Politics Personal Statement Example (Mature Student) 1

Politics has been my main passion in life for several years now. My interest was sparked by trying to understand the causes of The Great Recession, but grew exponentially since I became a member of my local political party. Through this I have gained an understanding of just how much of a grip politics has on every aspect of our lives.

Be it domestic policies like our education, welfare and healthcare system; into our foreign policy, such as tackling global climate change and de-escalating the ever-growing crisis in Syria and across the Middle East. I wish to gain a much deeper insight into all aspects of both domestic and international policies, as well as understanding how our past has created this current climate. I believe studying politics will give me the best chance to do so.

Being a mature student I have spent the last few years gaining a wealth of experience in the working world, which has given me great insight into the career I want to pursue and the steps I need to take to get there. I am currently on an Access to Humanities course studying Psychology, Sociology and History all of which will be extremely beneficial for studying Politics at university.

One of my core subjects in History is German political history, in particular the rise of Adolf Hitler. Seeing that it was the combination of events, such as the Versailles treaty and The Great Depression of 1929, which created an opportunity for Hitler to seize power.

This has opened my eyes to how valuable history is when it comes to political study, certain historical moments play a dramatic part on how our society evolves. It has also given me insight into the difference between a reliable and unreliable source, but at the same time understanding that an unreliable source can still give valuable insight into a historic event itself. This will be useful at university, as a lot of the course is independent study, so evaluating which information to use when researching will give me the ability to work independently with confidence.

Within Sociology I am developing the understanding that each country has a rich history that affects the social structure and core beliefs within the society itself. For the majority of Eastern Europe, communism played a significant part in the way their society developed during the 20th century.

However for people brought up in the U.K, their personal experience of communism is very limited. Factors such as these affect how we act as a nation. Understanding the limits of my own knowledge in certain subjects gives me the best state of mind to learn in an unbiased way. Rather than just analysing the information that is in line with my own comprehension of the world, I study a diverse range of sources, which helps me to gain a deeper understanding of the topic I am learning.

In an effort to get a better grasp on the functions of politics I successfully ran for Mature Student Officer for the college student union. This has given me a great insight into what students my age struggle with during their pathway back into education. I plan to take these insights into future student union meetings, in order to help provide the tools that will help as many mature students excel on this course and further their education at university. One of the things I enjoy is helping my local community and I have recently undertook volunteer work for a charity called Exodus, which is a youth club in my area.

Through this I helped create presentations for the children, teaching them a variety of life lessons, from hygiene to the effects of bullying. This gave me invaluable experience into public speaking, organising my points and presentations, but most of all it gave me a real sense of involvement in the community. I have already learnt an extraordinary amount during my time on this course. It has rejuvenated my desire to learn and has made me extremely excited to continue my path into further education.