Gap year on personal statement

You may need to think about convincing the admissions tutors that you won't lose your maths skills during the year off. It is something they often worry about with regard to maths, science and engineering.

Reply 3

OP

Good bloke

You may need to think about convincing the admissions tutors that you won't lose your maths skills during the year off. It is something they often worry about with regard to maths, science and engineering.

OK, I never thought of this. How would you suggest I show this to them? I have read maths and physics related books, would that be enough? Could I say I am looking for work related to physics, even though I don't have any yet? Do you think this is going to majorly prejudice my application if I don't have much evidence of doing hard maths stuff?

Reply 4

Keep active, mathematically speaking, and make sure it is mentioned in your PS. Some admissions tutors won't mind, others will think it is a serious problem.

Reply 5

OP

Good bloke

Keep active, mathematically speaking, and make sure it is mentioned in your PS. Some admissions tutors won't mind, others will think it is a serious problem.

How do you show you are keeping mathmatically active?

Reply 6

That is up to you. You could always study a further maths A level, perhaps.

Reply 7

ukebert

13

Depends what you're doing with it. If you're doing something particularly relevant then milk it by all means. It would be a good idea to reassure them that you aren't just lazing around watching TV and working at Morrison's, that you are keeping some intellectual muscles alive in some way. Of course if you aren't then the the less said the better :p:

Reply 8

OP

Would running a business (non-related to physics) be mathy enough to milk?

Reply 9

ukebert

13

fisherman

Would running a business (non-related to physics) be mathy enough to milk?

If it's a moderately successful one then probably :p:

But remember that you are on a strict word limit, so make sure that you're not sacrificing the more important stuff for it.

Reply 10

Are you likely to be doing differential equations in running a business, or calculating the stresses on roof beams? Physics involves real maths, not arithmetic.

Reply 11

dani2511

2

What about trying to tutor some AS level students for maths? That could help with keeping mathematically active?

Reply 12

OP

Good bloke

Are you likely to be doing differential equations in running a business, or calculating the stresses on roof beams? Physics involves real maths, not arithmetic.

Yes, that's what I worried about.

I cannot do further maths A level etc, and I am slightly worried as to how I can show that I am still doing maths. Any ideas would be great, I have read several maths heavy books.

I take it doing an SATII in maths would not be good enough.

Hmm, anyone with ideas, that would be brilliant.

Reply 13

OP

dani2511

What about trying to tutor some AS level students for maths? That could help with keeping mathematically active?

That is a good idea. I will start this week, I'll just do it for free, makes me look like a good volunteer too. Would tutoring higher maths be of a high enough level to show that I am keeping mathmatically active?

Reply 14

OP

Oh, also, how would I mention tutoring in my PS? Should I just say something like:

I volunteer as a maths tutor to help students learning higher maths. This helps keep me mathematically active, and also shows that I care about others.

Reply 15

kcfch

14

or you could earn some money along the way and work with kumon? if you do volunteer to do it say something along the lines of:
I am currently volunteering as a maths tutor, helping younger students to learn and understand more complex maths. This has not only improved my communication and organisational skills, but has allowed me to constantly use my mathematical skills.
something like that?

Reply 16