The Good Personal Statement Guide
This booklet is a ‘guide’ on how to construct subject specific Personal Statements. Remember every Personal Statement is unique as they are a reflection of the individual and their experiences. Therefore, just treat these examples as guide to get you started but do not feel that your Personal Statement must follow the same style and format as the ones found in this booklet. Good Luck!
Art and Design…………………………………………………………………………….……3
Architecture……………………………………………………………………………………..4
Chemistry………………………………………………………………………………………..5
Biology……………………………………………………………………………………………6
Medicine………………………………………………………………………………………….7
Psychology………………………………………………………………………………………9
Maths……………………………………………………………………………………………..10
Economics……………………………………………………………………………………….11
Geography……………………………………………………………………………………….12
Anthropology……………………………………………………………………………………13
History…………………………………………………………………………………………....14
English…………………………………………………………………………………………....15
Languages…………………………………………………………………………………..……16
Classics……………………………………………………………………………………………17
Art and Design
What intrigues me about sculpture is how limitless it can be. It allows me to create work that
breaks the boundaries of what art really is. Through the whole process of creating a
sculpture I can explore concepts going through my head, ideas I once thought were impossible
are now created into possibilities through 3-D pieces of work. "We shouldn't be driven by material and we shouldn't be suffocated by technique" David Harding and Sam Ansley. A quote that I think sums up my art to a point. As a sculptor, my ethos is to trap the viewer, encapsulate them in a body of work and makes them feel an emotional connection to the piece or to start questioning it. Once they start to paint a picture of a response themselves, that is when I can say that I've completed the piece.
In my most recent installation, I transformed a whole room using various sounds and shadows
mixed with traditional techniques of painting with some not so traditional techniques, like
bin bags filled with small amounts of air covering the floor, which would create a respiratory
movement when stepped on. Around the room I re-created the inside of the human body, giving
the participant no choice but to feel something when they walked through. I think this in
itself is art. I aim to make the viewer question the art they are experiencing rather than
appreciating the way it looks visually.
The creation of sparking an emotion originally came from my initial reaction to Grizedale
Forest in The Lake District. I spent a lot of time as a child in the Lake District; I find the
landscapes and the forests completely and utterly inspiring. I would say the forest is the
beginning of all of my work, whether it is using materials from the forest or re-creating the
feelings felt in it, it is the sole focus for much of my work.
The concept of creating sculpture to spark a reaction is extremely close to how a piece of
theatre works. Actors perform their characters in such a way that the audience are led to
create a connection with the piece. My passion for theatre is therefore displaced onto my love
of creating art. Performing and co-writing a puppet and storytelling show (Sophie Shadow) at
the Edinburgh Fringe this year allowed me to explore various ways of making that connection
with the viewer, through making the puppets, to different acting styles and writing
techniques. I am an avid writer and it can often be a main way I source my ideas. I can find
sketching takes too long, by the time I've finished one idea I've quickly moved onto the next,
so writing small notes allows my brain to move at the same time as my hand and lets me develop
some ideas in this way too.
Music is a large influence in my work, mainly in the initial ideas stage. It helps me to
listen to my favourite composer Johann Sebastian Bach, the bridges in his cello suites are
things I often let control my hand and the path in which it takes when drawing and sketching.
An artist whose work I find truly inspiring is Karla Black. Not only does she question art and
particularly sculpture, in the life of the sculpture itself it also draws you in completely.
Her work has so many dimensions and layers, which allow you to fixate and explore it at so
many different angles; you gain something different from it at every single glance. It is an
experience when I look at her work, the way it can trigger so many emotions and questions in
my mind is something that I aim to achieve in my own work. I am intrigued by Black's use of
traditional art materials and household materials; the small contrast has a hugely effective
result on the finish of her work.
I want to study sculpture because I am interested in learning new techniques and experimenting
with new materials, and working with like-minded people who have the same passions as me. I am
not afraid to work outside the mould of traditional sculpture and eventually I would most like
to create a body of consistent work with my own significant style.
Architecture
Architecture could be defined as capturing the physical from endless creative possibilities;
the pursuit of bringing reality to concepts and thinking in a form which people can enjoy
visually and spiritually. Modern buildings, whether they are Gehry's sculptural or Hadid's
flowing designs, appear to balance universal taste and novel expression, something to which I
aspire.
Recently, my knowledge of material properties and mechanics from Physics and Further
Mathematics were used in the Intensive Architectural Drawing course at Central Saint Martins,
where I developed my skills in sketch planning, elevation, 3D design and 1-2 point perspective
drawing. I continue to combine the fields of Mathematics and Art by exploring aesthetically pleasing
symmetry and ratio. I created a minimalist sculpture, "The Flow of Time", which, alongside
"The Broken Eiffel Tower", a futurism piece, gained the Outstanding School Art Award for its
interpretation of structure and space. These projects showed me the fulfilment of seeing my
designs come to life in 3D with the original emotions and thoughts. Additionally, I have
received a Sixth Form Art and Academic Scholarship, a Silver Award for the UK Senior Maths
Challenge, and further academic, Art and Design, Design Technology and Mathematics prizes. At
present, I am completing my Extended Project Qualification, which explores how architecture
influences behaviour and ultimately creates a space fit for purpose. I am investigating how
hospital design can affect patient recovery times and how school layout can impact learning.
Through researching case studies, I have become fascinated by how structure affects people's
attitudes.
An architect can choose to preserve resources or selfishly promote the design. I am
particularly interested in Wright's "Fallingwater" which captures "the culture of its
location" in an eco-friendly manner. A lasting positive impression can only exist if an
architect considers the future, which fuels my desire to create sustainable hope-giving
buildings. I have enjoyed work experience at two companies in the past year; Samsung Design Europe and
Studio 100 in London. At Samsung, I carried out statistical research on tablets for teenagers
and drew "a big picture" to represent the customer needs and design flaws. This experience
taught me the importance of teamwork, liaising with designers, clients and engineers
continually to meet the overall objectives of an innovative, practical and safe product. At
Studio 100, I was given a design brief by a professional illustrator and worked independently
alongside other freelance architects and graphic designers in a creative environment. Here I
learnt to use Photoshop and graphic tablets which I still continue to use today.
This year, I won the Diana Champion Volunteer Award and United Learning Community Impact Award
for my illustration of two books that are being distributed in Ghanaian schools and sold in
bookshops, including Waterstones. As the managing director of a Social Enterprise group I was
incredibly proud when our team were elected to represent the UK in the European competition,
winning 4 trophies in UK fairs. Leading the various design requirements, with such a
successful outcome, was one of the best experiences of my life. At school, I assist younger pupils in Art lessons, showing them techniques such as how to perceive objects in a new light. I am a year 10 Maths mentor, grade 8 pianist and flutist in the Senior Flute Ensemble, regularly performing in concerts. I attend life drawing classes and visit exhibitions and galleries to broaden my knowledge in art.
I would like to study Architecture at university because I enjoy visualising concepts and
designing thought-provoking structures. I would like to explore past and present architectural
theories and construction methods and am excitedly looking forward to meeting many new
challenges.
Chemistry
The Dark Remedy intrigued me through my study of optical isomerism. I'm talking of Thalidomide
the 'wonder drug'. My discovery that this single molecule has marked one of the darkest
episodes in the history of the drug industry fascinated me. The shocking teratogenic effects
were caused by several proposed mechanisms, for example the binding of Thalidomide to the
protein Cereblon . My interest in optical isomerism and the effects this caused Thalidomide to
have on the human body formed the basis for my EPQ and made me realise the complex and
unpredictable nature of pharmaceutical remedies on the human body.
Through studying A-level Chemistry it has become evident to me where my passion lies. I find
it fascinating how Chemistry helps us comprehend our world. Kinetics and Energetics explain
how the very high activation energy prevents the conversion of Diamond to Graphite at room
temperature, even though Graphite is thermodynamically more stable. I have particularly
enjoyed organic Chemistry, which has allowed me to draw out and predict reaction mechanisms. I
find it incredible how we can consider reactions at this atomic level, like being able to
identify that the breakdown of the ozone layer during free-radical substitution was caused by
chlorine free radicals. I am particularly looking forward to studying these aspects in further
detail during a Chemistry degree course.
The study of Physics has given me an insight into matter on a subatomic level, which in turn
has deepened my understanding of particles. Further, Physics has shown me the effect that the
variation of intermolecular forces has on different materials, such as how some are more
elastic than others. An instance is the ability of a polymer to return to its original length.
My studies of Maths and Further Maths have helped me to develop skills in problem solving and
in applying knowledge to new situations within Chemistry. For example, using the Arrhenius
equation to find the gradient enables you to determine the activation energy of a reaction.
Over a six-month period I took part in the Engineering Education Scheme, with BP setting my
group the task of finding a means of removing a sample of catalyst from a reactor without
disturbing the remaining catalyst. We conducted experiments of our prototypes using a
substitute catalyst of couscous and an acetate tube for the reactor, allowing us to uniformly
remove layers of couscous of two colours one by one in order to detect their cross-
contamination radially and axially. We settled for a prototype structure that we called the
'Mesh teabag', which was effective in the removal of a sample of catalyst. This experience
provided me with the valuable chance to appreciate and observe the process required to solve a
problem in industry. My team did exceptionally well, demonstrating a high level of teamwork,
self-evaluation and communications, leading to a Gold Crest Award for our project.
In addition to my studies, I attend ballet lessons and play tennis, including having helped
out at a tennis summer camp. I have also spent the last two years teaching children in the
religion school at my synagogue, which has allowed me to further develop my communication
skills. Moreover, I have achieved a Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award and am nearing completion
of Gold. The Gold has proven to be a real challenge due to the commitment and effort required
to complete the expedition and sections, but which I believe that I have accomplished through
strong self-motivation and time management.
A good chemist requires aspiration, drive and logical thinking. During my EPQ I was inspired
by many of the individuals who stood at the fore front of uncovering the Thalidomide Scandal
and exhibited these characteristics by resisting pressure from drug companies to promote and
sell Thalidomide. Dr. Lenz and Dr. Kelsey come to mind, and I aspire to follow their example
in using my scientific ability to good effect.
Biology
Sexual dimorphism of the brain can affect our susceptibility to mental disorders, such as
Parkinson's, but the full extent of this is unknown. At a recent lecture on this topic, I
realised that what excites me about Biology is that our knowledge is minute compared to what
is out there to understand, and universities are at the forefront of this research.
My Biology A2 course covers an entire spectrum of topics, and I've enjoyed the variety. I am
fascinated by genetics and how small changes in DNA sequences can ignite such diversity in
organisms. Cancer was briefly covered when studying mitosis and semi-conservative DNA
replication. I followed this up by reading, 'Why Millions survive Cancer' by Lauren Pecorino.
Although we hear snippets of news about carcinogens in the media, this book gave details of
recent research, particularly into the relatively new, and for some controversial, HPV
vaccine. When reading 'Bad Science' by Ben Goldacre, the hype around the alleged link between
the MMR vaccine and autism shocked me as to how a piece of research taken out of context by
the media can cripple one's trust in science. This highlights the importance of having
sufficient data and evidence to publish reliable results in the real world, a concept that is
emphasised in classroom experiments.
Chemistry A2 has aided me in developing experimental accuracy and precision, while Geography
A2 has taught me about the impacts of human activity on the environment and recognising the
necessity for conservation. Attending the club, 'Science in the News' gives me the chance to
discuss scientific advances with peers. Stem cells are a recurring topic with ever more
successful transplants based on this technology, most recently with tracheas and a hepatic
portal vein. Cutting edge biotechnology such as this is at present expensive and invasive,
but, given the diminished chances of rejection, it is full of potential.