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I'm struggling to find things that are related to psychology for my Personal Statment

I've been constructing my Personal Statement recently in preparation for applying for psychology undergraduate courses in 2015. But I'm finding it difficult to find things to mention that are related to the course! For example- I have no actual relevant work experience as all the social work placements have been booked whenever I have tried to find a place to volunteer, so im stuck with work experience that I did in a local shop. Ive also got little extra curriculum activities to mention too! Apart from replicating and participating in replicator y studies, what else can I use/do?

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Volunteer for the charity Mind. Talk about your passion for the subject, some published research you found interesting and why you found it interesting. Where you want to progress to and show some knowledge about what that involves.
Psychology degrees are research based not practical. You really don't need experience to get on the course. What would help your chances is reading around the subject like journal articles of psychology books.

Also uni's really don't look at extra curricula's.
Why don't you work for MIND? Its a mental health day centre and they have so many branches. Its a great way to get work experience. I volunteered for 3 months and it was a good opportunity as I met so many people with different disorders and it helped me become more compassionate and gain useful skills.

There are also soooo many different psychology books you can read (e.g. The man who mistook his wife for a hat is quite interesting). I applied last winter and could send you my personal statement if it helps. But remember not to copy it because its plagarism and could potentially jeopardise your entire ucas application :smile:
Original post by Secretnerd123
Why don't you work for MIND? Its a mental health day centre and they have so many branches. Its a great way to get work experience. I volunteered for 3 months and it was a good opportunity as I met so many people with different disorders and it helped me become more compassionate and gain useful skills.

There are also soooo many different psychology books you can read (e.g. The man who mistook his wife for a hat is quite interesting). I applied last winter and could send you my personal statement if it helps. But remember not to copy it because its plagarism and could potentially jeopardise your entire ucas application :smile:


As a personal statement reviewer, i can tell you know NOT to mention that book in your personal statement. EVERYONE does it (including me on my first draft!) and most people reading it will roll their eyes.

Good book though!

Personal statements need to show how you would do well on the course, and secondarily (and much less importantly) to university life. Things like books you've read a great way of showing actual interest in the course! I think there used to be a list on TSR of good psychology books to read.
Original post by Secretnerd123
Why don't you work for MIND? Its a mental health day centre and they have so many branches. Its a great way to get work experience. I volunteered for 3 months and it was a good opportunity as I met so many people with different disorders and it helped me become more compassionate and gain useful skills.

There are also soooo many different psychology books you can read (e.g. The man who mistook his wife for a hat is quite interesting). I applied last winter and could send you my personal statement if it helps. But remember not to copy it because its plagarism and could potentially jeopardise your entire ucas application :smile:


What exactly did you do? I've looked on the website but it doesn't really say how you can get involved apart from fundraising :smile:
Original post by iammichealjackson
As a personal statement reviewer, i can tell you know NOT to mention that book in your personal statement. EVERYONE does it (including me on my first draft!) and most people reading it will roll their eyes.

Good book though!

Personal statements need to show how you would do well on the course, and secondarily (and much less importantly) to university life. Things like books you've read a great way of showing actual interest in the course! I think there used to be a list on TSR of good psychology books to read.


I was using as an example. I mentioned another book in my personal statement (unlocking the human brain).

Original post by daisychain_
What exactly did you do? I've looked on the website but it doesn't really say how you can get involved apart from fundraising :smile:


Well, there was a group of us at every branch and when the service uses came in, we'd play games with them and do other activities which they may enjoy with them (for example in my branch, there was a quiz every friday). We used to just listen to them and just made them feel like they were appreciated because it's very easy for people with mental disorders to feel marginalised from society :smile:
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Original post by Secretnerd123
I was using as an example. I mentioned another book in my personal statement (unlocking the human brain).



Well, there was a group of us at every branch and when the service uses came in, we'd play games with them and do other activities which they may enjoy with them (for example in my branch, there was a quiz every friday). We used to just listen to them and just made them feel like they were appreciated because it's very easy for people with mental disorders to feel marginalised from society :smile:


I've just spent another few hours looking for more volunteering and internship opportunities, with no luck. I sent an email to Mind, doubt I'll get a response though. Organisations such as the NSPCC and Cancer Research UK have nothing available for me, and when I did find some; the application process/website was broken. Buggers.
Original post by Davalla
I've just spent another few hours looking for more volunteering and internship opportunities, with no luck. I sent an email to Mind, doubt I'll get a response though. Organisations such as the NSPCC and Cancer Research UK have nothing available for me, and when I did find some; the application process/website was broken. Buggers.


Pm me your email and i'll let you view my personal statement. I got into 4/5 of my unis so i'm sure it'll help :smile:
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Original post by Secretnerd123
Why don't you work for MIND? Its a mental health day centre and they have so many branches. Its a great way to get work experience. I volunteered for 3 months and it was a good opportunity as I met so many people with different disorders and it helped me become more compassionate and gain useful skills.

There are also soooo many different psychology books you can read (e.g. The man who mistook his wife for a hat is quite interesting). I applied last winter and could send you my personal statement if it helps. But remember not to copy it because its plagarism and could potentially jeopardise your entire ucas application :smile:




If you would send me a copy of your PS I would be very grateful. I have actually finished my personal statement (47 lines), but I was just looking at how to tidy it up, etc, so I would obviously not copy any of yours, and you can naturally take out any of the areas that you think are too brilliant to share!
Much appreciated.
You don't need any experience, just show that you're passionate and how your work in A levels or what you do can relate back etc
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Original post by Secretnerd123
Pm me your email and i'll let you view my personal statement. I got into 4/5 of my unis so i'm sure it'll help :smile:


I can't PM you as your message list is full. :s-smilie:
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Original post by Joshale
You don't need any experience, just show that you're passionate and how your work in A levels or what you do can relate back etc


Yeah I know, it's just my tutors are always saying that without experience we shall get nowhere. This week is actually supposed to be the work experience period for year 12's, which I am missing.
Original post by Davalla
I can't PM you as your message list is full. :s-smilie:


Cleared it
Have a look and see if you can find a particular area of psychology that interests you, for mine I chose biology and mental illness and write about why they interest you, maybe mention some wider reading you've done into these areas? :smile:

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Have you tried volunteering for a charity shop? I work at a little charity shop for dementia support. I have an interest in the cognitive processes and biological functions, so I plan to try and link that in. You can also look at transferable skills, such as interpersonal skills. Universities will be looking for these types of skills as well as interest in the subject.

Also I've been to several talks about writing a personal statement for psychology, including one from Oxbridge admissions. Reading books is definitely useful, as you can incorporate this into your statement which shows a real interest. Just make sure you don't get caught out if they ask you about a book in an interview.
Original post by Davalla
I've been constructing my Personal Statement recently in preparation for applying for psychology undergraduate courses in 2015. But I'm finding it difficult to find things to mention that are related to the course! For example- I have no actual relevant work experience as all the social work placements have been booked whenever I have tried to find a place to volunteer, so im stuck with work experience that I did in a local shop. Ive also got little extra curriculum activities to mention too! Apart from replicating and participating in replicator y studies, what else can I use/do?


I made a thread with reading recommendations. Citing a few books/talks/media that is psychology based that you've read/watched/listened to demonstrates interest in the course, and its one of the easiest things you can do for your personal statement. http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2739866
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Original post by iammichealjackson
I made a thread with reading recommendations. Citing a few books/talks/media that is psychology based that you've read/watched/listened to demonstrates interest in the course, and its one of the easiest things you can do for your personal statement. http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2739866


Brilliant, much appreciated.
Original post by Davalla
Yeah I know, it's just my tutors are always saying that without experience we shall get nowhere. This week is actually supposed to be the work experience period for year 12's, which I am missing.


Due to the fact that finding work experience/shadowing within psychology is very difficult (due to confidentiality etc.) it really won't be expected from you.
As has been mentioned try reading around the course. The Psychologist is also available on line with articles more than a year old being free to access. Make sure though that when you do write about reading you don't just mention it briefly - you want to go into detail about what it is that you liked, what you learned, specific parts that you found particularly interesting etc.
Original post by iammichealjackson
As a personal statement reviewer, i can tell you know NOT to mention that book in your personal statement. EVERYONE does it (including me on my first draft!) and most people reading it will roll their eyes.


Nonsense. If you have read the book and it has influenced you, put it in.

There are plenty of other great psychology books - I would particularly recommend How the Mind Works by Pinker and Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow by Kahneman

Subversive advice: your personal statement is not that important (as long as you don't seriously mess it up). Many university offers are fairly automatic - if you meet the grade and subject requirements, you get an offer. If you are to be interviewed for the course, then the personal statement might become the subject of the interview, but if not...we don't really look at them that closely (unless there are special circumstances blah blah).

As admission tutors, we don't tend to agonise over personal statements to judge which is the best.

Schools encourage you to put a lot of effort in to make you think about the course(s) you want to study, and to make you feel like you are investing in your future. These are not bad motives.

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