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Showing your mathematical motivations

'Maths is like Marmite: you either like it or you don’t': an opening line from one student's maths personal statement, which, while not really revealing anything concrete about that applicant's motivation, does help to illustrate how tricky it can be explaining what exactly you enjoy about the subject.

With a subject like maths at university, motivation is 90% of the battle – so anything that demonstrates your motivation and enthusiasm for the subject will go down well. Here are a few tips from admissions tutors to help with your maths personal statement:

'We love to see anything that shows the depth or breadth of your interest in maths, and especially your interests in the subject beyond the A level (or equivalent) syllabus – like any maths books you’ve read, maths clubs you’re part of, or especially any maths challenges you’ve been involved in'.
The University of Bristol looks for applicants who can show participation and success in mathematical competitions: 'there are many of these competitions, whether local, national, or international, and the more recent your participation and the greater the success you attained, the more weight it carries.'
'We like to see a bit of spark and originality. For example, what first inspired your interest in maths, or better still, what currently inspires it?'
'Give us a sense of which aspects of maths you especially like and why. Is it algebra, calculus, statistics, or something else?'

How polished your statement needs to be will vary from uni to uni because it’s your mathematical ability and potential that matters most – but as the London School of Economics’ says, 'an original and interesting personal statement which outlines your enthusiasm and motivation is expected.'

What else to include in your maths personal statement

Your extra-curricular activities: tutors want to know about your sporting, cultural, or community involvement, or anything else you do outside your studies that demonstrates drive, commitment, enthusiasm, and your potential to excel.
What you'll contribute: uni isn’t just about studying – universities are also communities, and it's great if you can show how you'll contribute to university life.
Your personality: try to give tutors a sense of your personality through talking about any outside interests that offer an insight into who you are. Bristol is looking for students who 'stand out from the crowd' and are upbeat in their statements.

Try not to be too quirky, but do get your personality across if you can. And most of all, explain why you love maths.

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Mathematics Personal Statement Guide

Your Personal Statement plays a crucial role in your mathematics university application , as i t’s the first chance you have to introduce yourself as an individual to the admissions tutors .

Y ou can demonstrate your passion to study maths, show the contribution you would make to the cohort, and prove that you have the abilities and motivation to receive an offer.

A lot of applicants struggle to write personal statements. It’s difficult to balance writing about academic interests with personal achievements, keep everything relevant to the maths courses you’re applying to, and fit it all within just over one A4 page of text.

To help you get on the right track, our Personal Statement Guide takes you through everything you need to know to create a great maths personal statement :

Why are Personal Statements Important?
What Should I Include in a Mathematics Personal Statement?
What Should I Avoid in a Mathematics Personal Statement?

Advice on How to Start a Mathematics Personal Statement

Advice on how to finish a mathematics personal statement .

maths books to read for personal statement

What Should I Avoid in a Mathematics Personal Statement ?

Do not be wishy-washy with your statements . Rather than saying that you have always loved maths, perhaps explain how numbers or equations fit into your world view; rather than saying you like a particular mathematician, discuss their specific contributions and how they have inspired your maths journey.

Being specific and digging down into the academic side of maths is what is really going to impress admissions tutors.

Avoid cliched statements like the plague . Even though you are passionate about maths, don’t state “I am passionate about maths”; find a less cliched way to say it instead.

Your statement might require several drafts to ensure the language is interesting yet accurate, but it’s worth it: if you came up with something in a minute, then it’s likely so did lots of other applicants.

Don’t be tempted to mention personal achievements that are not related or involve transferable skills relevant to maths. We understand that it’s tempting to include details of your Judo black belt, your gold Duke of Edinburgh award, or your prize for best history essay, but unless you can clearly argue its relevance to studying mathematics, then it won’t impress the tutors.

There are a thousand different ways that you can begin a personal statement, which often makes it the most difficult part of the process.

There’s one one-size-fits-all answer to this: some applicants begin with a quote from a mathematician that has inspired them, others start by discussing what inspired them to pursue maths at university, whilst others jump straight into a discipline that they find most interesting.

The opening of the statement sets the tone for the entire personal statement , so it’s crucial that it’s in your own words and reflects your own personality; admissions tutors will be able to tell if it’s someone else’s words! If you’re struggling to find an opener, we recommend drafting the rest of the personal statement before coming back to write the introduction.

This can help you have a better idea of what opening will best set the groundwork for the rest of the statement body.

Knowing how to close out a personal statement can be just as difficult as beginning one. The final paragraph of your personal statement should round up the statement and summarise your dedication to maths and your academic interest.

Like the opening, the final section of your personal statement will likely need a good few rewrites, so don’t feel disheartened if you haven’t captured it perfectly first time round.

What are some Tips for Writing a Strong Mathematics Personal Statement?
How Long Should my Mathematics Personal Statement Be?
What Kind of Extracurricular Activities Should I Include in my Mathematics Personal Statement?
How Can I Tailor my Mathematics Personal Statement to the Oxford/Cambridge Course?

Getting started is one of the trickiest parts of the personal statement process. We recommend making a big list of everything you have done or are interested in to help focus your mind.

Just because STEM subjects like maths seem less creative than other subjects, it doesn’t mean that your inspiration has to be stale. Perhaps try:

Watching films about maths or mathematics (the most famous examples are Good Will Hunting, Moneyball, and A Beautiful Mind ) to get you in the right frame of mind
Getting into a podcast about maths (Oxford University has one called The Secret of Mathematics )
Reading some accessible maths books (such as Humble Pi: A Comedy of Maths Errors by Matt Parker or The Simpsons and their Mathematical Secrets by Simon Singh)

Remember to Keep note of the things you read, watch, and experience that inspire you as you do them; this will help make writing the statement easier.

UCAS has strict limits for all personal statements: 4,000 characters or 47 lines on the UCAS form (whichever limit is reached first). This is roughly one to two sides of typed A4.

This may feel like a lot of space, but once you get going you’ll realise that it’s not! We recommend using up the majority if not all the space given to you so that you give admissions tutors the best possible idea of who you are as a maths student.

It can be difficult to decide what you should or shouldn’t include in a maths personal statement.

As a general rule, if you include something, you must be able to relate it to maths – either through its content or through transferrable skills.

For example, if you spent time working as a maths tutor or competed in maths competitions, then clearly these are relevant. However, the link you find can be more creative than this: perhaps you have studied multiple languages which exercises your skills at pattern-spotting, or maybe you have won a critical thinking essay competition which demonstrates your problem-solving skills?

The key is to think outside of the box, and for every activity you mention, clearly state how it links to important maths-related skills.

Tailoring a personal statement to any one course is difficult, since the same statement is sent by UCAS to all of your university choices (of which you have up to five). This means that you should not directly mention the specifics of any one course, since it signals to other universities that you are not considering their course as your main option.

Instead, we recommend targeting Oxbridge through the style of your statement: keep it tight to the academic study of maths and demonstrate your analytical skills.

Showing that you’ve researched maths outside of school to a high level, and leaving out any personal interests that don’t relate to maths, is a good way to keep Oxbridge tutors interested.

Book your Mathematics Personal Statement Package

You can contact our Oxbridge-graduate Consultants on +44 (0) 20 7499 2394 or email [email protected] to discuss our personal statement packages.

If you’d like to know more about Mathematics, we have admissions test guidance and interview preparation readily available.

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Successful Personal Statement For Cambridge Mathematics And Physics

Last Updated: 6th April 2022

Author: Rob Needleman

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it.

Today, we are looking through a Mathematics and Physics applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Cambridge University. The Mathematics and Physics Course at Cambridge offers the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects: everything from abstract logic to black holes.

Read on to see how this strong Personal Statement addresses both maths and physics to showcase a high level of their ability.

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement:

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

INTERVIEW + REJECTED

Enrolling on our Oxbridge Maths comprehensive Programme will give you access to Personal Statement redrafts.

Your tutor will give you actionable feedback with insider tips on how to improve and make your Personal Statement Oxbridge quality for the best chances of success.

Mathematics And Physics Personal Statement

Since childhood, I’ve always loved complex puzzles, logical problems and challenges. Later on I discovered mathematics and physics which offered a lot of interesting problems and I enjoyed spending time on them. I loved the fact that real-life events, such as throwing a ball, could be described by a virtual language created by humans. However the most impressive fact for me was when I discovered that mathematicians and physicists can predict events just by solving equations. That’s is when I decided that maths and physics are what I want to do in life to contribute to the world.

Even though my passion in mathematics started very early, I have struggled to get to where I am now. When I got into Bratislava’s best gymnasium in mathematics I found myself at a position I had never been before. That was the first time I wasn’t the best in mathematics in our class, in fact I was one of the weaker students in this field. However over time I made my way to the top, but I still couldn’t surpass my classmates. When I got to the 5th grade, I realized why I didn’t succeed. That year we got a new mathematics teacher and she opened my eyes and showed me the beauty of maths. The most important thing that happened that year however was when I won the regional mathematics Olympiad and they invited me to KMS which is a camp for people interested in mathematics. There I realized that the school mathematics is just a fraction of the possibilities in this area. However the thing that I believe helped me in mathematics is that I started enjoying it. Rather than solving a Sudoku or crossword puzzle I was solving geometry problems. Since then I have won many prizes including bronze medals from the Middle European Mathematical Olympiad and the International Mathematical Olympiad.

Besides maths and physics I also love playing the piano and practicing Kung Fu. I have played the piano for 13 years and my personal favourites are Chopin’s Nocturnes. I may not be great at it, but playing the piano helps me relax and forget about my worries for a while. I practice Kung Fu mainly for health. My favourite style is Bagua. I learned that Kung Fu is not only a martial art, but a way of living. Besides Kung Fu and the piano, I also enjoy teaching kids interesting facts or problems in mathematics. During school, I teach a mathematics club and I want to teach the kids that mathematics isn’t just numbers.

Every summer I help organize a mathematics day camp for children. Mathematics may be the subject which I’m best at, but I don’t want to be ‘just a mathematician’ in the future. Since I was little, I’ve always wanted to do something great like solving global issues or inventing something useful, however I realize that it is very hard to achieve this with pure mathematics. People advised me to go study economics and financial mathematics so I could have a good job and earn money, but that is not what I want to achieve in life. My goal is to shape the world and make it a better place for future generations. This is the reason I want to study physics or engineering. I started doing physics two years ago and since then I participated and won some competitions including the Regional Physics Olympiad. To be better at physics I started reading Feynman’s lectures which helped me a lot, but also taught me that there is much to learn out there about the world. The reason why I want to study in the UK is because there are many opportunities compared to Slovakia. I have many friends who study there and heard from them that it’s an amazing experience. The most important fact, though, is that in the UK I can study and work with people who are ambitious. I know what I want to achieve in life, and even though I don’t yet know exactly how to get there or where ‘there’ will be, I believe that a UK university education will steer me in the right direction.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

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Download our Free Personal Statement Starter Guide

Good Points Of The Personal Statement

This is a very good statement. The statement is well-written and structured. The student describes their life experiences without making the statement sound like a list of achievements. This is achieved because the student explains every experience described, rather than listing their life experiences with no context. It is clear that the student has many talents and achievements, and these are stated in a humble manner that does not make it seem as though the student is bragging. It is clear that the student is aware of the significance of their decision to study outside of their native homeland and the challenges that this will bring. The student explains their reasons for applying to study a dual honours course and does not neglect either discipline.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

The student uses the word ‘gymnasium’ instead of school/college. Whilst this may be the term used in Slovakia, in the UK a ‘gymnasium’ is a place where people exercise and its use in this statement is somewhat confusing. The way in which the student writes about their personal experiences makes the statement sound somewhat like an autobiography.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This is a very good statement. The student clearly has personality and a high level of ability. Strange terminology used can be excused due to the fact that the student’s first language is not English, and that the vast majority of the statement is very well-written.

This Personal Statement for Maths and Physics is a great example of how to showcase a high level of ability. The candidate’s interest and achievements are clearly shown which is vital to Admissions Tutors.

Remember, at Cambridge, these Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

You can find more successful personal statements and our expert guides on our Free Personal Statement Resources page.

Our expert tutors are on hand to help you craft the perfect Personal Statement for your Cambridge Mathematics and Physics application.

With our Oxbridge Maths Premium Programme, we help you craft the perfect Personal Statement , score highly on the STEP and teach you how to Interview effectively .

Discover our Oxbridge Maths Premium Programme by clicking the button below to enrol and triple your chances of success.

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By Nik Taylor (Editor, The Uni Guide) | 21 September 2023 | 5 min read

Writing a mathematics personal statement: expert advice from universities

Ace your maths personal statement with these tailored tips from university admissions teams

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The university application personal statement is changing in 2025
University admissions service Ucas has announced that a new style of personal statement will be launched in 2025. This will affect anyone making a university application from autumn 2025 onwards. .

Don’t list out your A-levels

Read more: how to write an excellent personal statement in ten steps

Focus on yourself

Read more: how to write your university application

Don’t use quotes unless you’re expanding on them

Read more: teacher secrets for writing a great personal statement

Mention any maths-related activities you’ve been involved with outside the classroom

Read more: personal statement FAQs

Include your unexpected extracurriculars

Read more: the ten biggest mistakes to avoid when writing your personal statement

Don’t make excuses for disappointing grades

Read more: universities reveal all about personal statements

If you’re not taking the traditional A-level route to university…

Read more: universities explain how to end your personal statement with a bang

Talk about the future

You may want to look at these..., personal statement secrets – universities reveal all.

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Mathematics Personal Statement Examples

Hopefully, these examples of Mathematics Personal Statements will help you create a unique statement for your UCAS application .

I have always been fascinated by the world of mathematics and its ability to explain and understand complex phenomena in the world around us. From a young age, I have been drawn to the beauty and elegance of mathematical concepts and their ability to provide answers to some of the most challenging questions we face.

At school, I have excelled in mathematics, consistently achieving top grades in my exams and regularly participating in extra-curricular math competitions. I have particularly enjoyed studying topics such as calculus, algebra, and geometry, and I have found that my natural aptitude for problem-solving has allowed me to excel in these areas.

In addition to my passion for mathematics, I have also developed a strong interest in computer science. I have taught myself several programming languages and have enjoyed using these skills to create my computer programmes and simulations. I believe that the combination of my mathematical knowledge and computer programming skills would make me an ideal candidate for a degree in mathematical sciences.

As a university student, I am eager to continue exploring the fascinating world of mathematics and to push myself to the limits of my abilities. I am confident that a degree in mathematical sciences would provide me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a successful career in this exciting and rewarding field.

I am applying to your university because I believe that it offers an outstanding programme in mathematical sciences, with a strong emphasis on both theoretical and practical applications. I am particularly impressed by the diverse range of research opportunities available, and I am eager to participate in cutting-edge research projects that will challenge and inspire me.

As a student with a passion for mathematics, I am excited at the prospect of studying at such a prestigious institution and I am confident that your programme would provide me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a successful career in this field.

At school, I have consistently achieved top grades in my mathematics exams, and I have regularly participated in extra-curricular math competitions. I have a particular interest in topics such as calculus, algebra, and geometry, and I have found that my natural aptitude for problem-solving has allowed me to excel in these areas.

In addition to my passion for mathematics, I have also developed an interest in computer science. I have taught myself several programming languages and have enjoyed using these skills to create my computer programmes and simulations. I believe that the combination of my mathematical knowledge and computer programming skills would make me an ideal candidate for your degree programme.

As a university student, I am eager to continue exploring the fascinating world of mathematics and to push myself to the limits of my abilities. I am confident that a degree from the University of Cambridge would provide me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a successful career in this exciting and rewarding field.

I am particularly impressed by the wide range of research opportunities available at your university, and I am eager to participate in cutting-edge research projects that will challenge and inspire me. I am also excited by the opportunity to study at such a historic and prestigious institution, and I believe that the intellectual environment at Cambridge would be the perfect place for me to grow and develop as a student.

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KNOWLEDGE BASE

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Last updated

August 28, 2023, how to write a personal statement for maths, rowan wright.

Your personal statement provides an opportunity to convey your passion for your chosen subject. Its importance is sometimes exaggerated for applications to top Russell Group universities, but it is nevertheless an important aspect of an application and may form the basis of some discussion at interview.

Personal statement writing is an iterative process. You should start early enough to allow plenty of time for preparatory reading, drafting, feedback, and revisions. The summer holiday is the ideal time to start reading and exploring super-curricular material you might like to include (see our reading list for some recommendations). There is no prescribed structure for the 2023 admissions round (the format will be changing in 2024) but we recommend the structure outlined below. UCAS screens for plagiarism in personal statements, so it’s very important that you don’t 'borrow' any content from sample personal statements or articles found online (including this one!).

Personal Statement Structure

Our recommended structure may provide a good starting point for putting together some ideas and drafting the first version of your personal statement. However, the structure of your final version will very much depend upon the ideas you choose to focus on and the way in which you tie them together. There will likely be several ways to convincingly structure your writing, and the key is to redraft several times until you find the version that works best.

A table listing sections of the personal statement.

Introduction

Avoid clichés and use specific examples where possible:

“I’m intrigued by the mysterious links between seemingly unrelated topics, such as the appearance of π in the solution to the Basel problem, or probabilistic proofs for number theorems.”

Try to make it as personalised as possible (this goes for the whole personal statement!):

“As a bilingual student who has studied maths in English, Spanish and Japanese, I’m drawn to the fact that mathematical proofs depend only on a set of axioms and not on culture, place, or time.”

Discussion of Super-Curricular Reading

Don’t merely regurgitate a book summary but give your own thoughts and demonstrate engagement with the content:

“I was fascinated by the implications of the Abel-Ruffini theorem, which defies the common assumption that every problem in mathematics has a solution.”

Give examples of how you pursued the topics in the book(s) further, and what you learned:

“captured by the simple proofs of divisibility rules using modular arithmetic, I decided to try and prove analogous rules in other number bases such as base8. I came away with a much deeper understanding of why there are simple rules for some numbers but not others.”

Don’t bluff and write about anything you haven’t understood, or worse, read! You might be asked about your personal statement at interview.

You can engage with a variety of materials: lectures, videos, podcasts, and journals are also excellent resources. You might like to link this section to an EPQ or IB extended essay.

Discussion of A Level/IB Subjects

You should aim to explain the links between your A level subjects and how you have explored them further. You can also mention academic pursuits such as maths challenges and other competitions.

Try to explore natural links rather than links that may sound overly forced:

“After my physics teacher mentioned the Friedmann equation, I was surprised to see that it was a simple differential equation which I could solve using knowledge from A level mathematics. It was fascinating to explore solutions for different matter combinations and see how mathematics reveals that small changes can completely alter the long-term fate of the Universe.”

Discussion of Extracurriculars

This section is less important for the most competitive universities, but some discussion of extracurricular activities and achievements allows you to demonstrate positive character traits and the fact that you have been able to juggle your academic studies with other pursuits.

If you are able to link your extracurriculars to your chosen subject of study, you could make links between them in this section to demonstrate your interest in the subject. However, try to avoid manufacturing links that sound very contrived, for example, linking the game of pool and angles! This is a successful example:

“Outside of school, I have trained in ballet for 15 years, completing grades 1-8 with distinction. Ballet has allowed me to develop strong organisational skills and resilience. This year, I developed a physics experiment to study spinning tops, torque, and angular momentum in order to better understand pirouettes, as I am drawn to the power of mathematics to describe the physical word accurately.”

This is where you should summarise why you are suited to the courses you are applying for:

“As a passionate student in maths, attracted by abstract concepts and problem solving, I believe that I am fit to study mathematics at university level. I have actively pursued opportunities to lean more about maths outside the classroom, which have only reinforced by determination to continue to grow as a mathematician at university."

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Virtual Work Experience

Luckily, logical thinking and problem-solving skills are the enviable traits of students who have a strong mathematical ability and such versatile skills are transferable to any workplace. Although gaining work experience is not highly essential for a maths degree, it is another way of showing an admissions tutor (the person who reads your personal statement) that there is more to you than just your studies.

Work experience has been difficult to obtain this year due to Covid-19, but there are plenty of virtual work experience opportunities available through the online platform Inside Sherpa. If you’re having problems accessing the site, just view it on Chrome. Some current opportunities on offer will enable you to develop employability skills as well as financial maths skills, such as the Auditing opportunity, where you can gain experience in payroll tax or the Citibank experience where you can perform a discount cash flow analysis. For something more data-driven and analytical, try the Virtual Data Analytics Experience with KPMG . However, if you are seeking a more general type of business insight, Barclays Lifeskills are also offering virtual work experience at Freeformers , a digital transformation agency.

If any of the above does not suit you, try and gain some experience at your own school in the autumn term. You could ask a maths teacher if you can assist their lessons in order to help younger year groups or try volunteering your time with maths tutoring opportunities through Vinspired . Although opportunities are currently available on the website, check to see if they can be done virtually as your safety is paramount.

Learning Online and Wider Research

If you know where to look, you will find that you have several opportunities to develop your skills and knowledge of maths online, so start researching your chosen university courses to gain insight into what you will be studying at degree level. For an introduction to Calculus, Differential Equations, Data Science, Maths for Machine Learning, Fibonacci Numbers and the Golden Ratio, try the online learning platform Coursera where you can access free short courses to expand your knowledge. Also check under the Science, Maths and Technology section of the free Open University online courses. For further mathematical puzzles and cryptarithms or academic maths courses, you can also try the platform FutureLearn . These courses will require your commitment but think of all the skills you will be developing!

Logic and Problem-solving skills

You can probably evidence plenty of logic and problem-solving through your A Level Maths or Further Maths course. However, do you have any experience of these skills outside of your maths lessons? Do you play a sport where you use special tactics? Or do you enjoy mathematical puzzles such as Sudoko online? You may also want to start solving daily mathematical problems such as those available through the website nrich or brush up on your spreadsheet skills by taking a free Excel course. Problem-solving skills can also be evidenced by getting involved in competitions. Try looking for some on the Maths Careers website or for summer programmes, go to gothinkbig – both of which have some brilliant careers resources too!

And finally, remember that an admissions tutor also wants to see evidence that you are a well-rounded individual and that there is more to you than just maths so do include other hobbies and interests you have too!

These are only some ideas to keep you busy, but do keep an eye out for other opportunities too. For other ideas related to maths, do also check out the personal statement blogs for Engineering and Business, Accounting, Finance and Economics too!

For further advice on your personal statement, email: [email protected]

* Always be cautious and check any online forum or employer with your teacher or people at home first, as your safety is paramount!

Personal Statement

Introduction.

As part of your UCAS application , you will be required to write a personal statement with a maximum of 4,000 characters. This is sent to each of your chosen universities, who use it – along with the other parts of your application, such as exam grades – to assess your suitability for their course and whether to make you an offer.

Your personal statement allows you to demonstrate to the admissions tutors why you are applying for their course; what interests you about the subject and why they should accept you – showing that you have the achievements, qualities and skills they are looking for. For more competitive courses, there will often be little difference between your grades and the grades of other applicants, so it is essential to make your personal statement effective by devoting appropriate time to its preparation.

It can be tough getting started on your personal statement – however, the earlier you begin drafting it, the more time you’ll have to finalise it before the UCAS deadlines for submission of your application (15 October 2017 for Oxbridge and Medicine/Dentistry/Veterinary Science, and 15 January 2018 for most other courses). Although there is no definite formula for writing a personal statement, and different subjects require different styles, the following advice breaks down the process and offers guidance for each step of completing a science-based personal statement.

Aims of the Personal Statement

Ultimately, the aim of your personal statement is to show the university’s admissions tutors that you are a good fit for their course, bearing in mind that different universities may be looking for slightly different attributes in their students. Some universities offer specific guidance on what they are looking for in personal statements through their website or course prospectus – use these to research and make notes of any specific admissions advice for the courses you are applying to, as this will allow you to tailor your personal statement to your preferred universities.

In order to produce an effective personal statement, you will need to address a number of key points that the admissions tutor will be looking for, and cover these in a well thought-out and well written manner. To achieve this, your personal statement should demonstrate:

your interest, enthusiasm and passion for the subject, giving evidence and examples of specific areas of interest
the relevant skills you have learnt from your studies, extracurricular activities and employment, and how these have prepared you for a degree course in your chosen subject
your ability to articulate your enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, the subject by writing long prose in a clear, confident and structured manner, using a wide range of vocabulary
the ways in which you have been following up your interest and furthering your understanding in the subject at a higher level, outside the syllabus (i.e., projects, further reading)
that you are well informed about what is involved in taking your subject at degree-level
that you are a well-rounded individual with hobbies outside of your subject
that you have a general idea of what you want to do after university

The most effective personal statements cover the above points implicitly, backing up claims through discussions and experiences which show the admissions tutor your passion for the subject, rather than vague generalisations and statements such as “I am passionate about physics” – they will already assume this. Isolate a reason as to why you personally engage with your subject and then discuss specific examples to substantiate this, eg. through a reflective discussion of further reading you have done. Write with quality, not quantity, in mind – the admissions tutor will be more impressed to read in detail what you learnt from one or two specific experiences or books, as opposed to a section which brushes over four or five. At the same time, don’t let the personal statement become a mini essay trying to simply demonstrate your knowledge of a topic you found through further reading – keep the discussion personal, showing what you got out of reading or learning it and why you found it interesting – for example did it relate to another subject you’ve studied?

For competitive courses and courses for which applicants are interviewed, another key aim of your personal statement is to persuade the admissions tutor to make you an offer or invite you to interview, as opposed to another applicant with equal grades. Your personal statement should illustrate and highlight your abilities, written with an intellectual flair that will impress the admissions tutor, all whilst being interesting, relatable and personal to you – it is a personal statement, after all. Quiet confidence is an effective style – avoid appearing overly modest and avoid being overly arrogant .

The next step is to think about what you’re going to include in your personal statement to meet these aims. This topic is discussed in the following section. Later, once you have completed the first draft of your personal statement, refer back to these aims and remove any content that is not contributing to them, as it doesn’t belong in your personal statement.

What to Include

Below is a list of points students tend to talk about in science-based personal statements, divided into two main sections: academics and non-academics. By dedicating some time to brainstorm answers to these, you will be significantly closer to getting started on your personal statement. At this stage, don’t worry about sentence length, order, connectives or how much space you will devote to each point in the final version – structuring will come later. Jot things down that you consider minor – you’re not committed to actually include any of these things in your statement once you start writing it. The only limitation is do not lie.

Reasons for choosing the course:

Why does the subject interest you? This leads on to why you have chosen the course, a key factor that the admissions tutor will want to know.
Why do you want to study the subject at a higher level? Answer this in terms of the new skills and knowledge you will gain, show you understand what is required of you in studying the subject at degree level and that you have the potential to succeed.
Which aspects or areas of your studies have you enjoyed most so far? For example, any particular content, experiment, project, or an approach to learning – convey your understanding of how this relates to work you would do on a degree course, eg. how you displayed teamwork in undertaking a project, or how it increased your interest in the subject.

Demonstrating interest in the subject outside of the curriculum:

Demonstrate any further reading you have done around the subject – eg. from books, respected newspapers, scientific journals, documentaries, websites, blogs, podcasts, radio programmes, lectures attended – explain the content of the further reading briefly and then focus on how you, personally, engaged with it, by reflecting on why it made an impression on you, and by giving your critical views on it.
Mention any trips you attended to relevant institutions, through school or on own initiative – eg. university residentials or taster days, summer schools, work experience, volunteering, trips to industry/research institutions such as JET or CERN – as with further reading, reflect on your experiences, relate them to the course or your current studies, and explain what you’ve learned from them and how they’ve helped develop your interest in the subject.
Describe skills you developed, used and improved through doing extracurricular activities, competitions, awards – eg. relevant clubs, societies, CREST projects/awards, Olympiads, maths challenges – these will often demonstrate skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, initiative, creativity and independent research skills. Don’t just mention them for the sake of it – explain how they have increased your interest and understanding of your chosen subject.
Summarise any mentoring, work experience or shadowing you may have done – these can demonstrate that you have initiative; and for work experience or shadowing, describe what you enjoyed about experiencing what it’s like in a higher-level research/industry environment. Mentoring shows your interest in engaging younger pupils – explain why you enjoyed this, and how it helped your own studies.
If you have done (or are doing) an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), explain how it relates to your interest in the subject and how the skills you gained from it will prepare you for university – the EPQ shows you are able to think analytically and independently and demonstrates transferable skills such as independent study, effective research, public speaking, time-management, recognising bias, organisation, motivation, planning and monitoring own progress.

Future plans:

Outline any potential long-term career plans you have – explain why you are attracted to the career and how you would use the experiences, skills and knowledge you would gain from the degree course.
If you don’t currently know what want to do after university, discuss what aspect of university you are most looking forward to and what you want to gain from the course and university life.
If you are planning to defer your university entry, briefly outline any gap year plans you have – focussing on any potential academic or subject-related plans (eg. work experience in industry), or explain what you will learn from travelling or employment, and why it will benefit you at university.

Non-Academics

Transferable skills and knowledge:

Write about the relevant skills you have learnt from any jobs, placements, work experience or volunteering you have done – for example, useful skills for university include the ability to work independently, teamwork, organisational skills, good time management, problem-solving, listening, critical thinking, etc.
Mention also any positions of responsibility you’ve held, both in or out of school – for example, if you’ve been a member of a club or society (in your community or at school), or led important team projects – this shows good leadership skills.

Other relevant interests, hobbies and achievements:

To help show you are a well-rounded individual, list any non-subject related activities, hobbies and spare-time interests you have, no matter how minor – for example, do you take part in any sports teams, music rehearsals, drama schools, travelling or reading?
Also discuss any non-academic accomplishments such as a Duke of Edinburgh award. These wider interests are valuable as they demonstrate your talents, and can indicate characteristics whose transferable skills will be useful for succeeding at university, even if they don’t directly relate to your subject.

Once you have brainstormed and thought carefully about your answers to the above questions, you need to choose which points you feel you should include in your personal statement. If your list involves too many similar things, for example, a large number of books that you’ve read, select just two or three which you enjoyed the most, or which made the biggest impression on you. This way, you can elaborate in more detail on your experience of reading them – the admissions tutors would prefer to see this than simply seeing a list of books. Always try to avoid making generic statements – make sure you give a personal take on everything you mention in your statement – talk about the details in the book that you found most inspiring. In terms of which experiences to include in your statement, more recent ones are more valuable than older ones, as the admissions tutors want to know you as you are now, and how you will be at their university. Show the admissions tutors you know your own strengths and make sure you understand topics and details in your personal statement well enough to talk confidently about them at interview, if your university uses interviews as part of their selection process.

If you have worked through the above list and feel you don’t have enough exciting experiences or exotic excursions to write about, compared to other people’s statements you may have read, there is no need to worry. By spending some productive time researching through books and science news websites and publications, and reflecting on what you have learned, you should still be able to collect sufficient material to write a very good statement for a science-based subject. The admissions tutor will not be judging you based on the fact you might not have had the same opportunities as other people.

Note, there is no need to list your qualifications (eg. “I am currently taking A-Level Maths, Physics and Chemistry and achieved … grades at AS”) in your personal statement – this is already covered in the Qualifications section of your UCAS form, which the admissions tutors will see on the same page as your personal statement – you will be wasting valuable characters in your statement if you were to list these here, too.

Although there is no set structure for science-based personal statements, the following can be used as a guide:

A punchy opening paragraph about your general interest in the subject and why you want to study it.
A couple of mainly academic paragraphs as the body of the statement – these are more flexible – discussing your experiences of the subject in more detail.
The penultimate paragraph in which non-subject related content such as extra-curricular activities and hobbies are discussed.
A punchy closing paragraph about your aspirations, commitment and what makes you look forward to the course.

Universities typically recommend that you focus around 75% on academic subject-related discussion, and 25% on non-subject related extra-curriculars.

Organise your material and use a sensible order that will make your text flow – the key is to make your statement easily readable for the admissions tutor. Keep sentences short, as overly-long sentences can be difficult to follow and make your statement cumbersome. Clearly defined paragraphs can help with this but, on UCAS Apply, you can’t indent lines and, if you leave lines between paragraphs, these empty lines will count towards the 47 lines you are allowed, leaving you with fewer characters to use.

Extra Additions

There are a number of additional matters to include in your personal statement if you are an international student, a mature student, or are planning to take a year out before going to university (a gap year):

Gap year students

Briefly explain, in a few sentences before the conclusion of your personal statement, why you want to take a gap year and outline any plans you have, focussing on potential academic plans (eg. work experience in industry). If you don’t have any academic-related plans, explain what skills you will learn from travelling or employment, and how they may relate to your course.

Mature students

Use the personal statement additionally to explain what you’ve been doing since leaving formal education, why you want to return to study, and demonstrate how you will cope with the rigours of academic work – using experiences in employment to evidence this. To provide more details of current or previous employment, send a copy of your CV directly to the universities you are applying to (don’t send it to UCAS). If your degree will result in a change of career, explain why you have decided to follow a new direction.

International students

Your personal statement should also explain why you want to study in the UK and demonstrate that your English language skills are sufficiently advanced to allow you to successfully complete a degree course taught in English. You can show this by giving examples of any English courses or tests you’ve taken, saying if any of your previous studies have been taught or examined in English, and describing any activities where you have used English outside of your studies. You should also discuss why you want to be an international student in the UK, rather than study in your own county. Read UCAS’ International Undergraduate Guide for Students for more information.

More than one subject

If you are applying for courses in more than one subject area, you have to try to make your personal statement fit with the different courses you are applying for across your chosen universities, since you can only submit one personal statement through UCAS. You can either choose to emphasise the subject you prefer (or the one which is more competitive) – while, at the same time, explaining that you also have an interest in the other subject – or you can take a thematic approach by focussing on ideas, topics and skills which are applicable to both courses.

Your personal statement is a formal piece of writing and the style in which you write it should reflect this. It should sound natural – but not chatty – and use diverse vocabulary – but not overly complex words with which you’re not familiar; everyday formal language is fine . Spelling, grammar and punctuation should all be correct, and avoid contractions and abbreviations (such as “I’d” and “didn’t”). Addressing the reader (the admissions tutor) directly using “you” is not usual practise in personal statements. Assume the reader already has a level of knowledge – for example, there is no need to explain what Duke of Edinburgh awards are, or to describe what a well-known book is about. Avoid making lists or using repetitive language (“I enjoy…”, “I enjoy…”) in your statement.

Although you want to make your personal statement stand out from other applicants’, there is a line between standing out to the admissions tutor in the right way and in the wrong way. Originality is a key part in making your statement personal – and although it might be tempting to include (or even start) your statement with a quotation by an important figure in your subject, this is very commonly done by many applicants, and can come across as clichéd. Quotations are someone else’s words, and the admissions tutors want to hear your own! The use of jokes – no matter how well intentioned – is also discouraged as they can be misinterpreted by the reader, who may not have the same sense of humour as you. Re-evaluate any use of the words “love”, “adore” or “ignited” (in fact, any fire-related metaphors) as these have a tendency to sound cheesy and their use is rarely justified, given how many synonyms exist for these words. Avoid clichés along with intellectual pretensions and overly hyperbolic phrases, as these can sound tacky when reading the personal statement in a formal environment.

Before you start to write each sentence, consult the planning sheet you made from the questions under “ What To Include ”. Using these notes, you will be able to incorporate more effectively which ideas and statements you want to convey in each sentence. Try to use connectives to link sentences in order to improve the flow of the text; but avoid using filler sentences or vague and generic statements which add nothing to your statement. Write succinctly and remove anything that doesn’t contribute to its aims (laid out in “ Aims of the Personal Statement ”). There is no need to state repeatedly in different words how passionate you are about your subject – this should be shown implicitly through your evidence of wider reading and subject-related experiences. When discussing further reading, be specific and give brief examples from the book to provide insight in your own thinking in relation to what you have read – show you have formulated an opinion on the book, how it has made an impression on you, and what you got out of reading it.

You should do more than simply describe the subject-related experiences in which you have been involved: elaborate on and emphasise what you took away from them, how they increased your interest in the subject and, show evidence of useful and relevant skills you gained or improved through the experiences. You will often not even need to state the skills themselves – and if you do, avoid listing too many. Fully utilise each experience – show through your discussion of it that you enjoyed it and really engaged in it – in turn, this will help your style be enthusiastic and positive to the admissions tutor.

When entered into UCAS Apply, your personal statement will lose any formatting within it – bold, italic or underlined words are not allowed, and many types of special characters and symbols will be removed – including accented characters (à, é, ù), € and special quote and bracket characters (eg. “ ‘ ’ ”, {}, \ – though the characters “, ‘, () and / are allowed). Tabs and multiple spaces will be condensed to a single space, so you are not able to indent lines. You can leave an empty line between paragraphs to more clearly define these, but this will reduce your character amount.

Never lie, embellish or exaggerate any statements in your personal statement – apart from anything else, you may be asked to expand on them at interview and find yourself caught out. Of course, there’s no need to be an expert in quantum mechanics if you mention your interest in the field, but be prepared for questions in the interview that will show you know at least the basics of it to reassure the interviewer that you have done sufficient research in to it. Don’t make unsupported claims for yourself, either – always back yourself up with evidence or examples. Most important, never, ever plagiarise anyone else’s work in your statement, or pay for someone to do it for you. UCAS uses a similarity detection system to scan your personal statement against every other applicants’ (including previous year’s) – and if plagiarism is detected in your statement, your chosen universities will be told.

Feedback and Finalising

Once you have completed your first draft of your personal statement and are reasonably happy with it, it is time to show it to teachers, advisors and family and ask for their constructive feedback and comments on it. Some advice will likely be simple – correcting any accidental spelling, grammatical or punctuation mistakes (ensure the corrections are right!), and suggesting rephrasing of unclear sentences – but some suggestions might be more substantial and require more consideration. Don’t take any criticism personally – people are genuinely trying to help by offering their opinions. If you seriously disagree with any suggestions in particular, you can choose to ignore them – it is your personal statement and you have to be happy with the final version you submit. Redraft as necessary, let a range of (trusted) people have a look at your new version and repeat this re-drafting process as long as you think the feedback you are getting is useful. It is generally not a good idea to post your personal statement online on forums or discussion boards, as anyone is then able to copy it and pass it off as their own.

If you have have gone over the 4000 character limit and there is still academic content you are adamant on keeping in your personal statement, ask your referee – usually a teacher or admissions/senior tutor at your school/college – if they can mention it in your reference, as an alternative approach.

Once you are happy with the final version of your personal statement, paste it into UCAS Apply before your school or college’s internal deadline, pay UCAS the £24 fee, and submit your application to your chosen universities. Good luck!

Helpful Links

Official UCAS personal statement page
The Student Room’s personal statement advice
Subject specific guides to personal statements from The Student Room

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Writing A Successful Personal Statement

The Maths Scholars Assessment Centre Success Tips
Maths Scholars Scholarship Interview—The Low Down
Advice To Applicants

1. Get The Basics Right

You need to spend a lot of time making sure that your personal statement sounds professional – this means excellent grammar, spelling and punctuation, and a good choice of words. It is definitely advisable to read example personal statements online, but you need to make sure that you don’t let any stock phrases creep into your own statement. There is nothing worse than a personal statement which looks like it has been cut and pasted from the internet. Make sure you ask someone else to check your statement – it is all too easy to miss errors when the same 600 words have been swimming before your eyes for a whole day.

2. Follow The Instructions

The personal statement is an essential component of the initial application stage. Very specific instructions are given about what you should include in your personal statement, even providing a bullet pointed list of what is needed. It might sound obvious – but you need to include everything in this list – if you miss anything then your application will be rejected. At the same time, you don’t want to make your personal statement sound wooden by simply following lists – always make sure that what you are writing flows well and sounds natural.

It could be well worth printing off the application instructions and ticking off each point to make sure that you have covered everything. If a candidate looks like they haven’t followed instructions then it puts their application in a very bad light.

There is a strict limit of 600 words – make sure you stay within this length, but also make sure you don’t write a statement which is too short – candidates who submit a statement which is nearer the minimum of 400 words may look like they are struggling to find things to write.

3. Make It Relevant

Make sure you focus on relevant experiences - particularly your experience of teaching and observation in schools It is fine to include other experiences, but you always need to make sure they are linked back to the purpose of your application – i.e. your ability to be an inspirational and passionate maths teacher. If you coach a youth football team then you need to relate this experience back to your passion for teaching young people, rather than emphasising how much you love football. If you have an experience which is not directly related to working with young people then it is important that you make it relevant, for example if you worked weekends in a restaurant, then you may have discovered that you enjoyed training new staff, helping you decide on a career in education. You might find yourself in the lucky position that you have far too much relevant experience to fit in the statement, meaning that you need to be ruthless and prioritise what to put in.

4. Don’t Repeat Yourself

Don’t include anything in the personal statement which you have already included in the application form – this is simply a waste of space. Your degree is already listed on your application form, so there is no need to include it again in the personal statement. It can be tempting to include absolutely everything in the personal statement, whereas you need to be looking at your application as a whole – have you covered all the points across the whole application?

5. Don’t Copy The Website Verbatim

Whilst you may think you are being clever by copying and pasting text from the Maths Scholarships website into your personal statement, be warned that those who are reading your personal statement also wrote this website. Basically, they recognise when they are having their own words quoted back at them. It also shows that you do not fully understand what it is you are applying for.

Take the time to fully understand what the Maths Scholarship is, why the additional support is being offered and that may help you to address the bullet points relating to being a Maths Scholar.

6. Replacing Maths Teacher With Maths Scholar

It can be tempting to replace 'maths teacher' with 'Maths Scholar' in the personal statement that you produced for your application to teacher training. As a word of caution, doing that normally makes no sense and you appear to not fully understand the Maths Scholarship and its benefits.

7. And Finally...

Try and remember that the effort you put into your personal statement will be well worth it and will hopefully be the first step on an exciting and rewarding adventure. When you read your personal statement, you need to imagine it sitting in a large pile of statements from other people. Does yours read well? Is it relevant? Does it have an excellent opening paragraph? If using clichés such as “maths is my passion”, expand on this by explaining why you are passionate about maths, and what is it that gets you all fired up. It’s OK to say you love a specific equation, or that it’s applicable to everyday life but show us how you interpret that. It’s a line that’s all too easy to say and all too hard to prove!

You could have the best teaching ability in the world, but if you have a poor personal statement then you won’t be invited to the Assessment. On the other hand – if you make the effort to write an excellent personal statement, then you will be giving yourself the best chance possible of progressing to the next stage of the application process.

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Mathematics personal statements

Mathematics degree personal statement example (1a) Warwick offer

My passion for mathematics was fixed at the age of ten, on the morning that my mathematics teacher told I would be sitting the Junior Maths Challenge, 'as practice for when you are older'. As I nervously started to answer the questions, a whole world began to open before me. I revelled in the problem solving, answering questions of a nature I had not seen before. My teachers were delighted when I emerged from the exam hungry for more. Since then I have consistently demonstrated my aptitude, achieving gold awards through to senior level, and scoring highly in the European Kangaroo.

My middle school supported me by arranging weekly one-hour lessons with Dr Taylor, a local upper schoolteacher. These sessions nurtured my inquisitiveness and explored all areas of science, from genetics to decision mathematics. I thrived on these lessons, which often required independent research or experimentation. My mathematics teacher then nominated me for a two-week summer school for gifted mathematicians in Bedfordshire. We explored encoding and code breaking at Bletchley Park, spread betting with theoretical money on the LSE, and algorithms and their appearances in patterns and nature. I was delighted when I was awarded first prize, particularly because the competition was from extraordinary young people whom I had assumed were far more gifted than myself.

My love of maths is apparent to all those around me - although they do not always understand why! - and I have consistently achieved at a high level. Last year I was awarded the school Mathematics Prize for excellence. My tutoring has enabled several GCSE students to achieve their full potential in their examinations. Tutoring has been a thoroughly enjoyable insight into the fascinating process of teaching and learning.

My A level studies in mathematics and further mathematics have been well rounded, studying all four branches of the syllabus. Pure mathematics is my favourite section as I find satisfaction in the way ideas are developed and put into practice, and the varied applications of integration, differentiation and trigonometry.

Much is made of the relationship between mathematics and music; both have strong intellectual and creative foundations. I believe my mathematical studies are complemented by my third A level - music. I hear and see music in numbers, and my approach to playing or singing is similar to the mindset I use in maths.

I am a dedicated and conscientious student in class, and a key member in many extra-curricular activities. As a keen musician, playing violin, trombone and piano, I contribute to a number of musical ensembles in school and played an integral part in the organisation of our school’s summer concert. I am also a member of several local youth orchestras and bands, with whom I have toured abroad many times, most recently to Italy, France and Belgium.

I have been a volunteer at my local Brownie unit for four years. Over this time I have taken on an increasingly important role in the organisation: working with the girls, the leadership team and the division executive team, running meetings, and latterly keeping the unit accounts. I am working towards my leadership warrant to become a Guider. I believe that the skills and experience that I have gained as a Brownie volunteer have benefited all areas of my life, including in my role as Deputy Head Girl.

It is my ambition to enter a career directly related to my degree. At present I am considering either the teaching profession, or post-doctoral research.

Universities Applied To:

University of Warwick - Offer AAB plus AEA Merit
University of Bath - Offer AAC
Newcastle University - Offer AAB
The University of Edinburgh - Offer ABB
The University of Reading - Offer 320 points incl. B in Mathematics
University of Leeds - Offer AA in Mathematics and Further Mathematics

Grades Achieved:

GCSE: 3A*s 7As 1B 1 C
AS Level: ACCD (plus AS in Further Mathematics)
Predicted Grades: AAB

Reviewer comments

This is overall a very good and very well written personal statement which is backed up by the successful application to several prestigious universities. The statement is a good length (3,500 characters) and what sets it apart from many is the passion and enthusiasm which is very clearly demonstrated through a specific mention of a range of activities related to maths - tutoring, maths challenges, awards, extra learning, additional courses etc. Most importantly this enthusiasm is believable and the quality of the writing contains that x-factor which hints at the underlying understanding and intelligence of the applicant.

As always there are some areas for improvement. This statement talks very little about the degree which is being applied to or specific mention of why they wish to study it, although this is certainly implied. A more explicit mention of the degree would help to improve this statement, as would a greater mention of transferable skills and their relevance to a maths degree when talking about extra-curricular activities. There is perhaps a little too extensive a mention of the outside classes/maths challenge at the start and additional material on books read could have been added. The statement starts off a little too fairy-tale like and becomes a little fragmented in the middle of the statement.

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Having studied all four branches of the syllabus, I believe I am a well-rounded mathematician. Pure mathematics is my personal favourite because of its focus on thought processes and problem solving techniques. As I am the sole candidate for further mathematics in my year group, I am studying it without support from school.

Having no lessons has meant that I have had to develop an independent, self-reliant approach to mathematics, which I believe is invaluable, especially when faced with a system of learning where the emphasis is placed on the student rather than the tutor. Due to clashes in my sixth form's timetable, I studied AS physics at a college in Leeds city centre.

Although this meant travelling several times a week during school hours, I still thoroughly enjoyed the subject, as it allowed me to apply mathematics to different situations, and I am continuing to study it for A2.

Last year, I qualified for the British Mathematical Olympiad, run by the UKMT, which I hope to qualify for again this year. I also enjoy reading books of a mathematical nature, allowing me to extend my mathematical knowledge beyond the content of my A-level courses. I recently represented the school in a national debating competition, arguing the case against the right to privacy for public figures.

I also work for the sixth form paper. I have participated in several school concerts and productions as a member of the choir and as a violinist, at which I am Grade 5. Last year, I also captained three form groups in the Year Nine Music Festival. This entailed organising a choir, an ensemble (which I conducted) and several soloists, rehearsing for several months at breaks and lunchtimes and finally performing in the competition.

I have worked voluntarily in a primary school as an assistant to the Year Four class teacher. While I was working at the school, it underwent an OfSTED inspection, as did the teacher of the class I was designated to. During one of the class inspections, I was entrusted with groups of students, teaching them how to use the data logging equipment, for which I was favourably mentioned in the report.

For the past year, I have been working part-time in the busy restaurant of a large department store in Leeds. Although not being particularly high on mathematical content, it has provided me with an opportunity to improve my ability to cope under pressure and my recent performance review has quoted me as a "hard-working, trusted and well-liked member of staff".

However, I have now finished this job in order to concentrate on my A2 studies. I would love to pursue a career in the field of mathematics and I believe my choice of institutions matches my capabilities as well as my aspirations to become a successful mathematician.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by meepmeep.

meepmeep's university choices Cambridge University University of Bristol The University of Nottingham University of St Andrews The University of Warwick The University of York

Green : offer made Red : no offer made

Related Personal Statements

Wow. how do they fit it all.

Thu, 08/07/2004 - 00:00

Wow. How do they fit it all in?! It's an impressive array of abilities, and demonstrates a clear passion for the subject. Where were they applying to?

Wow - this guy clearly loves

Tue, 20/07/2004 - 00:00

Wow - this guy clearly loves maths (how???) and it makes him sound friendly as well as clever and committed. Quite unlike that other one I read related to medicine, which sounded impressive, but quite arrogant and is really just a list of achievements. By the by, how in the world can anyone love maths so much???? I don't get it - arrgghhh!!!

This actually sounds pretty

Wed, 18/08/2004 - 00:00

This actually sounds pretty much like me. Being the only person in my school to be taking Further Maths, I'm doing it myself too!

i think that this is a good

Fri, 10/09/2004 - 00:00

i think that this is a good personal statement but he doesnt sound as though he has much of a life away from school. dont universities look for that as well as academic ability?

Sat, 18/09/2004 - 00:00

I am not sure what he meant

Fri, 01/10/2004 - 00:00

I am not sure what he meant by ''qualified for BMO'' since it could either mean being qualified for BMO round 2 or being qualified to be on the British team, or indeed there is a possibility that the author was just able to participate in the round 1 of BMO, which just requires a reasonaly score in Senior Mathematical Challenge.

Really useful

Mon, 05/09/2005 - 00:00

Tue, 13/09/2005 - 00:00

Fri, 23/09/2005 - 00:00

Wow! Cambridge, no surprise

Sun, 16/04/2006 - 00:00

Cambridge, no surprise

Fri, 07/07/2006 - 00:00

This ps is amasing, very well flowing and great language use.

Wow, wish i could write one

Mon, 14/08/2006 - 00:00

Wow, wish i could write one like this!

MATH RULES!!

Thu, 12/10/2006 - 19:20

i am hoping to onw day study mathematics...and now after reading the personal statement i have gained my passion for math!!

btw...the statement is very very convincing

Wed, 08/11/2006 - 08:54

5 Star personal statement - no wonder you got offered a place at Camebridge! Congratulations

very very impressive!

Mon, 06/08/2007 - 23:22

very very impressive! btw he did say they wrote 'well-liked'

Tue, 18/09/2007 - 10:07

Tue, 18/09/2007 - 10:08

Thu, 27/09/2007 - 10:36

i love maths more!!!!!

Wow this is useful to me

Sat, 03/05/2008 - 15:35

Wow this personal statement is given me the ideas how do i write a professional personal statement!

Thank you to put it on line for other to see how to write a personal statement for the university

Mon, 16/06/2008 - 20:19

some of the comments on this are brilliant, the person who wrote "camebridge" is clearly never going to go there. I love maths as much as this guy, but i haven't got nearly enough experience to show it like he did =o

I am very intrigued by the

Tue, 01/07/2008 - 09:07

I am very intrigued by the way you have put this personal statement together. It is fascinating the way you blend the standard way of writing a personal statement and your own experience of the mathematical world.

Tue, 19/08/2008 - 12:04

mamunor bafor atu

University & Personality

Wed, 10/09/2008 - 20:01

DO you not feel with the ever increasing knowledge that is being bred into us during our education that a personal statement should make your personality evident. I agree that it is important to show off you talent and abilities but what about your ability to adjust to reality and deal with the world outside mathematics, it is not just about study and the mathematical knowledge it is about being a well adjusted human being that is able to use their knowledge for social interaction. I feel that putting too much weight on one area of interest makes it apparent that the mind cannot focus past this. Being a good mathematician involves being a diverse and open mind that is able to relate to 'normal' life and application within the 'normal' world.

hi i really think that this

Fri, 10/10/2008 - 12:10

hi i really think that this is excellent and wish you best of luck

Listing success is not passion

Sun, 12/10/2008 - 17:41

It doesnt sound like you have passion for this subject at all, if you love maths so much that you would study it alone, why would you not demonstrate your knowledge for real life mathematics. "e" underpins many natural phenomenon's, petals from flowers sometimes grow in the Fibonacci sequence. You can shop online because two mathematicians created an algorithm that even a computer cannot break. Being able to number crunch core mathematics is not "real life" - Nowadays we lack people with flare, that dare to think differently, didnt someone say that the only difference between genius and madness is success? Oh, and 0.3% of our country study Further maths A level, its not suprising that you study it alone.

CAN I USE THE SAME ONE

Wed, 29/10/2008 - 12:23

why are all these people

Wed, 29/10/2008 - 17:59

why are all these people doing maths they should be doing English.I think it unfair that people with great logical minds are judged on their ability to write a statement.Mine is a joke compared to this!!!!1

none got a joke for their PS.

Wed, 05/11/2008 - 13:13

none got a joke for their PS.... if this genius got so many things to upgrade his PS... its his experiences and you should focus on your own PS with your own interests and qualifications....... anyway you gotta be the best for yourself....

Excellent PS.

Tue, 11/11/2008 - 20:34

I wish I was better at advertising myself. Even though I hate interviews, I would far prefer them to writing a personal statement.

You are just too scary good.

Wed, 19/11/2008 - 13:15

You are just too scary good. well done i now think i'm to stupid for maths at any level including prtimary school age. are you human or just plain rainman?

well done tho. BTW i have exams soon can you tutor me.

Meep Meep!!!

Thu, 16/07/2009 - 09:42

What Kind Of A Name Is Meep Meep!!!

How did you get into 6

Mon, 10/08/2009 - 10:49

How did you get into 6 universities?

i would just love to show my

Sun, 13/09/2009 - 15:53

i would just love to show my support for gohome's comment and show my even bigger support for youra's comment, well done really hit the nail on the head what a Perfect Rounded Individual Clever Kid!!!!!

Great PS, and to the person

Sat, 19/09/2009 - 13:31

Great PS, and to the person who wrote the post entitled 'Listing success is not passion' it was actually 3 mathematicians that created RSA Cryptography not 2 (hence the RSA as these letters correspond to the initial of their last names). Listing incorrect statements isn't passion either.

Really good! I wish I could

Mon, 28/09/2009 - 13:38

Really good! I wish I could write one like this.

WWOOOOOWWW!!

Wed, 07/10/2009 - 08:59

makes me feel useless. well

Tue, 14/09/2010 - 19:19

makes me feel useless. well done

it is good to depend on your own becouse you can s

Thu, 17/02/2011 - 17:08

this is becouse you solve your problems on your own timem. mutaka f.m

it saves time

Thu, 17/02/2011 - 17:11

This is amazing, makes me

Sat, 23/07/2011 - 22:51

This is amazing, makes me doubt my chances of Cambridge. In response to the RSA statement, it was originally discovered by a single mathematician working for the GCHQ

Which Uni did he go to in the end?

Sun, 14/10/2012 - 19:18

Your personal statement was great, which uni did you choose to go to in the end? Do you like it there?

pretty good

Fri, 26/04/2013 - 22:21

it's a good personal statement, though it's not spectacular. i think he should've gone into more detail about the mathematical books he's read. still good.

Tue, 23/07/2013 - 19:09

Major thankies for the blog post.Thanks Again. Great.

Thu, 17/10/2013 - 17:38

is dis sazza ja armweak

Thu, 17/10/2013 - 17:52

i lurvvvv 2 do big runny bobos erydai! =) yeahhhhhhh

How did you apply to 6

Wed, 13/11/2013 - 15:43

How did you apply to 6 universities?

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What should i include in my maths personal statement for someone who hasn’t done much?

Hi guys, has anyone got anything i can do within a relatively short period of time that would be good to put on a maths personal statement? for some background i applied back in November for psychology , at the time i wasn’t even really sure if i wanted to do this but felt rushed into the process. Over the last couple of months i’ve been thinking of and have decided to change my course to maths, i emailed the university i was accepted into and they said this could be done but i would need to provide them with a new personal statement. Obviously i haven’t got as much time as i would like to get things done for this statement as i had the first time round , so i need some ideas on things that are relatively quick to do and would like impressive on a personal statement. The uni said i should try and get this to them asap, and i’ve got a relatively slim time limit of about a week after my exams finish (so about until June 27th). Any ideas would really be appreciated, specifically more statistics oriented as im most likely going to focus my personal statement on that.

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Here are a few tips from admissions tutors to help with your maths personal statement: 'We love to see anything that shows the depth or breadth of your interest in maths, and especially your interests in the subject beyond the A level (or equivalent) syllabus - like any maths books you've read, maths clubs you're part of, or especially ...
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Scroll down this page to find a collection of real personal statements written by students applying to study mathematics and related courses at university. Plus, over on The Uni Guide, we've also got advice from universities on what they want to see in a maths personal statement . Among the tips shared by these admissions experts: focus on how ...
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Recommended for: Mathematics, Computer Science. This book is rather heavy reading but provides a thorough walkthrough of one of the most profound proofs in mathematics. It demonstrates that a formal system cannot be both complete and consistent, i.e., there are either true things it can't prove or false things it can prove.
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Focus on yourself. Your personal statement should focus on your motivations for wanting to study a subject, and why you in particular would make a good student. "Focus on yourself, rather than singing the praises of your subject," says James. "I'll have a good third of personal statements include some variation on 'mathematics is the ...
Mathematics Personal Statement Examples
15 Dec,2022 Alan Whitworth. Hopefully, these examples of Mathematics Personal Statements will help you create a unique statement for your UCAS application . Example 1. I have always been fascinated by the world of mathematics and its ability to explain and understand complex phenomena in the world around us. From a young age, I have been drawn ...
How to Write a Personal Statement for Maths
Personal statement writing is an iterative process. You should start early enough to allow plenty of time for preparatory reading, drafting, feedback, and revisions. The summer holiday is the ideal time to start reading and exploring super-curricular material you might like to include (see our reading list for some recommendations).
Maths Personal Statement Examples
Browse our range of Maths personal statement examples. Gain inspiration & make sure you 're on the right track when writing your own personal statement. ... Discover personal statement examples written by students accepted onto maths and related courses. Read through the examples to help shape your own personal statement. ... Book your Open Day ...
Mathematics
These are only some ideas to keep you busy, but do keep an eye out for other opportunities too. For other ideas related to maths, do also check out the personal statement blogs for Engineering and Business, Accounting, Finance and Economics too! For further advice on your personal statement, email: [email protected].
Maths and Statistics Oxbridge Model Personal Statement
This is a model personal statement by a succesful Oxbridge Maths and Statistics applicant. When first learning about algebra as a child I was fascinated with how the letter X was used to find seemingly unobtainable solutions, e.g. to simultaneous equations. Since then I have enthusiastically studied algebra and been intrigued by how ...
Maths Model Personal Statement
This is a model personal statement by a succesful Oxbridge Maths applicant. Maths, especially pure Maths, feels like another language to me; just as a meaning can be described with words in any number of ways, so can a Maths proof be solved with infinite methods. For this reason, I relish proving generalised equations, as they enhance my ...
Maths Personal Statement Example 1
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Mathematics Personal Statement Example 12
I am looking forward to exploring Mathematics at degree level. I feel that I will be an asset to the university both in terms of my academic and non-academic contributions and I believe that I will make the most of every opportunity available. This personal statement was written by obrio for application in 2011. obrio's university choices.
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Introduction. As part of your UCAS application, you will be required to write a personal statement with a maximum of 4,000 characters. This is sent to each of your chosen universities, who use it - along with the other parts of your application, such as exam grades - to assess your suitability for their course and whether to make you an offer.
Writing A Successful Personal Statement
Writing A Successful Personal Statement. 1. Get The Basics Right. You need to spend a lot of time making sure that your personal statement sounds professional - this means excellent grammar, spelling and punctuation, and a good choice of words. It is definitely advisable to read example personal statements online, but you need to make sure ...
Maths books recommended to include in personal statement
Im really interested in maths and am looking to seek a degree in it but ive seen most of the personal statements include books read, so im interested what titles would be recommended to read and learn something new as well. 0 Report. Reply. Reply 1. 6 years ago-Mathematician-11. Oxford and Cambridge both have maths reading lists which will give ...
Mathematics degree personal statement example (1a) Warwick offer
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Applied for maths this year, got back offers from Cambridge, Imperial, Warwick, UCL and Durham, so something must've worked lol. In my statement, I talked about a uni-level textbook I'd been reading through, as well as a random assortment of interesting topics I'd dabbled in (I think I included Laplace transforms, Lagrangian mechanics and ...
Mathematics Personal Statement Example 1
Mathematics Personal Statement Example 1. I have always been fascinated by my mathematical studies and, having a flair for the subject, there was never any doubt that I would choose mathematics as a degree. It is a pivotal subject on which so many others depend (such as physics and chemistry).
What should i include in my maths personal statement for ...
Do some moocs, or read some books and articles. Articles actually help quite a lot, since they're pretty quick to read, but don't fill your entire personal statement with it. Moocs also help a lot, since you can find a lot of different ones. Just any source of wider reading tbh. Springpod is free, easy too.

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Don’t list out your A-levels

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Don’t use quotes unless you’re expanding on them

Mention any maths-related activities you’ve been involved with outside the classroom

Include your unexpected extracurriculars

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