How can I make myself stand out as a candidate in my personal statement?

The most important thing to keep in mind when writing a personal statement is that you have to show your skills and qualifications, rather than just tell them. The people reviewing your application read through hundreds of essays that all sound the same each and every day, so in order to grab their attention, you need to have a different approach to your personal statement. What you want to study is probably something you're passionate about, and a strong essay will show that passion while weaving in what makes you suitable to keep following your career path. The best way to do this is to make your essay personal - something unique only to you - maybe the story of how you got interested in the subject, maybe a personal story about an enlightement while working in the field, or if you're applying for a joint degree - what has your experience been with both of the subjects working together as one.