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Personal Statement

BillieTheBotBillieTheBot Posts: 8,721 Bot
edited March 27 in Work & Study
Sorry for another personal statement thread! I've finally sat down to write mine, got just under 3000 characters so far (when they say 4000, how much do people actually write?) but I was wondering if anyone would mind having a look at what I've got so far. I don't want to put it on the boards but if anyone's willing for me to PM it that'd be great.

Thankyou :)
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Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Also, I'm following a rough template (which I think came from one of you actually!) and it says final WHAM few sentences, what???:confused:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'll look :)

    Use all the four thousand characters, you need each one!

    What do you want to study? Mine was for languages so you can have a look if you want if it's for something similar.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm also happy to look, I studied archaeology and then theology if that helps x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm looking psychology with clinical psychology, or something along those lines :) Thanks guys :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blow your own trumpet, make everything you've ever done completely fantastic and relevant to your course and how amazing you are.

    Even, "when I was 4, I ate catfood, and that really started to interest me in the psychology of curiosity"
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Have you done any relevant work experience?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Got it, will reply after work tomorrow :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ninaballet wrote: »
    I'm looking psychology with clinical psychology, or something along those lines :) Thanks guys :)

    if you've done A level psych, say what has particularly interested you but mention that you understand that the degree course will be very different. you could mention any psychologists that you are particularly inspired by, any relevant books you have read or any current debates/topics that you are following (eg DSM-5, the DCP response & subsequent discussions around the medical model; the Ian Brady case and issues around the concept of mental capacity; the anniversary of the riots and how social psychology can start to explain what happened). try to show how your current subjects can be relevant, I did English language A level and noted in my PS how some of the topics linked to psychology such as language acqusition, self-presentation and child development.

    don't just say that you want to do a psych degree because you want to be a clinical psychologist, because so many other applicants will say the same thing and some admissions tutors will just see it as a pretty unrealistic goal. really try to show why you love the subject itself, rather than giving the impression that it's just a stepping stone to clinical training.

    on a different note, make sure that you only apply to courses that are accredited by the BPS if you are even a little bit likely want to go into professional psychology, otherwise you'll have to do an extra conversion qualification. most single honours degrees are accredited but still check. most combined honours courses aren't BPS accredited so keep that in mind when picking courses. also consider taking a course with a placement year, only a few (5 I think) unis offer placements for psychology so you'd put yourself at a considerable advantage.

    if you need any more help just ask :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Do you watch the news, have an interest in the media in any way? Could possibly try and wangle points that are relevant to a potential course into consuming news/information as if it were some kind of way for how research might fit into the wider world?

    Just a random nearly 2am bit of advice, but it may be useful :P
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Melian wrote: »
    Have you done any relevant work experience?

    I've done some, mentioned it and tried to relate it back to the degree, not sure how well I did it though!
    piccolo wrote: »
    Got it, will reply after work tomorrow :)

    Thankyou! :)

    omghi- did you/are you doing psychology? I think I might try mention some of the documentaries that have been on BBC3, possibly..? I'm hopefully gonna do eng lang AS this year (unless I somehow don't fail chemistry) so I could bring in some of that once I've started it.

    All my courses are definitely BPS accredited, I think there's only 1 at the moment with a placement year that I'm looking at but I'll have a look :)

    Thanks everyone :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ninaballet wrote: »

    omghi- did you/are you doing psychology? I think I might try mention some of the documentaries that have been on BBC3, possibly..? I'm hopefully gonna do eng lang AS this year (unless I somehow don't fail chemistry) so I could bring in some of that once I've started it.

    All my courses are definitely BPS accredited, I think there's only 1 at the moment with a placement year that I'm looking at but I'll have a look :)

    yes, graduated last month :)

    the trick with your personal statement is to make all of your courses and experience sound completely relevant to your degree subject, and to make it sound like you really understand what the subject involves.

    the bbc3 docs are definitely relevant if you can pull out the most important parts, like the evidence of psychological therapies in use. you could even contrast them with early psychological work (eg compare to the old asylums) or identify a completely different area of psychology (memory, learning, cognition, ageing...) to show you understand the breadth of the subject.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Just wanted to give you some links to some useful articles I've read on personal statements, from a site I've worked for:

    10 things not to put in your personal statement

    10 things you should put in your personal statement - they've spoken to real admissions tutors for both of these!

    Top ways to sell yourself

    Hope they're helpful - you can do a search on the site for loads more articles on personal statements - good luck!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks guys :)

    My laptop charger's self combusted, so I'm stuck until I get a new one, which isn't helping the personal statement writing but I've got all summer so ah well..

    I think I've related everything I've said to the course/why I'd be good for it, I think leaving it a few days and having a re-read could help anyway :)
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