[pat]

Right, have to do this personal statement for university applications, saying why you want to go to uni, why you shouldbe allowed onto the course, what you do, why you're passionate etc etc.

Could do with some pro opinions - at least from people who've done one themselves.

Originally Posted by My Personal Statement

Patrick Johnson
Personal Statement

I could claim that my passion for art and creativity first surfaced as I scrawled on walls as a toddler, but in reality it began with my first year at secondary school. The more structured and varied approach to art and design gave me new freedom to explore what art really meant for me.

Lighting on a book about the Bauhaus, and the Constructivists, I unearthed a fascination with Graphic Design that has grown with me over the years. My AS level work in Art and Design has convinced me and others that this is what I want to do.

Taking a step towards the world of design, a friend and I started a small design collaborative called Juvenile and have taken on a number of Web, Print and Motion Design projects – for example, we completed work for a security company, including the company’s brand and website. In an effort to become more professional, we have learned about Bank Accounts, Business Plans and Deadlines. The whole Juvenile experience has been invaluable for me, teaching me a lot about the achievements and pitfalls of Design as a profession.

I have felt a need to extend my passion for Graphics, make it more practical. I secured work experience at two design practices in Birmingham - one, an Interior Design firm called Connections in Design. As well as learning to use some of the tools of the trades, ranging from the Adobe Creative Suite to the drawing board, I absorbed the lessons of teamwork and efficiency in this creative environment. Working in both the Accounts and Design departments gave me an understanding of the relationship between business and creativity. My second period of work experience took place over a number of weeks at Whitehouse & Mainwaring, a graphic design consultancy in the centre of Birmingham. The design team here set me a number of briefs alongside the projects they were working on. For instance, I worked on a logotype for the local council’s Health and Safety Inspection team, from ideas and sketches to a final brand. Again, aside from the practical lessons this taught me, I most valued being treated as a member of the team, working to high expectations and a fixed deadline.

I also appreciate the linguistic and communicative elements of Design, and have reflected this in my A-Levels studies. I achieved A’s in AS English Language & Literature, and Media Studies, and enjoy the “ins and outs” of Language, the linguistic techniques that give Graphic Design the ability to be humourous or profound.

I have played rugby competitively since the age of 6, as Captain for my school and club on a number of occasions. Aside from the conventional notions of broken limbs and beer, my ability to interact, to lead, to work as part of a team, and to listen is a direct result of my rugby playing.

Another hobby which I take a particular pride and passion in is Book Binding. I started attending a local evening class early this year, and have learned the skills needed to traditionally sew a book in sections, case and cover it. I’m now well on my way to completing my first book of over 100 pages.

I’d like to really stress my love for Graphic Design - a love which keeps me up at night sketching and drawing letterforms, which holds my attention over my English homework, and which importantly, gives me a visual appreciation of everything I see.

The prospect of studying Graphic Design at University excites me – I want to learn techniques, theories, context, how to print, how to attract an audience, and how to progress in a competitive world. I look forward to studio work, and a better environment for independent study and working. I feel that your course can offer me a start in Graphic Design that I won’t find anywhere else.

[Narate]

The whole Juvenile experience has been invaluable for me

hahaha

Got a fair few grammatical errors in there, I would highlight but im being proper lazy today

Perhaps you could drop a few buzz words in there like "esthetic" and maybe a few designers who inspire you.

[paulanthony]

"which holds my attention over my English homework" - not sure if I'd include that - its kinda a bit like saying I'm not academic therefore graphic design appeals -which im sure aint the case.

[pat]

sound both of you. Not any grammatical errors though i don' thiiink, mum's an english teacher and she's checked it over.

[Scott]

microsoft thesaurus..

There was a whole 'thing' about the personal statement back in school...I done a few lines and scrapped it, i didnt bother with it. Was no real need for it unless you were gonna go for a crappy job straight away.

The main statement was the UCAS one.

I dont actually have a personal statement, i have a cv though.

[Narate]

Parents can be very forgiving

Perhaps not actual grammatical stuff but more so how well some parts read.

There were a few lines I had to re-read before they sunk in

[pgo]

Originally Posted by Narate

"esthetic"

a.k.a. "aesthetic"

[Andy]

Mine's like 5 lines and supposedly it's "Superb, it jumps right off the page"

[pat]

yeh but you go to college.

[Narate]

a.k.a. "aesthetic"

No, I meant esthetic. Pretty much one in the same.

[briljant oranje]

say you have an 'idiosyncratic approach'. - that was in mine back in '01 and played a blinder

just talk about your passion for the subject, namecheck not-so-obvious influences and basically suck up without sucking the shit from their hairy arse.

and don't put in ANY negative points about yourself.

[pat]

gotcha. So if i talked about saaaay contemporary French design in the mould of Michael Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak (www.mmparis.com) as having a major influence on my approach, loving the feeling of finishing a piece from preliminary sketches to print, being able to touch the final product, pin it up, show it off, appreciate it, and then cut down on wordy sentences like narate's said, i should be ok?

[chips]

I did a personal statement when I was about 14 at school. it's funny as fuck to read it now.
One line goes something like "in science, I can use a bunsen burner effectively"

isn't that what most employers want to know??

[pat]

haha. There are kids at school applying for english courses, saying "I like to read alot of Shakespeare, and we did Dracula in our lessons"

[Narate]

Mine says,

Another thing I am proud of is my appearance as my shoes are always clean and I am always well dressed and clean

oh dear.

[jase1000]

I didn't have to do any of that hard stuff. Was allowed a place purely on my genius portfolio

[chips]

yeah hard stuff like writing things down can be tricky.

I was allowed a place based on my bunsen skillz.

[Transmogrify]

I've never had to do a personal statement. It'd probably have to be.. "Well, you can't polish a turd, can you?"

[Alexanda]

yeah i was lucky in getting in on my folio, i'd be fucked if I had to write any of that. The most I knew about design when I started uni was how to use a photocopier and that peter saville was from Manchester.

[stealthcow]

When I applied to uni for a graphic design type course the thing that made the difference was being able to show them a wide and varied portfolio (looking back on it now, half the work was rubbish) - but the point is that they could see that i was trying different things and did work by myself, rather than just doing work that was forced upon me

universities and companies love people who do that little bit extra and take their own initiative, you're personal statement seems to show that, so i think it should do the trick, just make sure you have a portfolio to back it up