Inspiration for Your Personal Statement

There is a lot of interesting reading material out there waiting to be explored! Whether you're looking at books, magazines or articles, there's lots of interesting inspiration to find.

We understand that you may not want to read all day every day for your personal statement. So why not mix it up? We have gathered a few good tips for you to do something different.

Museums

Getting out of the house can be a good way to clear your head. It is also a good way to experience new things. Try to check out your local museum and see if it has an got an interesting exhibition. It may just be what you need to overcome a writer's block. And remember, many of them got student discounts!

Documentaries & Films

  • Netflix has many different documentaries and films. Whether you want to pursue science, social studies, or something else, there is probably something for you. Don't worry if you don't have a subscription: they often offer a free 30 day trial.

  • YouTube has some very helpful videos you can use for inspiration - and all for free! It is very common to find renowned documentaries on there. Try for yourself!

  • Your local library can also be a great way to borrow books and films for free.

Events

Many universities also do public events. Although there are fewer events in July, there are still a few you can attend. For instance, if you live in London, take a look at the following websites:

  • LSE: http://www.lse.ac.uk/Events/Search-Events

  • UCL: http://events.ucl.ac.uk/highlights/

  • KCL: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/newsevents/index1.aspx

  • Imperial: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/whats-on/

This is just a handful. As you can see, most universities have pages online with upcoming events. Take a look at your local university and see whether they are hosting an interesting event. You can also find other events hosted by newspapers, think tanks and organisations.

How do you use these resources then?

1. Reflect. We can't stress this enough: your personal statement is about you reflecting about the subject you're interested in studying at university.

One way to go about it is to address criticism of an argument, investigate how what you are learning can be applied to other areas, and perhaps what it means for the future. You can do this while you read! Feel free to discuss with a friend, a family member or a helpful teacher. Getting to express your ideas out loud and getting feedback on them is a really good way to analyse your thoughts in depth.

2. That is also why you shouldn't immediately dismiss a topic if it isn't directly related to your field. Keep your mind open and try to explore different topics.

For instance, if you want to study philosophy, it may seem odd to read an article about science. But, it may just end up being an interesting philosophical discussion! It is often such topics that combine different ideas that end up showing creativity and reflection. We understand that your time is limited and you perhaps only want to focus on your subject. If you do have time though, we recommend you exploring like this.

3. A good way to internalise what you're learning is to take a few notes. Don't worry, it doesn't have to be like in school.

We recommend you just write a few notes or highlight a sentence or two, when you find something interesting. If you feel more like drawing, you can even draw what you are learning. Getting it down on paper can often help you internalise what you're learning.

What can you do?

Try to read a few excellent personal statements to see how they use different resources. This can give you a more hands-on understanding of the points above.