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Personal statement advice

Okay I’m restarting my personal statement cause first time round it was rubbish. The first question is so hard for me to answer. It’s why do you want to study this subject? I know why it’s because I would like to become a social worker and help people but people say that’s boring to say you want to help people. I guess my passion for it started last year when looking into careers this one intrigued me the most. But there is a time I watched a scene in a tv show, she was a social worker and she was communicating with the kids and I really liked that scene and knew that that’s something I’d love to do in the future. Do you think this is okay to write about in paragraph 1? I’m not gonna go into detail but like I might just write that’s when my desire to study the subject began. Help idkkkk is that okay? 😭😭
Original post by Naymahhhh333
Okay I’m restarting my personal statement cause first time round it was rubbish. The first question is so hard for me to answer. It’s why do you want to study this subject? I know why it’s because I would like to become a social worker and help people but people say that’s boring to say you want to help people. I guess my passion for it started last year when looking into careers this one intrigued me the most. But there is a time I watched a scene in a tv show, she was a social worker and she was communicating with the kids and I really liked that scene and knew that that’s something I’d love to do in the future. Do you think this is okay to write about in paragraph 1? I’m not gonna go into detail but like I might just write that’s when my desire to study the subject began. Help idkkkk is that okay? 😭😭


Hi!
That's definitely ok to write about! When I did my personal statement I used a quote from a film that inspired my degree choice. Inspiration is everywhere, especially in art, so if that's what kick started your passion then definitely include it!
Like you said, you probably don't want to go into too much detail about it, but definitely make reference to it.
Hope this helps!
Michaela - UoP Rep :smile:
Original post by Naymahhhh333
Okay I’m restarting my personal statement cause first time round it was rubbish. The first question is so hard for me to answer. It’s why do you want to study this subject? I know why it’s because I would like to become a social worker and help people but people say that’s boring to say you want to help people. I guess my passion for it started last year when looking into careers this one intrigued me the most. But there is a time I watched a scene in a tv show, she was a social worker and she was communicating with the kids and I really liked that scene and knew that that’s something I’d love to do in the future. Do you think this is okay to write about in paragraph 1? I’m not gonna go into detail but like I might just write that’s when my desire to study the subject began. Help idkkkk is that okay? 😭😭

I think that's a reasonable start-you could talk about the impact you saw them have. I'd mention that this led you to do your own research so you could check to what extent this was a true depiction of the career and what social workers do perhaps? And that this deepened your interest?
Could you maybe talk about something you experienced where you saw the communication- like have you done some work experience/shadowing, or maybe read a book or journal articles about it? Or an online lecture series? They might seem more 'academic' than referencing a tv show? So finding something that details that same communication that interests you, but in a more formal way.
The best thing though is to write something that is specific to you, and about which you are passionate. It is best to be genuine, as that will convey to the readers, so if you do decide to go with the tv show because it is where your interest started, remember to then reference more academic sources later.
Social work is one of many professions where you could say you help people. What is it about SW in particular that interests you?

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