When it comes to applying to university, your application is the key to unlocking your academic future. It’s your chance to showcase your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and personal strengths. With so much competition for limited spots, it’s essential to make sure your application stands out against the rest, so we have come up with 10 top tips on writing an exceptional university application.

Don’t leave writing your application to the last minute

An exceptional university application will not be ready in a couple of hours; you must make sure you allow yourself enough time to brainstorm, revise, and rewrite your statement as often as you need to.

Do your research

Making sure you understand the university you’re applying to is vital to your application – you need to understand the admission requirements, application deadlines, and any other guidelines the university requires. If you miss any of these in your application, they may think you have rushed and not taken the time to read the processes. This will also allow you to ensure that you want to go to the university you’re applying to by looking at the school’s programs, campus culture, and facilities to ensure it’s the right fit for you.

Write an enticing opening sentence

You should start your application with something that will make the admissions team want to continue reading. To do this, start with something funny or interesting about yourself that will give the readers a good first impression. However, try not to overthink this sentence – it will probably come when you least expect it.

Highlight your strengths

The admissions team of each university will be reading through thousands of applications, so you must make sure yours stands out. Make sure you showcase all of your academic achievements, any extracurricular activities you are involved in, your strengths, and anything you do outside of school that will make you stand out. For example, DofE is a great way to stand out to an admissions team as it shows you have learned essential skills and attributes that will positively impact your work and school life.

Be concise and clear

As previously mentioned, admissions officers potentially read thousands of applications. Due to this, it’s imperative that throughout your application, you are clear and concise to the point. Make sure that each point you are making is relevant.

Authenticity

Never try to be someone you’re not – the admissions officers want to get to know the real you. Admissions officers will read enough applications to notice when you’re not being genuine or trying to exaggerate your accomplishments; instead – be honest and authentic throughout your application.

Make it your own voice

Reading other people’s statements may seem like a clever idea, but do not let it influence your own tone of voice or structure. Everyone’s different and that is exactly what the admissions team wants to see – a variety of different, unique students walking through their doors in September. It won’t help you to follow someone else’s tone or structure because it simply isn’t unique to you. Tell your own story.

Make sure they remember you

You want to see the last paragraph as the last thing the admissions team will remember about you – so you need to make it memorable. It should emphasise the points you have made throughout your application and tell the team why you specifically should be given a place at their university.

Proofreading

The more people you show your application to, whether friends, parents, or teachers, the better the final version will be. Everyone has different advice, so make sure to take everyone’s advice on board and alter it accordingly while staying true to yourself.

Read it aloud

Everyone makes mistakes; it is a big part of human nature. Reading something in your head compared to out loud can make a massive difference in how your voice comes across. Reading your application aloud will help you notice any mistakes you’ve made and any improvements you can make regarding the fluency of your application.

Applying to university can be both a daunting and exciting process. But by following these 10 tips, you can write an exceptional personal statement for your university application that showcases your strengths and sets you apart from the competition. Students here at SISD are accepted by some of the world’s most prestigious universities. You can take a look at our university destinations here. Good luck!