Should I include an inspirational quote as the first line of my personal statement?

I would personally refrain from using 'inspirational quotes' within personal statements, they are most probably used by many university applicants and may lead to a negative first impression from the reader. Rather, you could begin with an anecdote or a catchy first line to create a sense of engagement from the outset.

TD
Answered by Thomas D. Personal Statements tutor

2497 Views

See similar Personal Statements Mentoring tutors

Related Personal Statements Mentoring answers

All answers ▸

How do I write about my various interests and extra-curricular for a medical school application?


How can I cut down on character counts on my personal statement?


What to write and how to structure?


How to effectively write a personal statement?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning