Drama degree personal statement example (1c)

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Drama has been a subject that has greatly influenced me both personally and academically. I have found that through drama, I have been able to free my mind and my heart. It has helped me to grow as a person and, through acting and character work, I have been able to understand emotions and states of mind more clearly. Drama gives me an immense feeling of release and I love the sense of being part of something so full of energy and enthusiasm. I feel that the dramatic talents that I have had have been a gift. I would love to get the chance to learn more about the subject and gain more personal experience and skills.

During my time at Plumstead Manor School and Negus Sixth Form, I have taken part in many different performances, both dramatically and musically based. My favourite of these was a performance of Macbeth, which we performed at Greenwich Theatre as part of the "Shakespeare Schools" competition. We chose to abridge it as a musical and I played Lady Macbeth. It was my first major role in a performance and it was the turning point in my life. It was the point at which I decided that I wanted to pursue a career as an actress. I have never felt as alive as I did during both the preparation for and the actual performance of the play. There was a real sense of excitement and teamwork throughout the play and I felt completely at ease with my part.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

Another performance that I particularly remember was my GCSE exam piece, "The Ark." This was a play about a family grieving after the death of the man of the house. I played the widow, and the script explored the different ways in which people deal with grief and mourning. It was a very emotional play and I found it a very interesting play to take part in. I enjoyed researching my character, and spending a lot of time on characterisation and the feelings involved. It was a very eye-opening experience, because it gave me a chance to play a different type of part, as an older woman and as an emotional character, as opposed to an angry one such as Lady Macbeth.

I love trying new things and "The Ark" gave me a chance to do that.

In my spare time, I enjoy singing. I am in a church choir, which involves both weekly Sunday services and Thursday rehearsals. It is a wonderful experience as it constantly challenges me musically, as we learn many different pieces of music in a variety of different languages. I think this is a wonderful experience, as I am able to do something that I love whilst learning new things and growing musically. Singing is something, like drama, that I feel able to connect with. I love the skill that it takes, the precision it involves and the beauty it produces. I also have singing lessons; I have recently taken my Grade 7 singing exam, for which I received distinction. This is also something that I wish to continue with in the future, as it is something that I find really interesting and enjoyable.

I also have a great interest in languages, particularly German. I chose to study this at A-Level and hope at some stage to live in Germany. I have already had experience of this, as every summer for four years, I worked at a riding stable, both working with the horses, and taking young children on hacks in the forest. I also taught the owner's daughter English. This was an amazing learning experience, as I was given the chance to discover what it is like to teach others. It was an exciting opportunity to improve on both my interpersonal skills and my language skills. I found that I learnt a lot about myself, and how I interact with others. I also found it a lot easier to analyse and co-operate with others' methods of learning, which is always useful when working in groups.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

In my free time, I also spend a lot of time with young children. I have triplet brothers who are three years old and I help with them, as well as a number of other families for whom I regularly baby-sit. I enjoy doing this and I also feel that it has greatly helped my personal skills and my knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop.

Before going to university, I am taking a GAP year in which I hope to be working in Brazil teaching English or a variety of subjects to young children. I feel that this will increase my preparation for university, giving me a chance to experience things that only this GAP year could offer, which may at the end of it, have a positive impact on the way I approach life and education. After my drama degree, I hope to be accepted at a music college to do a post-graduate classical singing degree. I would like to then try and combine both degrees by hopefully getting into Opera and/or theatre work.

I know that this career is right for me. However I get involved in the industry it will be the realisation of a passion which has been with me for the majority of my years, and has been my motivation towards success in education.

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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