US Essay vs UK Personal Statement: How Do They Differ? đ§

Whether youâre applying to the UK or US, (or both!) convincing admissions officers that youâre the perfect fit definitely requires some preparation!
Even if youâre good at writing, conveying your âbrandâ to the university admissions teams is easier said than done; not only will you need to write clearly, youâll also need to stand out from hundreds of applications. Oh, and did we mention that youâll have roughly ONE SINGLE PAGE TO DO IT IN!! đ
But apart from writing concisely, the CommonApp essay (US) and the UCAS Personal Statement (UK) actually require different approaches; while theyâre used for the same purpose in admissions, the areas of focus are different.
So let’s dive into the 5 main differences between themâŚ
Before you begin, youâll need to consider the purpose – what should you concentrate on while writing to increase your chance of success? In the case of the UK statement, youâll need to focus on your subject – places are limited for many courses, so conveying your subject passions remains the top priority.
Conversely, the US CommonApp essay tends to be more holistic – theyâre interested in your life experiences, what youâve learnt from setbacks and how theyâve shaped you as a person.
Following on from the point above, another major difference between them is the type of personalisation. For the UK, your UCAS personal statement needs to demonstrate your subject interest both inside and outside the classroom. Youâll be submitting the same personal statement to your five top universities, so youâll customise it for the course youâre applying for, rather than for the institution.
Yet for the US, the inverse applies – you should ensure your college essay is personalised to the institution youâre applying to, rather than focusing on a specific subject.
Okay, itâs time to get a little bit technical! When you start jotting down your ideas, itâs important to consider the word count. Regardless of where youâre applying, the word count is pretty strict, so itâs important to bear this in mind. If youâre applying to the US, youâll need to keep your essay to 650 words or less.
Yet for the UK, youâll have even fewer words to work with – your personal statement needs to be 4000 characters or less so you might have to make some cuts to keep within it! The deadlines also differ – for most courses in the UK, the UCAS equal consideration deadline is typically in late January, whereas the regular decision deadlines in the US fall between 1st-15th of January.
No matter where you choose to study, fitting in and feeling you belong makes all the difference to your experience – and itâs something admissions officers care about for two totally different reasons! In the US, admissions officers will be assessing whether you would fit in the community itself.
However, in the UK, theyâre primarily evaluating whether your experience makes you a good fit for a particular subject.
Wondering about the tone of your writing and how formal you need to be? Again, this depends on where youâre applying – for the US, your CommonApp essay should be warm and informal in tone – academic jargon and flowery language should definitely be avoided! You can also weave in some humour too as youâll be assessed on your personality (and your ability to tell a story that shows your core values and character).
However, if youâre applying to the UK, you should focus on being more formal, with an emphasis on academic and extracurricular achievements both inside and outside the classroom.
No matter where youâre headed next year, your essay or statement is your chance to capture what makes you unique and demonstrate your passion and competence for university-level study.
Remember: Admissions officers are not looking for perfection – itâs your authenticity that matters instead.
Plan ahead, get feedback from trusted sources and (most importantly of all) stay true to yourself throughout. Youâve got this! đŞđ˝
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