University admissions: personal statements no longer needed

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) in the United Kingdom is changing personal statements, long the bane of teenagers’ final year at school, for university admissions. Instead of a 4,000-character statement, from next year applicants will be asked to answer three questions on why they want to study their chosen course and how they are prepared for it, writes Hafsa Khalil for BBC News.

The body says the change will encourage applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds to apply to higher education. Last month, the application fee for students receiving free school meals was waived.

UCAS Chief Executive Jo Saxton said her aim was to ensure “the doors of opportunity stay open for as many students as possible so that they can benefit from a university education”. “I saw first-hand how the personal statement can help students really clarify and articulate their ambition, but also how challenging it can be for those with less support,” she added.
Full report on the BBC News site