——UCAS建议—— Here are some ideas to help you get started:
● Look at course descriptions and identify the qualities, skills, and experience it requires – you can use these to help you decide what to write about.
● Tell the reader why you’re applying – include your ambitions, as well as what interests you about the subject, the course provider, and higher education.
● Think about what makes you suitable – this could be relevant experience, skills, or achievements you’ve gained from education, work, or other activities.
● Include any clubs or societies you belong to – sporting, creative, or musical.
● Mention any relevant employment experience or volunteering you’ve done, such as vInspired Awards, Step Together, or Project Trust.
● If you’ve developed skills through Duke of Edinburgh, ASDAN, National Citizen Service, the Crest Awards scheme, or young enterprise, tell them.
● If you took part in a higher education taster course, placement, or summer school, or something similar, include it.
2. 如何归纳整理素材？
体察——体察你的梦校对候选人的偏好。做足功课，牛剑官网明确发布Who are we looking for? 另外，University prospectuses也是必要关注的，仔细研读你申请的专业，分析专业课程描述，同时比照自己是否符合挑选标准selection criteria，然后圈出相关的关键词和关键句，这些便是你个人文书中需要重点突出的部分，同时也为你积攒了文书表达所需要的词汇。
——剑桥关于PS的建议——
At Cambridge, all admissions decisions are based solely on academic criteria (ability and potential). Therefore, in your personal statement, we’d like you to:
●explain your reasons for wanting to study the subject at university
●demonstrate enthusiasm for and commitment to your chosen course
● express any particular interests within the field
● outline how you’ve pursued your subject interest in your own time
***This information is often used as a basis for discussion at interview.
——牛津关于PS的建议——
Tutors at Oxford are only interested in your academic ability and potential. They want to see that you are truly committed to the subject or subjects you want to study at university but it’s not enough just to say that you have a passion for something: you need to show tutors how you have engaged with your subject, above and beyond whatever you have studied at school or college. This can include any relevant extra-curricular activities.
Try to avoid writing your personal statement as though you are ticking things off a list. There is no checklist of required achievements, and tutors will not just scan what you have written to look for key words or phrases. Tutors will read your personal statement to try to understand what has motivated you to apply for their course. It’s a good idea to evaluate your experiences, to show what you have learned from them and how they have helped develop your understanding of your subject.
牛津 | What are tutors looking for?
数学专业 UCAS code: G100——Tutors are looking for a candidate’s potential to succeed on the course. We recommend that candidates challenge themselves with mathematics beyond their curriculum, question their own understanding, and take advantage of any available extension material. Ultimately, we are most interested in a candidate’s potential to think imaginatively, deeply and in a structured manner about the patterns of mathematics.
数学和计算机科学 UCAS code: GG14——The most important qualities we are looking for are strong mathematical ability, the capability to think and work independently, the capacity to absorb and use new ideas, and a great deal of enthusiasm. We use this set of criteria and the result of the Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) to decide whom to invite for interview. At the interview we will explore how you tackle unfamiliar problems and new ideas. We are more interested in how you approach problem-solving than whether you can get straight to a solution. We do not require any previous formal qualification in computing, but we do expect you to demonstrate a real interest in the subject.
数学与哲学 UCAS code: GV15——During the interview for philosophy you will be given the opportunity to show a critical and analytical approach to abstract questions and the ability to defend a viewpoint by reasoned argument. In mathematics you may find yourself asked to look at problems of a type that you have never seen before. Don’t worry, we will help you! We want to see if you can respond to suggestions as to how to tackle new things, rather than find out simply what you have been taught.
数学与统计 UCAS code: GG13——Tutors are looking for a candidate’s potential to succeed on the course. We recommend that candidates challenge themselves with Mathematics beyond their curriculum, question their own understanding, and take advantage of any available extension material. Ultimately, we are most interested in a candidate’s potential to think imaginatively, deeply and in a structured manner about the patterns of mathematics.
计算机科学 UCAS code: G400——We look for proven mathematical talent, the ability to think and work independently, the capacity to absorb and use new ideas, and enthusiasm. We use these criteria alongside the Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) results to decide whom to interview.
At interview, we explore how you tackle unfamiliar problems and respond to new ideas; we are more interested in how you approach problem-solving than the solution. We don’t require any previous formal qualification in computing, but we do expect a real interest in the subject.
计算机科学与哲学 UCAS code: IV15——For Computer Science: strong mathematical aptitude, the ability to think and work independently, the capacity to absorb and use new ideas, and enthusiasm. For Philosophy: a critical and analytical approach to abstract questions, the ability to defend a viewpoint by reasoned argument, and a desire to delve deeper into the way we think about things. You do not need to have previously studied either subject.
3. 利用素材，开始写作—— MEET牛剑
Motivated—— 生活背景经历与拓展阅读体现出你的申请动机。审阅官希望在你的文书中找到你的动机来源和你的观点想法。不要将推荐书单马观花全部scan一遍，书看了却无感，是浪费时间精力。阅读是极好的探索学科的方式，阅读需要你带着批判的思想对待作者提出的结论、假设等。当你真正开始“探索”你的学科专业时，你一定会迷上她。你会在阅读的书中感受到她的美，你会痴迷在推荐的网站上寻找她的神奇，你会如痴如醉地捧读推荐的journals…于是会冒出很多why和很多what if ，这些就是你的动机以及动机催生的观点想法，写下来吧。
【牛津数学与统计offer holder】▲ 流畅的故事，读来很轻松，毫无压迫感。
牛津说PS —— 五要五不要
DO:
● DO apply for a course you really want to study.
● DO be yourself: tell the truth about your interests.
● DO sell yourself: this is not the time for modesty.
● DO re-read your personal statement before an interview – the tutors may ask you to talk about things you've mentioned
● DO read the UCAS guidance on personal statements.
DON'T:
● DON’T be tempted to make anything up, as you might be asked about it at interview.
● DON’T copy anyone else’s personal statement. UCAS uses plagiarism detection software.
● DON'T list qualifications like your GCSE grades or anything else that's covered elsewhere on the application.
● DON’T just list your other achievements: you need to evaluate them.
● DON'T feel the need to be dramatic in order to be memorable
五要
