and other online communities where these ideologies thrive.

A spokesperson for Butker did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Benedictine College and the Kansas City Chiefs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for the NFL told People Magazine that Butker "gave a speech in his personal capacity" and his "views are not those of the NFL as an organization."

"The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger," a spokesperson told the publication.

Butker, who is teammates with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, further drew surprise and criticism when he quoted Kelce’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, whose monumental career success as a global pop star has inspired college courses .

“As my teammate’s girlfriend says, ‘familiarity breeds contempt,’” he said, drawing murmurs from the crowd as he used the “Bejeweled” lyric as an analogy for why Catholic priests should not become “overly familiar” with their parishioners.

In the days since his speech, a Change.org petition for the Chiefs to dismiss Butker for “discriminatory remarks” has garnered nearly 19,000 signatures.

“These comments reinforce harmful stereotypes that threaten social progress,” the petition stated. “They create a toxic environment that hinders our collective efforts towards equality, diversity and inclusion in society. It is unacceptable for such a public figure to use their platform to foster harm rather than unity.”

Those who criticized Butker’s speech online include actor Bradley Whitford as well as DJ and rapper (and self-proclaimed Swiftie ) Flavor Flav .

But his speech was also lauded by some on the religious right, including conservative sports media personalities such as Clay Travis and Jason Whitlock , who defended Butker’s statements toward women.

“Not a word Harrison Butker says here should be remotely controversial. He’s 100% correct,” former NFL wide receiver T.J. Moe posted on X . “Those trying to convince women that being assistant VP of lending & intentionally childless at age 40 is more fulfilling than making a family and home are evil.”

Sports and culture commentator Jon Root also posted that Butker “exposed the lies that the world has been telling women.” Women, he wrote, are wrongly encouraged to climb the corporate ladder, view children as a “burden” and see marriage as “not worth pursuing.”

Still, a deluge of viewers online took issue with his attitude toward women and the LGBTQ community. Many women also rejected the premise that they would be happier staying at home in lieu of paid work, even if they do have a husband and children.

“I am moved. I actually had no idea that my life began when I met my husband,” neurosurgeon Betsy Grunch, known as Ladyspinedoc on TikTok, said sarcastically in a TikTok video . “It did not begin when I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia with honors. It certainly did not begin when I graduated with a 4.0 GPA, Alpha Omega Alpha, from medical school. And I had no idea that it did not begin when I completed my residency in neurosurgery.”

Angela Yang is a culture and trends reporter for NBC News.