Personal Statement:Psychology 9 - The Student Room

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

I became interested in applying for a psychology degree after beginning an A-level psychology course. I have enjoyed studying both biopsychology and ethical issues in psychology as modules over the past year. Reading the psychological perspectives of different famous psychologists such as Freud, Szasz, and Pavlov has also greatly interested me. I enjoy observing human behaviour and performing comparisons of theories purported by different psychologists.

I am most looking forward to studying social and individual psychology to link with both my psychology and sociology A-level interests.

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

As part of coursework I performed a replication of Piaget's conservation tasks in a primary school. These series of experiments were undertaken by myself and a partner on a group of children aged between four and eight years. The children had to perform the original tasks conducted by Piaget, for example, the conservation of continuous quantity, the conservation of number, the conservation of mass, and the naughty teddy experiments. Recording and correlating the results was fascinating as the results we gained compared well with Piaget's conclusions from the original conservation tasks.

Reading the psychological perspectives of different famous psychologists such as Freud, Szasz and Pavlov has also greatly interested me.

I aim to build upon the knowledge I have begun to learn at college, focusing more specifically on areas such as social and individual psychology.

I have enjoyed studying both biopsychology and ethical issues in psychology, which have helped develop my understanding and interest in the field.

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

I enjoy reading and have an interest in literature, regularly attending plays at my local theatre. I recently took a trip to Germany with college, where I had the opportunity to see the Oberammergau passion play and the German opera Zar and Simmerman. On this college trip, we travelled through Austria and the Czech Republic and had the chance to visit Mozart House in Salzburg and explore the old town of Czesky Krumlov.

I have a strong interest in music and listen to a variety of genres ranging from rock to jazz and blues. In the past, I have played in a brass band in my local community and have an interest in other musical instruments, including piano and guitar, for which I have had lessons over the past year.

My interest in horses and my experience of horse riding has led me to secure a part-time weekend job at my local equestrian retail store. Working as a sales assistant has given me a sense of independence, greater self-confidence, and taught me how to handle responsibility.

Additionally, I have gained work experience in both a primary school and a high school as a classroom assistant. These experiences have helped me develop communication skills and understand different age groups, which I believe will be valuable in my psychology studies. Post-degree, I would like to work in the community and have as much contact with a variety of people as possible.

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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