Abnormal Psychology Personal Statement

I always knew I wanted to help people. When I was four I wanted to be a firefighter. At ten, a doctor. Twelve years old I wished to become a physical therapist, a year later a physician's aid. At sixteen I found myself becoming more and more interested in the idea of how the human brain works, so on a whim I decided to enroll myself in an advanced placement psychology class. That whim triggered something inside me. A passion, a need, a drive to want to help people with crippling mental illnesses, and this feeling hasn’t slowed down even after the class concluded.
The psychology class in it’s entirety gave me the extra push I needed to ask myself if I wanted to pursue the fascinating world of psychology, but what really pushed me over the edge was the, almost too short, few weeks where we discussed abnormal psychology and the treatment of psychological disorders. I became entranced in being able to talk someone through these terrible vices they possessed unwillingly, to show them the light in the otherwise darkened view of life that comes with these disorders. From OCD and PTSD, to schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder. The thought that I could help transition someone from misunderstood and sometimes, depending on the intensity of the ailment, frightening person, to someone who can feel good about themselves and be a …show more content…
Let’s start with this: I want to earn my Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology from UMSL. The University of Missouri - Saint Louis had always been in mind for me, their undergraduate Psychology program is included in the top 15% in the nation after all. Add that on top of the price of tuition and the location, it was almost impossible for me to say no. After receiving my degree, I have two options in mind. One scenario, I’ll go find work somewhere. Whether it be a hospital or a private practice, I want to jump straight into working with people who need it, which will be easily achievable with UMSL helping me along the