Referencing Public Lectures in your Personal Statement

[Guest]

Hey there,

just something relating to uni (UK) & the personal statement. I am not sure how aware everyone else out there is with the LSE Public Lectures, but they have a lot of interesting lectures/topics (with well-known speakers) and obviously the LSE also is an outstanding uni. So essentially I spoke to someone from the LSE who told me that they (and others) referenced a LSE public lecture they attended in their personal statement to show that they have engaged with the subject/course they applied to.

 

The LSE also uploads most (if not all) of these public lectures to the internet for everyone to listen to. So my question is do you think it is ok to reference a lecture I watched on the internet from the LSE? Because I feel like I would sound way more involved if I actually attended the lectures...

 

Thank you

[flinquinnster]

Yes, it is totally okay to reference a lecture, even if you didn't attend it! Even things which are done online can be useful. Although it is true that you may seem more engaged if you had attended in person, I honestly don't think the university would hold it against you. They probably understand that many people are unable to get to LSE - that's why they've put it up on online! As long as you show that you have thought about and engaged with the content of the lecture, it is still a great thing to include in a PS. 

[Ann Vyshinsky]

I actually did a similar thing - I began my PS as the following:

 

 

Having listened to a recording of a lecture by Jeremy Waldron entitled “The Rule of Law and Human Dignity†I was struck by the idea that despite all historical contingencies, the law inherently promotes an individual's capacity for moral standing against the state – unapologetically and as a recognized claimant.

 

So I guess it's totally acceptable, you just have to make this reference relevant to the ideas you express. 

Edited June 28, 2015 by Ann Vishinsky