Clearing stories: "I have learnt so much in my first year at SOAS"
Chinese student Lesley has just finished her first year studying politics, philosophy and economics (PPE) at SOAS. In our latest blog, she shares her experience of Clearing, studying philosophy for the first time and getting a summer internship in London.
My route to SOAS
I graduated from school in 2020, but due to COVID, I had to take two gap years before continuing to study. By the time the situation stabilised in 2022, I had missed the regular UCAS application cycle.
I realised I would have to wait another year, so I looked into Clearing at SOAS and found they were still accepting.
I first heard about SOAS from my classmate, who told me SOAS is a really good university, especially in language teaching and expertise in the Asian region. I always wanted to do PPE because I’m interested in all three subjects, politics, philosophy and economics, and I didn't want to choose between them.
Studying PPE at SOAS is different to other universities. A lot of other universities will provide Western-centric curriculums, but at SOAS, we focus on world case studies. That attracted me the most.
I have learnt so much in my first year at SOAS
I have really enjoyed my first year. Even though studying three majors simultaneously can be challenging, my lecturers are happy to give you the help and support you need and will make sure to go through anything if you find it difficult.
I like the course content because we focus on cases from around the world. At A-level, I studied scientific subjects like maths, physics, and economics, so this is my first time studying philosophy. My favourite part has been learning about Chinese philosophy.
Even though I’m Chinese, I didn’t know much about it before coming to SOAS. After a year of studying world philosophy, I've noticed that it's helped me to think more creatively and more inclusively.
"Trust yourself. It can be a stressful time but don’t worry about missing the regular cycle. Take your time, and you will find a course right for you."
London gives you lots of opportunities
Living in London is an excellent experience because you get so many opportunities and get to meet lots of different kinds of people. The SOAS Careers service helped me to get a summer internship in London, working at an LGBTQ+ charity.
They helped me to revise my CV, prepare for my interview and provided lots of opportunities for me to apply for internships.
My advice to students going through Clearing
I would say to this year's students: trust yourself. It can be a stressful time but don’t worry about missing the regular cycle. Take your time, and you will find a course right for you.
Clearing helps students who have not yet secured an undergraduate university place to find and apply for a course. If you're interested in studying at SOAS this September, you can apply through Clearing from Thursday 17 August 2023, 8:00 am (BST), by calling the Hotline: +44 0203 912 6580.
