personal statement for builder

Free Personal Statement Maker

• ⚙️ How to Use the Tool?
• 🙋 Who Can Use It?
• ✅ The Tool’s Benefits

📝 What Is a Personal Statement?

• 📍 How to Make a Personal Statement

🔗 References

⚙️ how to use this personal statement maker.

Here is a detailed guideline on the use of our tool, made for your convenience and easy onboarding.

Step 1 – State Your Goal

The first point you should cover is your motivation and goal for writing this personal statement. Give a comprehensive statement of whether you apply for college education, internship, post-graduate program, or a job.

For example, a PhD program in Nursing .

Step 2 – Justify Your Goal

The nest tab requires you to indicate the reasons that motivated you to choose this particular goal and explain why you consider yourself a suitable candidate for this position. Do you have relevant education, experience, or personal skills? Be specific.

For example, recently graduated from the RN program in Massachusetts with honors .

Step 3 – Get the Result

Now that you’ve filled out the tabs required from you, it’s time to press the “Generate” tab and receive the result of our generator. The outcome is typically presented in the form of four comprehensive personal statement options, each of which may be used as a starting point in your own writing process.

Here are the outcomes you will see by feeding the sample statements we’ve provided above:

• Having recently graduated from the RN program in Massachusetts with honors, I would like to pursue a PhD program in Nursing.
• I would like to achieve a PhD program in Nursing because I recently graduated from the RN program in Massachusetts with honors.
• Thanks to the fact that I recently graduated from the RN program in Massachusetts with honors, my next achievement would be to pursue a PhD program in Nursing.
• After I recently graduated from the RN program in Massachusetts with honors, my next goal is to pursue a PhD program in Nursing.

Step 4 – Add a Personal Touch

Obviously, these statements look pretty clumsy and require fine-tuning. You should add a personal touch by writing more about your skills and values.

If you don’t like the outcomes, you can always re-generate the personal statement by looking at the examples and prompts we’ve prepared for you as guidance (see below).

🙋 Who Can Use the Personal Statement Maker?

Personal statements may be required from you in many situations. Thus, our tool can become your vital aid in the concise formulation of your statement:

• School leavers may need personal statements when they send applications to colleges.
• Researchers and current students may use personal statements when applying for internship programs, scholarships , new study degrees, and research publications.
• Graduates include personal statements in job application packages and apply for vacancies of interest.

In any of these cases, a well-written personal statement will present you as a clearly determined candidate, an interesting personality, and a seeker with a good understanding of your relevant expertise, qualifications, and skills.

✅ Personal Statement Maker Benefits

When using our builder, all kinds of users (students, researchers, job seekers) are sure to reap the following benefits:

A personal statement is a short document written in essay form, presenting the applicant’s relevant achievements, interests, experience, and credentials.

Depending on the institution to which you’re applying and the use case of your personal statement, you may include different data in it:

• Students should focus on their interests and talents
• Job seekers and scholarship applicants should emphasize their skills and knowledge

📍 How to Make a Personal Statement in 4 Steps

If you decide to create a personal statement on your own, here is a simple step-by-step guide to follow.

Step 1 – State Your Goal & Justify It

The introductory part of your personal statement should present you as a personality and indicate the reasons for your interest in the specific vacancy or educational spot. Make sure you sound confident and specific about what you’re applying for and why. This is what our free tool can help you with.

If you’re stuck writing an introduction for your personal statement, consider using a hook generator . This free tool will provide you with catchy ideas for attention-grabbing starters.

Step 2 – Provide Some Background

Now it’s time to prove that you fit this position and have the skills, expertise, and ambitions necessary to contribute to the company, educational program, or any other organization. It’s important to choose the most relevant achievements and experiences linked to the application and name your skills and talents matching the position. You may also mention your plans and goals in case the application is successful. It’s a good place for a bit of personal information, but don’t talk about yourself at length; the reviewer may get bored and miss some vital data points.

Step 3 – Expand on Your Skills

After covering the relevant details of your academic and personal path, you can now proceed to a reflection on how it has brought you to the current point in your life. What skills have you acquired, and how will they help you become a valuable asset in the organization you’re applying to?

Step 4 – Conclude Your Personal Statement

The conclusion should be brief and memorable. You should recap your main motivation for the application and give the reviewer a call to action by inviting them to review your references and contact you via one of the indicated contact channels.

If you’re in a lack of time, try using this conclusion maker . It will summarize the key ideas of your personal statement, wrapping them up into a short and sweet paragraph. Another idea is to listen to how your personal statement sounds. You can ask someone to read it aloud or use an automatic essay reader .

📑 Personal Statement Examples

To help you make sense of the personal statement writing process, we’ve also prepared an illustrative example of what you can include in your CV or resume package, as well as a list of inspiring prompts.

250-word Personal Statement Example

Having majored in Business and Management (International Business) as an undergraduate, I would like to pursue an MBA degree now in an effort to hone my managerial skills.

I have been interested in how businesses can be optimally organized to meet the needs of employees and make clients happier and more satisfied. I have been passionately studying the backstage of business innovation to see what businesses can do to move human society forward and simplify people’s lives.

In the course of my college studies, I have conducted a series of in-depth research projects on disruptive business innovations and studied unique ways Asian businesses organize their activities to push their profit margin further without compromising quality and customer satisfaction. Doing things differently has always been my primary focus, and I do hope to achieve the degree of academic excellence and knowledge sufficient for implementing my forward-looking, revolutionary mindset in business practice.

In the course of obtaining an MBA at your organization, I hope to get in touch with the practical nuances of international business activities and meet renowned practitioners in the business sphere to learn from their examples and inspiration. I also plan to narrow the scope of my business career prospects and hone specific skills to become a valuable member of the international business team after graduation.

More Personal Statement Examples

• APRN Program Applicant Personal Statement
• Personal Statement for a Major in Geography and Planning
• Personal Statement for a Degree in Nursing
• Personal Statement for a Master's Degree in Social Work

Thank you for reading till the end! We hope the information in this short guide to personal statement writing was useful. Note that you can speed up working on your text by using an AI essay generator . Choose “Scholarship” in the first drop-down list, add the necessary information, and get a full-scale personal statement example.

Updated: Nov 8th, 2023

• How to Write a Powerful Personal Statement
• How To Write Your Undergraduate Personal Statement
• How to Write a Personal Statement
• Personal Statements - UConn Writing Center
• Writing a Personal Statement - UChicago College Admissions
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This page contains a free personal statement maker for college applicants, students, and job seekers. With this online tool, you’ll quickly get a customized statement for college, graduate school, or job. Just add your educational or career goal and justify it. Use the AI-powered personal statement generator to get rid of the fear of the blank page.

Personal Statement Generator for Students

When finishing school or college studies, you might come to a point where you need to apply for another educational institution, an internship, a social work position, or any other spot for your future professional and personal development. In most cases, you will need to share a personal statement with this institution’s application committee. Here’s how to secure your position and increase your chances of acceptance.

• ️📝 How Does the Tool Work?
• ️📋 What Is a Personal Statement?
• ️🆚 Personal Statement vs. SOP
• ️📍 Writing an Effective Personal Statement
• ️💡 Personal Statement Titles
• ️🔗 References

📝 Personal Statement Generator – How Does It Work?

If you’re new to creating a personal statement , welcome to our personal statement generator.

It’s a free online statement builder that can give you excellent guidance and workable examples of statements that can impress your employer or admission board.

How to use our personal statement creator?

It’s pretty easy and requires only a couple of steps. You should input the following data into the template:

• Indicate your goal (educational, volunteering , career-related).
• Specify the reason for the planned steps.
• Look at the examples if necessary.

Once the data is fed into the personal statement maker, press “generate” and get a personalized sentence you may tweak further and refine to reflect your individual style and application specifics.

Please don’t over-rely on this tool, as it may not give the ideal personal statement variant at once; it is much better to use it as a source of inspiration for further polishing and fine-tuning.

📋 What Is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is one’s uniquely styled introduction to the person or committee that makes decisions about their applications.

A good, persuasive, and memorable personal statement should include the following:

• Personal details about the applicant.
• Self-reflection on the person’s strengths and weaknesses relevant to the application.
• Evaluation of their priorities and values relevant to the position.

Notably, some people confuse the role of a personal statement and write it not the way a committee expects them to.

Thus, for disambiguation purposes, you should also note that a personal statement is NOT :

❌ An academic assignment requiring research.

❌ A summary of accomplishments.

❌ A reflective journal.

❌ Begging for acceptance.

What Is Expected from Your Personal Statement?

Given the purpose of personal statement writing, you are expected to include pretty concrete things in this document. Here are some pro insights into the art of composing an ideal personal statement.

#1 Getting to Know You Better

Colleges, internship organizations, and corporations want to know who they accept or hire . Thus, a personal statement is a good chance to learn more about the contenders and choose those whose stories speak to them and resonate with their mission and vision .

#2 A Check of Writing Mastery

Personal statements are evaluated not only by content but also by the way you organize thoughts and deliver your key messages . Therefore, be ready to polish this document many times for it to look professional and elegant.

#3 A Deeper Glance into Your Life Story

In some cases, you will need to explain gaps or troubling points in your resume or academic record. For example, you may have a seriously lower GPA one year compared to others, and that fact can push the committee away from your candidacy. But if you had a serious health issue or lost a relative during that period, you can mention those life circumstances – not to arouse pity but to give a broader context .

#4 Application-related Motivation

Finally, the personal statement is your key tool for showing that you’re an ideal match for the position because of resonating values, interests, and motivation. By explaining why you apply to a specific organization, you can bridge the gap and show why you can become a valuable asset for the entity of your interest.

🆚 Personal Statement vs. Statement of Purpose

Now, let’s briefly recap the difference between two documents you might be required to submit – a personal statement vs. statement of purpose.

No matter how similar their names look, there are still some notable distinctions to remember.

• Statement of purpose (SOP). As its name suggests, the SOP focuses on the purpose of applying to a specific institution. You should briefly cover your background to show how you have arrived at this decision and what you aim to pursue once given the desired spot.
• Personal statement. It’s more of a personal introduction that covers your goals, values, and personal story details. You can dive deeper into your motivation and the importance of this application in your life.

This way, as you can see, SOP summarizes relevant qualifications and targets the applicant’s plans to achieve their professional goals, while a personal statement is more personality-focused and evaluative.

📍 How to Write an Effective Personal Statement

Here are a few steps you may take to improve the quality of your personal statement:

💡 Personal Statement Titles

If you’re not given a specific topic for a personal statement, you may find it hard to pick the right title. Here are some tips to go ahead with the topic:

• Apply brainstorming to get as many ideas as possible and then evaluate them to pick the best.
• Talk to people who know you well. Even if it seems that you have nothing interesting to tell, they can highlight some exciting aspects of your personality.
• Be sincere to yourself and the committee. Think about what lights you up, inspires, and brings meaning to your life. Don’t try to present yourself as somebody else; people feel that and lose trust in your story.

Here is a brief list of suggestions that may turn you on the right path:

• Hobbies that you have.
• Social problems and issues that worry you.
• Your volunteering experience.
• Academic subjects that cause your agile interest.
• Local or international events of your interest.
• Your core values .
• Your most deeply hidden vulnerabilities.

Thank you for reading this article!

You’ll probably find useful our other online tools:

• Mission generator
• Vision generator
• Research purpose statement maker

❓ Personal Statement Generator FAQ

❓ what is a personal statement for college.

It’s a document that introduces you to the committee, explains your life goals, values, and unique circumstances, and shows why you’re an ideal fit for that specific organization.

❓ How long should a personal statement be?

Personal statements are usually required to include anywhere from 500 to 1,000 words, as the committee wants to give applicants enough space to introduce themselves while following a clear, concise manner of self-expression.

❓ How to begin a personal statement?

Don’t use cliches; introduce yourself and indicate the purpose of applying to a specific institution. Avoid too many irrelevant details or background; talk about “here” and “now.”

❓ How to end a personal statement?

The conclusion should summarize your key points, emphasize your skills and experiences, and give a link to future plans once your application gets accepted.

🔗 References

• Writing the Personal Statement - Purdue OWL
• How to Write a Powerful Personal Statement | Indeed.com
• How to Write a Powerful Personal Statement | Grammarly Blog
• How to start a personal statement | Birmingham City University
• Personal statement | Study | Imperial College London
• Statement of Purpose vs Personal Statement

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Why Personal Statement

A good personal statement supports your application to study at a university

Be concise and use your natural style

Personal Statement Creator and Sample Personal Statements

Create a Personal Statemen t and view examples of personal statement. Learn about how to write a personal statement for university or college applications. Know  how to start a personal statement.

Many students may apply to the same university course with the same grades as you. A well written personal statement can mean the difference between standing out from the crowd and your application being rejected.

Personal statements are generally read by admission managers or professors who serve on an admissions committee in the department to which you are applying. Personal statement gives you a chance to sell yourself to the university in a small and easy-to-digest paragraph.

What is personal statement format ?

A personal statement is like a short reflective essay you write about why you’re the perfect candidate for the course you’re applying to.

A good personal statement supports your application to study at a university . It’s an opportunity for you to express why you like to study a particular course and what skills and experience you possess that show your inclination towards the selected subject area. Basically you are telling admissions staff why you’re suitable to study at their university or college.

It’s important to remember that personal statement is same even if you are applying at different universities. So its better to avoid mentioning any university by name.

Here are some useful sample personal statements you can refer . Once you are ready to write a personal statement, click on the ‘Create Personal Statement’ button below.

Writing Personal Statement

• Be concise and use your natural style. Show enthusiasm if you can
• Mention any award , praise or even personal satisfaction you achieve when you study the course you are applying for
• Do not criticize any other university , student or professors in your personal statement
• It is always better to read aloud your personal statement and get your teachers or friends to recheck. Read at least two times and see if there are any grammatical or spelling errors
• Mention your skills and experiences in the relevant subject area and why this area interests you
• You may include any musical or sporting club you belong to or any hobby you feel is worth mentioning
• If you have done any voluntary service you can mention that in your personal statement

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/

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UCAS personal statement online creator

What is a personal statement.

Your UCAS personal statement is your opportunity to tell universities about your suitability for the course(s) that you hope to study. It is part of your online application to universities. You only write one personal statement and it is available to all the universities or colleges you have applied to.

In your personal statement you need to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment to university level study and, above all, ensure that you stand out from the crowd.

You can enter up to 4,000 characters (this includes spaces) or 47 lines of text (this includes blank lines), whichever comes first. You do not have to use all the space provided.

Find out more about how to write a great UCAS personal statement.

Build your personal statement

Once you complete the personal statement creator we'll email you a copy that you can use on your UCAS application.

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Free Personal Statement Builder

Get a great personal statement in 3 easy steps:

• Indicate your goal.
• Specify your background or reason why you want to achieve it.
• Press “Build for free” and get your unique personal statement!
• 🔥 Our Tool’s Benefits

💭 What Is a Personal Statement?

• 📝 Writing Steps
• 👀 Dos and Don’ts

🔗 References

🔥 personal statement builder benefits.

User satisfaction is our number one priority. That’s why our app has many excellent features that other apps don’t provide:

A personal statement is a text you write to apply for a university or job. It’s usually reviewed by the admissions committee, which then decides whether to accept the application . Creating a personal statement is an excellent chance for students or future employees to promote their skills on their terms.

Why Is Personal Statement Important?

A strong personal statement can be helpful in many important ways. These include:

Personal Statement vs. Essay

A personal statement and an essay are very different despite how it may appear. Here’s how they differ:

📝 5 Steps to Writing a Personal Statement

It’s time we review how to write a personal statement. There is a universal approach that you can use when creating one for almost every situation, should it be a job application or a letter to your local law school.

Step 1. Get Ready

You may be wondering how to start writing a personal statement. To make this task easier, we encourage you to do some digging beforehand. If you know everything about the place where your CV will be sent, you'll be far more successful with your application.

Look for the following info:

• Learn about the university’s programs . Knowing their requirements will make it easier to determine which skills to emphasize in your statement.
• Understand exactly why you want to apply to this specific university . Why do you care about receiving an admission? How will the commission’s decision affect your life?
• Consider why the commission must accept your candidacy in the first place . Apply a little self-critique and try to defend your candidacy.
• Think about what makes you unique . Maybe you’ve been influenced or inspired by an event or another person’s actions. List your talents and achievements.
• Imagine the long-term goals that you will aim for . Your personal statement must also indicate your future plans after the successful admission.

Step 2. Read the Instructions

Some colleges will provide precise guidelines on how to write a personal statement. They will help you understand the approximate structure of your personal statement and its expected character limit.

There can also be situations when the college requests a personal statement from you and provides no advice on writing it. If you’re in this situation, keep reading our guide!

Step 3. Make an Outline

Creating an outline is a critical step. It allows you to avoid making a ton of drafts and failed attempts. Start by taking notes and answering the following questions:

While answering these questions, consider both your personality and your past experiences. Your answers will serve as the template for your statement.

Step 4. Write Your Personal Statement

Once your template is ready, you can start writing the statement itself. Here is how to do it:

• Don't worry about word count too much . You can always throw away unnecessary sentences after the statement is complete.
• The first try probably won't be flawless, but don't stress over it . Just keep trying until you have the desired result.
• Don't aim for a fancy beginning or conclusion . It will only make your text convoluted. Instead, try to use simple grammar.
• Don’t hesitate to use online tools . If you’re stuck with your personal statement, you are welcome to our online writer. It will do the hard work for you!

Step 5. Revise and Edit

It's highly uncommon for a personal statement to be written correctly without at least two or more tries. So, a significant portion of the process lies within constant revision and editing. Take your time to revise and proofread your message.

Here’re some general tips on proofreading:

• Use online apps that can help you find mistakes . We recommend using Grammarly , Punctuation Checker, or Thesaurus.
• Try reading your statement aloud : it will make it easier for you to notice mistakes. You can also ask someone to listen to your statement and point out any issues they'll find.
• Don’t neglect examples online . You can find many inspirational things in other people’s personal statements . Just don’t mindlessly copy them: instead, use them to boost your inspiration.
• Constantly look for things that can be improved and eliminated . There are probably mistakes, even if you don’t see any.

👀 Personal Statement: Dos & Don'ts

To further boost your knowledge, we've prepared a dos and don'ts list. Check it out to learn what to avoid and how to make your statement stronger.

Our tips will help you quickly create a personal statement! Make sure to use our online maker: it will seriously boost the quality of your texts. Good luck!

❓ Personal Statement Builder FAQ

❓ can i pay someone to write my personal statement.

We don't recommend paying someone to write your statement for you. Other people don’t know you, and they won’t write about your achievements convincingly. Instead, you can use the free personal statement builder to create your own text.

❓ How do I write my own personal statement?

To write a personal statement, you must list all your achievements and mention your experience. Write it all in an essay style. Consult with the personal statement requirements and refine the result. Don’t forget to follow the character limit!

❓ Is 3500 characters enough for a personal statement?

A personal statement is usually two A4 pages in standard type. It’s no less than 500 words and not over 1000 words. This is a standard character limit of a personal statement, but it can still vary depending on the university’s requirements.

❓ Can you go over 4000 characters in your personal statement?

4000 characters are too much for a typical personal statement. Despite that, you can still exceed this character limit if the place you're applying to allows writing more than 4000 characters. Be sure to read the requirements thoroughly. Usually, there will be info about the expected length.

Updated: Apr 9th, 2024

• Writing the Personal Statement: Purdue University
• How to Write a Personal Statement: Michigan State University
• How to Write a Powerful Personal Statement: Indeed
• What Is a Personal Statement? Everything You Need to Know About the College Essay: PrepScholar
• Examples of Personal Statements for Strong Applications: YourDictionary

Personal Statement Builder

We are here to help you with your personal statement. think about any additional things you could include in your personal statement., step 1 of 13 - about you.

• Name First Last

Writing about the course

• Why are you applying for your chosen course(s)?
• Why does this subject interest you? Include evidence that you understand what’s required to study the course, e.g. if applying for psychology courses, show that you know how scientific the subject is.
• Why do you think you’re suitable for the course(s)? Do you have any particular skills and experience that will help you to succeed on the course(s)?
• Do your current or previous studies relate to the course(s) that you have chosen? If so, how?
• Have you taken part in any other activities that demonstrate your interest in the course(s)?

Skills and achievements

• Universities like to know the skills you have that will help you on the course, or generally with life at university, such as any accredited or non-accredited achievements. Write these down here.
• Also think about any other achievements you’re proud of, positions of responsibility that you hold or have held both in and out of school, and attributes that make you interesting, special or unique.

Hobbies and interests

• Make a list of your hobbies, interests and social activities. Then think about how they demonstrate your personality, skills and abilities. Try to link them to the skills and experience required for your course(s).

Work experience

• Include details of jobs, placements, work experience or voluntary work, particularly if it’s relevant to your chosen course(s). Try to link any experience to skills or qualities related to the course.

Mature students

• Explain what you’ve been doing since leaving education, and provide additional evidence to support your application. If you’re not in full-time education, you should give details of any relevant work experience, paid or unpaid, and information about your current or previous employment.

International students

• Tell universities why you want to study in the UK and why you think you can successfully complete a course that is taught in English. Say if some of your studies have been taught or examined in English and if you have taken part in any activities where you have used English outside of your studies.

Future plans

• If you know what you’d like to achieve after completing the course, explain how you want to use the knowledge and experience that you gain. How does the course relate to what you want to do in the future?

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How to write your Personal Statement like a boss

Ace the uk personal statement.

The Personal Statement is your chance to demonstrate that you’d be an excellent student for the courses you’re applying to. It can seem like a big task though with no clear starting point and an odd request to ‘show off’. We’ve got you covered with our 6 tips on writing and structuring a statement to be proud of!

1. Make every word count

You only have 4,000 characters (that’s spaces and punctuation included) to make a great impression on an admissions team, so you need to be economical with your words. There are two ways of tackling this: keep everything concise, and have a clear structure to avoid veering off on a tangent.

To keep everything concise, you should:

• simplify complicated phrasing
• avoid exaggerated phrases like ‘I am fascinated by/ passionate about’ etc. (more on this later!)
• avoid unnecessary intensifiers like ‘really’, ‘very’, and ‘always’
• use acronyms for lengthy titles of well known qualifications or awards like the EPQ
• use surnames only when referencing well known authors, speakers, etc. except where there are two people in the same field with the same surname, like the Rosettis
• check for accidental double spaces.

Instead of: From a young age, I personally have always been a really keen and enthusiastic scientist, who has really thrived in all scientific subjects. Marie Curie - who discovered radium and polonium - has always inspired me to keep searching for the truth which is something I plan to continue doing at university.

We’re going to cover a lot of the issues with this example later on, but in terms of concision, there are unnecessary intensifiers (‘really keen’) and explanations (who Marie Curie is), extra wording (‘I personally’), and vague phrasing that doesn’t show very much at all (‘something I plan to continue'). This student also hasn’t shown that they are a keen scientist - you should make your interest in the subject so obvious by using lots of examples, that you don’t need to tell the admissions team.

Try: I am a keen scientist who enjoys using experimental techniques to solve problems. In Chemistry, I recently investigated the rate of reaction between magnesium and sulphuric acid…

This doesn’t include everything from the original, but it shows an admissions tutor how the student is a keen scientist and launches straight into an example which will further demonstrate their suitability for the course. It is also only 177 characters compared to the first example with a massive 304!

Your structure will also help with your word count, and will make your statement simple to follow - admissions staff have to read thousands of Personal Statements, so make their job easy for them!

Unifrog’s Personal Statement tool provides you with a template structure, allowing you to organise your points into three sections:

• Section 1: why do you want to study this subject? (up to 1,200 characters) You should use lots of detail and specific examples in this section.  
• Section 2: what have you done in the past that makes you particularly suitable to study the subject? (up to 2,400 characters) You can discuss any course related work or voluntary experience here.  
• Section 3: what else have you done that would contribute to the university community (up to 400 characters) You do not need to go into lots of detail here- keep it brief.

Once you have a basic outline, the rest of the editing and drafting process should be fairly straightforward - just select your best examples for each section and carefully edit the language to keep it concise and academically focused. 

2. Keep your focus

Your structure should help you with this, but there are some other key things to remember to include and to avoid to make the most out of your statement.

The majority (80-90%) of a UK Personal Statement should concentrate on how you will make a great student in your chosen subject with lots of detailed examples. To keep the focus, ask yourself ‘does this explain why I am a good applicant?’ at the end of each example or description. Each point in Sections 1 and 2 should provide evidence that you have the right skills, experience, or attitude for learning for this particular subject. If the point or example doesn’t show this, it needs to go even if you spent a long time writing it! Be ruthless in your editing!

In thinking about which examples to use, there are two key things to remember: firstly, this is about your academic skill and ability, so hold on to your extra curricular activities to the end, even if your chosen university has the best hockey team in the league and you want to join it! Secondly, you are applying to study, not for the job that comes after studying so unless you’re applying for a vocational degree (medicine, architecture, etc.), you shouldn’t mention your future career goals; your admissions tutor wants to know you’ll be a great student, not a great museum curator or social worker.

You should focus your examples on your academic ability and interest and how that makes you a suitable candidate for the course. You can even pick out key general topics that you have an interest in and are looking forward to studying (e.g. sustainable building design in an architecture application), but avoid mentioning specific university courses or modules by name (e.g. Games and Virtual Reality at Glasgow School of Art), as you are sending this to all your chosen universities and this may limit your chances at those you don’t mention.

Instead of: The process of writing an EPQ taught me many skills that will be invaluable to me at university and in my future career as a Project Manager. 

This is such a vague example - we have no idea what the EPQ was about or what specific skills this applicant built. The example also hasn’t been linked to the course that the student is applying for, but they have mentioned their future career goals, making this seem more important to the student than the actual studying bit!

Try: Through writing my EPQ on ‘Sustainability in the UK’, I developed my research skills and the ability to break down complex, interconnected policies and processes. These skills will be essential throughout my degree in architecture where I will need to be able to research widely and become familiar with policies on specific areas like sustainable building design.

In this example, the student has identified and evidenced two specific skills that they have related directly to their chosen subject. This example also answers the question, ‘does this explain why I am a good applicant?’ 

Please note that this example isn’t complete. We would recommend giving more information and picking out some key parts of the EPQ the student found particularly interesting, what they learned, and how this relates to their chosen subject.

3. Sell yourself

This can be a tough one! The thought of having to write about our best qualities fills some people with absolute dread, but you do have great skills and attributes and your university admissions team wants to hear about them! The trick here is to be confident without coming across as arrogant or overconfident: be proud of yourself, but don’t show off.

Try the following exercise:

• Start off by making a list of all the useful experiences you have had, the things you have done that you are most proud of, and any awards or certificates you have ever achieved, or competitions you have won (if you have been using Unifrog’s Activities tool, check here before you start your list to give you some ideas).
• Next to each example, make a note of the relevant skills and relevant subject knowledge you've gained.
• Finally, mark out the examples that are relevant to your chosen subject or to going to university in general; these are the examples you are going to use to demonstrate how fantastic you are to your admissions team.

When you write each example, avoid arrogant and sweeping statements such as ‘I have a vast array of skills’, which only shows your admissions team that you’re not quite sure what the value of that activity was! Instead, describe how specific skills have been put into practice to give real evidence of your ability.

Instead of: My class organised a geology day for younger pupils at my school demonstrating our teamwork and organisation skills. 

This uses collective language (‘our...skills’), and doesn’t show the applicant’s involvement in the event, so the admissions tutor won’t find it relevant. 

Try: My class organised a geology day for younger pupils at my school. My job was to research speakers and activities. I was also part of the marketing team where I made posters with the team, spoke in assemblies about the event, and encouraged as many students as possible to join. 

This shows the students’ involvement, highlighting exactly what they did and how this contributed to the overall event, ‘selling’ the applicant by showing the value of their involvement. 

4. Show your passion

Obviously, the reason you’re applying for your chosen subject is because you love it; unfortunately, telling an admissions team that you love engineering, or dentistry, or childhood studies isn’t enough to make them want to give you an offer.

Instead of telling them about your passion, show them by choosing 1-2 specific examples of things you’ve done outside of the classroom to demonstrate that you enjoy the subject so much, you want to spend your own time exploring it further. This will impress the team reading your application for 2 reasons: firstly, the admissions staff have often devoted their entire careers to studying this particular subject, so they like to see a similar commitment in the applicant; secondly, they want to admit students whose enjoyment of the subject will motivate them to work hard.

So, what examples could you use?

• Use the Geek Out sections in the Subjects library to find suggested films, talks, podcasts, articles, and books related to your chosen subject.
• Use the Read, Watch, Listen tool to explore more widely - find films, podcasts, books, poems, and more that you can filter by a range of categories including genre, vibe, and interest.
• Writing : write a personal blog, an article, an extra essay, or a project.
• Experiencing : go to lectures, museums, galleries, and planetariums.
• Getting involved : organise work experience, take part in competitions outside of school, create a society/club, or join a summer school.
• Helping others : teach younger children at school or as a tutor, or volunteer at a youth centre, local place of worship, or in a care home to share your knowledge.
• Creating : make a short film, start a podcast, or put on an event at school.

Don’t forget to record your thoughts on everything you explore using the Activities tool so you don’t forget what you learnt or found interesting! Your thoughts on what you read or did are key to your examples and will demonstrate both your independence and the love of your subject at the same time! Make sure you are honest about what you have read, researched, or taken part in: your admissions team will be able to verify a lot of what you have written through the reference from your teachers, so it will be clear if things don’t quite match up. And, if you are invited to an interview, it is more than likely that you will be asked about your independent reading and will be blatantly obvious if you have stretched the truth!

Examples: Instead of:  I’ve always loved reading novels across a range of genres. I read in my spare time and I can’t wait to study more of them in my English Literature degree.

This is too vague so doesn’t convincingly evidence the applicant’s passion for English literature. There are no examples of the type of novels or authors this student enjoys reading, and it’s not clear that they read beyond the novels set in the English lessons. As a general point, always avoid phrases like ‘I’ve always loved…’ - they’re rarely true and very overused! Again, showing your love is more important than saying you love a subject.

Try:  I greatly enjoyed reading ‘Money: A Suicide Note’ by Martin Amis as part of my English coursework. I was particularly interested by Amis’ use of the excess-driven protagonist John Self to explore the darker side of individualism. After I handed in my coursework, I was eager to explore contrasting presentations of consumerism further in Amis’ work, as well as that of other contemporary authors, such as Chuck Palahniuk and Bret Easton Ellis. I read X which contrasted with my thoughts on Amis’ work as...

This convincingly evidences the applicant’s love for their subject by highlighting a specific interest- in this case, the presentation of consumerism in contemporary literature. It also shows that the candidate has thought about how their example (Money: A Suicide Note) connects with other key themes in their subject, and how this has sparked in interest in other novels and authors. The candidate is also comparing their in class studies with their wider reading, demonstrating a natural curiosity in the subject.

5. Stand out (for the right reasons)

Standing out in your Personal Statement doesn’t mean adding in jokes, writing it like a piece of creative writing, or sharing bizarre anecdotes. It means standing out as a strong academic individual through your experiences and unique interest in one particular aspect of the course. Convey your academic personality by discussing wider reading and independent research, and the impact this has had on your decision to study the subject. 

This can often come in the form of an anecdote or unusual reason for your initial interest in the subject, but avoid shoehorning anecdotes or experiences into your writing for the sake of it - it’s more important to sound sincere than to sound unusual. 

Another great way of standing out is avoiding clichés. Using famous quotes - for example - to start you off is a sure fire way of turning an admissions team off your application before they’ve even had a chance to read about you. Even if you’ve found an unusual quote that you think no one has ever used before, it’s very likely that the admissions team have seen it amongst the thousands of applications they’ve read over the years. Even more importantly, using inspirational quotes often suggests a lack of inspiration. It’s better to use your own words than someone else’s. 

You should also avoid clichéd phrasing like ‘from a young age’, ‘interesting’, ‘passion’ and ‘team player’ as this lacks real substance. Equally, steer clear from those ‘lightbulb’ moments when everything suddenly became clear and you knew you wanted to study mechanical engineering - not only is it highly unlikely that one moment decided your whole life for you, but your decision to study a subject at university should be carefully considered across all your experiences and interests.

Examples: Instead of: I have wanted to study liberal arts and sciences from a young age ever since I visited the Science Museum with my primary school.  

‘From a young age’ should definitely be avoided - it is clichéd and shows the admissions tutor that your decision isn’t based on anything recent or carefully considered. We also have a ‘lightbulb’ moment in the form of visiting a museum -  this might have sparked an interest in a subject area, but it’s super unlikely that the decision to study liberal arts at university was made by the primary school you!

Try: S tudying liberal arts will further develop my interest in how the worlds of arts and science are interlinked and feed off of each other. When studying Da Vinci in art, I began exploring human proportions and how our perception of these can be affected by artistic principles like lights and shadow...

This example feels more honest than the previous one. It also focuses on a long term, mature reason for choosing the subject considering the academic skills that the student enjoys and wants to develop .

6. Check your work

After each major edit, take a break, proofread it, and then proofread it again - unfortunately, even a small spelling or punctuation mistake can overshadow a brilliantly-crafted sentence, and you don’t want your hard work to lose its impact!

Once you’ve completed your Personal Statement, have it checked by one key reader, and possibly a second to act as a subject expert. Careful not to ask too many people - you don’t want conflicting feedback. 

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For progression not determined by privilege

OSCAR provides a framework for planning, writing, and coordinating outstanding UCAS personal statements and teacher references.

It is free to all uk state schools and colleges., based on our rigorous research into what admissions staff are really looking for in ucas applications, oscar offers:, a clear personal statement structure for students to follow., quality-assured sources of suggested wider reading., an intuitive feedback interface for teacher comments on a student’s statement., a tool that allows for the creation of consistent, high-quality ucas references., interactive modules that give guidance on he and apprenticeships..

personal statements

Once a school or college is set up on OSCAR, students will gain access to an activity-based process which helps them to:

Display their academic personality and potential.

Provide evidence about key motivations for wanting to study a subject.

Showcase a piece of independent research, enhancing their chances of receiving an offer .

Analyse relevant academic activities and work experience effectively.

Report on a selection of extra-curricular activities.

“ I’m finding OSCAR very helpful; it has a lot of valuable content which has helped me perfectly describe and phrase my skills correctly for my personal statement. ”

The recently revamped reference section of OSCAR streamlines the process for writing consistent, high-quality UCAS teacher references by:

Compiling expert guidance on each of the sections in one easy-to-use tool.

Offering the option to create template responses for section 1 and for subject teachers to write short contributions to section 3.

Enabling the coordination of the reference-writing process across a whole cohort.

“ With OSCAR, our references are a million times better. The platform has significantly up-skilled our staff! ”

Students get resources and a structured programme which is proven to increase their chances of getting a university offer. Activities which encourage students to analyse a topic of interest in the manner of an undergraduate provide an excellent opportunity for enrichment.

The OSCAR system reduces staff workloads by compiling expert guidance on writing high-quality references in one place. It also strengthens support for personal statements. by guiding teachers in providing efficient and targeted feedback.

Senior managers

The OSCAR system provides a means of overseeing all applications within a school. Giving students and teachers access to up-to-date resources and activities ensures that key messages about personal statements and references are coordinated across a school or college.

Would you like your UK State school or college to have a free OSCAR account?

If so, please contact us via [email protected] to learn more..

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We are a registered company in England, number 09239703, and a registered charity in England and Wales, number 1175109. HE Access Network is a working name of Causeway Education Limited.

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Here is what Stormy Daniels testified happened between her and Donald Trump

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Porn performer Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday in the hush money case against former President Trump, who looked on as she detailed their alleged sexual encounter and the payment she got to keep it quiet.

Prosecutors allege Trump paid Daniels to keep quiet about the allegations as he ran for president in 2016. Her testimony aired them very publicly as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee seeks to win the White House again.

Trump denies having sex with Daniels , and his lawyers unsuccessfully pushed for a mistrial midway through her testimony.

It was a major spectacle in the first criminal trial of a former American president, now in its third week of testimony in Manhattan.

Here are some takeaways from Daniels’ testimony:

Who is Stormy Daniels?

The case centers on a $130,000 payment to Daniels from Trump’s then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, in the final weeks of Trump’s 2016 campaign. Prosecutors say it was part of a scheme to illegally influence the campaign by burying negative stories about him.

Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump in occasionally graphic testimony

The porn actor’s testimony, even if sanitized and stripped of tell-all details, has been the most-awaited spectacle in Donald Trump’s hush money trial.

May 7, 2024

His lawyers have sought to show that Trump was trying to protect his reputation and family — not his campaign — by shielding them from embarrassing stories about his personal life.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, told jurors that she started exotic dancing in high school and appearing in adult films at age 23, eventually moving to direct more than 150 films and winning a roster of porn industry awards.

World & Nation

Key players: Who’s who at Donald Trump’s hush-money criminal trial

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April 21, 2024

Meeting Trump

Daniels testified she first met and chatted with Trump at a 2006 Lake Tahoe celebrity golf outing where her studio was a sponsor.

He referred to her as “the smart one” and asked her if she wanted to go to dinner, she said. Daniels testified that she accepted Trump’s invitation because she wanted to avoid dinner with her co-workers and thought it might help her career. Trump had his bodyguard get her number, she said.

When they met up later in his penthouse, she appreciated that he seemed interested in the business aspects of the industry rather than the “sexy stuff.” He also suggested putting her on his TV show, “The Apprentice,” a possibility she hoped could help establish her as a writer and director.

She left to use the bathroom and was startled to find Trump in his underwear when she returned, she said. She didn’t feel physically or verbally threatened but realized that he was “bigger and blocking the way,” she testified.

“The next thing I know was: I was on the bed,” and they were having sex, Daniels recalled. The encounter was brief but left her “shaking,” she said. “I just wanted to leave,” she testified.

Stormy Daniels alleges in new documentary that Donald Trump cornered her the night they met

‘I have not forgiven myself because I didn’t shut his a— down in that moment’ in 2006, the adult filmmaker says in ‘Stormy,’ premiering March 18 on Peacock.

March 7, 2024

Payments for silence

Daniels was asked if Trump ever told her to keep things between them confidential, and said, “Absolutely not.” She said she learned in 2011 that a magazine had learned the story of their encounter, and she agreed to do an interview for $15,000 to make money and “control the narrative.” The story never ran.

In 2016, when Trump was running for president, Daniels said she authorized her manager to shop the story around but did not initially receive interest from news outlets. She said that changed in October with the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape in which Trump bragged about grabbing women sexually without asking permission . She said she learned that Cohen wanted to buy her silence.

Former tabloid publisher testifies about scheme to shield Trump from damaging stories

Trump is back in a New York courtroom as his hush money trial resumes. In D.C., the Supreme Court considers if he should be immune for actions while president.

April 25, 2024

Mistrial push

Midway through her testimony, Trump’s lawyers moved for a mistrial.

Defense lawyer Todd Blanche argued that Daniels’ testimony about the alleged encounter and other meetings with him had “nothing to do with this case,” and would unfairly prejudice the jury.

The judge rejected it, and he faulted defense attorneys for not raising more of their objections while she was testifying.

Before Daniels took the stand, Trump’s lawyers had tried to stop her from testifying about the encounter’s details, saying it was irrelevant in “a case about books and records.”

Prosecutors countered that Daniels’ testimony gets at what Trump was trying to hide and they were “very mindful” not to draw too much graphic detail. Before Daniels took the stand, they told the judge the testimony would be “really basic,” and would not “involve any details of genitalia.”

While the judge didn’t side with Trump’s lawyers, he acknowledged that some details were excessive. The objections could potentially be used by Trump’s lawyers if he is convicted and they file an appeal.

News analysis: Why Putin is raising the specter of nuclear weapons again

Russia announces plans to hold drills near Ukraine simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons.

May 6, 2024

Cross-examination

Trump’s lawyers tried to attack Daniels’ credibility, suggesting she was motivated by money and that her account has shifted over the years.

“Am I correct that you hate President Trump?” defense lawyer Susan Necheles asked Daniels at one point. Daniels acknowledged she did.

“And you want him to go to jail?” the lawyer asked.

“I want him to be held accountable,” Daniels said. Pressed again whether that meant going to jail, she said: “If he’s convicted.”

The defense pressed Daniels on the fact that she owes Trump hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees stemming from an unsuccessful defamation lawsuit, and on a 2022 tweet in which she said she “will go to jail before I pay a penny.” Daniels dug in at times in the face of pointed questions, forcefully denying the idea that she had tried to extort money from Trump.

Trump whispered frequently to his attorney during Daniels’ testimony, and his expression seemed to be pained at one point as she recounted details about the dinner she says they shared. He shook his head and appeared to say something under his breath as Daniels testified that Trump told her he didn’t sleep in the same room as his wife.

On the way out of the courthouse, Trump called it “a very revealing day.” He didn’t address Daniels’ testimony explicitly but claimed the prosecutors’ case was “totally falling apart.”

With oil funds and Formula One, Saudi Arabia steamrolls its way onto sports’ hallowed grounds

Saudi Arabia’s oil riches have rocked soccer, golf, even esports, and the autocratic kingdom is expanding in Formula One car racing. What’s behind the push?

May 2, 2024

Jarring split screen

Trump’s appearance in court Tuesday, like all other days he’s stuck in the courtroom, means he can’t be out on the campaign trail as he runs for president a third time. It’s a frequent source of his complaints, but Daniels’ testimony in particular might underscore how much of a distraction the trial is from the business of running for president.

While Trump was stuck in a Manhattan courthouse away from voters and unable to speak for much of the day, President Biden was attending a Holocaust remembrance ceremony and condemning antisemitism .

It’s an issue Trump has sought to use against Biden in the campaign by seizing on the protests at college campuses over the Israel-Hamas war .

Associated Press writer Price reported from New York, Whitehurst from Washington. AP writers Michael Sisak, Jennifer Peltz, Jake Offenhartz and Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this story.

More to Read

Abcarian: The porn star with a well-deserved place in American history

May 12, 2024

Trump trial turns to sex, bank accounts and power: Highlights from the third week of testimony

May 11, 2024

Commentary: Being a porn star doesn’t make Stormy Daniels a liar. Trump’s lawyer should have known that

May 10, 2024

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Understanding bank statement mortgages

• Who do they benefit?

What Are Bank Statement Loans?

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• A bank statement loan is a type of mortgage that uses bank statements to help the borrower qualify for financing.
• These mortgages are geared toward self-employed borrowers who could benefit from using bank statements in lieu of tax returns.
• Bank statement loans sometimes come with higher mortgage rates.

Though it might not seem fair, self-employed borrowers and small business owners often have a harder time qualifying for a traditional mortgage , even if they can afford one. But that doesn't mean getting a mortgage is impossible.

Many mortgage lenders have solutions to help borrowers who run their own businesses become homeowners — namely, bank statement loans, which allow borrowers to qualify based on their banking trends, rather than tax documents and pay stubs. These provide business owners a way to qualify for a mortgage without sacrificing any of their businesses' tax breaks. 

Bank statement mortgages are an alternative loan option for those with non-traditional income. This can include freelancers, contractors, small business owners, and other similar professionals.

These loans help non-traditional borrowers qualify for mortgages thanks to their:

Income verification alternatives

When getting a mortgage, borrowers are required to provide a bunch of documents proving that they have the income to afford the loan. Mortgage lenders want to be sure that a monthly mortgage payment won't push your debt-to-income ratio too high and put you at risk of default.

Traditionally, this is done with W-2 forms and tax returns that show the taxable income the borrower has earned in the previous two years. But for borrowers who are self-employed, providing the traditional mortgage documentation can be tricky.

Bank statement loans enable these borrowers to apply using bank statements instead of tax documents. For those who have enough income to afford a monthly mortgage payment but struggle to qualify for a conventional mortgage , a bank statement loan can make homeownership possible.

"These loan programs were designed to serve the self-employed borrower community and give them a product that can be underwritten adequately to control risks but to also give well-qualified entrepreneurs a tool to achieve homeownership," says Jon Bodan, strategic financing advisor at Real Estate Bees and president of mortgage lender The Perpetual Financial Group .

Focus on cash flow

With a bank statement loan, lenders are primarily looking to establish your cash flow trends — to determine how much you reliably have in the bank each month and how much you can devote to your new monthly mortgage payment.

To qualify for a bank statement loan, you'll generally need to provide between 12 to 24 months worth of consecutive bank statements. The lender will use this to determine your income trends.

By using their bank statements to show how much income they're pocketing after taxes and business expenses, these borrowers can successfully show lenders that they have the finances to afford a mortgage.

Who benefits from bank statement loans?

If your tax returns don't reflect your true income, you lack traditional income documents like W-2s or pay stubs, you own your own business, or work as a contractor or freelancer, bank statement loans can be a good option to consider. Here's a look at how professionals can benefit from these loans:

Self-employed borrowers

As we mentioned, borrowers are traditionally expected to show W-2s and tax returns when applying for a mortgage. But self-employed borrowers don't typically receive W-2s, and their tax returns often show them earning less income than what they actually earn.

"Many self-employed borrowers write off practically everything on their tax returns so they can minimize their tax liability, but they have plenty of cash and cash flow to service a mortgage successfully," Bodan says.

Business owners with fluctuating income

Bank statement loans can also be helpful for business owners with unpredictable incomes.

In this case, lenders can use the past few years of bank statements to determine the company's net income and, thus, how much the business owner can comfortably afford to pay each month toward a mortgage.

Those with significant assets

You might also want to use a bank statement loan if you have little or inconsistent income but lots of assets. If you have a large trust fund , for example, but not much incoming earnings, a bank statement loan would allow you to qualify by how much you have in that fund and other bank accounts, rather than relying on your current earnings and tax returns. 

Bank statement loans are more complex than traditional loans and may require more documentation, but they're not necessarily harder to get. If you have enough in the bank to cover the monthly payment you're applying for, then bank statement mortgage qualification should not be a problem.

To qualify for a bank statement loan, you'll usually need at least 12 to 24 months of personal and business bank statements. This helps the lender establish your income trends and determine what you can afford. Before applying for a loan, ask your lender if they offer 12-month vs. 24-month bank statement loans. This will allow you to gather documentation early and ensure a smooth and fast underwriting process.

In some cases, bank statement loans may come with higher rates. Borrowers using these loans are often considered riskier, as their income is not as dependable as those with traditional 9-to-5 jobs.

Some banks and credit unions offer self-employed bank statement mortgages, but you'll have the best luck with more specialized mortgage lenders. You can also work with a mortgage broker. These professionals have access to dozens of bank statement loan lenders and can recommend the right one for your needs.

If you don't have traditional income documents like W-2s or pay stubs or you take a lot of business-related tax writeoffs, a bank statement loan may be the best option for you to get a mortgage. 

The upside of these loans is that they can make it easier for non-traditional income earners to get a mortgage. The downside is that they may have higher interest rates and closing costs or require a higher down payment.

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Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau

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• Statement by the Prime Minister on Mental Health Week

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The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Mental Health Week:

“Today, we mark the beginning of  Mental Health Week , a time to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and taking frequent, regular, and quality care. Because mental health is health. 

“We’re making sure that all Canadians have access to the mental health care they need, no matter where they live or what they do. That means making sure that mental health is a full and equal part of our health care system. 

“Over the past year, we have reached agreements with all provinces and territories to strengthen Canada’s universal public health care system, including funding for mental health care. These agreements are delivering $25 billion in new funding to provinces and territories over the next decade to improve health care for Canadians. We’re also investing $2.4 billion to help provinces and territories bolster mental health and substance use services so that help gets to those who need it – quickly and effectively. And last fall, we improved access to suicide prevention supports by launching the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline – available to Canadians wherever and whenever it’s needed.

“Budget 2024 announced a suite of new investments aimed at improving mental health care for Canadians, including the creation of a new  Youth Mental Health Fund . The Fund will help support community health organizations that provide mental health care to young Canadians. It will also equip these organizations with the tools and resources they need to refer youth to other mental health services in their communities. Because when we invest in our youth and their mental health, we also invest in helping them reach their full potential.

“We are also taking steps to improve mental health care in underserved communities, including Indigenous communities. Indigenous Peoples are disproportionately impacted by mental health challenges, with many facing significantly higher barriers to accessing the mental health care and supports they need. That’s why Budget 2024 includes supports that provide continued access to mental health services for Indigenous Peoples, including approaches to mental health that are culturally appropriate for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. 

“This year’s Mental Health Week theme, #CompassionConnects, calls on us to be kind to others and to ourselves. It can be as easy as checking in on a friend, being open and patient with others, or accepting help when we need it. We all have a part to play in ending the stigma around mental health challenges. And by working together to create a society and mental health care system that are rooted in compassion, we will build a better future for all Canadians.”

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For mental health and wellness information and key links to services and supports, please go to  Canada.ca/mental-health . 

Miss USA's resignation letter accuses the organization of toxic work culture

The Miss USA who gave up her crown and title this week accused the pageant’s CEO of failing to take an incident of sexual harassment seriously and creating a toxic work environment, according to a copy of her resignation letter obtained Thursday by NBC News.

“There is a toxic work environment within the Miss USA organization that, at best, is poor management and, at worst, is bullying and harassment,” Noelia Voigt wrote in the letter. “This started soon after winning the title of Miss USA 2023.”

Voigt announced Monday on Instagram that she was relinquishing her crown, citing her mental health. Two days later, Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava, 17, announced she was also stepping down in a statement that said her “personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”

Fans who were shocked by the unprecedented resignations noticed that the first letter in every sentence of Voigt’s online statement spelled out “ I am silenced .”

In her resignation letter, Voigt said that Miss USA CEO and President Laylah Rose consistently failed to communicate and that when she did, she was “often cold and unnecessarily aggressive.”

“It’s incredibly jarring to be trying to do my job and constantly be threatened with disciplinary action, including taking away my salary, for things that were never discussed with me and, if it related to a public-facing post for example, were causing no issue other than not meeting her personal preference,” Voigt wrote.

Representatives for the Miss USA organization did not immediately respond to request for comment Thursday evening.

Rose said in a statement Wednesday that “the well-being of all individuals associated with Miss USA is my top priority.”

“All along, my personal goal as the head of this organization has been to inspire women to always create new dreams, have the courage to explore it all, and continue to preserve integrity along the way. I hold myself to these same high standards and I take these allegations seriously,” she said.

Voigt included in her letter details about an alleged incident of sexual harassment at a Christmas event in Florida. She wrote that she was left alone in a car with a man who “made several inappropriate statements to me about his desire to enter into a relationship with me.”

Voigt said that when Rose was made aware of the situation, she told Voigt, “We cannot prevent people saying things to you at public appearances, it is, unfortunately, part of the role you’re in as a public figure.” 

Rose is also accused in the letter of badmouthing Voigt to others in the organization and painting her as “uninterested” in her job.

“I have heard that comments have ranged from her describing me as difficult to work with for various untrue reasons, to weaponizing my mental health struggles brought on by my experience as Miss USA 2023, calling me ‘mentally ill’ in a derogatory way, to expressing that she hoped I would get hit in the face by a baseball at an event where I would throw out the first pitch at a baseball game,” Voigt wrote in her letter.

Despite the environment, Voigt said, she was committed to the Miss USA brand, but her mental and physical health continued to erode.

“I am now diagnosed with Anxiety and have to take two medications daily to manage the symptoms due to consistently being on edge, worrying about what Laylah will pop up with and choose to harass me about daily,” the letter said.

She wrote that she had flare-ups of a pre-existing condition that is worsened by stress and that she is experiencing “heart palpitations, full body shakes, loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss, loss of sleep, loss of hair, and more.”

Voigt cited a toxic work environment at Miss USA that she said is unsafe for future Miss Universe Organization title holders.

“Every statement you have ever put out about MUO’s morals and integrity directly contradicts what is happening within the USA organization,” the letter said.

Claudia Michelle, a former social media manager who said she submitted her resignation last week, echoed similar sentiments about Miss USA management in an interview with NBC News on Thursday.

“Leaders in women’s empowerment organizations need to be held accountable,” Michelle said. “How do you not take the mental health of the face of your brand seriously?”

Michelle said she was aware that Voigt had raised concerns over her safety and traveling alone and that she began to travel more with Miss USA in March and April.

Michelle said that Rose was inconsistent with her communication and that the organization’s management was unprofessional.

Brittany Lane is a booker for NBC News.

Doha Madani is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. Pronouns: she/her.

Additional context on the protest at Kelvin Smith Library Oval: May 6, 2024

To the Case Western Reserve community,

Today marks one week since protesters began an encampment on the Kelvin Smith Library Oval. The ongoing conflict at the center of this protest is a complex, often personal issue about which many in our university community feel passionately, but the devastating loss of Israeli and Palestinian lives should be a distress we all share.

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to meet with elected undergraduate student leaders, who shared with me their perspectives—and those of the wide range of students they represent. I want to thank them for taking the time to have this discussion amidst finals, and for the care and commitment they show in their roles.

During our meeting, these leaders noted that many members of our community, especially students, are unaware of the history of administration’s attempts over the years at discussion with CWRU Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a student organization whose leaders are heading the protest on Kelvin Smith Library Oval. At the elected student leaders’ suggestion, I wanted to provide additional context that may help explain the ongoing encampment and the university’s response.

The protesters have issued a series of demands, several having to do with a 2022 resolution passed by the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) about which many current students may not be aware. To enable fuller understanding, I wanted to recap the situation briefly.

USG Resolution 31-51 called for the university to divest assets from “Israeli apartheid,” among other requests. In response, I sent this communication to the university community, and subsequently I met with USG leadership as well as leaders of CWRU SJP to more clearly express my intentions. Divestment—a key component of the protesters’ demands—is and remains something the university will not do.

I want to reiterate that individuals are free to express their opposition to the university’s position on any range of issues—including this one—in accordance with the guidelines in our freedom of expression policy . It is never acceptable, however, to protest with signs, chants or other actions that are intimidating to members of our campus community, as has occurred in some cases this past week at the Kelvin Smith Library Oval.

This academic year, there have been multiple instances in which CWRU SJP’s advocacy has violated the university’s community standards, including vandalism. Ultimately, after multiple attempts at engagement with CWRU SJP leaders, some of these actions led to an interim suspension of its student organization status, which our student conduct team has tried to work toward resolution.

On Monday, April 29, members of CWRU SJP and their allies formed an encampment on Kelvin Smith Library Oval—an act that violates multiple aspects of the university’s freedom of expression policy regarding the appropriate time, place and manner for such activities, including disruption of university operations.

Still, appreciating their commitment and in a gesture of trust, members of the administration worked with CWRU SJP leaders and made an exception on Monday to rules to allow students, faculty and staff (with CWRU IDs) to remain overnight if outside community members left by 8 p.m.—an approach that was followed effectively Monday night. On Tuesday afternoon, members of the administration held conversations with CWRU SJP leaders that yielded promises that were promptly broken, and by Tuesday evening, they violated the fundamental agreement when they allowed—and continue to allow—non-CWRU individuals to stay at all hours. 

As a result, on Thursday afternoon, I communicated that protesting in the oval was no longer permitted, and charges and/or sanctions will be invoked. Since Thursday, protesters have escalated their actions, including expanding the perimeter of the protest to block access to buildings and disrupting campus operations in multiple ways. Case Western Reserve University police continue their presence, providing protection for the protesters and the rest of our community.

I share this information to assure you that the university is committed to working with student leaders—but working together requires all parties to work in good faith. As I noted in my email Thursday, we will not engage in discussion on the demands made until the encampment ends and protesters have completed any relevant conduct processes.

I hope this email provides more clarity on this evolving situation. Again, I want to thank the elected student leaders who met with me last weekend. Their constructive feedback, openness to discussion and advocacy for their peers are testaments to the strong leadership they display.

Eric W. Kaler President

Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava resigns days after Miss USA Noelia Voigt steps down

Miss Teen USA 2023 is resigning just days after Miss USA Noelia Voigt .

UmaSofia Srivastava , who took home the 2023 title in September, shared a lengthy statement Wednesday announcing her departure because her " personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization."

"After months of grappling with the decision, I have made the choice to resign from the title of Miss Teen USA 2023. I am grateful for all the support from my family, my state directors, my sister queens, and the fans who have cheered me on since I won my state title," Srivastava wrote. "I will always look back on my time as Miss NJ Teen USA fondly, and the experience of representing my state as a first generation, Mexican-Indian American at the national level was fulfilling in itself."

In a statement shared with USA TODAY on Wednesday, Miss USA CEO and President Laylah Rose said, "Our all-encompassing goal at Miss USA is to celebrate and empower women. Our participants make a real difference in this country and around the globe."

Rose's statement continued, "All along, my personal goal as the head of this organization has been to inspire women to always create new dreams, have the courage to explore it all, and continue to preserve integrity along the way. I hold myself to these same high standards and I take these allegations seriously. Please be assured that the well-being of all individuals associated with Miss USA is my top priority."

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

In her resignation statement, Srivastava vowed to continue her philanthropy with The Lotus Pedal Foundation and the Bridge of Books Foundation as she completes her junior year of high school.

"While this was certainly not how I saw my reign coming to a close, I am excited to continue my advocacy for education and acceptance, start applying to colleges, and share some exciting new projects on That’s Fan Behavior with those of you who plan to stick around," she captioned the post, referring to her blog .

Srivastava added: "At the end of the day, I am so lucky to have had the privilege of this experience, but if this is just a chapter, I know that the story of my life will truly be incredible."

"I LOVE YOU! So proud of you my angel," former Miss USA Voigt commented.

Miss USA Noelia Voigt makes 'tough decision' to step down. Read her full statement.

Miss USA Noelia Voigt resigned for her 'mental health,' leading to fan theories

On Monday, Voigt, who was awarded Miss USA in September 2023,  announced her resignation in a statement  on Instagram. The former title holder wrote, "In life, I strongly value the importance of making decisions that feel best for you and your mental health."

Her decision to relinquish her Miss USA crown has sparked a flurry of online speculation after fans noticed a strange detail about her statement.

In the comments of her post and elsewhere on social media, users pieced the first letter in each sentence of her statement to reveal the phrase "I AM SILENCED" — though this discounts the last three sentences, the first letters of which spell "HIP." It was not immediately clear whether the message was intentional.

Miss USA shifts: Did Noelia Voigt's resignation statement contain a hidden message?

Miss USA previously said in a statement to USA TODAY, "We respect and support former Miss USA Noelia Voigt’s decision to step down from her duties. The well-being of our titleholders is a top priority, and we understand her need to prioritize herself at this time."

The statement added, "The organization is currently reviewing plans for the transition of responsibilities to a successor and an announcement regarding the crowning of the new Miss USA will be coming soon."

Prior to Voigt's announcement, Miss USA social media director Claudia Michelle  shared on Instagram  Friday that she has resigned from her role. In a statement posted to social media, she wrote, "I have had the privilege of getting to work with Noelia closely and have unfortunately seen a decline in her mental health since we (first) met. I feel like her ability to share her story and her platform have been diminished."

"I feel the way current management speaks about their titleholders is unprofessional and inappropriate," she went on to write. "I disavow workplace toxicity and bullying of any kind."

In an Instagram story, Michelle shared Voigt's statement and highlighted the "I AM SILENCED" letters.

Miss USA Organization denies accusations of toxic environment

In response to Michelle's post, the Miss USA Organization said in a statement to USA TODAY, "We are troubled to hear the false accusations made by a former Miss USA employee. Miss USA is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment, and we take these allegations seriously. Indeed, we have and will continue to prioritize the well-being of all individuals involved with Miss USA."

In the caption of her original Instagram post, Voigt acknowledged that her resignation "may come as a large shock to many," but added, "Never compromise your physical and mental well-being."

Contributing: Brendan Morrow and Erin Jensen ,  USA TODAY

How Jason Kelce built his personal brand and became a Philly legend

Associate Professor of Practice, Fox School of Business and Management, Temple University

Professor of Marketing, Temple University

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Philly icon and former Eagles star Jason Kelce has continued to make headlines since he announced his retirement from the NFL on March 4, 2024.

A few days after Kelce’s announcement, Campbell Soup unveiled its first Legend Edition Chunky can that pays homage to the former football center. One month later, Kelce surprised fans when he got in the ring at WWE’s WrestleMania XL , which was held in Philadelphia. And on April 29, ESPN announced it is working on a deal to bring Kelce on as an NFL analyst.

As marketing and branding scholars at Temple University’s Fox School of Business, we published a case study on Kelce in early 2024 that explores how he’s built such a strong and enduring personal brand over the course of his career and how this brand can help him stay relevant in retirement.

‘An underdog is a hungry dog!’

An athlete’s personal brand is how the public perceives them based on their actions, expertise and achievements. Athletes with strong personal brands can earn higher salaries and sign bigger endorsement deals . It can also help maintain fans’ support for the athlete – or their team – even if the athlete’s on-field performance declines.

The key to defining an athlete’s – or any individual’s – brand identity is to identify some key words that capture their strengths. In Kelce’s case, we’d argue that “determination,” “grit” and “hard-working” are all terms that reflect his appeal.

Fans will recall Kelce’s unscripted speech on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 2018 after the Eagles won the Super Bowl. Kelce, regaled in a full Mummers costume , an elaborate outfit used in Philadelphia’s annual New Year’s Day folk parade, celebrated the team’s underdog status.

“We were a bunch of underdogs. And you know what an underdog is? It’s a hungry dog,” he said. “And that’s why we’re the first team in Eagles history to hold that freaking trophy.” The crowd roared.

Kelce has demonstrated grit since his early football career, when he alternated positions a few times before finding the right fit. He had started his college football career as a walk-on running back at the University of Cincinnati before switching to left guard and finally to center . His perseverance paid off when, after being drafted in the sixth round by the Eagles in 2011 , he reportedly became the first rookie in Eagles history to start all 16 games at center.

In his 2024 retirement speech , Kelce reminisced about his early days at Cincinnati.

“It became apparent immediately that walk-ons would have to fight harder for their opportunities than the rest of the team,” he said. “I had … no investment from the team or the coaches. I’d have to earn everything, and that’s good, because I had no clue what hard work was yet.”

This early moment of clarity dovetails directly into Kelce’s underdog mentality, which has served as the baseline for his personal brand of authenticity throughout his career.

Personal values

Personal values are another essential component of a personal brand. For Kelce, those appear to be a commitment to family, community and charitable causes.

He frequently posts social media photos relaxing with his wife and three young daughters , and he praised his parents in his emotional retirement speech . He co-hosts his “New Heights” podcast with his brother, Travis Kelce, an All-Pro tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs who’s also romantically involved with Taylor Swift . The brothers intertwine football and family throughout each recording and have garnered over 2 million subscribers on YouTube alone.

Jason Kelce is also fiercely loyal to both Cleveland Heights, his hometown in Ohio , and his adopted home of Philadelphia.

In October 2022 he, started the (Be)Philly Foundation , which provides financial assistance and mentors to Philly youth. Kelce has also donated time and money to the Eagles Autism Foundation , most notably by creating and hosting the raucous annual Team 62 Fundraiser – named for the No. 62 jersey he wore with the Eagles – at the Jersey Shore. And he partnered with local authorities in his suburban Philadelphia community to sponsor the adoption of a Labrador retriever for the Haverford Township Police Department.

Kelce is authentic, transparent and straightforward in his personal branding, which focuses on his being an elite athlete and involved family man. With this powerful brand, we believe he has the potential to follow in the footsteps of another Philly legend, Charles Barkley , who has remained a pop culture icon nearly 25 years after he hung up his basketball jersey.

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They made one-of-a-kind quilts that captured the public’s imagination. Then Target came along

This photo provided by Tangular Irby shows a Gee’s Bend x Target display at a Target store in Trumbull, Conn., Feb. 10, 2024. The multinational retailer launched a limited-edition collection based on the Gee’s Bend quilters’ designs for Black History Month in 2024. The Target designs were “inspired by” five Gee’s Bend quilters who reaped limited financial benefits from the collection’s success. (Tangular Irby via AP)

FILE - Quilter Annie Mae Young, of the Gee’s Bend area in Alabama, poses in front of her quilt at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, May 31, 2005. Target launched a limited-edition collection based on the Gee’s Bend quilters’ designs for Black History Month in 2024. The Target designs were “inspired by” five Gee’s Bend quilters who reaped limited financial benefits from the collection’s success. (AP Photo/Chitose Suzuki, File)

FILE - Gee’s Bend Quilters, from left, Lucy Marie Mingo, Nancy Pettway and Arlonzia Pettway work on a quilt in the Boykin nutrition center in Boykin, Ala., April 6, 2006. Target launched a limited-edition collection based on the Gee’s Bend quilters’ designs for Black History Month in 2024. The Target designs were “inspired by” five Gee’s Bend quilters who reaped limited financial benefits from the collection’s success. (Bernard Troncale/The Birmingham News via AP, File)

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Over the past two decades, Gee’s Bend quilts have captured the public’s imagination with their kaleidoscopic colors and their daring geometric patterns. The groundbreaking art practice was cultivated by direct descendants of slaves in rural Alabama who have faced oppression, geographic isolation and intense material constraints.

As of this year, their improvisational art has also come to embody a very modern question: What happens when distinctive cultural tradition collides with corporate America?

Enter Target. The retailer launched a limited-edition collection based on the quilters’ designs for Black History Month this year. Consumer appetites proved to be high as many stores around the country sold out of the checkered sweaters, water bottles and faux-quilted blankets.

“We’re actually in a quilt revival right now, like in real time,” says Sharbreon Plummer, an artist and scholar. “They’re so popularized, and Target knew that. It created the biggest buzz when it came out.” Indeed, there has been a resurgence of interest among Gen Z and millennials in conscious consumption and the homemade — with “cottagecore” style , baking bread, DIY bracelets — but both are at odds with the realities of fast fashion.

The Target designs were “inspired by” five Gee’s Bend quilters who reaped limited financial benefits from the collection’s success. They received a flat rate for their contributions rather than pay proportionate to Target’s sales. A spokesperson for Target wouldn’t share sales numbers from the collection but confirmed that it indeed sold out in many stores.

Unlike the pay structure of the Freedom Quilting Bee of the 1960s — an artist-run collective that disbursed payment equitably to Gee’s Bend quilters, who were salaried and could set up Social Security benefits — one-off partnerships with companies like Target benefit only a small number of people, in this case five women from two families.

The maxim “representation matters” is not new, but it’s gaining wider traction. Still, when visibility for some doesn’t translate into meaningful change for a marginalized community as a whole, how is that reconciled?

A HISTORY OF OUTSIDERS

”Every stage of the finances has been problematic,” says Patricia Turner, a retired professor in World Arts and Culture and African American Studies at UCLA who traced the commodification of Gee’s Bend quilts back to the white collector Bill Arnett in the 1990s. “I’m really bothered by Target’s in-house designer manipulating the look of things to make it more palatable for their audience,” she says of the altered color palettes and patterns.

Target spokesperson Brian Harper-Tibaldo said that quilters had the opportunity to provide input on multiple occasions throughout the process.

“We worked with five quilters from The Quilters of Gee’s Bend on a variety of limited-time only items,” he wrote in an emailed statement. “As is standard with limited-time collections at Target, each quilter was paid a discussed and agreed upon fee for their services. As outlined in our contracts, Target had the right to make final design decisions, however, with the goal of honoring their storied heritage, the process was highly collaborative.”

While thumbnail-size photos of the makers appeared on some marketing materials and the text “Gee’s Bend” was printed on clothing tags, the company’s engagement with the quilters was limited. As soon as Black History Month ended, the quilters’ names and images were scrubbed from the retailer’s site.

Target has pledged to spend more than $2 billion on Black-owned businesses by 2025.

The situation today mirrors that of the 1990s, when some quilters enjoyed newfound visibility, others were disinterested and still others felt taken advantage of. (In 2007, several quilters brought a series of lawsuits against the Arnett family, but all cases were settled out of court and little is known about the suits because of nondisclosure agreements.)

The profit-oriented approach that emerged, which disrupted the Quilting Bee’s price-sharing structure, created “real rifts and disharmony within the community,” Turner explains, over engaging with collectors, art institutions and commercial enterprises. “To have those bonds disrupted over the commercialization of their art form, I think, is sad.”

REPRODUCING ART OUT OF CONTEXT

Quilts are made to mark major milestones and are gifted to celebrate a new baby or a marriage, or to honor someone’s loss. Repurposing fabric — from tattered blankets, frayed rags, stained clothes — is a central ethos of the community’s quilting practice, which resists commodification. But the Target collection was mass-produced from new fabrics in factories in China and elsewhere overseas.

The older generations of Gee’s Bend quilters are known for one-of-a-kind designs with clashing colors and irregular, wavy lines — visual effects borne of their material constraints. Most worked at night in houses without electricity and didn’t have basic tools like scissors, let alone access to fabric stores. Stella Mae Pettway , who has sold her quilts on Etsy for $100 to $8,000, has characterized having scissors and access to more fabrics now as a paradox of “advantage and a disadvantage.”

Many third- and fourth-generation artists returned to quilting as adults for a creative and therapeutic outlet, as well as a tether to their roots. After her mom died in 2010, quilter JoeAnn Pettway-West revisited the practice and found peace in completing her mother’s unfinished quilts. “As I’m making this stitch, I can just see her hand, stitching. It’s like, we’re there together,” she says. “It’s a little bit of her, a little bit of me.”

Delia Pettway Thibodeaux is a third-generation Gee’s Bend quilter whose grandmother was a sharecropper and whose bold, rhythmic quilts are now in the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s permanent collection. For the Target collection, she received a flat fee rather than a rate proportional to sales.

“I was kind of concerned in the beginning” about how quilts would be altered to fit with the collection, Pettway Thibodeaux says. “But then again when I saw the collection, I felt different.”

Claudia Pettway Charley, a Gee’s Bend quilter and a community manager at Nest, a nonprofit, said in an emailed statement that the collaboration was “a great way to make our designs accessible” to a wide audience.

“We had no idea how large this campaign would be and what it would mean to our community,” she said.

LOOKING FOR ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION

Because job opportunities are so limited in Gee’s Bend, many fourth-generation quilters have left the area to take jobs as teachers, day care workers, home health aides, and to serve in the military.

“We, as the next generation, we was more dreamers,” Pettway-West says.

National recognition has certainly brought some positive change. But more visibility — from museum exhibitions, academic research, a U.S. Postal Service stamp collection — hasn’t necessarily translated into economic gains. After all, the average annual income in Boykin, Alabama, is still far below the poverty rate at about $12,000, according to the nonprofit Nest .

“This is a community that still, to this day, really needs recognition, still needs economic revitalization,” says Lauren Cross, Gail-Oxford Associate Curator of American Decorative Arts at The Huntington Museum of Art. “And so any economic opportunities that, you know, funnel back to them, I support.”

Target’s line in particular, though, is disconnected from the group’s origins and handmade practice, she says. It’s a problem that distills the very challenge at hand when something handcrafted and linked to deep tradition goes national and corporate.

“On one hand you want to preserve the stories and that sense of authenticity,” Cross says.

“And on the other hand,” she asks, “how do you reach a broader audience?”