I have written several articles on crafting your personal statements.

USA

1) www.internationalcounselor.org has a section dedicated to posts on the personal statements (UK) and the USA. There is a five part series on preparing your essay:

• Part 1: Getting started
  
• Part 2: Examing yourself
  
• Part 3: Outside opinions
  
• Part 4: Actually writing
  
• Part 5: Points to Ponder

2) UC Berkeley maintains a great step by step approach to the UC essays. It includes sample openings, bodies and entire essays with commentary. Also check out the UC Notes for great advice. California Colleges offers more advice.

3) Connecticut College has a nice selection of 12 sample essays that work.

4) Tips on writing the essay from Bates College. Great stuff.

5) More great stuff: Parke Mouthe’s oft quoted essay for US News and World Report. Also read his interview here.

6) The Boston Globe ran a great article last winter exploring the purpose of the essay.

7) University of California has a long video on the personal statement. 

UK

I have made a screen cast of completing your personal statement:

In the screen cast you may wish to pause to read some of the longer slides (these are actual personal statements with commentary).

I mention lots of helpful sites on one screen.

Actual samples of essays:

• The Student room
• Studential has a sizable database.
• Get Into Uni has a few free samples of their editing service.

How to guides and advice:

• Nice discussion forums with advice and samples at Admission forums.net
• Studential
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  Cambridge offers some very helpful advice on what admission tutors are looking for, as does Soton and Reading.
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• •Very cool running commentary on the process.

Aside from the above, originally posted in the international counselor, check out feedback from admission tutors: http://learningat.ke7.org.uk/essentialstud/personalstatements/personalstatements.htm