How To Write A Personal Statement For History

I chose a history degree because I didn't have any clear career goals, and I knew this study would give me the transferrable skills desirable to many employers. It's no wonder history is the tenth most popular subject to study at degree level in the UK, and competition on courses is fierce. As you most likely won't get the chance to interview, you have to use your personal statement to stand out from the crowd.

Above all, admissions tutors want to see that you love your subject. Your university tutors will be historians themselves, who want you to be as fascinated with the content as they are. You have to demonstrate your engagement with what you've studied. Maybe you've volunteered at a museum or historical attraction, voluntarily attended history lectures given by organisations other than your school, taken online courses or written blogs. You should explain what it was about these activities that deepened your interest in history but keep it concise, because this all has to fit into a paragraph.

The second key point is to be original and memorable, rather than vague and generic. You can do this by discussing the conclusion that you personally drew from the books you've read. The reason that certain historians have gained attention over the centuries is that they presented an interesting and unique opinion supported by strong evidence and persuasive analysis. You have a paragraph to prove that you have the potential and ability to do this too, so limit your analysis to two books.

You should also spend a paragraph discussing the other A Levels or subjects you've recently been studying. Examine what skills you've gained from each subject, and how these will be useful in your development as a historian. Again, don't be vague. You could say, for instance, that geography developed your analytical skills with factual information, and English gave you the opportunity for independent thought. Even the subjects that seem to have little to do with history are important. Your admissions tutors will be delighted if you can also demonstrate how your interest in various subjects intersects with your historical interests. Try to draw links and show how you take insight from a range of perspectives.

Those three paragraphs are essential for giving a flavour of your passions and capabilities. You should also have an introduction to explain why history caught your attention in the first place. Perhaps it was somewhere you travelled, someone you met or something you read. This should be particularly original because it's personal to you. Avoid making any argument for why history as a study is important in itself. Your admissions tutors hear this all the time, and they already agree with you. You should be talking more about you than the subject.

Your fifth and final paragraph should be very short, summarizing why a degree is so important to you for developing your interests. You may also want to discuss factors that make you stand out as a student, such as your musical or sporting achievements. But these should be limited to only a sentence, and should be linked back with how they've boosted your personal and academic development. By now, you should have told a story, making the admissions tutors feel as if your outstanding A Level performance is just the beginning of what you can do.