What to put on engineering p/statement

hi everyone,

if i apply for engineering what types of things should i say, are there any books i should read?,

any work experience i could get ? if so were?

in general, are there things that i can do to enhance personal statement for engineering?

Reply 1

SillyEddy

I didn't read any books, nor did I do work experience. If you do decide to, you shouldn't just do it for the sake of it. They want to hear why it was useful and not just "because you could". They want to know why you're the right candidate for the course and for their university.

In my personal statement I wrote about projects that I would like to work on in the future, issues which concern the engineering world and things I had done which I thought would make me suitable.

For example, I saw a news report saying that trains can produce as much as 90% fewer emissions compared to aircraft, but aircraft have more flexibility to go further and that studying topics in aerodynamics and materials would make me suitable to work in that industry to fix that issue. Air traffic was estimated to double in 15 years, so they need new breeds of aircraft which are lighter and more aerodynamic so that they reduce the emissions produced. I mentioned green design and how my work in college revolved around finding renewable materials to work from.

If you research the universities, you can see which industries they are associated with. Some are automotive, some are aerospace and some are things like trains, so I tried to write about all of those topics and make it link up.

I mentioned awards I had received, such as best in class and things like that. I spoke about how I taught myself 3D design and used it in technology projects (others were using 2D design or just drawing on paper). I mentioned projects I had worked on (using LASER cutters, making custom jigs, designing and making aesthetically pleasing work).

In closing, I mentioned where I want to go with this degree and where my career should take me. I spoke about finding placements and that I wanted to work in aviation.

The main point is to link it all back in. Don't just say "I did this", "I did that". Be more along the lines of "I am interested in this topic because it forms the backbone of modern engineering and, according to 'these statistics', is an upcoming area of work". It doesn't have to be a report on engineering in general, but show where you fit into the grand scheme of things. Make yourself sound interesting but also interested.

Reply 2

pleasedtobeatyou

Original post by zakibilaly

...

Reading would be a plus. Anything within your chosen discipline would be ideal but if you're struggling to pin one down, then 'Engineering' by Natasha McCarthy is excellent. Are the any famous engineering figures that interest you? You could have a look at their biographies for a start too.

A quick look on Amazon will show you just how many choices there are in terms of books. I ended up reading 'Wind, Sand and Stars' somehow and even though it didn't go on my personal statement. Strangely, I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was something that I thought that I would have never read.

Having went through the same process as you last year, with all the hindsight, I would say that getting work experience related to engineering would be a big plus to your application. If you do manage to get some, then make sure you mention which specifically engineering aspects that you enjoyed while undertaking the placement.

What to put on engineering p/statement

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