Personal Statement:Psychology 100

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

My initial motivation for wanting to read psychology is largely due to my diagnosis of high functioning Asperger Syndrome. Due to this I was surrounded by children with learning difficulties during my secondary education. It was striking as to why some students such as me could easily continue into 'mainstream' education and how others failed to adapt to the norms of conventional society. This sparked my interest in both health and clinical psychology, with particular emphasis on neurodevelopmental disorders, special needs and mental health.

Since reading Philip Banyard's Applying Psychology to Health, issues surrounding mental health have really stood out to me. I particularly enjoyed his argument regarding the irrational thinking of patients with eating disorders. Banyard proposes that obesity often has developmental explanations such as the way we associate 'chubby' babies with good health and love. He also focuses on associations such as the link between unhealthy foods and rewards for good behaviour; exhibiting features of learning theory. It led me to think that his approach would strongly consider something along the lines of systematic desensitisation as one solution to this problem. However, what makes psychology so interesting to me is that there are many individual differences to consider. For example, social contexts are important in considering the types of food children eat, where they may be influenced by peers and thus negatively change their behaviour. So however persuasive one single therapy may appear to be when tackling these concerns, there are alternatives.

Ultimately, I aim to take my education into psychology as far as possible and I aspire to a position where I can truly improve people's lives for the better.

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

My other subjects have also contributed to my interest in psychology. In English Literature we often take a psychoanalytical perspective when studying texts. In The Picture of Dorian Gray we looked at developmental factors to understand why Dorian committed the acts that he did; such as the abuse he received from his grandfather, as well as social factors such as Lord Henry's influence. Also, when reading Enduring Love, we looked at de Clérambault's syndrome to see and understand how the different symptoms related to Jed's behaviour. Economics has taught me about the psychology seen within markets. For example, we studied the factors that can influence consumer demand such as publicity and the availability of substitutes. It has also helped me in interpreting, analysing and evaluating data and statistics.

I also achieved the UKMT intermediate maths challenge award for the best results in my school; proving I am comfortable with a high standard of maths work. These accomplishments underline that I am prepared to go out of my comfort zone and put in extra work.

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

At secondary school, I assisted with workshops and performances that were held at a school for boys with Autism. We held music therapy sessions which helped the boys to express themselves; something they otherwise struggled to do. This was an invaluable experience which illustrated to me for the first time what it is like to help those with social and cognitive impairments. It was so rewarding to actually be able to help, making me realise that I want to further my knowledge of this field. Also, I shall soon be starting volunteer work with Mencap; working with adults who have severe neurodevelopmental disorders. There we shall teach them numeracy and literacy, basic life skills and activities such as arts and crafts.

I am always in search of new challenges; having completed the Three Peaks Challenge, achieved the Silver Asdan Award and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. These accomplishments underline that I am prepared to go out of my comfort zone and put in extra work.

Universities applied to:

• Cambridge (Psychological and Behavioural Sciences)
• Durham (Psychology)
• Warwick (Psychology)
• Birmingham (Psychology)
• Nottingham (Psychology)

Grades achieved:

• Psychology (AS) - A (179/200 UMS)
• English Lit. (AS) - A (190/200 UMS)
• Economics (AS) - A (181/200 UMS)
• Music (AS) - A (265/300 UMS)
• English Lit. - A* (Predicted)
• Psychology - A (Predicted)
• Economics - A (Predicted)

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.