Grammarly: The Ultimate Tool for University Applications




One of the most essential parts of the university or college application process is making sure your personal statement or statement of purpose shines.

That’s where Grammarly comes in!

Grammarly is the ultimate tool for ensuring your wording is perfect and that your personal statement impresses.

But what makes Grammarly such a valuable tool for university applications?

Grammarly is a valuable tool for college applications because it offers feedback on the quality of your writing in four critical ways. Grammarly examines the correctness, clarity, engagement and delivery of your writing and offers several suggestions for improvement.

Is it really worth taking the time to learn how to use this software? Does it actually give you an advantage over other applicants?

The answer to those questions is yes, without a doubt.

Let’s unpick how Grammarly is your secret weapon when it comes to successful university and college applications…

How can Grammarly Help Improve My Uni Application?

At the outset, let’s have some transparency.

This site uses Grammarly’s affiliate programme. If you click through from here and use Grammarly’s products, we make a small commission.

You can find the details here in the Personal Statement Planet privacy policy.

That said, I promote Grammarly because it’s a powerful and effective tool for writing compelling personal statements.

That’s what counts, and that’s why I recommend it.

With that out of the way, let’s do a quick run-down on what’s so good about Grammarly and why you should use it

What Does Grammarly Actually Do?

Grammarly is the world’s leading automated proofreader. It can help you catch spelling mistakes and to fix complex grammatical errors.

That means you don’t have to worry about making an error on your college application.

With Grammarly, you can be sure that your writing is perfect – and that could make all the difference to whether you get accepted into the school of your dreams.

Grammarly checks for grammar mistakes, spelling errors, and improper punctuation. They’re all problems when it comes to personal statements and can make the difference between getting an achievable offer or not.


If you’re looking for an in-depth guide to how to write a brilliant statement of purpose, then check this post out.

Similarly, click here for my guide to the most powerful personal statement strategies!


Grammarly Makes the Changes for You

Grammarly offers suggestions for fixing any errors that it finds in the style and tone that’s right for you. It can also be used to improve writing style and check for plagiarism.

When you think of it like that, using Grammarly can help you make a great impression on college admissions officers!

People are often worried about their grammar skills, especially when submitting documents that play such a vital role.

Proving that you can write accurately and concisely is essential for both university and college applications and your future career.

That’s where Grammarly plays such a valuable role.

It’s an in-browser tool that can help you improve the written quality of your applications. Beyond that, it’s the ultimate tool to help improve your writing skills throughout your time at university.

Stand out From Other Applicants by Using Grammarly

There’s no such thing as being too perfect when it comes to grammar.

University applications are one of the most critical times in your life to get everything just right, including your grammar. Grammarly is the ultimate tool for making sure it’s perfect.

Not only will it catch any mistakes you make, but it will also suggest corrections and give you explanations for why certain grammar choices are better than others.

That makes Grammarly beneficial for all university applications.

However, it does more than help you with your grammar. It can also check for plagiarism, a major no-no on college applications.

Additionally, Grammarly can help you make sure your essays and personal statements are polished and professional.

With grammar taken care of, you can focus on making your application stand out from the rest.

What Grammarly Details do you Need to Know?

Grammarly is available as a desktop application, a browser extension, and an app for mobile devices. It can be used for everything from writing essays to filling out online forms.

You can even use it to support the rest of your online university application.

There’s a free version and a paid premium version with a greater variety of features. Check out the details here…

Once you install the extension, it will automatically check your writing as you type.

It will also offer suggestions for corrections. If you’re not sure how to fix a mistake, Grammarly will provide help instructions.

I do recommend the free version – it’s more than powerful enough to get your personal statement written to a high standard.

5 Top Tips for Getting the Most out of Grammarly

When you’re getting used to using Grammarly, it can feel a little bit as though an English teacher is looking over your shoulder. You’ll realise just how many mistakes you make!

Once you get used to the way it works, it’s very reassuring to know your writing is being checked to such a high standard.

Here are my top tips for making Grammarly work for your personal statement:

  1. Make sure your Grammarly software is set to the correct language. Little changes (like changing between British English and American English) can make a big difference.
  2. Define your writing style and tone of voice. Grammarly is highly flexible and intuitive, and you can instruct it to keep within your personality settings whilst staying accurate.
  3. Don’t be afraid to dismiss suggestions. Grammarly sometimes offers tips that you might not like. Maybe the software has misread the context of a sentence, or perhaps you know that you want to say something a certain way. That’s fine. Just take your time to review, and then dismiss. You’re in charge of your personal statement, after all!
  4. Think about correctness, clarity, engagement and delivery. Grammarly analyses your writing under all four headings, so it will ‘bounce’ around in your document sometimes or make further suggestions as you change the contents. Be patient and let the software do its work!
  5. Be ready to rewrite sentences a few times. It can be tempting to get frustrated when Grammarly constantly tells you to rewrite a sentence. If you’ve tried a few times and still can’t get a precise result, it’s probably worth rethinking the sentence from scratch and starting again. The result is almost always worth it.

Grammarly is an Excellent Tool for all Students

Grammarly is an ideal tool for all students, not just those applying to college.

It can help with papers, essays, and even everyday communication. It’s also highly effective for students who have English as a second language.

I’ve seen students make tremendous progress in terms of communication, clarity and confidence when they start to use it.

When the applicants I work with do start using Grammarly, they almost always carry on using it right through college or university. Not many high school or sixth form students use this software, but those that do have a real advantage.

That’s its real power.

Grammarly is an excellent tool for students of all ages and levels of writing ability.

Even if you don’t think you need it, I encourage you to try out the free version and see how much better your writing can be with just a few simple changes.

Trust me, Grammarly makes a big difference!

Find out more about it and ace your application!


Good luck with your personal statement, and don’t forget to contact me if you’d like some 1-1 support. You’ve got this! D

Research and content verified by Personal Statement Planet.

David Hallen

I've worked in the Further Education and University Admissions sector for nearly 20 years as a teacher, department head, Head of Sixth Form, UCAS Admissions Advisor, UK Centre Lead and freelance personal statement advisor, editor and writer. And now I'm here for you...

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