Philosophy Personal Statement for UCAS

[GivesHeadlessHorseman]

Come and write my son's for me - please.

We are clean out of attention-grabbing ideas.

OK, don't write it for us, but at least through some quotes and inspiration our way. Give us food for thought - I beg you.

Either that, or he'll have to change tack and become an electrician.

Where is he going to be applying? I'm not sure 'attention-grabbing' is necessarily the best approach: it should be about HIM, and his interests, in particular academic ones.

I can't speak specifically for Philosophy but I'd imagine he needs to demonstrate commitment to the subject, and to talk about what he's been reading and why he enjoys it.

And I think probably demonstrating his philosophical skills is important in the statement: I dunno - take a current dilemma and demonstrate he knows how to thrash out the 'thinking' about it?

But please don't encourage him to chuck things in just to make it look good - it needs to have some authenticity about it, especially if he is to be interviewed: they will ask about it.

DS did his own a few weeks ago but has already had an offer so it can't have been too bad....
Not philosophy but he talked about why he wanted to do his subject with specific references to what drew him to the subject and aspects he would like to study further.
He included aspects of his 'cv' at the end.

I agree with Wilf. He needs to show an genuine interest in the subject that he will be able to discuss at interview.
Honesty and comittment rather than attention grabbing or gimicky

I meant throw not through - sorry -long day!

He will apply to Sussex (first choice - seems brilliant)

also Birmingham, UEA, Kent, maybe Essex as insurance.

He wants Phil. and Eng. Lit joint hons.

The Eng Lit bit of the statement was not a problem, but struggling with where to start on Philosophy.

OK, have read responses thoroughly now. I agree about honesty, he took that approach with the English Lit. bit, and I think it was a good strategy.

I've looked at alot of the PS examples on the net and some of them are dire TBH - far too 'Look at me, I know big words and can name-drop lots of quotes.'

But it's made me think he needs to get it so right. When I said 'attention grabbing' what I really meant was how to stand out from the crowd without being gimmicky or too pretentious.

Standing out from the crowd would be NOT mentioning being captain of the rugby team or your Duke of Edinburgh award.

No, I'm being mean. If these things MUST be included, be sure to say what has been got out of it that the university will want: leadership, community, working with others from different backgrounds, problem solving, independence etc....

No, I agree. He doesn't intend to include any of theat stuff (mainly because he isn't, and hasn't ) but we decided it was fairly boring and irrelevent unless it was very pertinent to your subject choice.

GHH
then that will be his 'standing out from the crowd' thing won't it.. not using poncy prose and constructing something false.

I guess he needs to grapple really withthe why ofhis choice of philosophy. Why does he want to do it - what interests him about it and what skill does he possess that will make him peculiarly suited to its study

skills not skill

I was not suggesting he only had one