Testimonials

"I was extremely proud...it gave me a lot of confidence in my abilities"

'I was motivated to apply as I wanted to develop my essay writing skills. Entering the competition seemed like a fun way to learn more about the topics that I am interested in and to see if I could articulate my views and create a well-structured, engaging essay. I really enjoyed creating my essay as this was the first time I had decided to enter an essay competition so it was a new experience. Writing my first essay was definitely daunting at first, however I followed my original plan well and was happy with the result. I liked the fact that the question was very broad and open-ended which allowed me to consider a variety of ideas while writing my essay. Initially, I entered with the intention of improving my writing skills and did not expect to win. When I received the email and call delivering the news that I had won, I was extremely proud. It felt wonderful to know that I got my points across well and it gave me a lot of confidence in my abilities. Winning the Real World Questions essay competition gave me the opportunity to virtually meet the Director of Employability, John Watkins. The meeting was incredibly helpful as Mr.Watkins shared some of his personal experiences and taught me many valuable lessons that I will carry forward to help with my future career. I learnt about social styles, managing upwards and prioritising my time which were all especially useful and relevant. I benefitted a lot from our meeting as the information was delivered clearly and comprehensively with many opportunities to ask questions of my own. In addition, I also had a meeting with Laurie Watson from PwC detailing the selection process. The workshop was thorough and practical, giving me a better understanding about PwC and future career options. Overall, entering the Real World Questions Essay Competition proved to be a great decision as I learnt a myriad of new things, improved my essay writing skills and won useful prizes.

Simone

"Such a worthwhile and eye-opening experience"

I came across the RealWorldQuestions competition completely by chance in an email from the University of Law's undergraduate mailing list that I had signed up for. I really enjoy exploring my own interests outside the academic curriculum and the RealWorldQuestions essay gave me a chance to do this. I found the research element of writing my essay really interesting as I discovered lots of studies and statistics that really surprised me which gave me a great foundation for my entry. I was so shocked when I found out that I had won and absolutely thrilled! Since then, I've had my meeting with the director of Employability which was very enlightening and has helped me to progress my own learning, both for my future career and for my university applications next year. The work experience placement with DWRM was excellent and what I really loved was that they tailored their programme around my particular interests. I was able to choose what tasks I wanted to work on and ended up writing an evaluation report for one of their pilot projects, which I thought was really interesting. I also got to visit their offices in London to present my report and meet the team which was great. I'm so glad I entered the competition - overall it has been such a worthwhile and eye-opening experience.

Charlotte

"I was in total disbelief to have won, and the prizes so far have been incredible"

I was motivated to enter the essay competition as it was an opportunity to learn more and critically think about the subject of law. The question was particularly interesting due to its relevancy, and as I was considering a degree or career in law, this was a great chance to develop my knowledge. I really enjoyed writing my essay as it challenged me to think about different aspects and look at many perspectives, as well as giving me the freedom to consider multiple approaches carefully. I was in total disbelief to have won, and the prizes so far have been incredible: I have already had an insightful talk with the Director of Employability, allowing me to learn crucial concepts about the working world, and have direct law work experience to come in the summer. I am incredibly grateful to have entered and gained such amazing experience, both writing the essay and gaining from it afterwards.

Sabrina