“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think” (Margaret Mead). I have always been fascinated in the degree to which education and parenting styles influence a child’s ideas and principles throughout their development. Following on from this initial early interest in the subject, I began to develop an intense passion, constantly observing behaviour and why we all behave the way we do. It reshaped my entire mind-set, making it more balanced and ultimately immersing myself in the answering of complex issues. Therefore, I would not only love to study Psychology simply because I find the subject itself fascinating but also so I could have a deeper insight into the behaviours of society.

My A-Levels have provided me with a solid foundation of transferable analytical and cognitive skills that will strengthen the knowledge I will gain throughout my studies of psychology. Having studied psychology as an A-level I have a firm understanding of conceptual basics, and having found a deep passion for this subject during the simpler aspects, I believe I will approach the difficult areas of psychology with equal passion and flare. History requires analytical and evaluative skills when it comes to both essays and source work which require me to evaluate evidence, to make decisive conclusions and clear arguments alongside learning to approach topics or situations with a variety of approaches. Through studying British politics in History, I’ve gained statistical knowledge by analysing election votes, finding anomalies and evaluating results to form conclusive statements, all of which I believe will aid me in studying Psychology as a degree.

Having embarked on the psychology A-level course I developed an immense passion for the subject and wish to pursue it as both a degree and future career. In my opinion psychology is imperative in understanding society and the research conducted over recent years has been vital in legal, medical and political spheres of life. However, what entices me most about psychology as a degree is not only the opportunity to explore what has already been discovered but also to explore the areas that haven’t been yet understood by research. I therefore believe that a student should engage and immerse themselves in the studies of leading practitioners, and challenge existing ideas by contributing personal in-depth research. I also believe that with my passion I would fit the criteria to the best of my ability. From a young age, I have always been interested in helping others.

At 15, I volunteered for a branch of CARE. Through the charity scheme, I assisted in fundraising for a local festival that raised money and awareness to help young girls around the world go to school. While adapting to a new environment, I was able to effectively build organisation and communication skills while working within a team. These essential skills will help me in studying a Psychology degree when studying behaviour in different fields of research and different environments. I learned to build on my own character as a compassionate person and I became more fascinated in broadening my knowledge of culture bias and learning about universal behaviour.

Since volunteering in CARE, I’ve been inspired to help those around me and positively contribute where I can. In the future I strive to pursue a career in educational settings where I can work with children who have learning disabilities. Studying psychology as a degree will enable me to understand how children may think, behave and also develop. The knowledge I gain will highly benefit me to understand reasons for certain human behaviour, mental health and will also increase my sensitivity in understanding behavioural mannerisms of disabled children. I strive to become an educational psychologist and I believe gaining a Psychology degree is the next step to achieve my goal.