Personal Statement:Social Policy 1

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Modern society changes direction with each day and this leaves behind an important question; can it be argued that other agencies of socialisation now have more influential power than political power held by the government? I have a great interest in questions like this, and this is why I want to study the social sciences further. I want to construct fresh concepts in order to answer these questions, as they need to be researched, explored and debated. With Social Policy escalating into the most essential area of policy making in the government in this generation, researching the vast number of social issues currently affecting our society is something I passionately want to do.

Overall, I find social sciences stimulating and captivating so I feel I would make an excellent and committed addition to your university. Consequently, I am determined to achieve my aspirations of learning more about these subjects at the highest possible level.

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

Studying Sociology alongside Politics has given me a new insight to viewing today's society. Sociology has given me foundations to find my beliefs and opinions in relation to modern culture, whereas Politics has allowed me to utilise these thoughts into exciting and strong views about the way in which we should govern our society. The two subjects have also assisted me in excelling at essay writing and structuring challenging arguments. Studying Drama has also been of help, as the subject allows me to think creatively. All have given me transferable skills that allow me to approach university with a mature attitude and a positive hard work ethic.

Throughout my studies, one of the most exciting publications I have encountered is "Power, Politics and Crime" written by W. Chambliss. Because I have studied Sociology, I have learned about the views of Karl Marx and Marxist Theory. Modern day Marxist, Chambliss, is one I find uniquely appealing and interesting because of his theories of the media impact on the fear of crime and the influence this can have on political decisions. It has also increased my understanding of Marxist thinking and it has encouraged me to pursue further theories with social class as a main feature of discussion. Thus, I took an interest in theories with ethnic minorities as a key area of investigation. I discovered the rather thought-provoking viewpoint of A. Pilkington, and his research into "Racial Disadvantage and Ethnic Diversity in Britain." This exploration of contemporary ideas that look at race and ethnicity in today's society have had a great impact on me, as they have increased my understanding of racial diversity on a global scale. Following this, I decided I wanted to increase my knowledge further by understanding the origins of these attitudes. I studied "Ethnicity: Anthropological Constructions" by M. Banks. This captured my attention because I am interested in the makings of plural societies and race relations between cultures and tribes around the world. As a result of looking at the historical development of ethnicity in this book, I have found explanations of ethnic issues in Sociology and Criminology much easier to analyse in further reading.

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

Alongside my studies, I have a number of hobbies. In athletics, I won silver in the 400m at County level, and finished 3rd in a local 10k Road Race. Athletics is a highly competitive sport and has taught me practical skills of hard-work, determination and resilience. During secondary school, I was elected Head Boy. The leadership and responsibility skills learned helps me as a youth leader at my local church. As a leader, I attend Christian camps 3 times a year, where I am in charge of a large group of young people, aged 5 to 15. This develops a number of life skills as it entails a great deal of teamwork and organisation, due to the number of different activities I arrange for a diverse group of young people.

Universities applied to:

• Bristol (Social Policy)
• Bath Spa (Sociology)
• Plymouth (Sociology)
• Kent (Social Policy & Social Anthropology)
• Bath (Social Policy)

Grades achieved:

• Sociology (A2) - A
• Government & Politics (A2) - C
• Drama & Theatre (A2) - C
• Criminology (AS) - A*
• Philosophy (AS) - D
• Economics (AS) - E
• German (AS) - E
• Psychology (AS) - E
• General Studies (AS) - B

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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