Sunday, 14 October 2012

It's Personal: Spotlight shone on 'purchased' UCAS personal statements


In the university application process, the personal statement has always been vital. It’s been the student’s opportunity to showcase why they would be a valuable addition to an institution and why they deserve a place. It’s been the universities opportunity to decide which students best suit their courses and in the majority of cases, is a replacement for a formal interview. The system has been thrown into scandal however, following an investigation by The Observer which has revealed some students have been buying pre-written personal statements to help them get through the process.

Companies, some of which have been set up by graduates with experience of the current system, are offering bespoke personal statements to prospective under-graduates and charging up to £350 for the forged statement. The lure is understandable; writing a good personal statement is a time-consuming and challenging business, and can take several days. In one case, an investigator posing as a student was able to complete a basic questionnaire covering personal details such as work experience and interests, and was told they could receive their personal statement within 24 hours.

UCAS (University and College Admission Service) has been quick to condemn the practice and has warned students not to risk being caught by their fraud detection software. “It is important to understand that even a bespoke personal statement service carries the risk of being caught by our similarity detection software, which in turn flags this to the universities” says Cathy Gilbert of UCAS (The Guardian, 13/10/2012). Students who are found to have used a forged or purchased personal statement risk being removed from the university application process.

(Source: The Guardian, care of www.theguardian.co.uk, 13/10/2012)

To see a video, care of UCAS, on YouTube which can provide advice on writing your personal statement, click here.

For more information on applying for university or college, visit the UCAS website at www.ucas.ac.uk 


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