“Ensure That You Stand Out from the Crowd”: A Corpus-Based Analysis of Personal Statements according to Applicants’ School Type

Many nations make use of a “personal statement” (or equivalent) in their higher education admissions system. This article examines how statements differ according to applicants’ educational background. Among the indicators used are fluency of expression, quantity and quality of workplace experience, and extracurricular activity. Findings point to major variation among statements composed by equal-attainment applicants: a broader range of social and cultural capital is drawn on by privately educated young people. Ramifications stretch beyond admissions policy in the United Kingdom, where this study was located, not least because of claims that nonacademic indicators of potential, such as the personal statement, bring greater fairness to university admissions processes. No support for this position is found.