Personal Statement:Politics 6

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

9/11 was the day that turned me into a politically interested person. I realised that things which happen far away can still seem incredibly close and change our lives. What is it that makes people do something like this? What can we do to prevent these events from happening? These are two questions that I have wondered about ever since. I think we have to study the society we live in closely and learn about the nature of the individual as well as the topics that concern everybody. Throughout my studies in university I hope to learn about these things and deepen my understanding for the role bodies like the EU and the UN play in the global war against terrorism and the enforcement of human rights. I am eager to deal with the challenges which today's states have to face by acting on local, national and global levels.

My exchange year in Dallas, Texas gave me the opportunity to follow the historical race for the presidential nominee between Clinton and Obama closely and analyse how they designed their election campaigns and which measures they took to win the voters. I read "Setting the agenda" by Maxwell McCombs to learn more about psychological backgrounds and the use of the mass media in politics. Their influence seemed to be stronger in the US than I was used to at home, but I noticed a similar trend during the several elections held in Germany this year. Besides reading contemporary literature on political issues I developed an interest in political philosophy and dealt with classical works like Thomas Hobbes' "Leviathan" and John Locke's "Two treatises of government". It was especially interesting how they derived their political ideas from human nature and revolutionised the perception of the state.

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

Participating in the debate club improved my public speaking skills and ability to argue a political case. By debating a case that did not comply with my opinion I learned to view every position critically. In Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology I could conduct my own independent experiments and research on different topics, such as peoples' judgement and perception. In some fields this subject was very closely related to others that I enjoy like politics and sociology. AP Government enabled me to study the political system in the US from an American point of view. In the US I became a Thespian, which trained my communicative skills and ability to work in a group. I continued theatre in Germany.

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

My year in the US shaped me as a person and meeting lots of different people from various social backgrounds has broadened my horizon. Having successfully adapted to a foreign culture before ensures me that I will be able to adjust to the new situation in Great Britain very well.

Back in Germany I am currently doing a project with my social sciences course, the mayor of our town and students from the Dortmund University to make the leisure facilities in our town which is focused on the elderly more attractive for young people. Working on a student paper and a paper for a national summer camp I developed an interest in journalism and can see myself pursuing a career in this area. In my working life I would also like to use the organisational and management skills that I gained by organising sponsors, advertising and shows for a school festivity.

I play tennis and as a teenager I trained a young horse to successfully compete in regional tournaments. Taking this responsibility and keeping up with school required good time management skills. My hearing impairment and the intensive language training turned me into a person with pleasure for reading, good communicative skills, the ability to concentrate well and work ambitiously towards my goal.

Because of my genuine interest in the subject and the academic and personal qualifications I have gained in my life, I have no doubt that I will be a fully committed student who will not only thrive personally and academically, but also contribute fully to this course and life at university.

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.

Need help with your personal statement? You can ask a question or get feedback from The Student Room community (and our trained personal statement experts) on the personal statement advice forum.