Business and management degree personal statement example (1z)

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

I have chosen to apply for a Business Management course because I believe it to be a challenging course, and one that will give me great satisfaction and develop my personal qualities, including organisational and leadership skills.

My enthusiasm for Business Management was fired initially by participating in the national Schools' Business Game. In this I worked in a group of four students to manage a fictional company. We had to set prices, plan production levels, decide spending on marketing and research, all to tight deadlines, each week for two terms. Our team won the regional final.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

During my time at school and college I have been head girl and captain of the girls' netball and hockey teams. I am a keen sportswoman and whilst at sixth form college, I started a girls' soccer team and organised matches against several nearby colleges. These have resulted in a regular programme of fixtures which will continue next year.

As head girl I had responsibility for running the school prefect system, scheduling duties and coaching new prefects. I was elected to the college council and represented the views of students to the senior management of the college. I also organised and promoted college dances and other social events.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

After this I organised a summer job in business, and worked for three weeks in the summer holiday for ICI at Runcorn in the IT department.

The work involved administering publicity material promoting the IT department to other departments such as Finance and Marketing, and I was shown how these departments worked. My career aim is to set up and run my own business but I recognise the need to gain practical experience by working in a larger company first.

In my spare time, I have acted as a helper in a local old people's home. Although this can be distressing work, especially with very ill residents, I have found it very rewarding. I have recently completed my Duke of Edinburgh's gold award. I enjoy the outdoor life, particularly camping and fell-walking, and have recently started rock-climbing. I am also a keen theatre-goer and photographer.

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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