liberal arts and sciences personal statement

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July 6, 2018, by Ross Wilson

How to apply to Liberal Arts – Personal Statements

Every student applying to Liberal Arts will come from different backgrounds and they will have their own experiences and individual qualifications. That’s why we don’t look for specific A-Levels, International Baccalaureate profiles or their equivalents in any application. What we are interested in is why you want to explore issues across a range of subjects and study for a Liberal Arts degree. We all have different interests but what brings us together as Liberal Arts scholars is that we don’t want to be confined to one approach.

Your personal statement

When writing your statement to apply for the Liberal Arts degree we want to learn more about you. We want to find out about what you are motivated by, what you are interested in and what you want to study here at the University of Nottingham.

Writing personal statements for Liberal Arts can seem complicated because of the range of options but this is an opportunity to tell us more about you. We want to hear about your work and your pastimes and why these are important to you and why this has led you to Liberal Arts.

Trent Building, University Park

Liberal Arts at the University of Nottingham is about choice, exploration and it is about innovation. If you want to study across a range of subjects that says something exciting and interesting about you and we want to know what that is. We are all interdisciplinary in our interests. For example, we can enjoy music, art, literature, languages or mathematics; but we want to find out why you want to study subjects together and connect up areas of thought.

You might be interested in architecture, gaming, politics, culture or society. You could want to work on issues to do with the environment, equality or education. You may want to take a role in the future that will change how we live, work and engage with one another. But we do this by thinking differently and using the range of approaches from the arts, humanities and social sciences.

Don’t worry about covering every single approach or trying to address all the subjects we have to offer in your statement. We only want to find out about your route to studying Liberal Arts and what you want to do. We read all the personal statements because we are interested in your work as a Liberal Arts scholar. So, use this chance to:

1 – Describe your current subjects of study and why you want to explore these further

2- Explain how you want to combine different subjects and approaches

3 – Report on the books, films, television programmes, music or art that have inspired you or made you think differently about what you want to work on at university

4 – Inform us of the areas you would like to study here at Nottingham and why

5 – Tell us about any trips, plans, volunteering or jobs you have undertaken or plan to complete and why this has influenced you

6 – Communicate your interests, your motivations and what makes you want to study Liberal Arts

Hallward Library, University Park Campus

Liberal Arts is for people who want to study, explore and innovate and we will work with you to develop a degree programme that reflects your interests and which opens up opportunities for a range of careers. Do not worry about having to decide your route through Liberal Arts right now as this is something you can explore when you begin your studies.

Your personal statement reflects who you are as a Liberal Arts student and why this degree is important for you.

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News, views and experiences of Liberal Arts  staff and students at Nottingham. Our Liberal Arts courses allow students to  explore  their interests within a framework of problem-solving, enquiry and global  exploration.

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Writing Your Personal Statements

Your personal statement must demonstrate to the admissions committee that you have considered graduate school and their specific program seriously. It’s your opportunity to summarize your academic and research experiences. You must also communicate how your experiences are relevant to preparing you for the graduate degree that you will be pursuing and explain why a given program is the right one for you.

The personal statement is where you highlight your strengths. Make your strengths absolutely clear to the reviewers, because they will often be reading many other statements. Your self-assessments and honest conversations with peers and advisors should have also revealed your strengths. But you must also address (not blame others for) weaknesses or unusual aspects of your application or academic background.

Your personal statement should focus on two main aspects: your competence and commitment.

1. Identify your strengths in terms of competence that indicate that you will succeed in the grad program and provide examples to support your claims. Start your statement by describing your strengths immediately. Because faculty will be reading many statements, it’s important to start off with your strengths and not “bury your lede.” Consider traits of successful graduate students from your informational interviews, and identify which of these traits you have. These traits could involve research skills and experiences, expertise in working with techniques or instruments, familiarity with professional networks and resources in your field, etc.

• Check your responses from the exercises in the self-assessment section. You may wish to consult notes from your informational interviews and your Seven Stories . Write concise summaries and stories that demonstrate your strengths, e.g. how your strengths helped you to achieve certain goals or overcome obstacles.
• Summarize your research experience(s). What were the main project goals and the “big picture” questions? What was your role in this project? What did you accomplish? What did you learn, and how did you grow as a result of the experience(s)?

My research examines the interplay between U.S. domestic politics and foreign policy during the Cold War. As a native New Yorker, I saw firsthand how dramatically my city changed after 9/11, which prompted my early interest in U.S. policy at home and abroad. As an undergraduate at the City College of New York, I planned to study international relations with a focus on U.S. foreign affairs. I also quickly became involved in student activist groups that focused on raising awareness about a wide range of human rights issues, from the Syrian refugee crisis to asylum seekers from Central America.

The more I learned about the crises in the present, the more I realized that I needed a deeper understanding of the past to fully grasp them. I decided to pursue a PhD in history in order to gain a clearer understanding of human rights issues in the present and to empower young student-activists like myself.

— Vannessa Velez, PhD candidate in History

Addressing weaknesses or unusual aspects

• Identify weaknesses or unusual aspects in your application—e.g., a significant drop in your GPA during a term; weak GRE scores; changes in your academic trajectory, etc. Don’t ignore them, because ignoring them might be interpreted as blind spots for you. If you’re unsure if a particular issue is significant enough to address, seek advice from faculty mentors.
• Explain how you’ll improve and strengthen those areas or work around your weakness. Determine how you will address them in a positive light, e.g., by discussing how you overcame obstacles through persistence, what you learned from challenges, and how you grew from failures. Focusing on a growth mindset  or grit  and this blog on weaknesses might also help.
• Deal with any significant unusual aspects later in the statement to allow a positive impression to develop first.
• Explain, rather than provide excuses—i.e., address the issue directly and don’t blame others (even if you believe someone else is responsible). Draft it and get feedback from others to see if the explanation is working as you want it to.
• Provide supporting empirical evidence if possible. For example, “Adjusting to college was a major step for me, coming from a small high school and as a first-generation college student. My freshman GPA was not up to par with my typical achievements, as demonstrated by my improved  GPA of 3.8 during my second and third years in college."
• Be concise (don’t dwell on the issues), but also be complete (don’t lead to other potentially unanswered questions). For example, if a drop in grades during a term was due to a health issue, explain whether the health issue is recurring, managed now with medication, resolved, etc.

2. Explain your commitment to research and their graduate program, including your motivation for why you are applying to this graduate program at this university. Be as specific as possible. Identify several faculty members with whom you are interested in working, and explain why their research interests you.

• Descriptions of your commitment should explain why you’re passionate about this particular academic field and provide demonstrations of your commitment with stories (e.g., working long hours to solve a problem, overcoming challenges in research, resilience in pursuing problems). Don’t merely assert your commitment.
• Explain why you are applying to graduate school, as opposed to seeking a professional degree or a job. Discuss your interest and motivation for grad school, along with your future career aspirations.

I am definitely not your traditional graduate student. As a biracial (Native American and white), first-generation PhD student from a military family, I had very limited guidance on how best to pursue my education, especially when I decided that graduate school was a good idea. I ended up coming to this PhD in a very circuitous manner, stopping first to get a JD and, later, an MFA in Young Adult Literature. With each degree, I took time to work and apply what I’d learned, as a lawyer and as an educator. Each time, I realized that I was circling around questions that I couldn’t let go of—not just because I found them to be fascinating, but because I did (and still do!) feel that my research could help to bridge a gap that desperately needs bridging. Because my work is quite interdisciplinary, I strongly feel that I wouldn’t have been able to pursue this line of research without the degrees and life experience I gained before coming to this program.

— Jamie Fine, PhD candidate in Modern Thought and Literature

Statement of Purpose: subtle aspects

• Think in terms of engaging faculty in a conversation rather than pleading with them that you should be admitted. Ask reviewers to read drafts with this concern in mind.
• With later drafts, try developing an overall narrative theme. See if one emerges as you work.
• Write at least 10 drafts and expect your thinking and the essay to change quite a bit over time.
• Read drafts out loud to help you catch errors.
• Expect the "you' that emerges in your essay to be incomplete. . . that’s OK.
• You’re sharing a professional/scholarly slice of "you."
• Avoid humor (do you really know what senior academics find funny?) and flashy openings and closings. Think of pitching the essay to an educated person in the field, but not necessarily in your specialty. Avoid emotionally laden words (such as "love" or "passion"). Remember, your audience is a group of professors! Overly emotional appeals might make them uncomfortable. They are looking for scholarly colleagues.

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Career-a-palooza: how to write a liberal arts and sciences personal statement, 10:00 am - 11:00 am.

Learn how to write an effective personal statement.

Writing a personal statement is beyond a presentation of yourself. The personal statement also needs to resonate with the context of the application and the stakeholders who will read it. This presentation will help guide students coming from STEM and non-STEM Liberal Arts majors, and a comparison between the two will be demonstrated in order to give students flexibility in their future job searches. Featuring Pauline Binder-Finnema, PhD, Assistant Director, Career Advancement Center.

Register for this event on Handshake   to view the link to join this virtual event.

On Campus Accessibility Accommodations:

Contact Kirsten Schramm at 847-735-5167 or [email protected]  at least 72 hours in advance.

Arts and Sciences Personal Statement Examples

• 1 Personal Statement Example Links
• 2 Career Opportunities
• 3 UK Admission Requirements
• 4 UK Earnings Potential For Arts and Sciences
• 5 Similar Courses in UK
• 6 UK Curriculum
• 7 Alumni Network

Personal Statement Example Links

• Personal Statement Example 1
• Personal Statement Example 2
• Personal Statement Example 3
• Personal Statement Example 4

Ever wondered about the intersection between the creative world of arts and the analytical realm of sciences? Intrigued by the possibility of exploring diverse fields of study within a single degree?

If so, a degree in Arts and Sciences might be the ideal journey for you. This dynamic and flexible programme encourages you to bridge disciplinary boundaries, offering a holistic approach to learning that caters to your unique interests.

The Arts and Sciences university course is an interesting and relevant choice for students looking to expand their knowledge and skills in a variety of disciplines. This course allows students to explore a range of topics, from the humanities to the sciences, and gain an understanding of the world around them. It is a great way to broaden one’s horizons and gain a deeper understanding of the world.

The Arts and Sciences course provides students with the opportunity to learn about a variety of topics, from philosophy to mathematics, and develop skills in problem-solving, research, and critical thinking. Additionally, the course offers students the chance to gain a better understanding of their own culture and history, as well as the cultures of others.

This course is an excellent choice for students who are looking to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the world and develop the skills needed to succeed in the future.

👍 When writing a personal statement : Highlight your passion for the course, demonstrating your understanding of it. Use relevant personal experiences, coursework, or work history to showcase how these have fostered your interest and readiness for the course.

Career Opportunities

Someone with a degree in arts and sciences can pursue a wide variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common career options:

1. Education: A degree in arts and sciences can provide the foundation for a career in teaching, either at the primary, secondary, or post-secondary level. This field includes positions such as elementary school teacher, high school teacher, college professor, and administrator.

2. Business: An arts and sciences degree can also provide the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue a career in business. This includes positions in management, finance, accounting, marketing, and human resources.

3. Government: A degree in arts and sciences can also be used to pursue a career in the public sector, such as a civil servant or policy maker.

4. Media and Communications: An arts and sciences degree can also be used to pursue a career in media and communications, such as journalism, public relations, or advertising.

5. Arts and Culture: An arts and sciences degree can also be used to pursue a career in the arts and culture, such as a curator, museum director, or gallery owner.

6. Science and Technology: An arts and sciences degree can also be used to pursue a career in science and technology, such as a researcher, engineer, or computer scientist.

7. Non-Profit: An arts and sciences degree can also be used to pursue a career in the non-profit sector, where roles may include program management, community outreach, advocacy, fundraising, and strategic planning, among others.

UK Admission Requirements

The entry criteria for the Arts and Sciences course at the University of Kentucky vary depending on the specific program. Generally, applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent and a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5. Some programs may also require a minimum SAT or ACT score.

In addition, some programs may require specific prerequisites, such as a certain number of credits in math, science, and English. Some programs may also require a portfolio or audition.

The entry criteria for the Arts and Sciences course at the University of Kentucky is similar to entry criteria for other universities. Most universities require a high school diploma or equivalent and minimum GPA of 2.5. Some universities may also require a minimum SAT or ACT score and prerequisites, such as a certain number of credits in math, science, and English. Some universities may also require a portfolio or audition.

UK Earnings Potential For Arts and Sciences

The average earnings for someone with a degree in Arts and Sciences will vary depending on the field of study, the job market, and the individual’s qualifications and experience. Generally, graduates with a degree in Arts and Sciences can expect to earn an average salary of around £25,000 – £30,000 per year.

The job market for Arts and Sciences graduates is highly competitive, and the demand for these graduates is growing. There is a wide range of potential roles available, from teaching and research to arts and culture, media and communications, and business and finance.

In terms of trends, the job market for Arts and Sciences graduates is expected to remain strong in the coming years, as employers are increasingly looking for graduates with a broad range of skills and knowledge. Additionally, the demand for professionals with expertise in digital media and technology is growing, which could lead to increased opportunities for Arts and Sciences graduates.

Similar Courses in UK

Other university courses related to Arts and Sciences include Humanities, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts.

Humanities is a broad field of study that encompasses the study of history, literature, philosophy, and other related disciplines. Social Sciences is a field of study that focuses on the study of people and their behavior, as well as their interactions with one another.

Liberal Arts is a field of study that covers a wide range of subjects, including literature, history, philosophy, mathematics, and the natural sciences.

The key differences between Arts and Sciences and the other related courses are that Arts and Sciences is a more general field of study, while Humanities, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts are more specialized fields of study. Arts and Sciences covers a wide range of topics, while Humanities and Social Sciences focus more on specific topics. Liberal Arts is a more interdisciplinary field of study, incorporating elements from multiple disciplines.

UK Curriculum

The Arts and Sciences course at the University of Kent covers a wide range of topics and modules, including the fundamentals of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.

In the humanities, students will explore topics such as literature, philosophy, history, and art. This includes an exploration of the works of major authors, thinkers, and artists, as well as an exploration of the historical and cultural contexts in which they were created.

In the social sciences, students will explore topics such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, and economics. This includes an exploration of the theories and methods used to study human behavior and interactions, as well as an exploration of the social and economic structures that shape our lives.

In the natural sciences, students will explore topics such as biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. This includes an exploration of the principles and theories that govern the physical world, as well as an exploration of the applications of these theories in the real world.

The course also includes hands-on experience and practical work. Students will have the opportunity to conduct experiments and research projects in the laboratory, as well as to participate in field trips and other activities that allow them to observe and interact with the natural world. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to engage in critical thinking and problem-solving activities, such as essay writing and debate.

Alumni Network

Notable alumni from the Arts and Sciences course include renowned actor and director Robert De Niro, who has won two Academy Awards for his work in films such as The Godfather Part II and Raging Bull. He has also directed films such as A Bronx Tale and The Good Shepherd. De Niro has also been involved in numerous philanthropic endeavors, including the Tribeca Film Institute, which supports emerging filmmakers.

Other notable alumni from the Arts and Sciences course include Pulitzer Prize-winning author Junot Diaz, who wrote the acclaimed novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, and Grammy-winning musician John Legend, who has released numerous hit singles and albums.

Alumni events and networking opportunities are available through the university’s Alumni Network. These events include alumni reunions, networking events, and career fairs. The Alumni Network also provides a platform for alumni to connect with each other and stay connected with their alma mater. Additionally, the Alumni Network provides resources and support for alumni to help them succeed in their professional and personal lives.

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Successful Personal Statement For Natural Science (Physical) At Cambridge

Last Updated: 12th April 2022

Author: Chloe Hewitt

• Natural Sciences

Table of Contents

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it. 

Today, we are looking through a Natural Science applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Cambridge University. The Natural Science Course at Cambridge is a unique and demanding course focused on blurring the boundaries between the different fields of science. 

Read on to see how this candidate wrote a Personal Statement that helped secure their place on a reputable degree. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement:

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

Enrolling on our Cambridge Natural Science comprehensive Programme will give you access to Personal Statement redrafts. 

Your tutor will give you actionable feedback with insider tips on how to improve and make your Personal Statement Oxbridge quality for the best chances of success.  

Natural Science (Physical) Personal Statement

The more I discover about physics, the less I realise that I know, and the keener I am to further explore unfamiliar topics at university. Studying areas such as special relativity and quantum mechanics have made me question concepts I took as given, such as the nature and manipulation of time and the degree of certainty to which we can truly know anything.

My particular interest in physics was sparked when I read an article on quantum physics, and was introduced to a simple description of the fundamental constituents of matter. This led me to read further about particle physics. I particularly enjoyed Brian Greene’s The Elegant Universe, which gave me a brief insight into the intricacies of string theory, and The Feynman Lectures on Physics, from which I learnt new mechanics and probability theory. I watch lectures on the MIT website, read New Scientist and am a junior member of the IoP to further my knowledge of new scientific developments. I enjoyed visiting CERN last year and learning more about the experiments conducted there. I have also competed in national challenges to develop my thinking skills further, achieving bronze in the Physics Olympiad, silver in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge and gold in the Senior Maths Challenge. Additionally, this year I won the school leavers’ physics prize.

Last summer I attended a residential Headstart physics course at the University of Leicester, and spent three days at the Debate Chamber physics school. I enjoyed performing undergraduate experiments, and was particularly interested by the lectures on recent developments in nanotechnology and the ways in which nanoparticles could be used to destroy cancerous cells in the body. I also had a tantalising glimpse of some of the complex mathematics behind General Relativity, and would love to study this intricate topic in more detail. These experiences confirmed my love of physics as well as increasing my appreciation of more complicated subjects not covered by my A Level courses. Furthermore, they helped to develop my skills in processing new information and quickly adapting to unfamiliar concepts.

I recently took part in an extended-essay competition at school, producing an independently researched piece of work on the superluminal neutrinos apparently found in 2011. I focused on the impossibility of faster-than-light travel according to special relativity, and the implications for time travel the discovery would have had if the measurements had been correct. This gave me the chance to explore further a subject I was interested in but had not studied at school. I researched my essay by reading scientific journals and textbooks, and speaking to scientists I met at physics events.

I will shortly begin a paid internship at Hildebrand Technology Ltd, where I will be using mathematical modelling of real life situations for statistical analysis. This will be an opportunity to apply mathematical techniques I have learnt in school to more complex problems. This placement, along with self-studying university textbooks and extra further maths modules, will ensure that I maintain and expand my maths skills and scientific knowledge during my gap year.

In my final year I was captain of the school Boat Club. I have rowed in the top senior boat since I was 15, and in 2013 I won silver at National Schools and gold at Schools Head. This sport has involved intensive training, which demands self-discipline and commitment. I love music, and take part in many close harmony groups and choirs, as well as taking grades in musical theatre, singing and piano. My music and sport, along with lifeguarding and weekly volunteering at a local primary school, have allowed me to develop my time management skills and use the time I have for work efficiently and productively.

I am a hardworking and intellectually curious student and am excited by the prospect of developing my mathematical skills and studying physics at a more advanced level at university.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

Successful Personal Statement For Economics At Cambridge

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Download our Free Personal Statement Starter Guide 

Good Points Of The Personal Statement

This is a very good statement. The statement is well structured, and the student’s motivation to study physics is clear. All points are explained clearly, and experiences expanded on. The student uses examples beyond their A-level studies to explain their desire to study physics, which comes across very well to the reader.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

The student forgets to use quotation marks around the names of books etc., and also ‘the’ before ‘New Scientist’. Whilst these are rudimentary errors, a simple proof-read would have found these. The main issue with this statement is its length. There are eight paragraphs in total.  By the penultimate paragraph it is clear enough that the student has done many physics-related extra-curricular activities. The quality of the statement will not be reduced if it is shortened.  The student does not explain acronyms, e.g. ‘IoP’. Some sentences can be shortened in order to save space, e.g. ‘I have also competed in national challenges to develop my thinking skills further, achieving bronze in the Physics Olympiad, silver in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge and gold in the Senior Maths Challenge’ can be shortened to ‘I have also competed in national challenges to develop my thinking skills further, achieving bronze, silver and gold medals in the Physics Olympiad, Cambridge Chemistry and Senior Maths Challenges respectively’.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

In general, this is a very good statement. It is well written, and the student’s motivation to study physics at university is clear from the very beginning. Due to the length of the statement, it is quite cumbersome to read. With some shortening, this would be a compact and powerful statement.

This Personal Statement for Natural Science is a solid example of demonstrating a wealth of knowledge, motivation and interest, vital to Admissions Tutors.

Remember, at Cambridge, these Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

Check out our other successful personal statements and our expert guides on our Free Personal Statement Resources page.

Our expert tutors are on hand to help you craft the perfect Personal Statement for your Cambridge Natural Science application.

With our  Cambridge Natural Science Premium Programme, we help you craft the perfect Personal   Statement , perform strongly on the Admissions Test  and teach you how to  Interview effectively .

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The personal statement.

Making an Impact

A personal statement is your opportunity to share your voice in the application process, not a time to rehash your resume. Personal statements incorporate what led to your interest in law, why you have continued on this path, and what you hope to do with a law degree. Reflect on what is most important in your experience, and be sincere. Admissions committees are comprised of real people; be your real self. Most importantly, address the question asked by each law school.

Start Early

Writing the Personal Statement will take longer than you think. Do not wait until the last minute to write one. It should be carefully constructed, then polished, and reviewed by those whose opinions you value. Effective Personal Statements take several drafts.

It’s About You

Make it personal; this essay is about you, not others. Be remembered as unique. Consider family, education work, volunteerism, extracurricular experiences, your personal background, and life after law school.

Don’t Be Cliché

Be wary of beginning or ending your essay with quotes or sentimental inspirations. Committees have seen many of these, and might be weary of yours

Know the Purpose

The purpose of this essay is to convey to the admissions committee that one day you will make a worthy lawyer. The committee is interested in more than your ability to succeed academically. Do not rely solely on telling the reader that YOU ARE prepared for school and will make a good lawyer – show them by buttressing your claims with specific examples that illustrate each point. Don‘t duplicate information from other sections of the application—offer information they won’t glean elsewhere.

Show, Don’t Tell. Be Reflective.

Don't just list all the things you've done; select one, two, or a few to tell about, and write from the point of view of what you got out of the experience, not how much you worked or how hard it was. Make a point of what you learned, or why you selected the particular experience – this will provide the reader greater insight into your initiative, values and priorities.

Vary your Sentences and Use Transitions

The best essays contain a variety of sentence lengths. Also, remember that transition is not limited to words like nevertheless, furthermore or consequently. Good transitions flow from natural thought progression of the argument. Example: Before ― “I started playing piano at eight years old. I worked hard to learn difficult pieces. I began to love music.” Example: After ― “I started playing the piano at the age of eight. As I learned to play more difficult pieces, my appreciate for music deepened.”

Use the Active Voice

Passive-voice expressions are phrases in which the subject receives the action expressed in the verb. Passive voice employs to be, such as, was or were. Overuse of the passive voice makes prose seem flat and uninteresting. Make verbs active, not passive. For example, “I helped him” is preferable to “He was helped.”

Be Specific and Answer “Why”

This is not the time to be vague. Details are important. Be honest and a real person; we all have our strengths and weaknesses. Being honest helps present a real person with self-confidence, maturity, and self-awareness that is memorable to a reader. Anytime you make a claim about yourself, ask the question “Why?” and answer it. Your written word should reflect the answer.

Highlight your Growth. Address Weaknesses.

Show progression throughout your past experiences, your current ambitions, and what you can offer or expect to accomplish in the future. Be positive and optimistic; however, avoid the Fairy Tale Syndrome (FTS), e.g., “I have always dreamed that someday…” If something in your academic record needs explanation, make one, but do not dwell on the negative. Just don‘t dwell on it. No excuses, either. Take ownership of any transgressions—and the ensuing growth.

Don’t Preach

Don‘t enumerate the attributes of a good professional (other people may have different ideas.) Be careful with criticism of others in the field to which you are trying to gain entry. You might discuss what specialty, if any, you would pursue. What are your related attributes? What experiences have pointed you in this direction?

Proofread and Seek Feedback

Does your essay flow? Check your spelling and grammar on a hard copy, not only on the computer screen. Since you have read and reread your personal statement so many times, you are less likely to notice mistakes. Ask your prelaw advisor, friends, family, professors and anyone else with great writing skills to look over your statement and provide you with honest feedback.

Exercise Judgment

Be careful with the use of “I” or “me” and “myself.” Use them sparingly. Do not use “myself” when “I” or “me” is correct. Your writing should be more sophisticated than your speech, but don't make it so stilted that there is a question as to who wrote or assisted in writing your essay. Be careful of wordiness or redundancy.

Integrity and Honesty

You must be able to defend everything that you write in your personal statement. Be honest. Don‘t exaggerate. Don‘t brag or lie. Admissions Committee members have well developed, highly sensitive radars. If you’ve had a bad semester or LSAT score, you can address this, but you may choose to write a separate statement about this. You may not want to utilize your personal statement to dwell on negatives. Keep a copy of your personal statement and any additional statements to review before your interview.

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Human, social, and political sciences personal statement example (cambridge).

Thinking, to me, occurs in patterns.

I’m a scavenger when it comes to ideas: borrowing from this, considering that, using a thought to spark off another. The process of peeling back the layers behind something - be it an institution, a symbol or a person - and trying to engage with its various levels of significance is, to put it simply, what makes me tick. Over time, it is what has drawn me to the arts and social sciences, where adopting diverse perspectives has allowed me to ‘dive back and forth’ between the concrete value of things and their more abstract meanings.

Learning about anthropology and sociology, through “Small Places, Large Issues” was one of the first steps I took towards focusing my interest. I was captivated by Eriksen’s discussion of religion and the cultivation of the ‘social person’, both of which made me question how behaviours and world-views are passed across generations. This enriched my exploration in Theory of Knowledge at school. The consideration of the formation and impact of cultural knowledge systems on people inspired me to inquire about the duality of shared and personal knowledge, as well as how modes of thought are shaped.

Later, as I read “The Invention of Tradition”, Hobsbawm’s explanation of the ‘mass production’ of traditions to form claims for nations was thought-provoking. It made me reflect on how the ritualization of symbols can be used for political causes, an idea which took on a key role in how I developed my Extended Essay on the causes of the Rwandan genocide. My critical understanding of an event where a society fragmented encouraged me to consider the wider structures which support societies and pushed me to investigate a variety of sources. Though the project was not without challenges, it taught me to refine my analytical skills and undoubtedly, reinforced my love for academic research.

The IB diploma content has, overall, been very stimulating. My analysis of “The Great Gatsby” in English encouraged me to think about how emblems of status and conspicuous consumption shape social relationships, as well as how they might arise. I was drawn by the novel’s use of symbol and form to convey a sense for the collective fantasy of the ‘American Dream’. These themes and their relevance to the context of the 1920s challenged me to bridge my interpretations of literary elements to social commentary. This has led me to wonder how art informs cultural perceptions and vice versa. A literary portrayal of material excess was complementary to our more practical study of sustainable development and the water-food-energy nexus in Geography. In this module, I uncovered links between cultural attitudes and social policy, growing to understand their dynamics in relation to political agendas. Above all, it is these interdisciplinary connections which I find most fascinating in my pursuit of knowledge.

My extracurricular activities also allow me to engage with contemporary issues. My participation in MUN for over 5 years has given me the chance to ‘experience’ facsimile scenarios of international politics, which encouraged me to throw myself wholeheartedly in debate. My involvement with Security Council committees, in particular, has made me more comfortable voicing my ideas and shifting between ‘big picture’ and specific thinking. As the editor of my school magazine, I have realised the importance of keeping an open mind when managing diverse opinions. It’s also taught me that strength lies in heterogeneity and empathy - values I hope to carry as a student and person.

These ideas have made my mind their habitat for a few years - now, they’re looking for an intellectual expansion. That’s why I want to study at an academic institution; a place where inquiry is at the epicentre of learning. It certainly feels like one of the ways I might be able to pursue the questions I wonder about... or at least begin to understand the social forces that are driving me to ask them in the first place.

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Author's Comments

As an IB student applying to the competitive Human, Social and Political Sciences course at Cambridge, I wanted my personal statement to really stand and highlight my engagement with knowledge at various different levels. Although this personal statement was mainly written with an Oxbridge application in mind, it also granted me offers to my 4 other UCAS choices, namely Durham (Combined Honours in SocSci), UCL (Social Sciences), KCL (Liberal Arts) and York (Soc and Pol Sci with Philosophy).

The most important advice I would give to someone writing their personal statement is to highlight what really makes their relationship and understanding of their subject unique. I would also recommend to start with a punchy opening line that immediately summarizes to the admissions officer what kind of person, and more importantly thinker, you are. Showcasing your mental model and the way you approach the world is the best way to portray yourself as an attractive applicant! Make sure you're also going in depth about the books you've mentioned and find a way to relate them back to your academic experience. Be ready to be questioned on any part of your PS! For Oxbridge arts applicants in particular, I would go as far as say it is perhaps the most important component of your application, as your interview may be largely based on it.

Best of luck to all!

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Arts Sciences

Your Application

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Your application will be assessed on the basis of past and projected academic performance and your academic reference.

Due to the unique nature of Arts and Sciences (BASc) we will request eligible applicants to submit a questionnaire. Applicants have five days from the receipt of the questionnaire to return it to the Undergraduate Admissions Office at UCL. We understand that your personal statement on the UCAS form will address the subject(s) to which you are applying in other departments or institutions and we will therefore focus primarily on your questionnaire responses and not your UCAS personal statement. On your questionnaire, you must indicate your choice of major pathway, which you should choose with reference to the qualifications you have and your personal interests.

Your application should provide evidence that the majority of the following qualities are applicable to you:

• Prepared for critical enquiry and in-depth academic work across a broad intellectual spectrum
• Interested in engaging in wider societal, cultural and global issues 
• Interested in careers involving leadership, social entrepreneurship and intercultural exchange 
• Prepared to think critically and creatively to seek new connections between types of knowledge 
• Interested in combining non-standard areas of study in your degree. 

If you are offering a mix of arts/humanities/social science and science/maths subjects at A Level or equivalent and meet the minimum entry requirements , you will be sent a questionnaire which we consider in lieu of the UCAS personal statement. The questionnaire asks targeted questions and we will use your responses to those questions, your academic performance to date and your predicted grades to make a final decision on your application.

If you are not offering a mix of arts/humanities/social science and science/maths subjects at A Level or equivalent and meet the minimum entry requirements , you will also be sent the questionnaire but will also be required to take an additional test in the subject area you're missing, i.e. if you do not have a science/maths A Level, you will be able to choose a test in maths, chemistry or biology. These tests may cover any material in the first year of A Level. Further details on the sciences test can be found here . Alternatively, if you do not have an art/humanities/social sciences A Level, you will be set a timed essay and/or comprehension on a general subject in the humanities/social sciences. Further details on the arts test can be found here . Once you have taken the test, we will use your responses to those questions, your response to the questionnaire, your academic performance to date and your predicted grades to make a final decision on your application. These tests do not take the place of the A Level exams required for your major pathway choice, but will enable you to minor in the pathway for the subject you are missing from your A Level offering.

Provided you do sufficiently well in these tests and other aspects of your application are strong enough, you may be made an offer for the programme.

Please note, however, that such students' enrolment on the programme will not guarantee access to all modules. Particularly for maths and the sciences, there may be considerable restrictions. For example, students without Chemistry A Level would not generally be eligible to join a chemistry module at UCL. The same would generally apply in maths, and so on.

If you have any queries regarding your eligibility to the programme or queries about the programme, then please contact us via email at [email protected] . Use the links below to click through to the next sections:

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Undergraduate Study in Liberal Arts and Sciences

On-campus open day – 13 November 2021 – Book your place!

Open up a world of choice and opportunities.

You’ll create your own programme choosing from arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences. It’s a rare opportunity to design a degree that’s as unique as you are... Studying a range of disciplines across our leading departments is just the beginning. You’ll also have the option to experience a year studying abroad with one of our many partner universities. After graduation, your broad skills will ensure that you’re well-placed for the growing demand from leading employers for dynamic and creative leaders.

Step 1 - register today

Step 2 - visit our course pages:, new for 2025 entry.

Interested in social sciences, arts, humanities and law? Explore our new course:

BA Liberal Arts

Looking to study science disciplines alongside arts and humanities? Check out our new course:

BASc Arts and Sciences

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Liberal Arts and Sciences BA / BSc / MArt / MSci

Liberal Arts and Sciences (Natural Sciences) BSc / MSci

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International undergraduate scholarships available in the College of Arts and Law

We are proud to offer 10 scholarships to international students in the form of £3,000 tuition fee awards for year one entry only.

Learn more about our scholarships and apply

I knew that I couldn’t restrict myself to studying a single subject. I chose my degree because it gives me the freedom and responsibility to carve my own path based on what I like and it also gives me the room to try new subjects. Tanshpreet

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Personal statement

The personal statement is distinct from the academic statement of purpose (see above for more details on the academic statement). The point of a personal statement is for us to gain a deeper understanding of who you are apart from your education and work experience. It explains why you’re the right fit for the program and a worthwhile applicant. It’s also an opportunity to highlight important factors that may not be readily available in the rest of your application. While a statement of purpose focuses on your academic and career goals, as well as your past credentials, the personal statement is more about your life experiences and how they’ve shaped you and your journey to graduate school.

Here are some specific tips for crafting a strong personal statement:

Pick a few points to emphasize about yourself . I ntroduce yourself and select key factors about your background that you want us to know — elements that reveal what kind of person you are and demonstrate why you’re a strong candidate for the school and field of study.

Be very specific. Again, a personal statement is all about communicating what distinguishes you from other applicants. This is a statement where you can put your academic record and experiences in context. One effective way to accomplish this is to share specific anecdotes that underscore your statements. If you say you’re a strong leader, present an example of a time you’ve proven that skill through work, school or your personal life, or describe in detail how you have overcome challenges to become who you are today, or can be tomorrow.

Identify faculty as potential advisors . Demonstrate what attracted you to the program. If there is a specific faculty member that caught your attention, or another aspect of the program that greatly interests you, convey it. Listing faculty you are interested in working with ensures that your application will be reviewed by those faculty, and this is particularly important since offers are made by individual faculty.  

Address any gaps or discrepancies. Explain any factors that may have impacted your academic career. If you had an illness or any other personal hardships that affected your grades or work, discuss them. If there is a discrepancy between your grades and your test scores, you can also take the time to go over any extenuating circumstances.

Maintain a professional tone throughout your writing. Feel free to share personal details, but avoid oversharing and do not feel obliged to share more than you are comfortable with. 

Proofread. We can’t emphasize enough the importance of rereading your work. Your personal statement is also an analysis of your writing skills, so ensure you have proper grammar and spelling throughout. In addition, we recommend having multiple people look over your statement before submission. They can help with the proofreading and give advice about the statement’s structure and content,.

Chiefs' Harrison Butker blasted for commencement speech encouraging women to be homemakers

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has aggravated one of the internet's biggest culture wars by telling a class of college graduates that one of the “most important” titles a woman can hold is homemaker.

During a commencement speech last weekend at Benedictine College, a Catholic liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, the NFL player railed against abortion, Pride month and Covid-19 lockdown measures.

Drawing the most viral backlash this week, however, was a section of his speech in which he addressed the female graduates specifically — telling them that it’s women who have had “the most diabolical lies” told to them.

“How many of you are sitting here now, about to cross this stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world,” Butker said. “But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”

The criticisms that followed took aim at Butker as well as the NFL.

"Hey @NFL — If you want to continue to grow your female fan base and any other marginalized group (straight white men are already watching your product), come get your boy," wrote Lisa Guerrero, a former NFL sideline reporter and now an investigative journalist for "Inside Edition."

He went on to tell the graduates that his wife would agree that her life “truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.” It is her embrace of this role, he said, that made his own professional success possible.

Butker’s comments share similarities with some of the more extreme ideas around gender roles that have gained traction in communities that promote “ tradwife ” lifestyles or other relationship dynamics that center on traditional gender roles .

“Listen, there’s nothing wrong with his wife being a homemaker. Homemakers are wonderful, that’s not the point,” filmmaker Michael McWhorter, known by his more than 6 million TikTok followers as TizzyEnt, said in a video response. “The point is he seemed to be acting as if you should be ashamed if you don’t want to be a homemaker, or, ‘I know what you really want to do is just stay home and have babies.’"

The speech was the latest incident to add fuel to the flames of this increasingly vocal cultural battle, much of which is playing out online. While many prominent right-wing men have voiced such beliefs before, they’re usually confined to internet forums, podcasts and other online communities where these ideologies thrive.

A spokesperson for Butker did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Benedictine College and the Kansas City Chiefs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for the NFL told People Magazine that Butker "gave a speech in his personal capacity" and his "views are not those of the NFL as an organization."

"The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger," a spokesperson told the publication.

Butker, who is teammates with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, further drew surprise and criticism when he quoted Kelce’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, whose monumental career success as a global pop star has inspired college courses .

“As my teammate’s girlfriend says, ‘familiarity breeds contempt,’” he said, drawing murmurs from the crowd as he used the “Bejeweled” lyric as an analogy for why Catholic priests should not become “overly familiar” with their parishioners.

In the days since his speech, a Change.org petition for the Chiefs to dismiss Butker for “discriminatory remarks” has garnered nearly 19,000 signatures.

“These comments reinforce harmful stereotypes that threaten social progress,” the petition stated. “They create a toxic environment that hinders our collective efforts towards equality, diversity and inclusion in society. It is unacceptable for such a public figure to use their platform to foster harm rather than unity.”

Those who criticized Butker’s speech online include actor Bradley Whitford as well as DJ and rapper (and self-proclaimed Swiftie ) Flavor Flav .

But his speech was also lauded by some on the religious right, including conservative sports media personalities such as Clay Travis and Jason Whitlock , who defended Butker’s statements toward women.

“Not a word Harrison Butker says here should be remotely controversial. He’s 100% correct,” former NFL wide receiver T.J. Moe posted on X . “Those trying to convince women that being assistant VP of lending & intentionally childless at age 40 is more fulfilling than making a family and home are evil.”

Sports and culture commentator Jon Root also posted that Butker “exposed the lies that the world has been telling women.” Women, he wrote, are wrongly encouraged to climb the corporate ladder, view children as a “burden” and see marriage as “not worth pursuing.”

Still, a deluge of viewers online took issue with his attitude toward women and the LGBTQ community. Many women also rejected the premise that they would be happier staying at home in lieu of paid work, even if they do have a husband and children.

“I am moved. I actually had no idea that my life began when I met my husband,” neurosurgeon Betsy Grunch, known as Ladyspinedoc on TikTok, said sarcastically in a TikTok video . “It did not begin when I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia with honors. It certainly did not begin when I graduated with a 4.0 GPA, Alpha Omega Alpha, from medical school. And I had no idea that it did not begin when I completed my residency in neurosurgery.”

Angela Yang is a culture and trends reporter for NBC News.

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Chiefs kicker Butker congratulates women graduates and says most are more excited about motherhood

FILE - Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker speaks to the media during NFL football Super Bowl 58 opening night Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Las Vegas. Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

The Benedictine College sign is seen Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Atchison, Kan., days after Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker gave a commencement speech that has been gaining attention. Butker’s speech has raised some eyebrows with his proclamations of conservative politics and Catholicism, but he received a standing ovation from graduates and other attendees of the commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11. (AP Photo/Nick Ingram)

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The commencement speaker at Kansas’ Benedictine College , a private Catholic liberal arts school, congratulated the women receiving degrees — and said most of them were probably more excited about getting married and having children.

Harrison Butker, the kicker for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, is getting attention for those and other comments last weekend in which he said some Catholic leaders were “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America.”

Butker, who’s made his conservative Catholic beliefs well known, also assailed Pride month , a particularly important time for the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion.

“I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you,” Butker said.

The Unique Burial of a Child of Early Scythian Time at the Cemetery of Saryg-Bulun (Tuva)

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Pages:  379-406

In 1988, the Tuvan Archaeological Expedition (led by M. E. Kilunovskaya and V. A. Semenov) discovered a unique burial of the early Iron Age at Saryg-Bulun in Central Tuva. There are two burial mounds of the Aldy-Bel culture dated by 7th century BC. Within the barrows, which adjoined one another, forming a figure-of-eight, there were discovered 7 burials, from which a representative collection of artifacts was recovered. Burial 5 was the most unique, it was found in a coffin made of a larch trunk, with a tightly closed lid. Due to the preservative properties of larch and lack of air access, the coffin contained a well-preserved mummy of a child with an accompanying set of grave goods. The interred individual retained the skin on his face and had a leather headdress painted with red pigment and a coat, sewn from jerboa fur. The coat was belted with a leather belt with bronze ornaments and buckles. Besides that, a leather quiver with arrows with the shafts decorated with painted ornaments, fully preserved battle pick and a bow were buried in the coffin. Unexpectedly, the full-genomic analysis, showed that the individual was female. This fact opens a new aspect in the study of the social history of the Scythian society and perhaps brings us back to the myth of the Amazons, discussed by Herodotus. Of course, this discovery is unique in its preservation for the Scythian culture of Tuva and requires careful study and conservation.

Keywords: Tuva, Early Iron Age, early Scythian period, Aldy-Bel culture, barrow, burial in the coffin, mummy, full genome sequencing, aDNA

Information about authors: Marina Kilunovskaya (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Vladimir Semenov (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Varvara Busova  (Moscow, Russian Federation).  (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Kharis Mustafin  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Technical Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Irina Alborova  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Biological Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Alina Matzvai  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected]

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