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How to show you have an interest in mechanical engineering?

Hello, I plan to do aerospace engineering at university and when I looked at the entry requirements for Bath University, it said that i should show:

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a strong interest in mechanical engineering demonstrated by extra-curricular activity, research or work experience

How would I go about doing this? For example, what kinds of extra-curricular activity would I partake in. I have an interest in aerospace, however I don't do anything extra-curricular for it and I would like some ideas on what I could do.

Thanks!

Reply 1

Smack

Volunteer Team

Taking apart an engine is probably the most common one, although in reality very few applicants will have actually done this or indeed anything other than write down the name of a book or two that they claim to have read.

Reply 2

+ polarity -

You should take a look at a few of the personal statements here to see which books people mentioned and which engines they took apart :tongue:

Reply 3

audi_turbo

I got an offer from Bath for mechanical and I mentioned a taster course I went on, an EPQ and a some visits to industry.

Reply 4

tmorrall

I hold an offer from Bath for mecheng and I haven't even touched an engine lol
Exaggeration but I wouldn't even dream about rebuilding one!
I talked about my work experience doing CAD training at head drawing office for a construction specialist company. Fundraising for an expedition. My taster courses and summer(actually was snowing at the time)school - on the subjects of physics and medicine btw.
I got the message across that I want some kind of medical application in my career. Like biomech, medical robotics, biomed sort of stuff.
Definitely not that student that stripped his dad's tractor apart at two and half. Probably is advantageous not going on about typical BS unless you are really that guy who built a solar powered helicopter for his STEM project in year 9. You will be surprised how many 13 year olds have done this!!!

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(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 5

ElChapo

Just make something reasonable up in your ps, they probably care more about your predictions

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Reply 6

SillyEddy

I wrote about a few news articles I'd read and how this was applicable. For instance, air travel was producing too many emissions compared to rail, so I found some data on it and wrote about how this could be reduced. I mentioned what I wanted to achieve (reduce the emissions by improving aerodynamics and engine efficiency) and how this course could get me there (studying those specific modules, doing those certain projects).

You could try and do some work experience or do something practical. How about building an aeroplane from different materials (paper, card, wood, etc) and investigate how different aerofoil shapes affect the performance of it? Is there a local rocket club you could get involved in? You could make a rocket, launch it and develop it.

For me, the most important thing was getting across that I understood how the principles of engineering worked. Get a brief, develop, construct (hands-on and construction skills will be very important too), test, redevelop, test, etc. How are you going to benefit them? What can you bring to the university and how is it applicable?

Note: I did not read a single book on engineering nor did any work experience. I just mentioned the stuff I'd done (product design technology, electronics, physics, maths, etc) and how that was applicable to the course. I wrote about simple research and where I wanted my career to take me and how this course was right for that. You don't need to have travelled to Mars and back to get onto the course, but there are plenty of opportunities to develop skills as you get your application underway.