Example of a Personal Statement for a Business Degree
A business degree personal statement has a big impact on your chances of getting admitted to your desired University.
While grades and UCAS points are an important part of your application, indicating intellectual or academic strength, personal statements are how you demonstrate your character and extracurricular experience.
A personal statement shows your academic achievements in addition to providing context and insight into your passion and goals for business studies. Admissions committees want to know the value you can bring to the university - a personal statement helps them to better determine this.
This guide will help you write a comprehensive and effective personal statement - one that complements your academic scores with a clear description of your unique talents, experience, ambitions and goals.
The Structure of a Good Personal Statement
A good business degree personal statement should have a clear and logical structure.
Typically you would want to include the following sections…
Introduction:
- Your motivation for pursuing a business degree.
- Your reason for choosing this course at this university.
Skills and Achievements:
- Key traits and characteristics.
- Your academic accomplishments.
- Any business-related extracurriculars and leadership roles.
Your Business Experiences:
- Work shadow programs, Internships, group projects, or roles that highlight your relevant skills and learning inside or outside of the classroom.
- Key contributions and takeaways from each experience.
Closing Statement:
- Reiteration of your passion and suitability for the course.
- Vision for your future in business.
1. The Introduction: Crafting the Opener
The introduction of your personal statement sets the tone. It's where you explain 'why' you want to study a business degree. The opening lines are important because they capture the admissions committee's attention.
Clarity: Begin with a clear, concise statement about your desire to study business. This could stem from a lifelong fascination, a transformative experience, or a future goal you're aiming for. Explain briefly why you’re interested in this particular course at this particular University.
Personal Touch: Share a personal anecdote or experience that ignited your passion for business. Did a specific event or individual inspire you? Elaborate briefly, connecting it to your broader aspirations.
Forward-looking: Highlight where you envision a business degree taking you. Are you looking to drive innovation in a particular sector? Maybe you aspire to be a future leader in sustainable business practices?
Concise: Keep it short and impactful. Avoid meandering or generic statements. Be genuine about your motivation, ensuring it's specific to your aspirations. Any personal anecdotes should be concise and punchy - to the point.
Your introduction should come across sincerely. It should set the tone by offering a short description of your past inspirations and future ambitions in the realm of business.
2. Skills and Achievements
It’s important to effectively showcase your skills and achievements. Here's how to strategically highlight them:
Traits: Begin by pinpointing key character traits that support and emphasise your suitability for a business course. Are you a decisive problem solver? Perhaps you excel at analytical thinking or demonstrate resilience in the face of challenges.
Identify your strongest relevant attributes and share them to paint a picture of the potential you can bring to the course. Committees are always looking to find candidates who have traits that will make them good business students and future industry leaders.
Academic: Reference all relevant courses or subjects that align with the courses you're applying to. Did you ace your 'Business Studies'? Why did you settle on the subjects and courses you chose at school? Perhaps you were involved in an olympiad? Make sure to mention any honours or accolades, or academic activities that showcase your academic ability and past performance.
Academic excellence is always worth mentioning, even in school subjects you might feel are unrelated to business. Bear in mind that ‘business’ is vast, complicated, and ever-changing. It is difficult to predict what knowledge and skills might become critically important to business activity in the future. So, share your academic strengths and interests, whatever they may be.
Activities: Beyond the classroom. Business schools value real-world engagement, leadership, and teamwork experience. Did you take part in any societies? Did you play a leadership role? Or partake in a notable entrepreneurship competition? Emphasise any leadership roles or participation in business-centric events. These experiences underscore your passion and hands-on involvement in the world of business.
3. Relevant Experience & Roles
A University admissions committee won’t expect you to have started your career already. But they will greatly value any extracurricular initiative. If you have been involved in any entrepreneurial, leadership, or management roles at school, then mention them. If you are a mature student, and have been in the workforce for some time, use any relevant work experience.
Internships or Work Experience: Were you part of an internship or work shadow programme? If so, then it would be excellent to mention how you actively participated in a formal business environment. Describe what business you were a part of, what you did, and what you learned from the experience. Perhaps that experience taught you skills? Any exposure to a business environment is valuable.
Projects & Working as Part of a Team: Perhaps you spearheaded a project at school? Working effectively in a team is a highly valued skill. If you can showcase any team experience that will definitely stand in your favour. Highlight the challenges that you faced, how you resolved them, and show what you learned from your experience working with a group of people.
Roles: Did you assume any significant roles at school or in a business setting outside of school? Outline your responsibilities, the impact you made, and the insights you gleaned from both your successes and failures. This demonstrates not just your capability to understand a role and its responsibilities, but also your adaptability in changing challenging circumstances.
If you felt you learned from an unsuccessful project where you had an important role, then share what you might do differently - what you learned. The ability to learn from past ‘failures’ is an extremely desirable trait that admissions committees will value highly.
For each experience, focus on the value you added and the lessons you learned. This will give admissions committees a clear picture of your practical abilities and your potential contribution to their course.
4. Closing Statement: A Strong Impression
Your closing remarks are crucial. They should leave the admissions committee with a good impression and reinforce your fit for the course.
Reiterate Passion: Briefly touch upon the core reasons driving your interest in business, consolidating what you've shared throughout your statement. Perhaps you're motivated by the challenges and opportunities of the evolving business landscape, or you're dedicated to making a positive impact in a specific sector.
Your fit for the Degree: Highlight your alignment with the specific business degree courses to which you're applying. Have you been particularly impressed by their focus on entrepreneurship or their reputation for fostering global leaders? Express how their unique offerings align with your aspirations.
Your Future Vision: Provide a glimpse into your future. Post-degree, where do you see yourself? Leading a startup? Championing sustainable practices in a multinational? Use this chance to project your potential contributions to the business world, showcasing ambition and forward-thinking.
Gratitude and Openness: Express appreciation for considering your application. Showcase your openness to further discussions, signalling your enthusiasm and readiness to engage with the institution.
End on a strong note, ensuring your closing words echo your dedication, clarity of vision, and the unique value you'll bring to the institution.
Tips & Advice: Helpful Hints to Strengthen Your Personal Statement
Your personal statement is a reflection of your journey, aspirations, and suitability for the business degree. Keep these tips in mind for a standout submission:
- Authenticity: Always be genuine. While it's essential to present your best self, resist the urge to embellish or overstate. Authentic experiences resonate more than grand exaggerations.
- Clarity: Opt for clear, concise language. Admissions committees appreciate directness over dense jargon. Let your true voice shine through.
- Examples: Don't just state; demonstrate. If you claim to be a problem-solver, illustrate with an instance where you tackled a challenge head-on.
- Tailoring: Beyond expressing your passion for business, pinpoint why this specific degree aligns with your goals. Is it their renowned faculty, innovative curriculum, or alumni network?
- Review: Never underestimate the value of proofreading. Ensure your statement is free from errors, reads smoothly, and truly represents you. It also often pays to get someone else to read it and give you constructive feedback.
We hope this guide will help you to create the best personal business degree statement that you can. Best of luck with your applications going forward.