Anything else I could add? [Computer Science]

Hey guys, will be writing drafts of my personal statement for applying for Computer Science over the holidays/next few months and was wondering if anyone has any advice about anything else I could do to enhance it. So far, I have:

•

Basics (talking about subjects and how they've enhanced my knowledge/made me determined to learn more etc etc).

•

Coding a website/administrating a Linux web server for a group I am a member of and how I want to learn more about networks and web technologies as a result.

•

Taking (and hopefully completing within the next few weeks) CS50x, an Introduction to Computer Science course run by Harvard.

•

Reading numerous books involving Computer Science.

•

Visiting Bletchley Park and how that's piqued my interest in cryptography.

•

Tutoring Year 7s and 8s in Maths after school.

•

Completely unrelated but more extracurricular - swimming and rookie lifeguarding qualifications (e.g. participate in sports at the university).

I'm not sure if there's anything else I could add. My tutor suggested finding some work experience as another thing to pin on, but honestly I live in quite a small, secluded area and there's really nothing to do with Computer Science (even a computer repair shop) without driving 45 minutes there and back every day, which would be a tough ask on my parents.

Should that (in theory) be enough to form a decent statement? Is there anything else I could consider doing to add to it?

Thanks guys!

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 1

username1802765

15

Hey, where do you plan on studying CS? When i was writing my personal statement I did exactly what you've done so far. But... I'd stick at this for now and get a first draft done and get some feed back. Doing it early means you have lots of time to think of new stuff to add.. I was exactly the same but in reality you will find yourself taking things out that you've stated above remember you are limited. Your personal statement isn't just about cramming as much things as you can in its about the flow and how the reader interoperates it. My advice is do as many drafts as possible and get feedback from tutors, friends or even people from TSR :smile:

Reply 2

Mesosleepy

9

What skills have you learned from tutoring year 7 and 8? If those learned skills are not relevant for your course then don't include it

Reply 3

Mattematics

OP

5

Original post by Aidan.reed

Hey, where do you plan on studying CS? When i was writing my personal statement I did exactly what you've done so far. But... I'd stick at this for now and get a first draft done and get some feed back. Doing it early means you have lots of time to think of new stuff to add.. I was exactly the same but in reality you will find yourself taking things out that you've stated above remember you are limited. Your personal statement isn't just about cramming as much things as you can in its about the flow and how the reader interoperates it. My advice is do as many drafts as possible and get feedback from tutors, friends or even people from TSR :smile:

I'm not really sure yet - I have some places in mind but the only ones I've actually visited so far are Durham and Kent. Mainly because I've been away/doing exams for the duration of most open days so far. I'm planning on applying to Durham, Warwick and Bristol, and then I'll likely need to make a decision between Southampton, Birmingham and Exeter or any others I might like. Thanks for the advice!

Original post by Mesosleepy

What skills have you learned from tutoring year 7 and 8? If those learned skills are not relevant for your course then don't include it

Yeah, that's what I need to flesh out. At the moment I'm just listing things that could potentially go on there. In terms of the tutoring, was thinking perhaps communication skills as well as commitment. As I said, will need to have a think about it. Thanks for the advice!

Reply 4

alleycat393

21

You sound like you're on the right track. Keep in mind that only upto 100 words should be about extra curriculars and focus on relevant transferable skills gained. Reflection is key. Your PS shouldn't read like just a list of everything you've done.

Reply 5

Jess & Nick RMA

8

Original post by Mattematics

Hey guys, will be writing drafts of my personal statement for applying for Computer Science over the holidays/next few months and was wondering if anyone has any advice about anything else I could do to enhance it. So far, I have:

•

Basics (talking about subjects and how they've enhanced my knowledge/made me determined to learn more etc etc).

•

Coding a website/administrating a Linux web server for a group I am a member of and how I want to learn more about networks and web technologies as a result.

•

Taking (and hopefully completing within the next few weeks) CS50x, an Introduction to Computer Science course run by Harvard.

•

Reading numerous books involving Computer Science.

•

Visiting Bletchley Park and how that's piqued my interest in cryptography.

•

Tutoring Year 7s and 8s in Maths after school.

•

Completely unrelated but more extracurricular - swimming and rookie lifeguarding qualifications (e.g. participate in sports at the university).

I'm not sure if there's anything else I could add. My tutor suggested finding some work experience as another thing to pin on, but honestly I live in quite a small, secluded area and there's really nothing to do with Computer Science (even a computer repair shop) without driving 45 minutes there and back every day, which would be a tough ask on my parents.

Should that (in theory) be enough to form a decent statement? Is there anything else I could consider doing to add to it?

Thanks guys!

It sounds like you've already got some great stuff listed there that you can include.

If you’re struggling to think of other things to include, answer questions like:

What have you done in your own time outside of school?
How is this relevant to your course and your own development?
How might it be relevant to your career?
What transferable skills do you have, how did you develop them and why are they useful?

While there is an upper word or character limit, this doesn’t mean your personal statement ‘has’ to meet that limit.If you feel like you’ve said all you can, wrap it up professionally – avoid rambling on just to fill the space, because it lowers the overall quality of the personal statement and wastes the reader’s time. Find out more in this guide on how to write personal statements.

Reply 6

ParadoxSocks

22

Original post by Mattematics

Hey guys, will be writing drafts of my personal statement for applying for Computer Science over the holidays/next few months and was wondering if anyone has any advice about anything else I could do to enhance it. So far, I have:

•

Basics (talking about subjects and how they've enhanced my knowledge/made me determined to learn more etc etc).

•

Coding a website/administrating a Linux web server for a group I am a member of and how I want to learn more about networks and web technologies as a result.

•

Taking (and hopefully completing within the next few weeks) CS50x, an Introduction to Computer Science course run by Harvard.

•

Reading numerous books involving Computer Science.

•

Visiting Bletchley Park and how that's piqued my interest in cryptography.

•

Tutoring Year 7s and 8s in Maths after school.

•

Completely unrelated but more extracurricular - swimming and rookie lifeguarding qualifications (e.g. participate in sports at the university).

I'm not sure if there's anything else I could add. My tutor suggested finding some work experience as another thing to pin on, but honestly I live in quite a small, secluded area and there's really nothing to do with Computer Science (even a computer repair shop) without driving 45 minutes there and back every day, which would be a tough ask on my parents.

Should that (in theory) be enough to form a decent statement? Is there anything else I could consider doing to add to it?

Thanks guys!

Don't worry too much about work experience. It's not something that many people have for computing because, without the connections, you're unlikely to find a placement that enhances your application.

You're definitely along the right track there. I would suggest bringing a bit more maths into the statement if you can. Unis love to see the confidence in maths and if you can play with a bit of computational maths (and it is lovely so why wouldn't you?) that could help you. Make sure that when you mention your tutoring, you make a point of displaying your confidence with maths. Even at that level, your brain will be working quite hard to make it accessible to younger years.

You say that Bletchley helped your interest in cryptography. Have you developed/thought of developing that in the real world? Wouldn't take much to make a simple Caesar cypher in a language you aren't too sure with yet and it would be a fun little thing to do.

Computing is definitely a weird one as they'd rather see potential and interest before you get to uni as a lot of very capable pupils won't have had the chance to study it at school and if they did, then there is a high chance they won't have been taught it a) correctly and b) how the uni would want it teaching.

Just stay interested and you'll be fine!

Reply 7

Mattematics

OP

5

Original post by ParadoxSocks

Don't worry too much about work experience. It's not something that many people have for computing because, without the connections, you're unlikely to find a placement that enhances your application.

You're definitely along the right track there. I would suggest bringing a bit more maths into the statement if you can. Unis love to see the confidence in maths and if you can play with a bit of computational maths (and it is lovely so why wouldn't you?) that could help you. Make sure that when you mention your tutoring, you make a point of displaying your confidence with maths. Even at that level, your brain will be working quite hard to make it accessible to younger years.

You say that Bletchley helped your interest in cryptography. Have you developed/thought of developing that in the real world? Wouldn't take much to make a simple Caesar cypher in a language you aren't too sure with yet and it would be a fun little thing to do.

Computing is definitely a weird one as they'd rather see potential and interest before you get to uni as a lot of very capable pupils won't have had the chance to study it at school and if they did, then there is a high chance they won't have been taught it a) correctly and b) how the uni would want it teaching.

Just stay interested and you'll be fine!

Been a while, but thanks for the advice. I finished CS50 and it turns out one of the problem sets involved implementing a Caesar Cipher in C, so two birds in one stone there :P

Anything else I could add? [Computer Science]

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