[nsolma1]

Hello everyone, I really awant to study mechanical engineering at university, but the problem, is that I wasnt interested in it until very recently. I always wanted to do a degree that has physics in it.
So i first started thinking about physics and medical physics, so I have wasted too much time thinking about what i want to study at university.

But heres the problem, I am now busy writing my personal statement for university, and i am interested in mechanical engineering and i genuinely like it.
But because I only recently discovered my interest I havent done any work experience related to mechancial engineering or read any books and article on the subject, so how will I convey my interest to the admissions officer?
Or is it not too late to do all those things now?

Please help I really wanna do mechanical engineering not just as a degree but as a career choice in general.
And I need to write an excellent PS, cuz I have slightly f'ed up my AS grades so I dont know if I will get crap predicted grades or not.

[SillyEddy]

Which subjects are you doing at college? Where are you thinking of applying to?

Certainly have a look on Google for examples of past personal statements. Of course, don't copy them, but you can see what people have written about it. They're looking to see that you have a passion for the course and they probably expect quite a few people to have no engineering background or subjects before that. You'll just need maths (further maths for the elite) and possibly physics too.

Talk about what interested you in the first place. I'm looking to do mechanical engineering this autumn, so I have just been through the process for these personal statements. Honestly, you don't have to be a world-class author, you just need to convey your ideas and let them know that you're going to stick the course out. My applications were to Coventry, MMU, Aston, Liverpool and Lancaster. I decided not to do A2 maths (I was already on a 3rd year at college) and managed to persuade my choices to let me in with AS maths, A2 physics/product design technology/electronics.

I mentioned what lead me to engineering in the first place and what I want to do with it. I'll try and dig up my personal statement, but I wrote about why I would be a good university student (in general) and why I want to go into engineering. I wrote about which parts of the course I was particularly interested in, and I think I mentioned what sort of things I want to do for the final year technical production.

[sucess]

(Original post by nsolma1)
Hello everyone, I really awant to study mechanical engineering at university, but the problem, is that I wasnt interested in it until very recently. I always wanted to do a degree that has physics in it.
So i first started thinking about physics and medical physics, so I have wasted too much time thinking about what i want to study at university.

But heres the problem, I am now busy writing my personal statement for university, and i am interested in mechanical engineering and i genuinely like it.
But because I only recently discovered my interest I havent done any work experience related to mechancial engineering or read any books and article on the subject, so how will I convey my interest to the admissions officer?
Or is it not too late to do all those things now?

Please help I really wanna do mechanical engineering not just as a degree but as a career choice in general.
And I need to write an excellent PS, cuz I have slightly f'ed up my AS grades so I dont know if I will get crap predicted grades or not.

you don't need any work experience to do mechanical engineering just A GRADES in PHYSICS AND MATHS

[SillyEddy]

(Original post by sucess)
you don't need any work experience to do mechanical engineering just A GRADES in PHYSICS AND MATHS

Fairly sure none of my requirements were an A when I accepted my offers :P

[sucess]

(Original post by SillyEddy)
Fairly sure none of my requirements were an A when I accepted my offers :P

just giving him/her an idea that applying for mechanical engineering isn't complicated all he/she needs to do is meet her entry requirements

[nsolma1]

(Original post by SillyEddy)
Which subjects are you doing at college? Where are you thinking of applying to?

Certainly have a look on Google for examples of past personal statements. Of course, don't copy them, but you can see what people have written about it. They're looking to see that you have a passion for the course and they probably expect quite a few people to have no engineering background or subjects before that. You'll just need maths (further maths for the elite) and possibly physics too.

Talk about what interested you in the first place. I'm looking to do mechanical engineering this autumn, so I have just been through the process for these personal statements. Honestly, you don't have to be a world-class author, you just need to convey your ideas and let them know that you're going to stick the course out. My applications were to Coventry, MMU, Aston, Liverpool and Lancaster. I decided not to do A2 maths (I was already on a 3rd year at college) and managed to persuade my choices to let me in with AS maths, A2 physics/product design technology/electronics.

I mentioned what lead me to engineering in the first place and what I want to do with it. I'll try and dig up my personal statement, but I wrote about why I would be a good university student (in general) and why I want to go into engineering. I wrote about which parts of the course I was particularly interested in, and I think I mentioned what sort of things I want to do for the final year technical production.

wow thank you, i became really worried that I wont stand out or show interest in the course if I havent done anything related to it, thanks tho.

[nsolma1]

(Original post by SillyEddy)
Which subjects are you doing at college? Where are you thinking of applying to?

Certainly have a look on Google for examples of past personal statements. Of course, don't copy them, but you can see what people have written about it. They're looking to see that you have a passion for the course and they probably expect quite a few people to have no engineering background or subjects before that. You'll just need maths (further maths for the elite) and possibly physics too.

Talk about what interested you in the first place. I'm looking to do mechanical engineering this autumn, so I have just been through the process for these personal statements. Honestly, you don't have to be a world-class author, you just need to convey your ideas and let them know that you're going to stick the course out. My applications were to Coventry, MMU, Aston, Liverpool and Lancaster. I decided not to do A2 maths (I was already on a 3rd year at college) and managed to persuade my choices to let me in with AS maths, A2 physics/product design technology/electronics.

I mentioned what lead me to engineering in the first place and what I want to do with it. I'll try and dig up my personal statement, but I wrote about why I would be a good university student (in general) and why I want to go into engineering. I wrote about which parts of the course I was particularly interested in, and I think I mentioned what sort of things I want to do for the final year technical production.

By the way I amm doing AS maths, Physics and Chemistry and I retook GCSE English

[pshewitt1]

(Original post by nsolma1)
Hello everyone, I really awant to study mechanical engineering at university, but the problem, is that I wasnt interested in it until very recently. I always wanted to do a degree that has physics in it.
So i first started thinking about physics and medical physics, so I have wasted too much time thinking about what i want to study at university.

But heres the problem, I am now busy writing my personal statement for university, and i am interested in mechanical engineering and i genuinely like it.
But because I only recently discovered my interest I havent done any work experience related to mechancial engineering or read any books and article on the subject, so how will I convey my interest to the admissions officer?
Or is it not too late to do all those things now?

Please help I really wanna do mechanical engineering not just as a degree but as a career choice in general.
And I need to write an excellent PS, cuz I have slightly f'ed up my AS grades so I dont know if I will get crap predicted grades or not.

I can send you a copy of my PS? I got all 5 offers at which they gave me the lowest offer they could? obviously don't copy it but get ideas

[Smack]

You don't need any work experience for mechanical engineering. Only a tiny minority will have it, and they usually have connections. It's very, very difficult for someone who hasn't even started their degree yet to gain any meaningful engineering experience, and admissions tutors know this.

What is of more concern is your grades since universities are primarily interested in people who are academically able enough to complete their degree courses.

[SillyEddy]

(Original post by nsolma1)
By the way I amm doing AS maths, Physics and Chemistry and I retook GCSE English

AS maths and A2 for the physics, etc? Or just AS year as a whole?

If so, realistically, you'll need another A-level, or to carry that AS maths up to A2. I was able to get some offers just from AS maths, but those universities are moving up to A2 for 2013 onwards. I already have an A and B, and I'm hoping to get C, c, this year.

Typical offers are BBC upwards for the "lower" universities. Though, to be honest, I found that the lesser universities were actually able to offer me more in terms of out-of-hours tuition, especially with maths. They also seemed to be more encouraging of getting first and second year students involved in the university projects, such as Formula Student. Sure, a better university might mean a more respected degree, but the courses throughout the country (and Europe) are generally looked after and regulated by the engineering institutions. Make sure your university has an affiliated institute as this will lead to becoming an incorporated or chartered engineer in the future. Thus, your degree should have as much weight wherever it was studied. I'm going to a lesser university to get my bachelors, then going to try and go to a nicer university for my masters. Hopefully that will give me a step-up after graduation.

[nsolma1]

(Original post by SillyEddy)
AS maths and A2 for the physics, etc? Or just AS year as a whole?

If so, realistically, you'll need another A-level, or to carry that AS maths up to A2. I was able to get some offers just from AS maths, but those universities are moving up to A2 for 2013 onwards. I already have an A and B, and I'm hoping to get C, c, this year.

Typical offers are BBC upwards for the "lower" universities. Though, to be honest, I found that the lesser universities were actually able to offer me more in terms of out-of-hours tuition, especially with maths. They also seemed to be more encouraging of getting first and second year students involved in the university projects, such as Formula Student. Sure, a better university might mean a more respected degree, but the courses throughout the country (and Europe) are generally looked after and regulated by the engineering institutions. Make sure your university has an affiliated institute as this will lead to becoming an incorporated or chartered engineer in the future. Thus, your degree should have as much weight wherever it was studied. I'm going to a lesser university to get my bachelors, then going to try and go to a nicer university for my masters. Hopefully that will give me a step-up after graduation.

Well i done AS maths, Physics and Chemistry this year and I am gonna take all three subjects at A2 and I might take up AS economics, psychology, photography,art or GCSE dutch next year.
But yeh I have no idea what my predicted grades will be Im really scared that I wont be able to get into a good enough uni and that. Is getting in a lower tier uni really worth it? But i understood when you where talking about the degrees having to have some recognition like Chartered engineer status, but where does it state if it the degree has chartered status? And how can I see if it doesnt have chartered status. Btw thanks for your help

[nsolma1]

(Original post by pshewitt1)
I can send you a copy of my PS? I got all 5 offers at which they gave me the lowest offer they could? obviously don't copy it but get ideas

i would really appreciate that and no I wont copy, cuz obviously I will get in trouble for plagiarising too, but i just wanna use the structure as a template.
if you want to send it you can send it too: nile_sbc@hotmail.co.uk

[SillyEddy]

(Original post by nsolma1)
Well i done AS maths, Physics and Chemistry this year and I am gonna take all three subjects at A2 and I might take up AS economics, psychology, photography,art or GCSE dutch next year.
But yeh I have no idea what my predicted grades will be Im really scared that I wont be able to get into a good enough uni and that. Is getting in a lower tier uni really worth it? But i understood when you where talking about the degrees having to have some recognition like Chartered engineer status, but where does it state if it the degree has chartered status? And how can I see if it doesnt have chartered status. Btw thanks for your help

The courses page on the university website will probably have something about it. For instance, it might say "Accredited by iMechE". You can see a clear example on Coventry's page for Mech Eng

Institute of Mechanical Engineers (iMechE) and The Institude of Engineering and Technology (IET) are the big main ones which I've heard of and seen on the university websites. There are definitely more, like electrical engineers will have their own too. All the decent universities (and the half decent universities) will be accredited though. I believe so long as you start the course, even if the university loses accreditation part way, then your status is maintained. I could be wrong, but a reputable university won't lose their status. That said, the accreditation only lasts so long... Every few years they must renew their registration and ensure they're working at the correct standard. That's why, to me, I don't care about a lesser university as they're fairly well regulated by the same accreditor. The iMechE website has a PDF explaining which courses they're accrediting. It's on This webpage and can be found on the right hand side on the link called "Check if the course is accredited before you apply". It's not the end of the world though, you can become accredited later on by other means.



I honestly found that places such as MMU and Coventry could offer me much more in the way of tutoring though. I suppose they have to try harder because they have less reputation. They just totally fit my style of learning. You should definitely go to the universities and check them out. You don't have to do it immediately - Hell, I sent off my personal statement before going to all of them. I went to my final open day just 2 weeks before I had to pick my firm and insurance choice. But I had a good idea of what it was like.

I went to one university open day, and it just felt crappy. I went to others and they felt better but weren't totally for me. Manchester University was beautiful though. For me, it was really just a moment of enlightenment. The university, their teaching, their equipment, their style, their location. Just everything was a match. I would honestly rather go to the universities that I chose than to somewhere like Oxford (if I had a free acceptance card into any university I wanted). They're not elite universities, but they totally rock my world. You just need to try and find that too.

[nsolma1]

(Original post by SillyEddy)
The courses page on the university website will probably have something about it. For instance, it might say "Accredited by iMechE". You can see a clear example on Coventry's page for Mech Eng

Institute of Mechanical Engineers (iMechE) and The Institude of Engineering and Technology (IET) are the big main ones which I've heard of and seen on the university websites. There are definitely more, like electrical engineers will have their own too. All the decent universities (and the half decent universities) will be accredited though. I believe so long as you start the course, even if the university loses accreditation part way, then your status is maintained. I could be wrong, but a reputable university won't lose their status. That said, the accreditation only lasts so long... Every few years they must renew their registration and ensure they're working at the correct standard. That's why, to me, I don't care about a lesser university as they're fairly well regulated by the same accreditor. The iMechE website has a PDF explaining which courses they're accrediting. It's on This webpage and can be found on the right hand side on the link called "Check if the course is accredited before you apply". It's not the end of the world though, you can become accredited later on by other means.



I honestly found that places such as MMU and Coventry could offer me much more in the way of tutoring though. I suppose they have to try harder because they have less reputation. They just totally fit my style of learning. You should definitely go to the universities and check them out. You don't have to do it immediately - Hell, I sent off my personal statement before going to all of them. I went to my final open day just 2 weeks before I had to pick my firm and insurance choice. But I had a good idea of what it was like.

I went to one university open day, and it just felt crappy. I went to others and they felt better but weren't totally for me. Manchester University was beautiful though. For me, it was really just a moment of enlightenment. The university, their teaching, their equipment, their style, their location. Just everything was a match. I would honestly rather go to the universities that I chose than to somewhere like Oxford (if I had a free acceptance card into any university I wanted). They're not elite universities, but they totally rock my world. You just need to try and find that too.

Hey man thanks for such an excellent reply.