Using our mind-map to complete the UCAS personal statement
Updated: Sep 16
If your teen is planning on applying to university, they'll need to complete a personal statement as part of their application. This is a short summary explaining why they’ve chosen their course, what they’ve done to prove their interest, and real examples that back it up. They're allowed about 500 words.
What universities want to see
Universities aren’t looking for perfection — they’re looking for evidence:
A clear reason for choosing the course
Genuine interest shown through reading, watching, attending or exploring
Skills developed through schoolwork, part-time jobs, volunteering or hobbies
Reflection — not a list of achievements
Why mind-maps help complete the UCAS personal statement
Most students find starting their personal statement is the hardest part. If your teen is struggling to think of what to say, use our mind-map to help them remember what they've done.
We've structured it around the three UCAS questions they'll need to answer, and included prompts to remind them of the sort of things it's good to include.
They should write down everything they can think of. Don't worry whether it'll make the final version at this stage. Getting all their ideas in one place will help them pick the ones that will make the strongest impact in their final draft.
How mind-maps work
Take a look at our mind-map and work through each question one at a time. Follow the bubbles and get your teen to list some bullet points where they have something to say (and tick off that bubble). Highlight any bubbles where there's nothing to say.
Don’t panic if your teen's list looks a bit short. It's okay not to have done everything, but if there are lots of empty bubbles, they may need to broaden their experience by trying different things to fill in the gaps. Expanding some of their interests, such as reading, podcasts, taking free courses, developing hobbies, gaining work experience or volunteering all contribute towards this.
If their short of evidence of interest
There are plenty of things they can do during evenings, weekends and school holidays to have something to say that supports their application. This isn't about achieving miracles in a short space of time nor always demonstrating a direct link to the course; it's about showing that they've taken opportunities to work out their likes and dislikes by trying different things. Need inspiration? We've got lots of ideas in The Parents' Guide to Work Experience and Employability. Whatever your teen's personality, there's always something they can explore and enjoy.
Thinking about university early (even from Year 10) is the best way of taking advantage of time: time to explore interests, build confidence, and discover what they enjoy. However, if they're close to the application deadline and still short of good examples, they can:
Watch one documentary, listen to one podcast, or read one article each week
Follow subject experts or organisations
Join free online lectures or taster sessions
Write down three things they learned from each activity
Writing their personal statement
Once your teen has listed plenty of ideas, it's time to work out how to structure the statement. It's important to write it according to the new UCAS guidelines, and our blog takes you through it step by step.
Feedback and multiple drafts is key
When the first draft is finished, your teen should share it with others for feedback. This might be friends, family, teachers, or anyone who knows them well. The idea is to see whether what they've written is a good reflection of them and includes all their strengths. It's amazing how differently we see ourselves from the way others see us; quite often we don't notice the very characteristics other people find impressive. Don't let them skip this step, especially if they're a bit shy.
Your teen should write several drafts before submitting the final version of their personal statement, which is why it pays to start early.
Final words
The UCAS dealine for 2027 entry is 13 January 2027; however, schools will have earlier deadlines to give them time to make the necessary checks. Ask at school what date your teen should be working towards. We recommend having a near final version before the end of the autumn term.
This is just a snippet from The Parents' Guide to University.
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