Have you got enough for your personal statement? Now is the time!

This time next year or possibly even earlier you are going to start applying to universities and a crucial part of the application process and is your personal statement. But you don’t to open a word document and find that you have nothing to write about! Now is the time to ensure that you’ll have loads to say!

1- Check extra- curriculars at your school.

Get involved with any extra things that your school may be offering you outside of lesson times. This is a great place to find extra things to do because you are in an environment you are familiar with and it is great to engage in your schools activities because this is a skill that you will likely carry into university. The ability to be somewhere and grab opportunities when they come up is essential - so school can be the beginning of this. Also, you can talk to your school about what you’d like to put on your personal statement and they could potentially give you helpful tips or guide you towards people that could help you.

2 - Go to open days and taster sessions (they are usually free)

If you already universities in mind, they may be holding taster sessions for the subjects you are interested in. These are usually free and often include a tour of the university and the department you are interested in. You might also be exposed to what university work can be like but in a friendly environment. This is also a good way of finding out where you actually want to apply to university and whether a university is a good fit for you.

3 - Go to events related to your subject

Usually typing in STEM events or lectures into Google will give you lots of free events that you can attend to really increase your understanding and interest of the subjects that you are studying. Public lectures are usually very useful (and free) and can easily be written onto you personal statement and show that you take a proactive interest in your subjects. Museums are also a good way to broaden your interests.

4 - Read or watch around your subject

If you truly enjoy your subjects, you might already be doing this, and if not, this may actually make you appreciate your subject. Reading books about STEM (fiction or nonfiction) can make the subject come to life if you choose the right book. And things like documentaries and movies can really inspire you when you need it!