My admission to a Journalism course in U.K.
Before starting the application process, I was overwhelmed with the seemingly long list of things I had to do. From writing the perfect personal statement to shortlisting the right universities, and at one point, even rethinking if journalism was the course for me and my career. Creative Aspirations helped me discover what journalism actually demanded and made the application journey as smooth as possible.
When we first spoke, Sheldon encouraged me to do further research on what actually journalism entailed as I had a rather glorified media portrayal etched in my mind. After gaining proper clarity on what journalism is, I was confident that it was the course I wanted to do. While I obviously had confidence in my writing abilities, I didn’t know much about writing a good personal statement. Sheldon was a lifesaver in this aspect providing me understanding of what universities wanted to see in the statement. He even gave me some illustrative samples to help me understand how to approach it. Sheldon ensured that my personal statement was concise and an accurate representation of what I had achieved before applying to university. I was provided with suggested edits throughout and this gave the essay the cutting edge it needed.
I was fortunate enough to get into all the universities to which I applied included prestigious institutions including Loughborough, Goldsmiths, Westminster, Cardiff University and the University of Leeds. I was always hellbent on going to Goldsmiths as I was obsessed with the ideal of living in London and the perks that came with it. While Sheldon could have stayed silent, he instead challenged my thinking with quantitative facts and a different perspective that I didn’t want to hear at that point. This forced me to actually do further research and in the end I came to the conclusion that the University of Leeds was the right fit for me. Without Sheldon’s timely intervention I would have probably made the wrong decision based on my emotions rather than the right academic environment for me.
Being in a society that primarily encourages professions like engineering and medicine, choosing to be a journalist isn’t the easiest thing to do. While my parents were extremely supportive, I had to endure lots of questions regarding the profession and if it was truly the right fit for me; something I’m sure I wouldn’t have had to go through had I chosen a more conventional career path. While journalism might not be the most rewarding career financially, I feel like the experiences you have more than compensates for it. Journalism will always be needed in every day and age, and I believe with good journalism we shed light on marginalized communities while exposing wrongdoing in government and the higher echelons of society. Journalism is an extremely important profession especially in these unprecedented times where fake narratives are often endorsed on social media. While many Indian parents are oblivious to this, educating them on why journalism is the optimal career path is imperative. Life is too short for you to stick to conventions.
Creative Aspirations was immensely helpful throughout the application process and I’m grateful to Sheldon for clarifying my doubts and being straightforward and honest, a virtue I wouldn’t have expected with most career counselors. I have a long way to go before I am a journalist who is a voice for accountability and change, but I am certain that the University of Leeds is the next step in order to become the best possible journalist I can be.
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