This Personal Statement was part of Bhadra Sreejith’s successful application to the LSE for Government and Economics, the University of Warwick for Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) and the University of Edinburgh for Politics and Economics.

To change the world, one must first understand it. I come from Kerala, a state with a strong tradition of Marxist ideology and the highest Human Development Index in India, despite its low levels of economic growth. This has given me the opportunity to observe the effect of government policies on development and shown me that economics and politics are inexorably linked, thus leading to my desire to study them, in order to understand the world further.

I enjoy studying A-level economics and try to read beyond the confines of the syllabus. Paul Krugman’s ‘End This Depression Now’ alerted me to the consequences of different macroeconomic policies countries use to cope with a crisis such as the ‘Great Recession’. His criticism of austerity interested me in the political repercussions of austerity, such as the Greek protests of 2011, and the increased popularity of fascist parties. I have also become particularly interested in the economics of developing nations, fuelled by my observation of India, where massive wealth and desperate poverty often coexist. In particular, I desired to learn about the connection between democracy and economic growth. To this end, I read ‘Development as Freedom’ by Amartya Sen. I found it to be engrossing as it argued the case for political participation being a measure of human freedom, and constituting development in its own right. While autocracies may claim a higher economic growth rate, I like the idea that democracy is not a means to an end, but an end in itself.

To further my interests in the theory of freedom, I watched Michael Sandel’s ‘Justice’ series of lectures and became attracted to the concept of utilitarianism. It was interesting to relate utilitarianism and the concept of the general good to Jacques Rousseau’s ‘The Social Contract’ and the general will. However, I feel that the espousal of the general good could often lead to totalitarianism and the ‘tyranny of the majority’. It could also be manipulated by a loud, determined minority, such as a lobbying group, when applied to current politics. I also read ‘On Liberty’ by John Stuart Mill and found his defense of free speech and liberty compelling, noting its continued relevance in the modern world.

My fascination with politics has been reinforced by taking part in Model United Nations conferences. They have sharpened my debating skills and allowed me to look at situations from the perspectives of various countries with different political systems, teaching me the importance of keeping abreast of current affairs. I am interested to note the consequences of a gradual shift in power towards the East, such as the G-8 gradually being replaced by the G-20 due to the rise of India and China. Kishore Mahbubani’s ‘The New Asian Hemisphere’ described this rise in detail, but I did not think he considered that countries such as India have too many domestic problems to take on a more dominant international role. Living in both Malaysia and India has shown me how differences in political systems can contribute vastly to the amount of political freedom citizens of the country enjoy. I would like to explore these differences in detail at university.

I enjoy writing. I am the Editor-in-Chief of the student magazine, and through this I have learned to write clearly and clarify arguments. I was also vice-President of the local Toastmasters club, which put me in charge of organizing meetings and inviting speakers from other clubs, allowing me to improve my public speaking skills. As a hobby, I play the piano. Balancing my A-levels alongside my extra-curricular activities has proved to be a challenging task, but my time management skills have improved as a result. By studying in a university in the UK, I hope to understand why the world is the way it is, and hopefully change it.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

This Personal Statement was part of Azman Wazir’s successful application to the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), University of Edinburgh and University of Manchester for Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE).

Observing my grandfather practice Tai Chi every morning led me to pick up Wing Chun. Looking into my Chinese heritage, I was fascinated at how the martial art evoked its origin – its style reminiscent of ‘the softness of water’ as described in the Dao De Jing. Reading commentaries on Taoism, I realised its synonymy with laissez-faire and libertarianism. The interrelation between an ancient Chinese religion to modern political and economic theories enlightened me of the overlap between the fields of philosophy, politics and economics and has driven me to pursue these disciplines at university.

A passion for history, which led me to self-study the subject at IGCSE, was only fed further by A-Level history, where I gained insight into the rise and fall of political institutions. I was especially intrigued by the transformation of the Weimar democracy into a centralised one-party state, where I saw parallels to how autonomous local districts in my country were brought under the purview of the federal government. Having lived in Singapore, my initial perception that authoritarian regimes facilitated stability and economic growth was put into context by my participation in the Malaysia Public Policy Competition, which showed me the inefficiencies of top-down governance; and the difficulties democracies had managing multiple stakeholders. Being the only team of erstwhile strangers in the competition taught us to manage our diversities by capitalising our advantages while compromising our differences. This reflected in our policy of divvying funding and decision-making between state and federal levels, landing us in the semi-finals.

This experience aided me as Head of the Economics Council of the KYUEM Summit, which honed my communication skills and ability to delegate tasks. I found the Summit’s debates surrounding Malaysia’s fiscal reforms as well as participation in free trade agreements stimulating, as these measures were similar to the IMF’s shock therapy recommendations in the aftermath of the Asian Financial Crisis, which Malaysia ignored. While this gained Stiglitz’s approval in his ‘Globalisation and its Discontents’, Sharma’s ‘Breakout Nations’ blames Malaysia’s currency controls for causing the fall in its growth rate post-Crisis. This paranoia against ‘foreign speculators’ evoked the sermons condemning ‘Western influences’, resulting in my piece on ‘Islam and Capitalism’, which noted the existence of free capital flows and trade in the Caliphate era.  Analysing contrasting sources from multiple languages required me to formulate my own stances instead of relying on preconceptions.

Interning at CenPRIS, a policy research centre at a top Malaysian university, enabled me to study the ethics of immigration and gave me a glimpse into the philosophical dimensions of politics. Being of immigrant descent myself, Rawls’ Equality Principle appealed to me as a guide on migration policy. Utilitarianism further supported this stance, arguing that denying migrants the right to a better life results in diminished utility for the greatest number. Drafting resolutions in MUN conferences allowed me to witness egoism on a global scale, with individuals and countries pushing their own interests. I was thus able to combine practical concerns with theoretical concepts and economic analyses while writing a policy recommendation on migration.

My multi-ethnic background has endowed me with trilingual fluency, making me aware of subtle inferences lost in translation. My interaction with various segments of society while working part-time in a news outlet led to the realisation that despite an increasingly cosmopolitan world, language barriers isolate the poorest non-Anglophones globally; which preparing a research proposal on social housing reaffirmed. I believe that migration is not just an economic or political question, but a philosophical one, and hope that my degree will allow me to delve into it from these distinct but inseparable fields.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

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A long-haul transatlantic flight brought me to this country in the far west, which many people are seemingly familiar with, due to the enormous cultural influence it has cast upon the world. The same insecurity and excitement surged within me once again, even though I was much more capable of containing these emotions now that I have spent two years reading biological sciences at UCL. I have since settled down in a flat that is just 5-minute walking distance from the gorgeous Homewood Campus at Johns Hopkins University. I am really grateful for having this opportunity to go to the US while studying abroad in the UK (hence, the title) and would like to share my experiences and also my perspectives on the differences between these two most sought-after study abroad destinations.

Academics. It is undeniable that a UK degree is more specialized than its American counterpart. In the UK, you have very limited flexibility when it comes to course choices. For instance, in my second year, out of 4 credits I have to accomplish, at least 3 have to be biology-related and it is rather rare for you take elective modules offered in another school/department, due to various reasons (mainly administrative and pre-requisite requirements), unless it is a language module. On the other hand, in the US, many students are allowed to juggle Virginia Woolf, the nodes of Ranvier and epidemiology in the same semester. Even though you still have certain requirements that you need to meet for your major, you have much more freedom compared to UK students. In this semester, I am taking neuroscience courses, which are completely foreign to me, as my specialization back home is molecular and cell biology. I am planning to do a course on natural catastrophes next term, since I finally got the chance to quench my thirst for studying geology. I simply cannot end this paragraph without comparing the grading systems. In the UK, grades are categorized into classes: first class, upper second class (2:1), lower second class (2:2) and third class. The grades are absolute. If you get higher than 70 (which is hard, trust me), you are considered first class, regardless of how your peers perform. In the US, you are assigned a letter grade for each course you take, and that letter grade corresponds to a GPA score. At the end of the term, you will get a weighted average of your GPA score (depending on the credit weight of the courses). How is the letter grade assigned? It depends on the course, many courses use normalized curve, which means that if you obtain a mark that is around 90% of the highest score below the 4th percentile, you will be assigned an A grade (and of course those top 4% will get an A+). Some courses may apply different strategies, for example, you probably need to get a score that is one standard deviation above the average grade to be in the A range or just to be top 10% of the class to achieve it. This is very dissimilar to the UK system, as you will face situations when you do not ‘reap what you sow’ and experience tension and competitions amongst your peers at all times. The advantages are that you are going to be more diligent and fastidious, as you will be very concerned about the scores of each report and midterms (I don’t even know what it was before coming here), and know how to manage your time so that you can learn happily and get a good grade. The UK education requires a huge amount of self-discipline and rigorous independent study, as in many cases; only one final exam (for each module) that counts heavily towards the final mark is given in the end of each academic year. This does not mean that it is easier. The exams in the US comprise mostly short-answered, analytical, problem-solving questions – you are normally given a set of data which you have to interpret and analyse logically and apply it – while in the UK exams are essay-based, in which you have to write pages and pages explaining how we can target EGF receptor signaling to stop tumour growth (as an example). The former demands clear thinking and complete understanding of learning material while the latter requires the ability to present your understanding and critical thinking about a topic in the most succinct and lucid form and also loads of memorization. So, which is more suitable for you? If you are determined on what you want to do in the future, the UK system may suit you best, as the specialized education equips you with the specific skills and advanced knowledge that are indispensable for your chosen path. Students who have not yet decided on their future career path should take advantage of the holistic, well-rounded undergraduate education of US universities, as you can always change your concentration in first or second year and balance your personal interests with academic preferences.

Social life. Owing to my ALDH2 (the enzyme that should digest the by-product of alcohol degradation) mutation, I am not allowed and not in the position to comment on the clubbing (seriously not my style) or drinking social life in both countries. However, I do participate in societies and hang out with friends who share common interests. Homesickness is an illness that every international student is highly susceptible to. To me, meeting fellow Malaysians and eating Malaysian food are the most effective remedies for this malady. As US is further away from Malaysia than the UK and is blessed with more decent universities (therefore, sparser distribution), you will most likely find fewer than 10 Malaysians in one university (we have 6 at JHU, including me!). On the other hand, Malaysians constitute a huge part of the international student communities in many UK universities. The opportunity to organize glamorous events that can unite all Malaysians across the country is surely deprived in US universities, as most do not even have an association for Malaysians, let alone organizing events. On the flip side, you are relieved of the burden of being obliged to cling to people from your home country (that is if you do not like it) and get to interact more with local students. A major part of my social life in the UK is eating out with my Malaysian friends or holding potluck sessions at someone’s apartment. In the US, I mostly hang out with some other exchange students and also people from the society I joined. So far, I felt that US universities are not as diverse in terms of student body in comparison to UK universities (mostly due to the lack of Europeans). Most of my course-mates are Americans (of different ethnicities, though). This may be slightly biased as I am studying biology, a subject that attracts fewer international students.

Travelling. I have to write a separate paragraph regarding this important activity. I reckon everyone is aware that UK is located slightly above Continental Europe, the dreamland of all travellers. The flights to all European countries are affordable and the travelling time is bearable to almost everybody. I am blessed to have so far been to many gorgeous towns and cities in the continent and am still looking forward to visiting many of them next year. In the US, this is not the case. Flight tickets are relatively expensive and it takes hours to travel one from location to another. Planning requires much more time and research that I expected, as many cities do not have convenient public transport service which you can seriously take advantage of when you are travelling in European cities. Again, this does not mean that the cities are not as worthwhile to visit. I have been to Boston and Washington D.C. (which are near to where I am studying at) and they are jaw-droppingly beautiful. Having said that, I have planned several trips to New York, Orlando and Miami in the coming holidays. Another point worth to mention is that, in fact, US universities have less vacation compared to UK universities. This has been troubling me as I have been in torpor for a long time after all the torment of late night revisions and weekly exams.

These are the points that I would like to cover this time and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it. I focused extensively on the academic part, as that was the main reason why I chose to come to the US, which is to experience the reputable education system in this country. If you are still struggling to choose between these two, do consider the universities that offer a study abroad option in addition to the course that you are fond of. Moreover, I would recommend you all plan earlier for the application, which normally falls in late first term of the second year This means that you will have to use your first year results to apply. Therefore, doing fairly well academically in the first year is crucial to secure a place in the programme, as it can be quite competitive (especially for US universities). The application process can be frustrating sometimes, as you will need to write a motivation letter and also to find a referee who can tell good things about you, but I promise the experience is going to be awesome. Feel free to ask my any questions via pongvictor@hotmail.com.

Victor Pong is a third year MSci Biological Sciences student at University College London (UCL) under the MyBrainSc Scholarship. He fancies playing Pokemon games, dining in posh restaurants and taking strolls in the tranquil city parks.

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Hi there! I am Louisa from Kuching, Sarawak. I did my A-levels at Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar (KTJ) and am currently pursuing the Foundation Course in the Architectural Association School of Architecture (AA School). This will lead to my First Year in Architecture.

When you hear the word ‘architecture’, you will probably think of buildings, sketches or the people responsible for creating space, function and form while the engineers grumble over that these architects draw dreams that they have to create. Architecture is, however, a long journey of 5 academic years for the master’s degree and another two years of working to earn your RIBA part 3, which ultimately proves that you are a fully-fledged architect and are able to sign off your drawings. It is encouraged to take a break to work for a year after the third year of your degree. So this journey would be about 8 years long – “as bad as medicine”, people would say.

You have to be certain of your choice and you must have a passion for this course. Otherwise, it will be absolute torture for you. The hashtag ‘#architorture’ is a thing on Instagram, go check it out. This is not the course for you if your plan is to get rich quick. The famous architects you hear about don’t represent more than a bare minority and they had to work long and hard to reach where they are now. Hard work, perseverance and passion are necessary to survive this craziness.

Portfolio

The big major question everyone has in their mind. The major headache of every art student. Honestly, presentation is what is important for the portfolio the most. You need to give good quality images of your work and then be able to explain it well. Have a side note to each image and tell them what inspired you to do this – the thought process. To each student their own because the portfolio is almost like an extension of your character. Especially now with my course mates, when I see their portfolios, I see their characters in the images and the way they present their images.

There is no right or wrong with portfolios. It may vary according to the school you apply for, they may be looking for students with certain qualities or styles. That is why it is important to research on the schools you are applying for, to understand their approach to teaching the architectural course.

When I applied to the AA School, my portfolio was very much comprised of fine art with a bit of graphic design thrown in. My friends have portfolios showing just sketches or just photographs or every style of art under the sun; showing their experiments and approaches. The AA School likes students from all styles as long as you can communicate and explain your work. They are more interested in the way you think, the way you approach things, rather than actually seeing what you can do, though that is necessary too.

Personal Statement

Another headache. At this time, the UCAS students are shaking their heads and panicking because the deadlines are here or for the Oxbridge candidates, pass and the agony of waiting is upon them. The important thing about personal statements is to speak about your passion in architecture and what influenced you to choose architecture. Let them understand without question or doubt as to why they should choose you for a place in their university for architecture. Explain how your skills and ECA activities tie into architecture or how they are useful.

Spend a small amount of time, small being the crucial word here, to explain why you choose the university. Of course for UCAS applicants, you have to be very general about it but explain why the university would be necessary for your future and how you are important to the school too, how you could contribute to them. Talk about how your experience and leadership skills acquired in high school can be used in the clubs and societies offered in the university.

For applicants applying to private universities or applying to a university individually, this is the time to really research on the university’s teaching style. Is it technical or more creative? Explain why you want to pursue those aspects that the university can offer. These are mere examples. Remember, do not oversell yourself or ‘butter up’ the school too much. You will come off as desperate or a sycophant, both of which will decrease your favourability to the universities and you do not want that to happen. Unless you state it, the universities will have no idea which other universities to applied to, this is especially so for UCAS candidates, until you have chosen your firm and insurance choice.

In my personal experience, I would say, be prepared to work hard but remember to work smart. Every day, do something and little by little, it will build up into something amazing. Do not get discouraged if your first topic was bad. Keep working on it, Rome was not built in a day after all. You can only get better with practice. Do proper research, read a lot and observe. Take photographs, sketches, make annotations of buildings and anything at all that captured your attention. You never know when these things might actually help spark that creative streak in you down the road when you are stuck in the studio in the middle of the night trying to come up with an idea. You start to notice what works and what does not in architecture, architecture will take over your life.

Important point is, that even with an architectural degree, you do not necessarily have to practice architecture. There are people with architectural degrees doing product design, interior design or even event planning. The sky is the limit, it does not stop with architecture. In fact, it gives you a better understanding of things. In architecture, you learn model-making, observational study, photography, and an excellent understanding of the Adobe Creative Suite which includes Photoshop to name a few.

I personally enjoy my course even though it can get extremely tedious. Honestly, there are moments when I love it and moments when I question my life choices. But if you are certain about this, and you have a passion for it, I say ignore whatever other people say and go for it. This is your future, you should do something you enjoy and if need be, go against the current. I am all for being unique. After all, that is how amazing things happen – with confidence, tenacity and hard work.

Louisa Wong is currently reading Architecture in the Architectural Association School of Architecture (AA School) in the United Kingdom.

This Personal Statement was part of Sukhdev’s successful application to the LSE, UCL, the University of Warwick and the University of Manchester to read Economics.

Growing up in the capital of a developing nation, I have observed rapid change around me. Despite significant government funding, there has been an alarming increase in the nation’s relative poverty rates, according to the United Nations Development Programme. Excess welfare handouts are generally criticised for being politically motivated as Household Debt to GDP ratio increased worryingly from 60% to 88% in the past 7 years. An also consistent rise in National Debt to GDP ratio exhibit similar trends to Greece prior to their debt crisis, but to a lesser extent. As I seek answers to policy problems in my nation, I am convinced that economics will provide some.

The use of handouts by the Malaysian government convinced me that Malaysian policies were largely Keynesian as I learnt that they affect Consumer Expenditure and Aggregate Demand. Paul Krugman also emphasised on such policies in his book “End This Depression Now!” but what I found to be highly interesting was his reference to Fisher’s Debt Deflation Theory where the more people repay debts in their economy, the more their debt grows due to a deflationary effect as a result from reduced expenditure. Not only did Malaysian household debt grow as a result, exacerbated by a property market bubble, but GDP growth also slowed down with the recent Goods & Services Tax. Krugman used this theory to explain the slow recovery to America’s 2008 economic depression when austerity was thought to be the solution.

Nevertheless, as household debt continues to approach unsustainable levels despite handouts, I inferred that there was a larger structural problem at hand. This led me to Thomas Piketty’s “Capital in the 21st Century”. His theory on how income inequality is fuelled by the use of capital is supported by his “r greater than g” theory. This resonates with the long-time Malaysian dilemma of the Chinese consistently dominating the housing markets and businesses despite affirmative action and special socioeconomic privileges given to the Malays. Stark differences in racially polarised ownership of capital such as land estates and means of production since the colonial era generated grave wealth inequality. Piketty’s solution to enforce taxes on capital rather than income may actually eradicate inequality in Malaysia given that there is a tangible difference between income and returns from capital.

Piketty’s constant use of calculus made me realise that Economics is very mathematical. While the formulation of the Gini Coefficient in statistically proving income inequality is impressive, I am sceptical of the overreliance on it as the predictions are conditional on numerous assumptions. Miscalculations on returns for secondary derivatives which became one of the factors to the Minsky moment in the 2008 financial crisis is a testament to my worries.

Last summer, I interned with the Business Development Team of Maybank, the largest banking conglomerate in Malaysia. One significant thing I learnt here is that financial services are targeted differently at specific income groups. I hypothesised that this is because there is severe inequality which might stem from a faulty economic structure, or perhaps some services are simply better suited for different income groups. If it is the former, I perceive that banks play a vital role in mitigating this effect. As a Maybank Scholar, I believe that I can make an impact on these issues.

While studying, I also took up British Parliamentary Debating, consistently debating at national-level and varsity tournaments where I learnt to critically analyse economic issues. Debates ranging from the use of Quantitative Easing during a recession, to the relevance of an extractive economy in developed nations have taught me more about Economics in ways which books cannot.

I look forward to the challenges that University has to offer and I hope that a UK degree in Economics will aid me in my future endeavours to contribute back to the global community.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

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This write-up will explain largely the key questions surrounding applications to read Economics at LSE – Composition and direction of the Personal Statement and subject choices. I am currently studying BSc in Economics (L101) at LSE, having studied A level (History, Economics, Maths and Further Maths) at Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar previously.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

The Personal Statement is undisputedly the most important component of your application. Tons of other applicants will possess stellar grades, which is where your statement will differentiate you from the others and land yourself an offer. If your grades aren’t stellar, likewise, this is the hinging factor that might place you over the others. Evidently rejections from LSE often fall back to faults in Personal Statements being not up to the standard LSE wants or that they do not reflect what LSE looks for in an applicant.

Let’s establish three simple principles to follow in writing your personal statement, which will apply to arguably all other university applications through UCAS. Firstly, your personal statement must reflect that your academic potential or interest. Secondly, your personal statement should be about academics. Thirdly, your personal statement should reflect you. Being able to follow these three divine commandments will, hopefully, bring out the essence of your application to British universities, with LSE included. Keep in mind that Economics at LSE is extremely competitive, you have no reason to slack off on your personal statement.

How shall I display my academic potential or interest?

The most intuitive way to do this is to display curiosity, sophistication and clear understanding of economic issues that deeply interest you. Given that, it might be helpful to start planning and think about burning questions or issues that you love way beforehand rather than to glide through economic books or textbooks to find the “most interesting topic”.  You will be able to talk about topics that interest you deeply more intelligently, passionately and interestingly.

In my case, my initial draft largely consisted of brief mentions and analysis of books of different topics, ranging from financial crises, development, income disparity to policies. A clear problem was that it lacked depth and sophistication. Surely it displayed evidence of reading but certainly not competency. Realising that, my further drafts focused on largely a central topic – development. In doing so, the number of books mentioned was reduced significantly. Each book mentioned revealed a different aspect of developmental economics, while complementing and extending one another. At this point, it is easy to slip into a trap of summarising books you read. Avoid this and relate the content to what you have understood, or how it revealed a new aspect that sparks curiosity. A good way to do this is to either express an opinion in extension to your analysis of the book or an intelligent question.

A crucial aspect that might easily be overlooked is mathematics. Maths is the Holy Grail for LSE, especially for economics, which is maths-intensive. This means that you should display mathematical competency in your Personal Statement, not forgetting to relate maths with economics. Developing this portion in depth, supported by your understanding and perhaps, achievements in maths would be great. Remember however that listing your achievements in maths competitions is good but isn’t impressive in comparison to a candidate who shows awareness of relation between maths and economics in context.

How should I make my Personal Statement academic?

An appropriate answer to that would be to strike out/cut down on ECAs and personal interests that have no direct relation with Economics. However, that does not mean that your personal statement should be strictly without ECAs etc. Having internships and ECAs that directly relate to Economics would be very helpful if you are able to show that they facilitate your understanding of the subject. Intuitive examples could be debates and internships at the government/think tanks/financial institutes/research institutes. To be clear, it is imperative to discuss them in an academic context and not the typical “leadership/teamwork skills”. Surely the latter is interesting but less importance than the academic portions.

If you do feel the burning need to include unrelated ECAs or personal interests, to the point that you will not gain sufficient closure, do it by all means. However, do minimise it to perhaps, a short paragraph at most. It will contribute at most marginally, if not nothing at all, to the strength of your application, which also applies to generally highly selective universities. It is your personal statement regardless, do whatever that makes you most comfortable.

How do I reflect myself in my Personal Statement?

Given that UCAS Personal Statements are academic in content, having an essence of individuality would, supposedly, make your application more differentiable and perhaps, impressive. Notice how US college essays explicitly, and sometimes strictly, emphasise on revealing yourself as an individual. Your goal is to achieve that effect within the academic construct of a UCAS Personal Statement.

Understandably, it is relatively easy to achieve this effect in the introductory paragraph of your Personal Statement. A situation, observation or experience that relates to an Economic problem would be appropriate. Of course, do expound on it and if it relates to you to the point that it deserves to be in the first paragraph of your statement, you should be able to raise intelligent, sophisticated and nuanced questions/understanding.

Extending that, an issue that closely relates to you would also be an appropriate theme of your personal statement. This general theme allows you to explore a topic in depth easier and in context, particularly when you know first-hand about the economic problem/topic in discussion. Take the freedom in exploring in breadth but writing along a familiar theme comes with good depth, understanding and relative ease. Moreover, your Personal Statement avoids the pitfall of being a barrage of loosely linked academic topics, with a touch of dryness.

SUBJECT CHOICES

What subjects should I take?

LSE is part of the Russell Group universities, which are all selective research-intensive universities. A common thing that all of them share explicitly is their preference for traditional subjects over vocational/soft subjects. LSE, in particular, discourages explicitly its applicants from taking soft subjects such as Accounting (yes, even if you’re applying for Accounting and Finance), Law (even for Law applicants), media studies etc. Economics applicants should, therefore, take the precaution of taking traditional subjects given that your offer will exclude Further Maths from being part of the A*AA offer. Your grades for Further Maths, however well you do, will only count towards the “Pass in A2 Further Mathematics” segment. According to LSE’s international officer James Brown (2015), taking a soft subject will put your application at a disadvantageous position, which could, however, be amended by getting impressive grades (metric is uncertain but the mid-high 90s UMS range would make sense).

There is also an ever-going discussion over the necessity of Further Maths as a fourth subject. There are practical benefits of taking Further Maths if you are applying for Economics at LSE as well as at other universities. University Economics generally requires good mastery of mathematics. More than half of your first year modules in LSE will be about maths, which means that taking Further Maths will help you in going about university easier than those without.

There is a saying that goes “taking Further Maths will not give you any advantage but not taking it will disadvantage your application.” Although there are people who have obtained offers without taking Further Maths, there is no reason to deliberately put one aspect of your application in a weaker position.

Given that, an optimal subject combination should comprise of Maths, Further Maths and 2 hard subjects. Hard subjects include but are probably not limited to the following: History, Economics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Literature, Geography, Classical Studies and Languages. A list of “non-preferred” subjects is available on the LSE website itself under the page titled “LSE’s entry requirements”.

On a less related note, given that people applying for similar subjects might be viewing this, specifically Econometrics and Mathematical Economics that normally doesn’t accept first year entries, it is stated on the subject page on the LSE website that taking at least one physical science would be attractive, from which you will also find out that they don’t normally accept direct entries into first year.

What if my AS exams were to go wrong?

I suppose this segment is only relevant to those who would take their AS exams in summer (May/June) before UCAS application opens. A quick answer would be that you’re probably doomed. Fear not, however, as mentioned previously, your spectacular, groundbreaking, marvelous, impressive, stellar Personal Statement might be able to save you. Nonetheless, if your AS grades are only a grade away from the grade requirements and that your predictions meet them, you’re probably still in for the game. I cannot stress how important it is to perform well in your AS exams. Re-sits are possible but you might have to compensate on your A2. Worst of all is that the not-so-good AS grades will have to be declared on UCAS.

In instances where extenuating circumstances such as medical conditions, staffing issues etc. have affected your grades, declare them. In my case, I had a history teacher crisis in which there was a lack of a teacher for disturbingly long period of time. Unsurprisingly, I managed to obtain only a ‘b (76)’ for my AS History.. The point is that if your extenuating circumstances have affected your grades such that they do not reflect your academic performance, declare them with the utmost and shameless honesty. It is still possible that you stand as strong as or stronger than others with better grades.

Suah Jing Lian is currently a Bank Negara Malaysia Kijang Scholar who is pursuing Economics in the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He has a penchant for Baroque music, particularly Bach’s partitas, and debating, which he claims provides sparks to his life. People claim that he looks and speaks in an intimidating way but not really, he’s one of the most eccentric people you will ever meet.

This personal statement is part of this student’s successful admission to King’s College London for Computer Science. As this student wishes to remain anonymous, the other university offers are not listed here.

As a student in the 21st century, computers and digital technology have become an integral and almost ubiquitous part of my life. However, in my country of Malaysia, especially in rural areas, digital literacy on the whole is still relatively low. A study conducted in villages to determine the level of ICT literacy amongst secondary school students in 2012 by the Faculty of Information Science Technology at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, showed that ICT literacy among them was generally very weak, mainly due to little availability of computers and having to acquire ICT knowledge either through self-learning, or through friends.

In a developing country such as Malaysia, I believe that it is imperative that students are equipped with proper ICT skills. The world is charging ever more deeply into a “Digital Age” where ICT skill requirements are becoming increasingly important for procuring a job. Prospective employees are expected to possess basic skills such as word processing, and the ability to create and use spreadsheets and presentations. Even more important are the skills of data and information management, as these can significantly increase the productivity, work rate, and output of an organisation.

Over the past ten years or so, the Malaysian government has been devising strategies to improve income of the local agricultural industry through ICT implementation and skills development. This plan is based on statistics from the Ninth Malaysia Plan of 2005. However, the actual usage of ICT amongst the agro-based entrepreneurs, for business management and marketing purposes, still remains relatively low, according a study conducted in 2009, with many of them still relying upon traditional methods of mass media communication such as television, radio and newspapers for marketing.

Such studies show that adequate ICT skills are still lacking within certain communities in Malaysia. As such they are less able to make significant advancements in their lives, whether it be in their education or their income. This is one of the things that I would like to do with Computer Science and Software Engineering: to develop user-friendly interfaces which will aid people with low ICT skills to help them improve said skills to better their livelihoods, and to also learn how to integrate computers more effectively into their lives to improve their living standards.

Personally, Computer Science and Software Engineering has always interested me because it is able to provide a number of solutions to everyday needs or problems. A great example of this is Google’s involvement in the Open Automotive Alliance, which aims to provide a means for Android users to safely access mobile services whilst driving in a seamless manner. Hopefully, it will provide solutions to improve the lives of many people here in Malaysia. I can be quite meticulous and pay close attention to detail, and I believe this is a positive trait when it comes to developing software, as I would need to pay close attention to what I’d be programming to prevent errors in the software. I have been doing some basic programming on codecademy.com to help me get a feel of how certain programming languages such as Python and HTML work.

In addition to this, I am currently attending an introductory course on electronics which provides me with an insight into basic circuitry design. I also take part in a variety of extracurricular activities such as acting and Taekwondo. I played the lead male role in my school’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific”, and have also taken part in the 2014 Southeast Asian Forensics competition at the International School of Kuala Lumpur, in the Duet Acting category. I hold a blue belt in Taekwondo which keeps me fit, active and disciplined.

The world of technology is progressing at an accelerating pace, and I would like to see that Malaysia does not lag behind as the rest of the world pushes forward.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

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While locals all over the world put their local universities as one of their choices, it is sad and disheartening to see that not many Malaysians practice this option.

While most have dreams and ambitions of what they want to be, I on the other hand was still deliberating all the choices. In such a circumstance, I figured that taking the A Levels would be the best option for me after talking to several counselors as it keeps my career path as wide as possible.

Though I completed my A Levels in the Subang campus of Taylor’s College, I did not further my tertiary studies in Law in Taylor’s University as it was just introduced and I would be the first batch for it making me very hesitant. Hence after much surveys and scouting around the Law schools, I decided to be a part of the famous Brickfields Asia College (BAC), “The Fastest & Smartest way to over 50 UK Law & Business Degrees”.

Well, my university sure provides the fastest way to most of its courses. In the United Kingdom, the A Levels course would take a whole 2 years to complete. In most typical Malaysian college, that course would take a duration of 1.5 years to complete. But BAC knows how much Malaysians like to have everything from speed to results so they came up with a shorter duration of time allowing students to complete it in just 1 year!! The awesomeness did not end there you know how we all like to request freebies whenever we purchase an item, BAC gives out freebies without even a request!! When I enrolled for my UK Transfer Law Programme, I was given a free course for a programme called Achiever’s Programme and also a set of free books to start my year with. On top of those academic programmes, we also get a free membership for the gym, Monster Fit.

To enrol into BAC, one can pay a visit to the Petaling Jaya Campus which is in VSQ Square just beside the Luther Centre and register yourself for the next intake. BAC offers three intakes: the normal September intake; the express January intake who will graduate the same time as the September intake; and the April intake. There is two types of programme that you can choose to undergo, the University of London Programme which would not require you to twin to other UK universities or the UK Transfer Programme where you can choose to the 2+1 which means that you twin for one year or the 1+2 where you twin for two years with any of our partner universities.

As I underwent the 2+1 UK Transfer Law Programme, I took the 4 compulsory subjects of common law, public law, criminal law and contract law. However, in Year 2 we were given a slight freedom in choosing one of our electives which are the company law or family law with 3 compulsory subjects along with it: tort law, land law and evidence law. In Year 3, those in 2+1 programme would have to prepare themselves to bid their friends goodbye as most would go to different universities of their preferences. Though we are allowed to choose 4 electives of our own choices, twinning students would have to take a compulsory subject of EU Law with 3 other electives of their own choices for those who are firm in doing the Certificate in Legal Practice Malaysia examination (CLP). As for those who are considering to do the Bar examination in UK, it is advisable to take up both EU Law and Jurisprudence as some Bar schools requires both though there are some who would accept students without knowledge of the Jurisprudence. Two of our partner universities: Cardiff University and University of Northumbria, offer the Bar examination. As for those considering the CLP examination, BAC do provide it too with additional privileges for their own students.

Besides studying, BAC provides many opportunities for students to explore their talents. There are classes such as Zumba, Martial Arts, Free Trial music classes and many more. A recent talent exploration I had a privilege in participating was to be part of the press team for BACMUN (Brickfields Asia College Model United Nations) whereby I could explore various writing expressions under guidance from those with experience.

Though Law course is one which is demanding in terms of understanding and memory, it is important to enjoy your university life before stepping out of our comfort zones and start working. Aside from that, one should give importance to self developments to further appeal your future employers and equip oneself with self-esteem, confidence and interesting personality.

Jasmine Tan is currently reading law at Brickfields Asia College (BAC) under the 2+1 UK Transfer Law Program.

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The Partner Dental School Course is implemented jointly by the IMU, Malaysia, in collaboration with partner universities, with the students spending the first phase (5 semesters, 2.5 years) in Malaysia and the later years in the partner universities. The students will receive the degree from the respective Partner University after graduation.  University of Otago is one of the Partner Universities for Dentistry. You can find more info in http://www.imu.edu.my/imu/programmes/undergraduate/dentistry/

I recommend those who are interested in the PDS programme to apply fairly early, as there are very limited spaces each year. I applied online in March/April the year before intake starts. An interview will be carried out around November.  The interview was pretty informal. The interviewer will provide a situation and you need to solve it. The question I got was if someone was having a heart attack on the plane, which place will you fly to (A,B or C)? My answer was I couldn’t choose as I have no idea which place is the plane closest to. The questions they asked are usually easy, as long as the answers are not too far off logically and are ethical you will be fine.

There are many things to adapt to in the first year. Lectures are like learning a whole new language as there are many new terminologies, especially anatomy. Some lecturers may have a strong accent. Dental students will be having the same lectures as medical students in 1st and 2nd years, in addition to dentistry lectures. Clinical and simulation sessions are extremely important as it builds a strong foundation in the future. It may seem overwhelming at first but just remember your classmates are in the same boat as you.

In the 5th semester (3rd year) those who are in the PDS track are required to list PDS in order of preference. You will be required to write about yourself and why you chose the specific partner school (something like personal statement). A computerized system will then assign each student to the PDS. Partner schools have the right to decline acceptance if you do not reach the minimum IELTS requirement so do not take it lightly. If you (touch wood) failed to secure a place you may opt for the local BDS track (5 years in IMU).

As University of Otago intake starts middle of the year, I only had limited time to apply for student visa. I applied through visa agency (Selset) but that is optional. You need to have chest Xray, medical report, translated ICs and photocopies of important documents stamped by public notary. Some of these processes take time so visa application process need to start as soon as PDS result is out. There will be a refreshers course for dental students in Otago to familiarize you to the clinic and the Otago way of doing things. There is considerably more clinical exposure in Otago compared to Malaysia as you are exposed to more patients in the clinical years. Patients in Otago are also more medically and dentally complicated than Malaysia.

Otago lecturers and staff are very friendly and encouraging. Don’t be afraid, they are not there to reprimand you, they are there to guide you through. There is a very strong student support group there. There is an Otago Malaysian Student Association (OMSA) ready to give support for all new students coming to Otago. I felt like home whenever I join OMSA activities. Plus great discounts everywhere as an OMSA member. More info about OMSA can be found here: www.omsa.org.nz There is a lot of Asian restaurants in Dunedin so don’t be worried about not finding Asian food. Dunedin is a small student city that is generally cold, so I would recommend people to invest in a good warm jacket.

All in all, just enjoy your student life as much as possible and as long as you study regularly and attend all the classes, you should be fine. All the best!

Ong Jinn is currently a Dentistry student at the University of Otago.

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One of the most common questions I get in college is, “Why did you choose to come to Wesleyan?”

My short answer, which I say half-jokingly and half-seriously, tends to be: “They gave me a lot of money.”

I’ve been fortunate to have received the Freeman Asian Scholarship, a merit-based award valued at around USD 50,000. The bondless award, such that I don’t have to work for any particular organisation after graduating, covers my full tuition fees for all 4 years at this liberal arts college, not including food, accommodation, health insurance and pocket money.

There are a total of 11 scholarships available, which are awarded to one student from each of these countries: The People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. In short, there is only one scholarship up for grab in Malaysia.

Since financial aid was a priority in my college application, it made perfect sense to apply for this scholarship.

The Application

My application comprised of the Common Application, the Freeman Essay and the Financial Aid Application (which, unlike the Freeman Scholarship, is need-based and covers living expenses).

Since I’d already completed the Common Application, I only had to work on the Freeman Essay, whose prompt was: “Please tell us how you would use your Wesleyan education to make a contribution to your home country.” I wrote the first draft in the evening, on my bed (specifically before dinner) several days before the deadline, just to give myself time for editing and proofreading, which didn’t take up much time.

It was one of the easier essays to write because I’d already had a good idea about the academic opportunities in Wesleyan which piqued my interests, and how I could use what I learnt beyond the classroom. These were thoughts I’d flirted with during the frenzy that was the college application process, so it wasn’t too difficult to translate them onto paper.

Writing the essay came very naturally also because I wrote about debating, something I felt very strongly about. Having spent weeks thinking of potential ideas for strong college essays—for context, I applied to 6 other US colleges—I’d observed that superficial subjects with which I had no profound connection were harder to write about.

The Interview

There were two parts to the interview day, the individual interview and the information session.

Three alumni interviewed me. It was highly conversational, which is the case with many US college interviews. The alumni were interested in putting a personality to my application so they could make appropriate recommendations to the admissions office.

We spoke very casually about the opportunities at Wesleyan which attracted me, my academic interests and extracurricular involvements. My favourite part of the interview was talking about what I was reading at the time, The Emperor by Ryszard Kapuściński, short stories by Borges and The Land at the End of the World by António Lobo Antunes.

I’d been through interviews before (both for college and non-college purposes) so I had a sense of how things would play out. I was very calm before the interview. Ironically, since I was early, I checked out the exhibition of Australian universities which was held downstairs. I politely told the representatives I was not interested.

My parents accompanied me to the information session, which took place several hours after the individual interviews. Since it was rather informal, it was a great opportunity to chat with Wesleyan alumni and the seven other candidates who were shortlisted. During this time, we watched videos of Wesleyan alumni and faculty members talking about their Wesleyan experience. Little did I know that I’d eventually take an Economics class with one of the professors!

After the Q&A session with the alumni, I had a much rounder idea of Wesleyan and the Freeman community.

Receiving the Scholarship

It was 4.45 PM, I’d fallen asleep in the library and missed my bus home from school.

I called my mother to tell the bad news, and in turn, she told me the good news.

The Wesleyan community was very welcoming. Not long after accepting the award, I received emails and Facebook friend requests from upperclassmen and graduating students. Prior to attending college, I met with Wesleyan students and alumni, Freemans and non-Freemans. As I learnt more about Wesleyan, I was satisfied with the choice I’d made.

What’s nice about the Scholarship is the community you’ll be part of. The Freeman scholars are pretty tight—we plan and attend events together—but not limited to each other. The Freeman alumni come back every once in a while to meet up with current scholars. All in all, being on this Scholarship has made for a very rich college experience.

Amanda Yeoh is currently studying at Wesleyan University under the Freeman Asian Scholarship. If you intend to contact the author, feel free to contact the CollegeLAH Team at contact@collegelah.com.

This Personal Statement was part of Jun Long’s successful application to the University of Oxford to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). The same personal statement also gained Jun Long offers to read Economics at the University of Edinburgh, University College London and King’s College London.

Besides being of monumental significance to the global economy as well as the politics of my country, the year 2008 was also the year I started reading the newspaper. That was what got me interested in economics and politics.

Over the years, I watch the development of the global economy, ranging from the European Sovereign Debt Crisis, the fluctuations of the global oil price, to the slowdown of global trade. My observations of the tepid recovery of the global economy suggested to me that the global economy is suffering from structural problems. To understand more about economics, I expanded my knowledge by reading widely, including Time, The Economist, local newspapers like The Star and also books.

I read “Capital in the Twenty-First Century” by Thomas Piketty, which informed me about the nature of income inequality in current times. In the book, Piketty argued that the growing inequality was part of the structural design of our current economic system, and as long as r remains larger than g, income inequality will continue to grow. Many things from this book were surprising, however the patience and ingenuity that Piketty had in assembling his data as well as his urge for his fellow economist to focus more on empirical data were two things that I gained. I also read “The End of Alchemy” by Mervyn King. In here, King suggested that the structural problems of the current banking system, not greedy bankers, were to be blame for the global financial crisis. All the economic actors were stuck in a prisoner dilemma, they had to act the way they did. The role of incentive was a central message that I gained. King suggests banking is inherently unstable due to its design, and gives a solution that I find interesting, but at the same time idealistic.

Why too idealistic? The changes in the Malaysian political scene across the years gave me clear insight on the difficulties of implementing changes through politics. After many years of promise of change by politicians, nothing much has come out. This led me to question the idea of democracy as the best system for governance.

Recently, I started reading “The Republic” by Plato. I have not finished it yet, but from the parts I have read, I was surprised by the argument of Plato that to maintain justice in a nation, a government that was autocratic and restricted individual liberty was needed instead of democracy. Through my various readings, I also came across one article that talked about how the founding fathers of United States created an election system that attempted to reduce the power of the masses. Originally this idea seems to be against the principles of democracy, but the fact that Donald Trump has a possible chance of becoming the president led me to think that the founding fathers’ idea had some rational.

Meanwhile, my participation in student government allowed me some insight into the nature of governing. I learnt about how hard it is to satisfy the different stakeholders, the college management and the students. I also had a first-hand experience on why governments suffer from efficiency problems. Bureaucracy, without a doubt was the thing that slowed many changes. In order to implement changes in the college, there were many process which sometimes required months of following up. However, managing to eke out small victories like extending classroom hours to allow students to study was something that motivated me to continue being in student government.

Economics require excellent mathematical skills, which I have been developing and had managed to obtain a gold medal from the Kangaroo Math Competition and Distinction in the Euclid Competition. Currently, I am attempting the DOE gold award and I continue to be active in my college Toastmaster’s Club. I enjoy running and sometimes participate in charity runs. I also enjoy reading during my past time. Currently, I am under the National Scholarship sponsored by my country.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

Beh Le Hao is currently a first year undergraduate reading BSc Actuarial Science at London School of Economics and Political Science. This personal statement was part of his successful application to LSE and City University of London for Actuarial Science, UCL for Mathematics and Statistics and University of Warwick for MORSE.

How do professional sports gambling syndicates use multiple regression analyses to predict outcomes reliably to earn income? Why are they so confident that the risks taken will be rewarded? I am intrigued by these questions and my interest prompted me to do some independent research into statistics. I was fascinated by how Bayes’ Theorem applies conditional probability to sports betting in order to make predictions. I am curious about how models are used to combine qualitative and quantitative data with such precision, even with the large number of random variables that affects results. M. Lewis’ ‘The Moneyball’ illustrates how the Oakland Baseball team won by assembling a group of undervalued players that matched the skills needed to succeed. What really fascinates me was how they established a new method of statistical analysis using varied key performance data points to evaluate players. I am frequently amazed by the power of statistics and how it can completely change people’s perspectives and views of traditional games. It is clear to me that such modelling can have similar impacts on organisational change in business too.  My desire to broaden my knowledge is what drives me to apply for a course in Maths and Statistics.

Statistics is particularly useful when discussing the 2008 financial crisis. The housing bubble, created from the sheer volume of unrepayable loans, could have been avoided if banks had reacted to the increased rate of default and statistical uncertainty. I feel they did not recognise the importance of statistics: banks had the knowledge they needed about their loanees, and knew they were taking huge risks, but approved loans anyway in pursuit of profit. However, I am also aware that the exponential increases in the amount of data available can also develop overconfidence, leading to predictive inaccuracies. I am really interested in how actuaries apply their knowledge to risk minimisation, which is such an essential feature of today’s world.

Reading ‘The Great Mathematical Problems’ by I. Stewart, I encountered problems that have puzzled mathematicians for centuries, while also learning about the fundamental equations that shape our understanding of the world. My particular fascination with the randomness of prime numbers led me to explore more challenging and stimulating concepts, such as Goldbach’s Conjecture and Riemann Hypothesis. It is intriguing how the unproven Riemann zeta function, by proving all non-trivial zeros lie along the critical line, provides a way to encode the prime number theorem. In Statistics, I enjoy applying hypothesis testing to determine data’s reliability. In Decision Maths, I am drawn towards the intuitive nature of dynamic programming. I was left intrigued by how an algorithm can work backwards to reach an optimal solution; I had never thought in that way before.

My internship at a corporate finance company reinforced my interest in statistical analysis in the field of investment banking. I learned how analysing historical data helps evaluate the profitability of transactions. Their use of spreadsheets and presentations in order to value companies and track changing trends in a volatile industry was impressive. I had to independently conduct my own research, looking for patterns and links within data, which taught me a great deal.

I have learnt programming languages, such as C++, independently from a young age. I enjoy participating in Maths competitions including the Olympiad, ICAS and Kangaroo Maths. I play the piano to Grade 6; this requires focus and persistence, and has greatly improved my memorisation skills. As School Basketball Captain and a School Prefect, I have developed my leadership, communication and teamwork skills.

As a curious, open-minded and committed student, I am excited about furthering my passion for Maths and Statistics at a first class UK university, driven by the prospect of furthering my knowledge of the world around me as an undergraduate.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

Divya Rupini is currently a first year undergraduate reading MEng Computing (Artificial Intelligence) at Imperial College London. This personal statement was part of her successful application to Imperial College London and University of Southampton for Computing (Artificial Intelligence) and UCL, Durham University and University of St Andrews for Computer Science.

As a daughter of doctors, I have first-hand knowledge of the limitations of modern medicine. The role artificial intelligence plays in helping the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions is a driving factor in my aim to pursue computer science. In the fight against cancer, conventional treatment requires pathologists to search a multitude of photographs to find a single anomaly. Artificial intelligence could not only carry this out in seconds, it could also formulate combinations of medication tailored to the patient’s circumstance. 

In high school, a peer’s initiative to start the Hour of Code Project kickstarted my interest in this field. Under his tutelage, I learnt the basics of  Python and within a few meetings, I could code simple games using loops and variables. For me, the appeal of computer science lies within the fact that everything made to this day started out as an idea. I remember working for hours on end during my high school Robotics Club sessions, changing the programme bit by bit to achieve the exact outcome that I pictured in my mind, a process I found infinitely rewarding. 

Further reading led me to a university study that modelled the mobility of cockroaches to build a robotic arm. The arm built was a simplified version of the more common and complex designs that allowed for more compliance and could passively adapt to structures with ease. The problem faced by roboticists of computing the uncertainty in unstructured environments was overcome by applying Dr. Robert Full’s theory that the legs of cockroaches carry out computations on their own which produce a self-stabilising mechanism. This information combined with shape deposition manufacturing of robotic limbs and the movement of robots according to the gait of insects catered for robots that moved faster and smoother than ever. My appreciation for nature grew as I realised that countless solutions could be built by taking inspiration from what was already around us. Studying Computer Science, the brain of the robotics field, would allow me to further develop programs that would translate codes into physical manifestation, aiding and reaching more people. 

During an attachment at a local engineering and distribution firm, I had the opportunity to build a clock. Throughout this process, I developed an understanding for analogue to digital transmissions and the functions of logic gates in producing a circuit that transformed a 1 Hz frequency into a display on the 7-segment counter. Further reading taught me that implementing fixed logic circuits were the base of building a general-purpose CPU. It was interesting to watch a physical manifestation of input combinations provided by an integrated circuit. Observing my mentor build and test simple circuits using MatLab grew my interest for the role of computing as I realised the role computing plays in other fields.

To prepare for my course, I am self-studying C Language programming and Python using resources available on Coursera and CodeAcademy. Due to my love and affinity for maths, I directed a maths competition in college for my peers to showcase their mathematical skills and solve challenging problems. As a peer tutor, I help weaker students with their mathematical ability every week. As Event Manager of the college’s inaugural conference, I coordinated a team of 40 students to organise 4 councils and multiple keynote addresses to provide my peers with a platform to debate world issues. My position as President of the MUN Club instilled in me an appreciation for passionate discussion and speech to achieve viable solutions to global issues.

I hope to use my passion for analysis and making connections to eventually pursue a career in AI and robotics in the future. I believe that my pursuit of computing at a university level would provide me with a platform to help people live as best they can. Computing can shape a world of limitless potential -a world that I would not only want live in but help create.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

This personal statement was part of this student’s successful application to UCL, University of St Andrews, Durham University, University of Warwick and Lancaster University for Computer Science. 

I believe the possibilities computer technology present is limited only by one’s imagination and desire to innovate which both attracts and motivates me to study in this field. The unpredictability associated with this so called era of digital Darwinism excites me and with software bridging the gap between humans and computer, it is my aspiration to be in the forefront of future technological breakthroughs by pursuing a degree in computer science and ultimately a career in software engineering.

Being born in a multilingual country has exposed me to the different interpretable “layers” that make up speech in spoken languages. This has given me a better appreciation of the literal and precise syntax of the programming language. During ICT lessons, I was taught programming languages such as Python and often given projects to create relatively simple games such as “Hangman” using basic concepts we had been taught. My failures leading up to eventual success in creating the game taught me the importance of using logic to understand the flow and structure of any written programme. I truly enjoyed this programming experience which required both creativity and careful planning.

This year I was granted the opportunity to intern with a computer software consulting company. The research I conducted for the company on de-constructed databases enlightened me on the future of “big data” and how it will be one of the key drivers to the growth and development of the global economy. With this better understanding and appreciation of data being a coveted commodity, one of my aspirations as a future software engineer would be to help Malaysian companies develop efficient software systems that would integrate both structured and unstructured data harvesting into usable analytics and thereby enhancing business intelligence, improving their efficiency and ultimately competitiveness.

Possessing an affinity for numerical equations, mathematics and physics has taught me to analyse problems through critical thinking and utilise my understanding of concepts to find a solution. I enjoy the challenge that mathematics presents and the logical thinking required to break down seemingly convoluted problems into simple, solvable parts. Moreover, I have come to be fastidious and methodical when working towards a solution to avoid carelessness, an indispensable characteristic when developing software whose functionality hinges upon a line by line programming perfection.

To me, being creative is an asset to this vibrant industry of computer technology because just as no two artists create the same masterpiece, no two software engineers programme the same way to create identical systems. As a photographer, I have learnt to observe my environment from different perspectives to frame dynamic shots that excite me. It is my belief and hope that my unique perspective as a photographer will help me, as a computer science student, to regard problems as something three dimensional thus approachable from different angles to provide “out-of-the-box”-successful solutions. As an athlete, sports is equally a mental game to me as it is a physical one. Over the years, it has given me confidence, strength to persevere under duress and discipline to reach my goals. With that confidence, I took on the role of Vice House Captain of my college and organised the annual house trip for over a hundred students. This experience developed my leadership skills, communication skills as I had to correspond with many parties and teamwork when working with my peers. A three-month internship stint with a local magazine fostered my soft skills in a working environment and ingrained time management to meet published deadlines.

Ultimately, with my innate diligence and desire to learn, I hope to pursue a degree in Computer Science in your prestigious university and my goal, as a fully qualified software engineer, would be to successfully contribute to the burgeoning advancement of technology.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

This personal statement was part of this student’s successful application to UCL, University of Bath, University of Birmingham and University of Sheffield for MEng Chemical Engineering and University of Manchester for MEng Chemical Engineering with a year in industry. 

As a child, I would listen to enthralling stories of my grandfather tapping rubber at his family’s estate. The local community then was intertwined with the rubber industry as Malaysia was the largest producer of natural rubber in the world. Meanwhile in school, I would learn about the importance of natural rubber and wondered how a thick white liquid could be processed into remarkable products such as latex gloves and automotive parts and exported globally. I realised that complex processes involved in manufacturing raw materials into products were not limited to rubber but included myriad industries such as petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. During Chemistry lessons, I discovered that natural rubber can be vulcanized by adding sulphur to refine its properties, modifying it into an improved material by increasing its hardness and durability. At this point, I realized that vulcanization was only a small part of a larger process to produce rubber as the final product.

Albeit challenging, A-Level motivated me to pursue continuous learning and to be open to new ideas. Physics, Chemistry and Math helped develop my critical thinking and problem solving skills. I became interested with the idea of connecting the theories of chemistry into practical situations in life. The concept of creating products from raw materials using a series of processes drew my attention towards Chemical Engineering. I now look forward to generating processes for the creation of products, leveraging on my problem solving skills and ensuring that products made meet customers’ requirements.

Following up on this interest, I spoke to practicing Chemical Engineers who suggested I read up on Fluid Mechanics for a start. In “The Essentials of Fluid Mechanics”, I read about laminar and turbulent flows and learned how fluid flow rates are laminar at low velocities, represented by highly ordered motion. As the velocity of the fluid increases, the fluid flow becomes more chaotic and is hence turbulent. For example, cigarette smoke rises in smooth streamlines at first, then starts fluctuating in a random manner as it continues rising.

Realizing the importance of learning new skills and challenging my brain, apart from my academic pursuits, I have advanced my interest in music and learned the guitar, while continuing with singing and playing the piano. I joined Sunway Student Volunteers as I wanted to reach out to people of different ages and strata of society. I have helped at the National Zoo where I observed the zookeepers who were committed and took pride in their demanding tasks, a trait to leverage on to achieve my goals. I regularly teach children aged 5-6 at my church. Interacting with them has taught me patience, a strength I can rely on in the future.

I participated in shot put and javelin events and won a few medals for my school. I was selected to be on the netball team, won second place in my school’s cross country run and became one of the top athletes there. Sports taught me to embrace the failures in life and not be discouraged to continue striving. In 2015, as the President of Red House, a school sports team, I learnt that kindness and empathy were effective approaches in relating to people and building team spirit. This role taught me not to underestimate the importance of teamwork.

Born into a multiracial family, I engage easily with people of various backgrounds. Having mastered English, Malay and Hokkien, I have also picked up Spanish. This is the first step in preparation for me to practice in any part of the world. Attending one of the universities in the UK would not only equip me with academic knowledge, but would also sharpen my soft skills. My dream would be to have all these come together when I finally contribute my skills to advancements in industry as a full fledged Chemical Engineer.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

Han Chun Ting  is currently a first year undergraduate reading Bsc Economics at London School of Economics and Political Science. This personal statement was part of his successful application to LSE, UCL, University of Warwick, University of Bath and City University of London for Economics.

Economics is an important subject that shapes the world. The concept of Economics helps governments to implement the best policies for their countries to move forward and helps firms to analyse what are the best steps to take to maximise their revenues. Besides that, Economics is also a unique subject as having knowledge on the subject itself is not enough because the practical implementation of this knowledge is hugely affected by human behaviour. This makes Economics very intriguing as models are made to predict the most probable outcomes based on how people are behaving now and how they might in the future.

The current economic problems in my home country have fuelled my interest to study Economics at university level. In recent years, due to falling global oil prices, the revenue of the Malaysian government has taken a big hit. This has led the government to look for other sources of revenue to replace the loss of income from its petroleum industry. Some of the measures taken include the implementation of Goods and Services Tax and the removal of subsidies towards certain necessity goods. These measures have brought on a new high in the level of inflation within the country. As the cost of living increases, many people, especially low and medium income citizens are starting to go into unemployment. As a result, Malaysia is experiencing one of its worst economic recession over the past two decades. Social unrest is also reaching its peak as people are starting to publicly protest and question the government’s actions. The measures taken by the government have also affected my family as we are forced to change our lifestyle to accommodate the increase in price of the goods that we consume. All of these have left me to question the rationality behind some of the decisions made by the government as I argue on what should be done to replace the country’s source of income without placing extra burden on its people.

The broad range of subjects that I have taken up to A-Levels have allowed me to understand how the discipline of various subjects can be used concurrently. Studying Physics, I have learned to become more systematic and sensitive when assessing and drawing conclusions towards any implications of a given situation. I have taken up Economics in A-Levels to gain a better understanding on the subject. I also possess a strong mathematical background having studied Further Maths at A-Levels. Topics such as calculus and statistics are closely related to Economics, thus I believe I am well equipped to face the demands of studying Economics at degree level.

Academically, I have participated in competitions and won numerous awards. I believe by participating in these competitions, I can equip myself with better skills and be more competitive with the many challenges that are yet to come. Being an active participant in extra-curricular and social activities, I have learned a lot such as leadership and compassion, all of which has built me to become a more holistic and all rounded individual. Besides that, these opportunities have help build my confidence to talk to a large audience which could prove to be beneficial in the future when presenting my ideas. Being a part of my school’s football team has taught me more than anything else on how important teamwork and team harmony is to succeed.

With its high standards of teaching and state-of-the-art facilities, it is clear that the UK is the best place for me to pursue my university studies. I believe that my passion for the subject along with my academic potential will aid and bring me a step closer towards my goal to make a change in my home country.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

Jansen Law Zhen Hao  is currently a first year undergraduate reading Law LLB at University College London. This personal statement was part of his successful application to UCL, LSE,  King’s College London, University of Bristol and University of Warwick for Law.

The judicial state of Malaysia is worrying. The catalyst of change for the prejudiced has been freedom of speech. Malaysia’s strengthening of the Sedition Act has harshly restricted this freedom as illustrated in 2015 whereby surges of government critics were prosecuted under the Act. It baffles me how a bygone act, abused by autocrats, is justified due to Malaysia’s racially tensed past and multi-faceted society. Democracy in Malaysia is dissipating as lines of permissibility are contingent on political convenience rather than legal foresight. The discussion on what laws should be universal, and variable based on the society it serves, is one that has sparked my interest in law.

Amidst questionable laws, the recent decline of respected lawyers has left citizens in a limbo of mistrust. “A strong legal system prevents tyranny” becomes an unattainable statement. The rule of ‘separation of powers’ in Malaysia has disorientated into a farrago of chaos. No thanks to politically motivated legal members and absurd constitutionally-granted power of parliament to amend free speech laws. The way faults in a legal system can change a country’s path is both a fearful and riveting trait that I would love to explore.

My interest led me to an internship with the chief criminal lawyer in Malaysia. Knowledge of legal terms and concepts made trials and commentaries easier to process. Mr.Salim developed my analytical skills by presenting me legal principles and asking for their applications in scenarios. While interning, I discovered a trend in Malaysian rape cases showing that a defense counsel had to not only raise doubt but actively prove an accused’s innocence. Due to cultural disgust for sex offenders, the rule of law has been distorted. This reaffirmed my view that the Malaysian legal system has been controversially morphed based on non-legal reasons. Differences between morality and legality interest me as it results in the discrepancy in punishments.

I had the opportunity to substantiate my views on the Sedition Act in my EPQ. My essay focused on how the Act deviated off legal principles and how these deviations weren’t justified in other contexts. I assessed that the Sedition Act was unlike other strict liability offences. Statutes of traditional offences clearly detail provisions to justify that ignorance of the law is no excuse. Yet, there has been prosecutions under Malaysia’s Sedition Act based on broadly undefined terms such as ‘feelings of ill will and enmity’. I also questioned the proportionality of the punishment in the Act. I found a Malaysian Law, requiring proven intent, punished those that made offensive racial remarks with a lesser imprisonment time than Sedition. This was in spite of how those remarks would also constitute Sedition. Through my survey and interviews with lawyers and politicians, I was also able to contextualize Sedition in a political and social landscape.

The prospect of compounding my views with greater legal knowledge in university motivates me. Love for greater knowledge and varying planes of logic culminated in my election as President of the Debate Society. Debating refined my verbalized thoughts and enabled me to pick out main points of contention. I have learned that verbal smokescreens and clutter were prominent in my court visits – the ability to pick out the main issues would be vital. The opportunity to be a trainee judge at national level competitions solidified my debating prowess. Judging allowed me to critically contrast the pros and cons of an argument and analyze a participant’s thought process and logic post-debate.

I look forward to studying Law as the debate is a cornerstone of the course. My experiences have equipped me with discipline, persistence, and consistency to fulfill my potential in law and consolidated my interest. Studying Law will allow me to navigate through political discord and influence people on juggling Malaysian intricacies and democracy through laws.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

Tan Wei Hoe  is currently a second year undergraduate reading MEng Civil Engineering at Imperial College London. This personal statement was part of his successful application to Imperial College London, University of Edinburgh, University of Manchester and University of Bath for Civil Engineering.

Many a times I’ve asked myself, “What is my passion?” and many a times I could not muster an answer. Though, I’ve always loved to play Lego. I would indulge myself for hours in it. As I grew older, my perspective towards the world changed. Curiosity led me to a construction site near my house. How structural elements were pieced and combined to produce spectacular structures deeply related to my time playing Lego. It was then and there that I knew, Civil Engineering was, is and will be my passion!

Fascinated by how natural resources can sustain humanity, I’ve led many construction projects in Scouting. The remarkable achievement to me was the construction of a 12 foot tall two-tower archway. Taking into account structural stability and material suitability, the archway had to support the weight of pupils as they walked across it. This particular aspect required me to do independent research on Structural Analysis. How does loads affect the equilibrium of the structure? How will the structure be built based on soil strata? This allowed me to apply concepts in physics and mathematics which I’ve only learned theoretically. Finding practical application to abstract concepts gave me a sense of satisfaction which strengthened my zeal for Civil Engineering.

3D Printing Construction, I believe, is the future of Civil Engineering. Envision a world where we can just ‘print’ buildings into life. Like the ink in our printers, we need only input a certain quantity of building materials. This can drastically reduce cost and material wastage. However, to achieve such advancements, I believe that priority in research must be given to two key fields, namely Robotics Engineering and Materials Engineering. Intelligent systems capable of interpreting abstract blueprints and translating them into concrete elements complemented with flexible ink-like material which can be moulded to mimic materials such as steel and concrete. As companies such as Dutch company MX3D have already made headway in research, I strive to be one of the pioneers of 3D Printing Construction for the future of Civil Engineering.

My work attachment for a day to a power plant opened a new world of perspective for me. I witnessed how different fields of engineering complemented one another. As it was located in an oil palm plantation, Civil Engineers were responsible for laying the foundations of oil mills and power plants. Chemical Engineers then devised methods to produce biogas from the biomass harvested. The biogas is then combusted to produce mechanical energy to turn the turbines. As electricity is produced, Electrical Engineers plans and builds the necessary electrical framework for distribution. My personal experience taught me that to achieve a sustainable world, we must unify the fields of engineering.

My involvement in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and winning the Gold medal in 2016 has developed my confidence and understanding of my potentials. My first taste of entrepreneurship came when I founded SEALS, the abbreviation for Sea, Air and Land Survival in Taylor’s College. This, together with my journey towards the King’s Scout award, sharpened my leadership and organisational skills. Knowing of the importance of Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics, I have participated in the National Olympiad Challenge in Mathematics and Chemistry. The Olympiad challenge provided me with accelerated learning complemented with critical thinking skills. As for Physics, I’ve managed to build a LED display board with a group of friends for the Engineers’ Club. The process was exhilarating as we planned and built the electrical circuits from scratch. I realised that through teamwork, anything is possible.

He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying. In the wise words of Friedrich Nietzsche, I hope to take my first steps into Civil Engineering in one of the most esteemed universities in the United Kingdom.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

Arijey Sura  is currently a first year undergraduate reading MEng Mechanical Engineering at University College London. This personal statement was part of his successful application to UCL, University of Manchester and University of Bristol for Mechanical Engineering.

Speed. My love affair with engineering began with speed; the cutting edge technology of Formula 1 racing. The Kinetic Energy Recovering System, hitched my heart immediately. Kinetic energy recovered during braking is stored as electrical energy, then used to boost torque between the fly and drive wheels. Such sophistication ignited my curiosity to explore this field of mechanics leading me to spearhead the Robotics Initiative of my school. We designed and programmed robots with ultrasonic and light sensors, integrating data received to perform various tasks. By equipping solar panels to the motors, our robots raised the Malaysian flag when the Sun was up. Despite complications due to energy-load proportions, we achieved success by manipulating gear ratios, increasing total force.

Engineering however, isn’t limited to moving particles. Its versatility complements my profound yet diverse passions. The Physics A-Level course supplemented my interests. As a pianist I was curious as to how 88 piano keys produced various pitches. Deriving the standing wave equation relating tension and frequency, explained this. I investigated the piano further, noticing the thickness differential in the wire wound strings. The different materials used fascinated me; lower pitch wires were coated with copper to increase mass yet maintain string stiffness. Appreciating this detail, the length-mass-tension ratio, in producing seemingly asynchronous waves that formed perfect melody, made music more colourful. I admire the application of Maths and Physics in this manner and my achievement in the National Science Challenge, that tested proficiency of both fields, reflects this.

Studying Economics provided a new viewpoint of the engineering world as I learnt the cost benefit analysis that tests the practicality of projects. My internship with United Engineers of Malaysia (UEM) reinforced this as I engaged in discussions to migrate the mechanical systems of UEM towards green engineering. Ideas of equipping thermocouples to condenser units of air conditioners; using unwanted heat as an energy source, intrigued me. However its feasibility was questioned, when implementation costs outweighed benefits. I learnt of the financial truth behind engineering and how economics links a concept to its reality.

Engineering inspires. The philosophy of the small but powerful carbon nanotubes (CNTs) captivates me. Superficially, it’s just another allotrope, graphene; mere pencil lead, but under the lenses of engineering, endless possibilities unveil. Humble upbringings made me relate to this simple pencil. Yet, with positive pressure and support I received, as do CNTs through orbital hybridisation, I displayed strength. 2 years ago, a football injury left me on crutches. My inability to walk led me to empathise with amputees who suffer worse. I realised my passion of prosthetics through this and researched its future prospects. I read up on CNTs, an immensely light body with greater tensile strength than steel. Its ability to contract rapidly when connected to a significant voltage meant, CNTs could potentially be more efficient than organic muscles. The works of Easton LaChappelle inspired me. At 17, he started Unlimited Tomorrow, producing affordable prosthetics using 3D printers. Till now my passion remains. I aspire to further integrate CNTs in prosthetic development to reduce its cost and reading engineering would support this.

The two greatest days of a man’s life is the day he’s born, and the day he finds out why. Job shadowing an engineer highlighted the latter. Designing actuator valves in refrigerant flow cycles to increase its efficiency, prompted me of what I already knew – that second great day was when I realised, relating to a pencil was alright. My past brought rationality and flexibility to detect mistakes, quickly sketching new ideas. A trait valued in every field, especially engineering. That second great day, ignited my passion in engineering.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

Terence Khoo Rong Her  is currently a third year undergraduate reading BA History at King’s College London. This personal statement was part of his successful application to King’s College London, LSE, University of Exeter, University of York and University of Bristol for History.

History has a special place in my life due to visits made to my grandfather. His wartime stories brought me closer to him. One particular account that still fascinates me is the first that he ever told me. Images flash through my mind as he describes his youthful curiosity of the roar of the Japanese planes flying overhead their village. Curiosity turned to terror when he relives the anxiety shown in his mother’s eyes when rumours spread that Japanese invasion was imminent thus leading them to seek shelter in the nearby jungle. It was rather disconcerting to pass by the usually vibrant downtown areas of my hometown, Ipoh, knowing that in the past, the same place was a backdrop for horrendous atrocities which occurred there. It’s hard to envisage that almost seventy years ago, people, especially of Chinese ethnicity, lived in fear of the Japanese and the atmosphere of oppression that gripped the city rather than the lively and vibrant city that it is today.

As I grew older, what started as an in-depth look at Malaysian history has progressed to a passionate love of both European and world history. I am fascinated about the interlinking events that occurred in 20th century Europe and how these have a profound effect on the rest of the world. Indeed, how the actions of one individual can have such a grave effect on the history we study today. For example, a craving for a sandwich by Gavrilo Princip after a botched assassination coupled with the jamming of the gears of Archduke Ferdinand’s car culminated not just in his death but more significantly the trigger event of WW1. Indeed, the impact did not stop there as Germany’s eventual defeat in war and its humiliation in regards to the Treaty of Versailles led to the rise of Nazism and the eventual outbreak of a further war in 1939. The ending of WW2 saw a new conflict in regards to that of East vs West and likewise the creation of Israel in 1948 has ramifications for peace in the world today.

History allows us to ask questions. Indeed, what if Princip was not hungry, how would the world look today? The fact that History is a huge story filled with tragic coincidences and intriguing human behaviours are what makes the study of history so appealing. Increased understanding of human behaviour empowered me to study A Level Psychology as it enhances my knowledge of how the mind works thus gaining a deeper insight into people’s actions. For example, was it Stalin’s paranoia that led him to purge so many people and likewise was it Hitler’s failure to deal with rejection by Jewish owned artist galleries that led to the holocaust? Solving these dilemmas is like deciphering through a mathematical equation – a skill I have primed during my study of this subject. Likewise, just as History taught me to see things in perspective, economics elicited my ability to translate theory into practice.

My internship at a local law firm certainly gave me an insight into the real life pressures of work. In particular, it enabled me to understand the need for thorough analysis as I was involved in undertaking research of clients and companies. More importantly, it taught me the importance of having the right information for as in history, having the wrong information may lead to misguided conclusions.Outside of academia, I am a keen musician and sportsman. I have achieved Grade 8 in piano and have also been elected as head of the Sports Committee within the college’s Student Council. This has enhanced my communication skills which in turn have aided my oral development during classroom discussion.

The intention to pursue History at undergraduate level comes after much deliberation. However, A Level history has eroded any doubts in my mind as the learning experiences I have gained has strengthened my passion to delve further into this wonderful arena. I am strongly motivated to continue these studies as this will act as a platform for me to contribute back to a society of which I have freely taken from.

DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.