First impressions can end it all

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, as the old saying goes. That is the very reason why at this time of year, I spend so much time watching sixth formers chew the end of their pens and blankly stare in to space as they desperately try to think of the best opening line for their UCAS personal statement. The pressure is real. You’re told to make it count, that university Admissions Tutors want an opening line that will seize their attention and sell your skills and failure to write one will damn your chances of a coveted offer through UCAS.
It’s one of the main reasons why young people tell me that they haven’t written their personal statement...they simply didn’t know how to start. They couldn’t find the perfect words for the first sentence and so they didn’t write any words at all. In extreme cases, this can mean that the rest of the statement is fired off in the days leading up to the deadline, leading to rushed references from teachers and a substandard statement that fails to showcase relevant skills.
This quest to stand out in the opening line can also lead to some pretty dreadful personal statements. If you’re applying for English courses at university, I implore you not to begin your personal statement with “the pen is mightier than the sword”, unless you want to elicit a mighty swear word from the Admissions Tutor. Similarly, “I am applying for this course because I have always had a huge passion for (insert subject here) since I was a small child” is a sentence likely to be read a few times each hour in the Admissions team during autumn. Most Admissions Tutors are also savvy enough to realise that the five-year-old you was probably more interested in Blue Peter than Biochemistry.
So how IS it done? Well, the best advice that I can give is to write a plan of what you want to say and then start in the middle. Practice writing your statement and find your voice without the pressure of that first line hanging over you. This should help you to feel more confident in your writing style and give you chance to properly reflect on what you want to say. Most of the many young people I have worked with over the years have found that once they’ve written the rest of the personal statement, it becomes so much easier to write a first line that fits. This also makes sense because the opening is meant to give the reader a taster of the incredible personal statement that is to come and that’s pretty difficult to write if you don’t even know what’s coming yourself.
If you’re still struggling with your personal statement, you can get lots more help and support through Alta Higher by visiting www.altahigher.co.uk