Dear X,
Literature can be seen as a microcosm of society, reflecting theirregularities and inequalities that are present in everyday life. As an Englishstudent, my initial interest in Law stemmed from its portrayal in fictionalworks such as ‘To Kill a Mockingbird;’ however, it is the real lifeapplications, as explored in the Times Law supplement and films like ‘ErinBrockovich,’ showing it to be both humanitarian and intellectually stimulatingthat affirmed my aspirations to study Law.
A levels have given me the chance to explore and develop some skills thatwould constitute a good Law student. In English Literature the ability to inferinformation and substantiate a conclusion is essential; the component in AScoursework to write a discursive essay “is King Lear a victim of circumstance ora tragic hero?” juxtaposed the emotive element of a mans downfall with detachedfacts. To arrive at a reasoned conclusion, it was necessary to look at the wholepicture and read around a variety of critical opinions in order to build up abody of evidence in order to have an objective judgement. I am interested in theever-changing nature of Law as in order to better serve society or fairlyarbitrate cases with extenuating circumstances such as that of KiranjitAhluwalia; initially given life for killing her husband after enduring 10 yearsof abuse her sentence was later remanded.
Furthermore, I believe French is a beneficial subject, as through studyingFrench, my awareness of the structure and wording of English has also increased;translating an article often takes much preparation and preciseness of languageto comprehend the intended nuance of meaning. In addition, Business Studiesrequires a good knowledge of current affairs, reading around so as to have anopinion on the many factors that could influence a business, there was also theopportunity to study some aspects of Corporate Law; I was particularlyinterested in the changing attitudes of society as reflected by the gradualintroduction of anti-discrimination Laws. Taking AS Psychology I studied topicsclearly associated with the practicalities of Law, questioning the work byLoftus and Palmer on the reliability of eyewitness testimony; however, it alsogave me an insight into the depth of human nature and the factors that canaffect it. In particular, the work of Milgram showed me the need to question anindividual’s behaviour and the reasons behind it.
In addition, to explore the possibility Law as a profession I completed aweeklong placement at a solicitors firm in Epsom. I was given the chance toshadow a solicitor, alongside further reading such as ‘The Law Machine’ byMarcel Berlins, this was invaluable in showing the realities and strenuousnessof working in this field. The necessity of a dedicated and diligent approach inorder to be successful greatly appealed to me and sustained my interest inLaw.
In regards to extra curricular activities, at my sixth form I have beenselected to be a prefect, a role requiring patience and persistence when workingwith younger years. In the Young Enterprise scheme, which involved creating andrunning a business, I was selected to be Managing Director by my peers for thetuition service we established. The post required talking to large groups ofparents; in order to persuade them to become shareholders it was essential totalk both persuasively and confidently. Also I work regularly as a tutor forExplore Learning, teaching Maths and English to groups of young children, and dovoluntary work for the Epsom and Ewell Bengali association: I help elder membersof the community who don’t speak English fluently to fill in forms and writeletters. These activities have all given me the opportunity to communicate withvarying types of people in different circumstances, be it to clarify aprinciple, promote a business opportunity or provide instruction.
A Law degree is not restricted to furthering my aspirations of becoming asolicitor; it would provide a unique opportunity to explore a variety of issuesthat I feel passionate about. With the skills that I have already explored, I will strive to be a hardworking and successful undergraduate who will play afull part in university life.
Yours sincerely,