What kind of wider reading is most propitious and what can I write about in my personal statement?

Question: What kind of wider reading is most propitious and what can I write about in my personal statement?
- Keywords:
  book,
  personal statement,
  propitious,
  reading,
  university
Asked by anon-352377 on 3 Mar 2023.
- Jack Whittle answered on 3 Mar 2023:
  
  It largely depends on what you want to go into. If you’re interested in science, you can lookup good scientific journals that focus on this subject and read a few papers. Nature is a good one, with cutting-edge research on a wide variety of topics. Sometimes papers can be quite difficult to read, especially at first, so popular science blogs like The Conversation are quite good for still getting the information but having it broken down in a much more accessible manner.
  
  As for your personal statement looking towards university, I’d talk about your academic record but also your extra-curricular activities and interests. Do you write? Do you like art or photography? Do you play any sports or games? What have these things taught you? Also mention things you are interested in doing/starting. They will like hearing about what you plan on doing when you’re at university, not just what you’ve been doing to get there.
- Catherine Souch answered on 3 Mar 2023:
  
  For your personal statement, Things you might want to think about ….. why do you enjoy studying this subject and want to do a degree in it? What part of the subject interests you the most? Why? Have you read a relevant book on it or travelled somewhere that brought the subject to life for you? Are you passionate about a particular topic or issue? Have you done a project where you have gained some geographical skills? Have you got some relevant work experience or volunteering experience? It’s good to demonstrate that you are interested enough in geography to engage with the subject outside of the classroom – a book, a magazine (Geographical for example), podcasts, documentaries etc which can link to geography.
- Charlotte Lemanski answered on 3 Mar 2023:
  
  Geography is all around us – so read things that interest and inspire you, and you will almost certainly find geography in them (even if the book is not badged as ‘geography’). One of my favourite recent reads was ‘Invisible Women’ – it’s not a geography book as such, but it is insightful for thinking about how policy and practice are affected by the ways in which data are collected (which is often part of a geographer’s role). Don’t only read the classic geography texts (often personal statements all refer to the same handful of ‘geography’ books), but read widely.
- George Foden answered on 3 Mar 2023:
  
  Write about what fascinates you and what you are passionate about! Geography is such a wide-ranging subject that almost everything is related in some way to it, so if you can capture the things that make you most excited about geography then I think that will come through in your personal statement.
  
  I like reading the RGS Geographical Magazine, because it covers a lot of the different subject areas within geography and introduces you to lots of things that might be interesting to explore further in the future.
- Harriet Lord answered on 3 Mar 2023:
  
  Read as much as you can on a wide range of topics in sustainability/geography, e.g. landscape change, environmental stewardship, carbon sequestration, forests and peatlands, the interconnection of people and planet, the history of the climate…also equality and societal change, feminism, racism, sustainable communities, health and wellbeing impacts from nature, circular economy, etc. Try to read from a range of sources and people – e.g. read from men and women authors, authors from different races and sexualities, and make sure what you read is based on reliable sources and funded by unbiased sources. Unreliable and biased sources try to push often harmful agendas.
  In my personal statement I wrote about some experiences where nature fascinated me, and demonstrated by inquisitive and analytical nature. Try to include something a bit ‘stand out’ like this, e.g. an anecdote/story, otherwise they do all tend to blend into one if they have the same formats and say the same things!
- Kavi Gilani answered on 3 Mar 2023:
  
  For a Personal Statement it is very important to show that you are interested in the subject and have thought about the subject outside of the taught syllabus. Geography is very wide ranging that you can find a sub-discipline you are interested in and talk about that. Almost anything can be linked to Geography, its just about linking it back to key geographical concepts such as ‘space’ or specific areas such as ‘development’, ‘sustainability’ or even ‘race’.
  
  For a general understanding of the subject and key themes within human Geography I would read books by Danny Dorling or Tim Marshall. However, you need to demonstrate understanding of the concepts raised and therefore will also need to read more niche books on the subject and sub-discipline.
  
  A good start for thinking about the subject would be to read ‘A Global Sense of Place’ by Doreen Massey, 1991. This will give a good introduction into key theories and helps you to realise how the world around us has been shaped by Geography.
  
  Beyond just reading make sure you talk about why you want to study the subject at university; what interests you; what hobbies you have; and what extra-curricular activities you do and how they will compliment study at university.
- Rosie Baillie answered on 3 Mar 2023:
  
  As everyone else has said, it’s really important for your personal statement don’t focus entirely on your grades, explain why you’re interested in whichever course you’re applying for, and talk about your hobbies and interests.
- Vanessa Pilley answered on 6 Mar 2023:
  
  PASSION! Read about stuff that excites you, and write about something you have a genuine interest in. We need to stop learning to do things for others, and focus on our own personal growth. The sincerity will shine through.