Assignment: Writing the University Application Letter (personal statement)

When you write a college or university application in the UK or the USA you are sometimes
asked to write a personal statement to be included in your application.
Your assignment is to write your own personal statement and gear it towards a
university/college in the UK (e.g. Manchester, Oxford) or the U.S. (e.g. Harvard, NYU,
UCLA) regarding what you would like to study after graduating from high school. In your
letter you should focus on the instructions that Hugh Gallagher got when he wrote his
application letter:
In order for the admissions staff of our college to get to know you, the applicant, better, we
ask that you answer the following question: Are there any significant experiences you have
had, or accomplishments you have realized, that have helped to define you as a person?
Guidelines
Focus on answering the question above when you write your personal statement.
Your text should contain 500 words or less (minimum 350 words). This means that
your writing needs to be concise and you need to choose your words carefully. Follow
the formalia set in the guide for students at NTI-gymnasiet.
Use formal language and a formal structure when you write your letter (please refer to
page 95-98 in the handout about formal and informal language).
Make sure your text has a clear structure (paragraphs, a clear introduction and ending
etc). Advice on how you can plan your writing: Prepare a basic outline, where you
begin with sketching content and concentrating on structure. Then write your
statement in full. Also, use the checklist for writing in the handout about formal and
informal language.
Try to make your text personal, interesting and as eye-catching as possible. Remember
that in this assignment you really need to focus on yourself, so dont be shy!
Work on your language so that it is clear, varied and advanced.
Core content in English 6
We are focusing on the following core content in English 6 when working with the
application letter:
Content of communication
Concrete and abstract subject areas related to students' education and societal and working
life; current issues; thoughts, opinions, ideas, experiences and feelings; ethical and existential
issues.
Focus: We focus on the future and university studies and primarily focus on the process
of writing an application letter when applying to university in some English-speaking
countries.
Reception
Texts of different kinds and for different purposes, such as formal letters, popular science texts
and reviews.
Focus: formal letters
How structure and context are built up and how attitudes, perspectives and style are
expressed in spoken and written language in various genres.
Focus: How to write a formal letter with a specific purpose

Production and interaction

Oral and written production and interaction in different situations and for different purposes
where students argue, report, apply, reason, summarise, comment on, assess and give
reasons for their views.
Processing of language and structure in their own and others' oral and written
communications, and also in formal contexts. Adaptation to genre, situation and purpose.
Focus: Your writing assignment where you write a formal application letter. You need to
work on expressing yourself with formal English and adapting to the purpose of the text.

Assessment/grading criteria for Writing, En6

It is important that you follow the instructions carefully. In the assessment of your essay,
focus is on the following grading criterion that concerns your writing skills (how you express
yourself in English, how you structure your thoughts in the text, how well you adapt to the
purpose of the application letter and its potential readers, how you work on improving and
advancing your English).
Grade E
In oral and written
communications of various
genres, students can express
themselves in a way that is
relatively varied, clear, and
relatively structured.

Grade C
In oral and written
communications of various
genres, students can express
themselves in ways that are
varied, clear and structured.

Grade A
In oral and written
communications of various
genres, students can express
themselves in ways that are
varied, balanced, clear and
structured.

Students can also express

themselves with fluency and
some adaptation to purpose,
recipient and situation.

Students can also express

themselves with fluency and
some adaptation to purpose,
recipient and situation.

Students can also express

themselves with fluency and
adaptation to purpose, recipient
and situation.

Students work on and make

simple improvements to their
own communications.

Students work on and make

well-grounded improvements
to their own communications.

Students work on and make

well-grounded and balanced
improvements to their own
communications.