In order to advance to UK universities, I am writing my personal statement for UCAS.
On the one hand, I will ask my homeroom teacher to write my reference letter.
Because he knows me very much, I think he will write almost all the extracurricular activities in my high school days.
Although he writes most of my activities on the reference, should I mention them again on my personal statement?
On the personal statement which has limit of characters and lines, I intended to write my academic interest, long-term ambition, and contribution to the class in the UK higher education. I heard that UK admission offices do not care much about extracurriculars unless personal statement mentions. If they also check reference letter as well as personal statement, my anxiety will disappear…
By the way, at present, I’ve already met some universities’ entry requirements such as SAT scores.
So, please let me know the balance of importance between personal statement and reference letter.
No. UK admissions generally do not care about ECs even if you mention them in your PS, UNLESS they are clearly, strongly linked to the course that you are applying to study.
And even then. what they care MOST about is your academic suitability for the course. Also, your long-term ambition is interesting to them ONLY to the extent that it indicates that the direction you want to go aligns with the direction the course you are applying to. And your ‘contribution to the class’ is not an admission metric.
Focus on why you and the course you are applying to study are a good fit, and make sure that your LoR does the same. You don’t want your teacher uses up all his word limit on your ECs.
Go to the UCAS site: they have advice for writing the PS & the LoR.
Your teacher’s reference should be almost solely about your academic ability and suitability for the course. Has your homeroom teacher actually taught you in a class?
Your PS is also about your academic interest in the course.
Forget ECs in both unless they relate to the subject you’re applying for.
Thank you for your prompt replies.
In fact, it is my teacher’s first time to write UCAS Reference.
Maybe, my teacher might be going to relate my achievements as an executive of Student Council and as a captain of Football Club to leadership skills which can be considered as an aptitude toward the politics that I want to study as a major in UK unis.
Also, the instruction for writing PS offered by UCAS says that applicants should include “Transferable skills” in PS. I considered “transferable skills” as “degree of contribution to the class”.
Is this my misconception?
Your government or econ teacher or other social studies teacher would be best.
[quote]
I considered “transferable skills” as “degree of contribution to the class”.
Is this my misconception?[.quote]
Yes