how to fit it all in 4000 characters (INCLUDING spaces)

[lauraaa130610]

Ive been adjusting my PS for the last few days and everytime i re-read it to try and chop bits out, i end up adding MORE! anyone else having this problem or is it just me? lol
xx

[Dappy]

I had the opposite problem I really struggled at first to actually get anything into my PSas I just kept cutting and cutting bits lol.

It's a nightmare isn't it!

[MrsBanks]

I found that laying it out into clear paragraphs, each one with a specific theme or topic, helped me cut down on repitition.

[Delilah]

I can't remember what my PS said or how long it took me to write it. I do know that now, it's far more important though!

[Kipling]

Hehe, I have just found mine from 2005 on an old pen drive. It is cringeworthy!

Think about the person reading it, is it different from everybody else's statement ? I wrote a lot about my breastfeeding peer supporter work and how that would come in useful as a student.

[lauraaa130610]

Hmm im not sure how to make it stand out over the other 2000 or so applicants :/ mines probably pretty basic unfortunatly. i have re written it in to a much clearer format than it was but i cant stop adding more detail its driving me nuts :P its 4845 characters as it stands im restraining myself from adding more. Its hard to decide which bits you can chop out when you feel each paragraph is of vital importance to the personal statement. I need to take a good paragraph or two out to get it down to 4000 characters or less as deleting the odd word here and there isnt making much difference at all xxxxx

[Delilah]

Rephrasing is also really helpful, that can help shorten your word count.

[lauraaa130610]

i'll give it ago but i bets ya ill end up making it longer hehe :P
thanks xxx

[lauraaa130610]

i have two ps going on atm. ones about 300 characters too many and ones about 800 too many, they are near enough the same apart from i feel ive explained myself better in each paragraph on the long one. im not sure whether to try and cut the longer one down because i think that ones better :/
xxxxxx

[Glitterysparkle]

I'm a bit like that... I've only left about 90 characters for my work experience :( I really want to write more though!!! Ahhhhhh lol xx

[lauraaa130610]

Its so hard! Where you apply to x

[Glitterysparkle]

I'm applying to UWL Reading, how about you?x

[lauraaa130610]

im applying to keele and staffs, however stupidly i really have my heart set on keele :/
BUT ive managed to get my personal statement down to 4099 characters.
99characters to go yay!!!!!
..still not sure it a personal statement thats gonna stand out though, dont feel i am able to elaborate on my ideas due to it having to be so short :(
xx

[Charliesmom]

im applying to keele and staffs, however stupidly i really have my heart set on keele :/
BUT ive managed to get my personal statement down to 4099 characters.
99characters to go yay!!!!!
..still not sure it a personal statement thats gonna stand out though, dont feel i am able to elaborate on my ideas due to it having to be so short :(
xx
You can do it! Believe in yourself Hun.
:thumbsup:

[lauraaa130610]

thanks hun but its now gone up to 119 characters :P damnnn ! haha thanks for the support :) you applying this year or?xx

[Miss Duke]

Its sooooooooooo haaaaarrrrrrrdddddddd!!!! I am going nuts trying to cut it down! I am down to 4150ish which isn't tooo bad except that I have had to leave out a whole section that I wanted to include!!!!! I desperately hope I get the chance to elaborate on it by getting an interview!!! Good luck everyone x

[bellamason]

yeh hun im really struggling i sent mine in for checking and from the comments i had i ended up completely changing it now im 2000 words over :( its sooo difficult good luck xx

[EllieDee]

Im the same worrying about how much I have wrote!! It's so hard to sell yourself in a page of writing!! Aargh! xx

[Dappy]

Hey guys how would you feel about us having a 'mimic' version of the UCAS PS page?

So when ucas isn't open you can paste in your PS, to check it fits, character count/lines just like ucas.

?

[Runrig]

Sounds like a good idea Dappy.

I am also struggling too, i feel like crying, i know what i want to say but it's actually getting it down on paper.

[EllieDee]

Yeah that sounds brill Dappy x

[Runrig]

Lmao i've went over by 2560 pmsl i do waffle on too much need to cut cut cut it

[emn2111]

Mines exactly 4000 characters but i've had to do a font size of 10 to get it to 47 lines limit. Is that ok? cant find anywhere that says it needs to be a certain size text

[Runrig]

I do think the font size matters emn2111. Good luck xxx

[nasus1978]

I think the font is supposed to be size 12 in Times New Roman :) Although even doing it the way UCAS tells you to doesn't help too much because it still changes in UCAS! lol I was under by a few characters and within my line limit, I had typed it up in the correct font and style and UCAS still said it was a couple of characters over! Can be frustrating having to chop and change at the last minute! :(

[Dappy]

I didn't think font type or size mattered as UCAS just changes it to a default anyway doesn't it?

[nasus1978]

it seems to Dappy! lol It tells you to do it a specific way, but changes it anyway *rollseyes*