Navigating the UCAS application

Having gone through the UCAS application process ourselves, BartyED’s admissions consultants know first-hand the kinds of challenges applicants run into. While UCAS conveniently centralises applications for UK universities, the unique difficulty of navigating the Personal Statement means many applicants will falter. Our admissions consultants know what it’s like to be unable to stand staring at that Personal Statement for a second longer, or simply becoming completely stuck about how to edit it, much less perfect it. Having guided countless students towards successful UK university placements, BartyED admissions consultants are here to answer the pressing questions on every UCAS applicant’s mind.

How can I tell if my Personal Statement is generic or unique?

The best way to tell if your Personal Statement is unique is to identify the ‘personal voice’ behind an otherwise professionally-worded and painstakingly accurate piece. Students often find that seeking online advice about how to make a Personal Statement unique is not very helpful. Online advice about Personal Statements is meant to be generic and generalised, so that it can apply to anyone and help as many applicants as possible. While this does not detract from its utility, it means that ultimately the brunt of the work comes down to knowing how to apply and adapt this advice to your own work. Unfortunately, since this is such a difficult task, students usually end up using cliches and overly general statements.

How do I perfect my Personal Statement?

Editing and polishing is perhaps the hardest part of the Personal Statement process. It is extremely difficult to perfect the Personal Statement independently, as students often focus on minor language points and end up proofreading their writing, rather than interrogating it. Perfecting the Personal Statement should look more like renovation and reconstruction, and it can be very hard for the student to edit their own work this way. To perfect your Personal Statement, asking peers and mentors how it reads is very important. Then comes weeding out redundant or verbose points, and even restructuring the writing to stick to a coherent presentation of points.

Do I need an admissions consultant?

While there is no specific structure or guideline that UCAS applicants must follow for their Personal Statement, there is always a good way to frame and direct the writing so that points are expressed in the most coherent and concise way. Working with an admissions consultant ensures that this is done in the best way for the individual student, as the perfect Personal Statement naturally looks different for each applicant. An experienced admissions consultant can provide direction, guidance, and expression tips based on the individual academic profile and ambitions of the student, which is a good idea for any UCAS applicant.

How do I find a good admissions consultant?

It can be very challenging to find a trustworthy source of advice, especially with such a significant task. Additionally, in Hong Kong, most university admissions consulting is too general and thus inadequate. It’s unfortunately driven by partnerships between universities that offer kickbacks in exchange for students from educational consultancy services. Students therefore need to seek out individualised, comprehensive admissions consulting programmes with experienced consultants that also prioritise welfare and academic development.

BartyED admissions coaching is the first with no ties to any international institution, and takes into account a holistic view of the candidate. We consider every facet of a candidate's admissions processes and tailor their profiles to best reflect their strengths for the admissions officer’s desk. To find out more about our UCAS admissions consultancy, check out our website here. Or, reach out today at (852) 2882 1017 or enquiries@bartyed.com.