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Personal Statement- to change or not to change..?

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  • 05-01-2009 1:56am
    #1
    Larianne
    Registered Users Posts: 35,954 ✭✭✭✭


    I'm pretty familiar with the whole mature student application as I applied last year and unfortunately did not get in.

    I wrote a very good personal statement last year which granted me interviews at Trinity and UL. I've have since taken on board the reasons why I wasn't accepted (which I totally understand!) and feel I have a very good chance of getting in this time around.

    Should I keep the introduction of my personal statement the same, i.e the reasons why I want to do the course and why it is now that I want to return to education or should I make it a completely different personal statement, as in have it worded differently?

    Thank you.


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    #2
    smashey
    Registered Users Posts: 21,676 ✭✭✭✭smashey


    Tricky one this. On one hand, if it worked last year then it should work this year. On the other hand, there has been a full year since your last application so things might be different so maybe just tweak it a little bit?

    I'm assuming the reasons you weren't accepted previously had nothing to do with the statement.


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    #3
    Larianne
    Registered Users Posts: 35,954 ✭✭✭✭Larianne


    Thanks for the reply Smashey.

    No, I think the personal statement was good enough to grant me the interviews. The reason I didn't get accepted was I didn't have a science background and hadn't studied properly since the Leaving Cert which was 8 years ago. I think they worried I wouldn't be able to cope with the workload. I studied art which is more practical based course,only about 20% academic. (I also was so nervous at one of the interviews I did a really bad job of it!)

    I will, of course, add in what I've done in the last year- I'm doing a part time science course, work as a HCA and have done more work experience in different areas of the field. But my reasons for doing the course and why now haven't changed. I'm afraid they'll remember my PS and think 'she was too lazy to change it' or will it make them remember me and see the effort I've made to make me a stronger candidate for a place??? Tricky I know!


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    #4
    sceptre
    Registered Users Posts: 19,608 ✭✭✭✭sceptre


    Personally, I wouldn't be afraid of them remembering you. Actually I'd make a thing of it, slide into the statement somewhere that you applied last year and that you've done x and y since to prove that you can cope with the workload. turns it into a feature (and something they'll definitely talk about) rather than something that you'll wonder if they'll ask about and how they'll react if they do.


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