There’s almost nothing worse than writing about yourself. These 4000 characters will be a struggle, but a necessary one. Your personal statement is likely to make you cringe, but it’s vital to show that you actually want to study the subject you’re applying for. The best piece of advice is that you should show, not tell. This means that saying ‘I have a passion for Biology’ is not enough. You have to provide evidence of what you’ve done because you have a passion for biology. This can be reading books, going to lectures, or work experience. These examples can help you to structure your personal statement and make it more focused. If you talk about something, reflect on how it impacted you and why you found it interesting. I’d also recommend having a small section about your other interests, to show that you are more than just a Biology robot- bonus points if you can link it to your studies! I’ve broken down the process into some easy (ish) steps:

1. Create a mind map of your experiences, skills and topics you find interesting.
2. Write about the experience, how you felt, what it made you think about, issues that it raised etc…
3. Try and join these experiences together- are there any overarching themes that you can use to order your statement? A personal statement (especially for Biology) doesn’t have to be glowing prose, but it should have structure and some sense of direction.
4. Once you’ve ordered your points, start to add in linking phrases to make it more coherent.
5. At this point, it might be way too long. That’s ok, it means you have more material to work with. Get someone else to read it- but not too many! A good number is around 2 people- otherwise you get lots of different opinions and makes it much more difficult.
6. You will have to be brutal with your words. Cut. Them. Down. Use a character counter to see how close you are to the goal- its surprisingly easy to cut out words, so do everything you can before removing entire points.
7. You’ve reached the character count! Proofread and get someone else to check it over and then you’re done.

I’ve included an example of my personal statement for Biological Sciences! It should give you an idea of what is expected. I’ve chopped it into little paragraphs, but unfortunately the character count on UCAS won’t let you do that. Also it should probably go without saying that UCAS has a built-in plagiarism checker, so you can’t use this!

I was drawn to Biology after growing chilli plants on my windowsill. Unfortunately they didn’t survive very long, but that gave me the opportunity to find out why they died! The dynamic and unpredictable nature of living things is what makes Biology interesting to me, and I also enjoy its diversity.

In particular, I am fascinated by Reproductive Science, and thus I attended an Embryology course at the University of Kent. I participated in all the processes of IVF, from making culture media to attempting fertilisation with porcine oocytes that I had aspirated from an ovary. This process involved blastocyst grading, which I found surprising, as it seemed a very subjective system to determine embryo quality. Since science in general strives for objectivity it was not what I had expected, especially since it is used every day in IVF labs on human embryos, and it made me wonder if such a system contributes to the low success rate of IVF. Problems like these and the related ethical issues really inspire me to pursue a scientific career.

To explore potential career paths further I volunteered at Progress Educational Trust and, as well as conducting literature searches, I was asked to write an article on Fertility Education in schools. It was later published on the BioNews website, and I enjoyed the chance to speak up for my generation on such an important issue. As a result I was asked to join the British Fertility Society task force for Fertility Education in schools.

I also observed the daily life of the working laboratory at Kent. I shadowed laboratory scientists and was introduced to their projects involving gene mapping. I even conducted an experiment to assess the motility of boar sperm using a spectrophotometer. This experience showed me that failed experiments are inevitable and necessary for progress.

Similar issues were raised at the lecture I attended regarding tissue donation, concerning consent and the use of human tissue. The lecture was interesting, but the discussion part of the event really grabbed my attention: I was surprised to hear the range of opinions from people my own age, and it made me reconsider some of my own.

Observing a cadaver dissection further allowed me to experience Biology outside the classroom, and I had to separate my emotions from my curiosity to move through my initial trepidation. Being able to touch a cadaver was a surreal experience that showed me how intricate the parts of the human body are. I also realised that scientists have a responsibility when dealing with ethically challenging situations.

 I extended my interest in science by taking part in Chemistry and Biology Olympiads, ‘Top of the Bench’, and C3L6. These challenges required the determination and persistence to work logically towards a solution, and they contained new and stimulating extracurricular material.

 I also enjoy reading popular science books: they have the difficult task of clearly and concisely broadcasting science to the public, and writing my article helped me realise how hard this can be. I found ‘The Blind Watchmaker’ very persuasive and it made me consider evolutionary theory more deeply – is it so well established that we no longer question it? This questioning attitude comes into play in the Theory of Knowledge section of IB, which has encouraged me to critically analyse what is taught in lessons.

Outside the classroom, I play Rugby Fives, in which I have competed nationally. I am the girls’ Fives captain at school, which means that I often coach the younger pupils, using my leadership skills. I have also gained some insights into working as part of a team, which have been further boosted by being made a Prefect. Balancing my studies and responsibilities in a boarding school developed my resilience and time-management. I would use the same determination in my study of Biology, and I am excited to be a part of this complex and vibrant science- maybe I’ll keep my chilli plants alive for longer this time!