The personal statement is the second point of reference for university admissions departments, following grades, when assessing a candidate’s viability for a place. It is a 600-word long piece of writing where students describe their reasons for wanting to study a particular course.
Personal statements should present the enthusiasm of an applicant for their chosen field of study as well as the skills they have gained during secondary schooling that they will apply to their undergraduate education. This is necessary to convince university admissions departments that an applicant is worthy of consideration.