Is there anything I should avoid mentioning in my personal statement?

It is important for your personal statement to be concise and immediate in its portrayal of your personal life and education, in particular the ways in which these traits make you the perfect candidate for your chosen universities. For this reason, you must ensure that all of your writing is your own, and does not deviate away from your personal experience through stereotypical clichés or quotations from famous people (as these illustrate more about another person rather than retaining the focus on yourself). You should also avoid common phrases such as 'I am passionate about' or 'From a young age', as they will immediately evoke a lack of originality and maybe even effort. Instead, discuss your current interests, and what specifically fascinates you about the course(s) you wish to study. It is also worth mentioning how your previous relevant experiences have enabled you to explore certain aspects of your course independently, thus accentuating that your knowledge of the subject goes beyond what you have been taught at school. For Example:French A level has also heightened my analytical capabilities, as I can now look at literature and film from different cultures comparatively. For instance, British Modernism can be compared to the style of ‘Madame Bovary’, as Flaubert’s realism enabled him to create unembellished portrayals of middle-class characters and expose the severity of Emma Bovary’s predicament.