I have nothing to put on my Personal Statement?

Okay so I'm applying for uni this year (I'm in year 12) and I think I want to do maths as that's the only thing I'm good at...) but I don't have anything to put on my Personal Statement? I haven't read any maths books or done any work experience and I don't do any Maths stuff outside of school? I'm really worried, so any advice?

Reply 1

Juno

20

You don't have to write your personal statement yet. So if you have nothing to put in it, spend the summer changing that

Reply 2

username1226161

OP

15

Original post by Juno

You don't have to write your personal statement yet. So if you have nothing to put in it, spend the summer changing that

That's true...but is it too late to start doing stuff? Like volunteering etc.

Reply 3

Juno

20

Original post by lightningdoritos

That's true...but is it too late to start doing stuff? Like volunteering etc.

No. You might struggle to find a place now as others will be doing it, but you don't need to put how long you've been doing things. You say what you got out of it, and how it will help with the degree. So you need to think about what you'll be doing, and only focus on relevant stuff. You haven't got time to waste!

Reply 4

BigBadJFly

1

I'm sure that you will think of stuff you've done over the summer, you've still got ages

Maths is a tricky one though, not much that you can write about

Reply 5

username1226161

OP

15

Original post by BigBadJFly

I'm sure that you will think of stuff you've done over the summer, you've still got ages

Maths is a tricky one though, not much that you can write about

Well I looked at the Personal Statements page on TSR and almost died there was so much stuff that people have done/are doing

Reply 6

Osu

6

I thought I had nothing on my personal statement, but it turned out I had...

I had read books relating to my subject choice (Geography - I had read books on the social history of London)
I had done work experience (both were in IT companies so completely unrelated to be honest, but I showed that I had interests outside of my subject and how I could use IT skills in researching)
I had run/joined after-school clubs (consider joining one or setting one up)
I had visited places related to my degree (various museums eg volcanoes and London Transport Museum - see if you can visit a maths-y place like Bletchley Park?)

I hope you can do several things in the summer to put on your statement :smile:

Reply 7

username1226161

OP

15

Original post by Osu

I thought I had nothing on my personal statement, but it turned out I had...

I had read books relating to my subject choice (Geography - I had read books on the social history of London)
I had done work experience (both were in IT companies so completely unrelated to be honest, but I showed that I had interests outside of my subject and how I could use IT skills in researching)
I had run/joined after-school clubs (consider joining one or setting one up)
I had visited places related to my degree (various museums eg volcanoes and London Transport Museum - see if you can visit a maths-y place like Bletchley Park?)

I hope you can do several things in the summer to put on your statement :smile:

Thanks for the ideas! :smile:

I bought a few books!

Reply 8

Osu

6

Original post by lightningdoritos

Thanks for the ideas! :smile:

I bought a few books!

No problem :smile:

all the best with your statement

Reply 9

haras

3

hey i'm applying for maths too, don't really have anything to put on but personal statement is going fine other than one thing, i want to write about my UKMT maths challenge certificates just to show i did them and did quite well, but don't know how to word it, over five years i got bronze, bronze, bronze (junior, intermediate, senior) then a silver intermediate and a gold intermediate. how can i make that sound good..

Reply 10

username1226161

OP

15

Original post by haras

hey i'm applying for maths too, don't really have anything to put on but personal statement is going fine other than one thing, i want to write about my UKMT maths challenge certificates just to show i did them and did quite well, but don't know how to word it, over five years i got bronze, bronze, bronze (junior, intermediate, senior) then a silver intermediate and a gold intermediate. how can i make that sound good..

apparenly unis don't care about UKMT maths challenge :frown:

but i'd say that shows your passion for the subject

what else have you done?

Reply 11

Carnationlilyrose

18

At least 70% of it should be about why you want to study maths, and if you can't fill that, perhaps you should carefully consider if another course would interest you more. For maths, the ps is pretty unimportant - it's mostly all about UMS. No point at all in volunteering for things other than because you want to, because it won't help you get a place for maths. Yes, there are ps in the statement bank which have hundreds of extra-curricular things on them, but unless they are relevant to maths, they will have played no part in getting the place.

Reply 12

haras

3

Original post by lightningdoritos

apparenly unis don't care about UKMT maths challenge :frown:

but i'd say that shows your passion for the subject

what else have you done?

Really? Oh **** :wink:

I've read a couple of books but kinda don't know how to write that in like what I learnt, I can relate my work experience to it a bit, and had a lecture at a uni that made me want to learn about matrix applications. It's not coming together very well.

Reply 13

Dilzo999

19

I suggest going and reading a book on maths, as well as attending a maths lecture that universities sometimes hold. I went to one last year although it only took up about 2 lines in my PS XD.

Reply 14

LouieSax

12

Well, if it helps, maybe you volunteer with something to do with money (it involves maths) maybe a charity shop and ask to be involved in finance/till work?
Alternatively, maybe you could try tutoring in maths, even if its just basic maths like KS2 it may be a contribution to your PS. Also, you could always talk about your current studies and what aspects of those studies interest you etc. Or completely unrelated maybe you could find something you've done that demonstrated your problem solving abilities?
Hope these help :smile:

Reply 15

demetria

11

If you're in a sixth form ask if you can tutor younger students in maths in your frees, if you're in college it's a bit trickier, maybe contact a local high school or primary school. I did it with a year 11 biology class :smile:

Reply 16

username1226161

OP

15

Original post by demetria

If you're in a sixth form ask if you can tutor younger students in maths in your frees, if you're in college it's a bit trickier, maybe contact a local high school or primary school. I did it with a year 11 biology class :smile:

I've done some tutoring so that's good :smile:

How did yours turn out? all A*s? :wink:

Reply 17

username878045

17

Think about why you like maths - it's often difficult to put into words why you enjoy a subject beyond 'I'm good at it and like logical things', but do try and pin it down.

Reply 18

nohomo

5

Your thread title: that's it! That's your personal statement! The honesty!

Reply 19

sliceofcake

15

Original post by nohomo

Your thread title: that's it! That's your personal statement! The honesty!

Uh.. within reason. There was someone on my college course who wrote his personal statement along the lines of 'this is my interest but I don't feel I should need to validate it, personal statements are pointless and fail to correctly reflect the person I am and the skills I have'. He wasn't accepted to his choices.

I have nothing to put on my Personal Statement?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you