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History Personal Statement

I have chosen to study History because I believe it is the most important and relevant subject there is. I have a desire to understand the social and economic processes that have produced modern society. History has fascinated me since early childhood, when I loved to visit museums and historical sites. As an academic subject, my love for History was triggered when I studied the Second World War as a 10 year old. I could not believe the immense impact it had on the world, and the sheer scale of it. It in turn had a huge impact on me, and consolidated my love for the subject. I recently attended a lecture by Professor Edward Acton on the Russian Revolution, which was an extremely valuable experience.

Studying History for GCSE and A-Level has been good preparation for what the degree course would entail. I have successfully learned the skills of analysis and historiography, and how to infer from sources. It has encouraged me to read around the topic at hand and to research independently. I have greatly enjoyed the course and was very pleased with my result in August.

I am also studying English Literature, Psychology and Critical Thinking. All three subjects have given me skills that will be needed for the degree. English Literature has required a significant amount of independent reading, and has also taught me the importance of sticking to deadlines. I believe my Psychology A-Level will help me as there is a great deal of analysis and evaluation involved in the subject, for example looking at the validity of a theory. Critical Thinking has taught me how to identify and write a reasoned argument, as well as to think without bias and identify the relevant parts of an article. I think all of the above skills are beneficial to the study of History.

I have a number of key skills and achievements that I think will help me on the degree. I am highly computer literate; I have made my own website using HTML and am experienced in Adobe Photoshop. Studying essay-based subjects has taught me to express myself eloquently through writing and to structure my ideas coherently. For the duration of my time at secondary school I was a member of my school's highly successful Anti-Bullying Council. This included a course on how to give counselling sessions to my fellow students, which I then did on a number of occasions. It was a very important learning experience for me that I think I could definitely apply to my time at university. One of my greatest achievements came in 2002, when I wrote an essay for the Wellcome Trust that won my school's Science Department £1,000. Lastly, I have had an enthusiasm for acting all my life. I have appeared in a number of productions, including devised pieces. A significant amount of teamwork, creativity and devotion was necessary in this area.

I have had two Work Experience placements. I spent two weeks working at a nursery, and last summer I volunteered at my local Play Scheme. I enjoyed this work thoroughly. Both placements required energy, patience and commitment. The work was also very spontaneous and I often had to make independent decisions. It is in this sense that I think the work was a great experience and will be relevant to my degree choice. I have chosen to take a gap year so that I can experience the world of work, and also the world, before entering university.

I would love to study a History degree to increase the skills mentioned above, but most importantly to expand on my knowledge of the subject. I am keen to study any area and any period in depth, and look forward to what I will discover. I am hard working, independent and, above all, have a life-long passion for the subject that will guarantee me to succeed.

Universities applied to

• University of Birmingham (History and Social Sciences) = Offer ABB
• University of Bristol (History) = Offer AAB
• University of Leeds (History) = Offer AAB
• University of Manchester (History) = Offer AAB including grade A in history
• University of Newcastle Upon Tyne (History) = Offer AAB
• University of Sheffield (History) = Offer AAB

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