Sample Psychology Personal Statement
From an early age, observations of my mother’s work as a life coach to reforming criminal offenders and homeless people made me wonder how the childhood experiences of these individuals contributed to their later problems. Experiences with autistic children and reading books such as ‘The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog’ (B.Perry & M.Szalavitz) transformed this intrigue into a passion, and sparked my desire to pursue a career in Psychology.
A-level Psychology fascinated me from the very first class. I found my studies of the causes and treatment mental disorders, such as depression, drug addiction and schizophrenia, particularly interesting. I supplemented my studies with a subscription to ‘Psychology Review’ and by reading non-academic books that offered first-hand insights such as Kurt Snyder’s “Me, myself and them.” I would love to explore the links between Psychology and crime in greater depth at degree level. I want to discover the reasons behind criminal behaviour and the potential role psychologists can play in crime prevention, particularly targeting the young. I recently acted as an appropriate adult during the arrest of a 14 year old delinquent, and witnessed the huge difference even a small amount of emotional support can have on a young person’s life. Following my encouragement he gained confidence and self-belief and is now achieving A’s and B’s in school.
By taking a gap year I was able to improve my A-level grades and gain extensive experience working with children with behavioural or learning difficulties, which confirmed my ambition to become a child psychologist. I had previous experience with children having worked as a private tutor and volunteered at a local primary school throughout my last two years of school, helping to teach literacy and numeracy skills and supervising in the playground. Last summer I travelled to Virginia, United States, where I shadowed a speech therapist and child behavioural counsellor, working primarily with autistic children aged 6 to 12. I learnt various strategies in developing attention and listening skills in children for whom verbal communication is difficult. This required a great deal of patience but was very rewarding. Back in the UK I applied these skills I had developed in my role as a carer for an autistic teenager. I am fascinated by the science and psychology behind autism, so have enrolled on a PEACH course to learn more about how those with autism experience the world.
Another field of Psychology which interests me is consumer behaviour. I regularly participate in market research, assisting companies such as Microsoft to obtain feedback from potential customers on new products. I look forward to applying the knowledge I have acquired through my Media Studies A-level when learning about the behavioural psychology of the public at university.
I believe I possess the necessary skills to succeed in a career in psychology. I have developed excellent communication, teamwork and leadership skills through captaining my 6th form Hockey team, playing for the Bank of England Sports Club Women’s Hockey team and completing a Sports Leadership course at school. I have a natural affinity for foreign languages – I speak fluent Dutch and very good French and Spanish – which enables me to communicate and build relationships of trust with a wide range of people. This skill was particularly helpful when I recently canvassed for Zac Goldsmith MP on a wide variety of local and environment issues. I have a strong desire to use my abilities to help others, such as by organising a Business in the Community charity musical event to raise money for the homeless. I look forward to combining these skills to improve the lives of disadvantaged children by giving them a chance to experience self-fulfilment and pride. I am a very conscientious student, committed to achieving my goals – I am prepared to work as hard as it takes to realise my ambitions.
We hope this Sample Psychology personal statement has been helpful in the writing of your own statement.