Law and Criminology/Sociology Personal Statement Example

From a young age, I have been fascinated by law and was thrilled at the possibility of studying it at A-Level.

In August 2007, I was able to spend two weeks working at Neves Solicitors in Luton. Most of my time was spent in the Conveyancing department, where Andrew Orriss, a partner in the firm, taught me how to draw up commercial leases and business contracts, and about buying, selling and renting residential properties. I most enjoyed meeting clients and discussing their cases.

I found that moving house many times as a child enabled me to be sympathetic and relate to the clients. My time at Neves has made me more intent on pursuing a career in the law, as I liked the work and fitted in well with the staff.

I believe my current studies of law, English Language and history complement each other well and would give me an advantage at university, as they have furthered my strong reading and writing abilities, and taught me to be more logical and investigative. I also took religious studies at AS-level as I like learning about other peoples' beliefs, and it helped me to become more open-minded.

I enjoy getting involved with activities in my Sixth Form, such as planning the Summer Ball in Year 12. I was chosen by our Deputy Head Girl to take the minutes for the meetings and email them to the other committee members, and my minutes were commended by my Head of Year. I was also asked to assist with the Sixth Form Induction Evening.

My duties involved welcoming prospective students and their parents, handing out prospectuses, and talking to them about my own experiences of Sixth Form. In Year 13, I was chosen as a history subject mentor to help struggling Year 12 students, and I also helped out on a trip to Germany with students in years 7 to 9.

Outside of school, my hobbies include photography, bass guitar, and writing. In 2006, I came second in a BBC writing competition for young people in Northamptonshire. Having grown up in France, I am bilingual, and my next challenge is to write a short story in French.

I also have a part-time job at McDonald's, which has taught me about working with others, as well as coping with pressure. One of the crucial parts of my job is ensuring that customers are satisfied, and occasionally dealing with complaints. I believe the people skills I have gained from McDonald's will help me in other aspects of my life.

I regularly attend my local church and Christian youth group. In July 2007, I had the opportunity to go to Kosovo for a fortnight with other members of the youth group. Our aim was to help widows and orphans affected by the Yugoslav Civil War and the ethnic cleansing of Kosovans in 1999.

We redecorated homes and schools, ran children's clubs, distributed aid, and visited a Roma gypsy camp. It was a very profound and moving experience, and one I hope to repeat at some point in the future. This is the reason for my deferred entry to university. I plan to spend a few months fundraising, and then return to Kosovo for the remainder of the year to continue the work we started there.

I believe that I am a confident and enthusiastic person who would benefit greatly from studying at university. I am passionate about the law and would like to have a career as a lawyer.

I also have a keen sense of justice and an interest in sociology and criminology and would consider working with the Prison Service or the CPS. I think that studying law at university would help me make the best possible use of my analytical and writing skills, and that a career in law would satisfy my need to help others.