Personal Statement:Psychology 19

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Psychology Personal Statement

As an American high school student, I have always been expected to attend an American university as the next step in my education, but the expected has never really been my cup of tea. While I am sure I would learn much at Yale or any of the other American Universities I have applied to, they do not provide the learning experience I am looking for. UCL’s emphasis on small-group teaching is very appealing to me, as is the fact that there will be a staff member there to support me throughout my experience at this university. I am eager simply to study in the UK because it allows me to experience and learn from a culture different from my own, without having to step outside of language boundaries. Overall, I seek the ability to know my professors to the extent where I can further my knowledge by talking with them outside of class and to be in an environment where I will constantly learn from conversations with those around me and experiences will often be new to me.

Throughout my academic career, I have maintained top grades and constantly pushed myself. I am a member of National Honors Society and National Spanish Honors Society and have been on the Honor Roll throughout all of school. Two years ago, I made the decision to join the first group of students from my school to complete the International Baccalaureate diploma program. I knew that it was a risk to be in the first group, but I also knew that the IB program would stretch my mind in new ways and that is what I have always sought in my education.

Both of my parents are psychologists, thusly psychology has constantly been a part of my environment and the subject has always fascinated me. Though I have not had the opportunity of taking a psychology class at my high school, I am currently in possession of three different psychology text books, numerous social and psychological studies, and an iPod that bears many psychology Podcasts from universities around the globe. I view my life as a constant study in psychology. From my own experiences to the maturing of the young children I have taught Sunday school to for four years, I find that there is always a deeper reasoning behind everything that occurs in people’s lives. After writing my IB Extended Essay on the psychology of sociopaths, I have also grown to understand the extent to which our minds’ flaws can drive us. One of my favorite studies in psychology comes from acting and dance. I am a master film student at the studio I have attended for four years and have taken many dance and theatre classes outside of this. The mind’s ability to take on a different persona is mesmerizing. It is discoveries like these that fascinate me. Though I am uncertain what career I am aiming for— be it criminal justice, social work, or research— there has never been a question of what I wish to study.

My education is extremely valuable to me and I have grown to understand that the knowledge I acquire will come as much from my life experience as from my schooling. I have been an avid reader since I first read Little Women at age seven. More important than my reading, however, is the level of social awareness I live by. I am the campus representative at my school for TOMS Shoes, a mentor through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and a member of my school’s recycling club and Students Against Destructive Decisions. I have also been an active member in the fight to end the war in Uganda as a volunteer for Invisible Children for four years. I have learned much from each experience, and through each I have done all I can to make the world a better place.

The more I look into UCL, the more I feel that it is the perfect place for me. From the various research and educational opportunities to the chance to study within a new culture, the possibilities are seemingly endless. I know that I cannot go wrong within this institution with the level of care that each student is given and the many doors I see open before me there.

Universities Applied to:

• University College London (Psychology)

Grades Achieved:

• American Student with top grades and a 3.98/4.00 GPA

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