Personal Statement:Psychology 43

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Depolarisation, repolarisation and hyperpolarisation. When a London taxi driver plans his route from point A to B, his well-developed hippocampus creates millions of these action potentials, firing thousands of neurons, forming hundreds of connections. Fascinating, isn't it? Ranging from neuroscience to anthropology, psychology is a broad science. My experience thus far in this wide breadth of subjects is precisely what inspires me to enter this field.

My interest in psychology and sociology first began when I heard Dr V.S Ramachandran speaking at a TED conference in 2007. His ideas on synaesthesia and neurological approach to psychology painted the subject as a vivid and dynamic field. A while later, I ran into his book, 'Tell-Tale Brain' and subsequently, other works such as Steven Pinker on the genetic roots of human conflict, and Nassim Nicholas Taleb on positive stress.

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

Curious to understand the scientific basis of these psychological theories, I pushed myself to pursue additional Biology and Chemistry Honours on top of university-level foundational courses. A step further, I undertook an 8-month attachment in a university Developmental Genetics laboratory to study the effect of an anti-auxin on early root development in axr2-1, a dwarf plant mutant. While the countless tissue-cultures, physiological assays and mutant-crossings culminated in an award at the Singapore Science and Engineering Fair, the meticulous nature of my fellow scientists highlighted to me the common traits good researchers share. Having engaged in an education rooted in scientific inquiry, I am keen to sharpen my interests by studying psychology.

Furthermore, as a competitive debater, active participant and organiser of Model United Nations conferences, I constantly revisit my skills in succinctly communicating ideas and persuading an audience. Requiring considerable research and effort - even travelling as far as Berkeley, USA or Beijing, China, I delved into topics such as drones, cyber terrorism, and militarisation of the Arctic. My exposure has allowed me to analyse and critique the way the world works on a societal level.

In addition, I embarked on an internship at the Public Service Division to begin a research project on public engagement. My work matured into a campaign to instill a culture of service. I drafted Concept Papers engaging innovative platforms and crowdsourcing. Having been exposed to what my future career might be, my approach to psychology would question how we can better address individual behaviour and societal expectations in policy.

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

Inspired, I went on to publish a book on the matter, "munabridged". This anthology is a collection of eleven personal Model United Nations stories - written to engage young participants. My intensive research into societal and political affairs, as well as my foray into publishing have given me a cogent knowledge of human behaviour in a variety of contexts. By studying psychology, I aim to extend this to societal and individual progress - what could bring us further?

In my spare time, I play the ukulele, learn French and enjoy watching short films. To me, the best short films encapsulate an aspect of human behaviour, with a dash of fresh perspective. These have led me to reason that as much as I yearn to explore psychology, the smorgasbord of views and opinions within a UK university is what makes it invaluable. Psychology is a varied discipline with overlaps in biology, philosophy, sociology, among others. Whether I express it through publishing a book or designing a campaign for public engagement, a psychology education empowers me to influence people, to better society.

Universities applied to:

• University of Cambridge (Psychology and Behavioural Sciences)
• University of Durham (Psychology)
• University of Bath (Psychology with Placement)
• University College London (Psychology)
• London School of Economics (Sociology)

Grades achieved:

• Biology with Honors - 4.5 (A)
• Chemistry with Honors - 4.4 (A)
• Mathematics Major - 4.3 (A)
• Physics Major - 4.2 (A)
• Humanities/Arts (incl English, Philosophy, Geography, Art, Music) - 4.6 (A*)
• Overall: 4.4 (AAA)
• SAT I Scores 2120
• SAT II Scores Math II: 680 Biology (E): 790 Chemistry: 800
• AP Scores Statistics: 4 Biology: 5 Chemistry: 5 Calculus: 5 Physics: 5

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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