Personal Statement:Psychology 3

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

For the past thirteen years I've been living in Sweden, I am however originally from Denmark and I speak both languages fluently. My father who is an executive of the foreign department in an entrepreneur company has throughout his career been living in various countries.

This international exposure has given me the opportunity to visit many places around the world. The most interesting trip was when I visited Benin (West Africa). Seeing their customs which are indeed very different from the customs in this part of the world was truly amazing. The international experience I have gained through my travelling has been very useful to me, not merely because I have met new interesting people, cultures and customs, but also because it has allowed me to analyse and evaluate the conduct of people in this part of the world from a wider perspective. It will moreover be useful to me as a psychology student since it will allow me to compare people in different parts of the world.

No other subject I have studied has caught my interest like psychology and that is the main reason I want to study it at university. To be sure that this really was what I desired, I applied for my present job which is to a high degree intervened with the theoretical knowledge which I have achieved during the psychology sessions in school.

Observing the concrete effects different psychological methods and treatments have, has strongly reinforced my desire to study the subject further and I cannot think of anything I would rather work with in the future.

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

In elementary school I never received the essential challenge and stimulation I needed to develop according to my full potential. The IB-programme however, gave me this challenge and besides providing me with a top-quality, pre-university education, it has radically amplified my personal ambitions and my desire to study further. Due to a long-time illness before the final exams I wasn't able to repeat my subjects, and this affected my grades significantly. However, I will retake the subjects where I don't feel that the grade represents my ability. I am now eager to enter the undergraduate psychology programme, where I can continue to strive towards reaching my ambitions and make use of my full intellectual potential. The past two years I have been very dedicated to my studies also during my spare time.

I have however, always been very interested in sports and practised various (mainly soccer) throughout my life. Besides good physical health, my interest in sports has given me a unique insight into the psychology of sports.

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

My present job will be an invaluable complement to the theoretical skills achieved at university. I work at an institution for mentally handicapped children where I have responsibility for two children. This means that I decide practically everything concerning their treatment within certain frames which are common to all children. I find the job very stimulating and have received positive criticism for my calmness and ability to make the children like me.

Having worked with practical psychological issues is, I believe, essential for a good understanding of psychology. When achieving new theoretical knowledge I will have something concrete to which I can relate it. Moreover, my experience will contribute concrete aspects of psychological issues in debates and discussions.

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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