Ucas application hacks - your cartoon guide
There are countless guides out there about applying to uni (including lots of essential ones here on The Uni Guide). So we’ve done something a little different...

Our cartoons below offer equal doses of laughter and practical tips for choosing a course and writing your personal statement.
Brighten up both your day and application journey below with these illustrated tips:
This is a formal essay to a university for a spot on one of their courses; it’s definitely not the place to try your best puns or one-liners to endear yourself to an admissions tutor. Keep the tone serious and professional.
Once you’ve finally finished your personal statement following several rewrites, you’ll be ready to never cast your eyes on it ever again. Don’t be so quick to press ‘submit’. Make sure you’ve checked for mistakes or typos in your spelling, punctuation and grammar as well as that it actually makes sense. Get someone else to read it too.
This word tends to spring to mind a lot when writing a personal statement. Try to stop yourself from using it too, as it will sound pretty cheesy and cliché to an admissions tutor after the fiftieth time they’ve read it.
Similarly try to avoid using hyperbole or over-the-top phrases when describing your interest in a subject as this will sound false – show your enthusiasm but remain grounded.
Brighten up both your day and application journey below with these illustrated tips:
Personal statement tips
1) Don’t try to be funny

This is a formal essay to a university for a spot on one of their courses; it’s definitely not the place to try your best puns or one-liners to endear yourself to an admissions tutor. Keep the tone serious and professional.
2) Check your personal statement for errors

Once you’ve finally finished your personal statement following several rewrites, you’ll be ready to never cast your eyes on it ever again. Don’t be so quick to press ‘submit’. Make sure you’ve checked for mistakes or typos in your spelling, punctuation and grammar as well as that it actually makes sense. Get someone else to read it too.
3) Don’t overuse the word, ‘passion’

This word tends to spring to mind a lot when writing a personal statement. Try to stop yourself from using it too, as it will sound pretty cheesy and cliché to an admissions tutor after the fiftieth time they’ve read it.
Similarly try to avoid using hyperbole or over-the-top phrases when describing your interest in a subject as this will sound false – show your enthusiasm but remain grounded.