Applying to university can be daunting, especially when you are the first in your family to pursue higher education! Christabelle Asamoah brings us along on her journey, from her initial discovery of neuroscience, to experiencing it first-hand whilst studying at the University of Warwick.
Neuroscience - an unheard word, course, or career for me, up until 16 years of age. Finding a career choice that encapsulated all of my interests and desires was definitely the hardest decision for 16-year-old me. Unlike many others my age, I wasn’t fortunate to have parents who had undergone higher education, nor were knowledgeable about life science courses. However, I have always been fortunate to have an inquisitive mind – an inquisitive mind that wasn’t afraid to ask questions, wasn’t afraid to be wrong and learn from others, which guided me towards science and research. It was a surprise to realise that the inner workings of my brain - arguably the most important organ in my body, the coordinator of all my emotions and feelings, and the controller of all of my vital bodily functions - was a mystery to me. This curiosity is what led me to begin my exploration of the innovative field of neuroscience.
My Journey of Sixth Form and A- Levels
I altered my A-level subjects 3 times before my initial sixth form induction! The first combination was Maths, Economics & Sociology, but once I had discovered the content in the second year of A-level Maths, I decided it would be too complex for me. Subsequently, I changed my A-levels to Economics, Psychology and Sociology. Psychology was always a subject that I knew was commonly chosen and, after watching ‘crash courses’ on YouTube, attracted me to choose it. Although I study a STEM degree now, sciences had always frightened me during my secondary education, which is why I didn’t initially choose any of them at sixth form. However, my friends and family persuaded me to choose a more ‘facilitating’ subject - they were seen by Russell Group Universities as more desirable - so I switched Sociology for Biology. This persuasion worked in my favour - it is funny how a subject that I didn’t initially choose became my favourite out of the three, and ultimately led me here to my neuroscience degree today.
Eventually, I was definite about my choices and commenced sixth form with Biology, Economics and Psychology. Everyone always questions my choice of Economics as it seems to be an outlier in comparison to my other subjects. Economics was always the subject I struggled with the most, yet I don’t regret choosing it. It broadened my insight into world politics and economics and helped me to become the critical thinker I am today.
My A-level subjects were not conventional choices for the path to a Neuroscience degree, but it is important to do subjects that you enjoy and will inspire you (as long as they don’t close doors of interest to you!).
Choosing Universities
Once I decided to study BSc Neuroscience, the following difficulty was deciding which universities to choose. Unfortunately, I was exempt from many London universities, since many required Chemistry A level which I did not do. Many also required A*AA and so would not be an option, as I was predicted AAA. Rejection from these London universities was a blessing in disguise, although it didn’t seem like that at the time; living in London my whole life, I now believe it was important for me to experience another city/environment.
I had chosen 5 universities, ranging geographically from London to the midlands, with grades ranging from AAA to AAB. I was fortunate enough to attend the Warwick Summer School Sutton Trust, a programme centred around first generation or state school students, exploring the University of Warwick on a 5-day residential programme, free of any cost! This residential programme was instrumental in enhancing my understanding of what higher education would be like and the independence alongside it. The Sutton Trust was my first experience of higher education, its platform motivates state students, like myself, to feel more confident about our futures and aspire to access leading universities. I always recommend the Sutton Trust to first generation sixth-form students.
I was in awe of Warwick’s campus university, the greenery, and its sophisticated buildings, and this convinced me to ‘firm’ the University of Warwick - they even lowered their preferred grades to ABB for Neuroscience for me as I achieved a contextual offer. At the end of sixth form, I achieved AAB - the As in Psychology and Biology, exceeding my Warwick offer!
Delving into the UCAS application
As a first-generation university student with no older siblings, the UCAS process was novel to my parents and I. How do I write a personal statement? How do I compare universities? How do I apply for student finance? These were some of the questions I battled daily during this process. I didn’t want to bother my parents, knowing that this process was foreign to them too. It almost felt like I would endeavour this overwhelming process alone, until I was introduced to some sites which are still valuable in my educational journey.
ZeroGravity website was one of them; this website successfully paired me with a mentor, who was in her 3rd year of her Neuroscience degree. This platform, alongside LinkedIn and Black Excellence Network (BEN) mentorship encouraged me to communicate with mentors who were currently studying Neuroscience, or had recently graduated, and ask them questions about the modules of the degree, the UCAS process and future career prospects. They proof-read my personal statement multiple times, aided my comparison of university choices and ultimately supported my decision in firming the University of Warwick. The guidance and support from my mentors were unmatched. My advice, for other first-generation sixth form students, is to not “suffer in silence”. There are resources out there for you! Being inquisitive, curious and unafraid to ask for support and guidance led me to these resources, and these are characteristics that you should employ throughout higher education.
My Experience of Neuroscience
Initially, attending the University of Warwick for a STEM degree made me anxious. As Warwick is renowned for its economics and politics courses, I was afraid that, as a STEM student, I would be forgotten, or wouldn’t have the same exceptional learning experience as my social sciences friends. But, as my first year of university is quickly coming to an end, I can happily say I wouldn’t want to study anything else, anywhere else. It has been intriguing to learn and understand the brain.
But, what does a neuroscience degree actually entail? - this is a common question asked by my non-STEM friends. As it is classified as a biological science, we cover molecular biology and biochemistry in much greater depth - deeper than A-level Biology, which I didn’t even think was possible! Understanding the fundamentals of biology and chemistry is essential for all life science degrees.
In my first year, many of my modules have overlapped with the adjacent life science degrees, such as Biomedical Science and Biochemistry. Initially, learning in bigger lecture halls of 400 students was daunting, however, it has quickly become a community. It has been exceptional making friends and studying together with different life-science courses. It is always fascinating to hear about their own journeys into life sciences, many of which were different to my own. We also have our core Neuroscience module, “Cell Biology of Neurons”, which consists of novel information, fascinating research and provides a good foundation to the course. For example, we have been studying navigation systems in the brain, which asks questions like: How do we perceive time and the use of our cognitive maps to navigate locations, using different cells in our brains? The Neuroscience research conducted at Warwick always exceeds my imagination.
My Future
Although many perceive Neuroscience as a niche degree with narrow career prospects, it has already taught me many transferable skills, which make this degree very employable. I am excited to become more immersed in my University community and find life-long friends. Ultimately, I am excited to achieve more than I could ever imagine.
At the moment, I’m not entirely sure what I would like to pursue in the future, be it academia, industry, or healthcare etc. But platforms, like WiNUK, are so helpful to me and other unsure neuroscience students. I am excited for the upcoming years of my degree, engaging in innovative and evolving neuroscience research and discoveries.
But for now, I’m going to leave you with my top tips:
Changing your mind, changing your passions and changing your career options is normal - you are not expected to have your life meticulously planned
Outsourcing to social mobility platforms is essential - seek advice and access career opportunities from these platforms, especially as a first generation student
Connect with individuals who have been in the same position as you - foster a community with those that share similar goals to you, as they can offer valuable information and resources that can help you navigate your own goals
Be inquisitive and curious - no-one will shame you for asking questions, if you are unsure of a process, ask questions and seek solutions
Choose a degree that fascinates you always - this is 3-4 years of education and learning, it is vital to choose a degree that engages your mind
This article was written by Christabelle Asamoah and edited by Rebecca Pope. Interested in writing for WiNUK yourself? Contact us through the blog page and the editors will be in touch!
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