Psychology with Foundation Year Personal Statement

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

In conclusion, as a young female aspiring to become a Cognitive Psychologist, I have been inspired by multiple elements of Psychology, such as the work conducted by Ellen J. Langer. I wish to advance to the next stage towards my goal and ultimately as an engrossed student, I believe completing a Psychology degree at your institution will give me the best opportunity to pursue a successful career, providing introspection, just as pioneering psychologists like Langer have done before me. This sparked my curiosity because what intrigues me about Psychology is that there are alternative perspectives, which can be applied to the real world. As a Psychology student, I do not want to feel restricted with one viewpoint, as I believe it is vital for the development of key skills within the field of Psychology such as thinking more critically.

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

Before I pursued Psychology as an A-Level, I had developed an interest in factors that could drive human behaviour and I had many unsolved questions about cognitive Psychology, which predominantly shaped my ambition. My curiosity tailored towards the way we process sensory information and how ‘faulty’ processing occurs. During my studies, I began to challenge several aspects of Psychology, by taking in account different approaches and factors. My decision to study A-Level Biology has deepened my knowledge around how the field of Biology and Psychology are interrelated; an example of this is how the human biology can be manipulated with drug use, as a result, it affects our behaviour through the release of hormones and neurotransmitters. Furthermore, studying A-Level Geography has honed my analytical skills when handling data, due to the nature of examining statistics; it has driven me to question why such cultural variations and norms exist on a geographical scale.

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

My participation in 'The Scholars Programme' in 2015 reinforced my decision to progress my studies onto university. ‘The Scholars Programme’ run by ‘The Brilliant Club’ aim to increase the number of pupils from under-represented backgrounds and state schools to progress to highly selective universities. From the challenging university-style sessions I had attended, I learnt the importance of being more independent and focused which was a vast difference between sixth form and university. Aside from academia, I engage in multiple extracurricular activities. For example, I play badminton once a fortnight, which benefits me by helping me maintain a healthy lifestyle, by playing a major role in improving my mental wellbeing.