Maths and Geography - PS help

Hi,

I'm currently applying for university and am wanting to study either environmental mathematics or maths and geography. I've tried to start my personal statement and am really struggling.

I have no idea how to encorporate my enjoyment of both subjects into it, or how to start it, and since it is a slightly uncommon combination, i can find very little help on the internet, or from my teachers and careers advisors!

please help, i'm really stressing about it all,

thanks

x

Reply 1

NoCommentMan

8

Well, it is a curious combination but does it really matter? Obviously, you are interested in both subjects. :biggrin:

One big paragragh about Geography and one big praragraph about Maths.

PS Try to find something mathematical in Geography and/or try to find something geographical in Maths. For example: How could you use mathematical methods in Geography?

Reply 2

nuodai

17

When you're combining a subject with Maths (like I did, although they're more closely related), what I find is that it's a good idea to describe your interest in Maths, and your interest in the non-mathematical subject in terms of Maths's applications to that field. You could read up about mathematical modelling of seismic activity, weather patterns, populations of species and that sort of thing; and perhaps look into chaos theory (which has a hell of a lot of applications in these areas). If you spend some time over the next month or two reading up about this sort of thing (the internet has loads of stuff, and I'm sure you can buy/borrow some books on it), then it'll be applicable to both areas quite easily.

I reckon your structure should be something like:
1. [ General introduction ]
2. [ Paragraph about your A-level choices and how they suit the course and your interests]
3. [ Paragraph about your mathematical interests, a book or two that you've read, etc. ]
4. [ Paragraph about your interests in geography/environmental science/etc. and mathematical applications to it, and more books you've read, etc. ]
5. [ Paragraph about extracurriculars and all that jabber ]
6. [ General conclusion ]

You could merge (3) and (4) if you like.

Try and keep it concise, and try not to waffle, but try to be quite comprehensive about it at the same time.

Reply 3

Mr_Deeds

13

nuodai

When you're combining a subject with Maths (like I did, although they're more closely related), what I find is that it's a good idea to describe your interest in Maths, and your interest in the non-mathematical subject in terms of Maths's applications to that field. You could read up about mathematical modelling of seismic activity, weather patterns, populations of species and that sort of thing; and perhaps look into chaos theory (which has a hell of a lot of applications in these areas). If you spend some time over the next month or two reading up about this sort of thing (the internet has loads of stuff, and I'm sure you can buy/borrow some books on it), then it'll be applicable to both areas quite easily.

I reckon your structure should be something like:
1. [ General introduction ]
2. [ Paragraph about your A-level choices and how they suit the course and your interests]
3. [ Paragraph about your mathematical interests, a book or two that you've read, etc. ]
4. [ Paragraph about your interests in geography/environmental science/etc. and mathematical applications to it, and more books you've read, etc. ]
5. [ Paragraph about extracurriculars and all that jabber ]
6. [ General conclusion ]

You could merge (3) and (4) if you like.

Try and keep it concise, and try not to waffle, but try to be quite comprehensive about it at the same time.

This is really good advice - I would try and merge (3) and (4) if I were you. Sometimes it helps to work your way backwards as it's easier to talk about your extracurriculars first and why you think you'd make a good candidate which should form the basis of your conclusion.

If you click the "Personal Statements" tab at the top of the page you should be able to find a few examples there (also studential.com is pretty decent), and if you like, when you do have something on paper post it in the PS helper sub-forum and someone will take a look at it for you. :smile:

Reply 4

ScottD

I was applying for Geography at St.Andrews this year and Engineering and Physics and Edinburgh and Glasgow. I was in the exact same position. The careers advisor at my school said you'll have to combine it together. I then thought about 2 seperate ones. I phoned up ucas and they said to me that there is nothing wrong with that but you'd have to send the prefered one (the ps thats about the subject you want to study the most) with the main application. I choose engineering over geography and thus sent my ps containing physics and engineering away with my main application. I phoned up St.Andrews and they said a 2nd one is perfectly fine, just send it to the addmissions address with your ucas number so we can tie it up with you ucas application.

Hope that helped.

Reply 5

balletgirl09

OP

Thanks for the advice, I've finally managed to make a start :smile:

I did as you said and started at the end, it's really helped me get into the swing of it and i've managed to do the general bit too.
When i've got a draft of it i'll post it in the sub-forum thankyou

Reply 6

De Montfort Clearing

sending a second statement is fine, but it is down to the individual admissions tutor to decide whether to consider this.

if you are applying for 2 courses you need to stick to the common threads between them and keep everything more general than if you were applying for one specific subject. focus on you - your strenghts, your skills, your interests and your experience

Reply 7

pooliefan14

i applied for geography and statistics at durham and got accepted, i just gave both subjects an equal amount in my personal statement and linked them wherever i could. pm me if you would like to see it. good luck.

Reply 8

Art3misOasis

Original post by ScottD

I was applying for Geography at St.Andrews this year and Engineering and Physics and Edinburgh and Glasgow. I was in the exact same position. The careers advisor at my school said you'll have to combine it together. I then thought about 2 seperate ones. I phoned up ucas and they said to me that there is nothing wrong with that but you'd have to send the prefered one (the ps thats about the subject you want to study the most) with the main application. I choose engineering over geography and thus sent my ps containing physics and engineering away with my main application. I phoned up St.Andrews and they said a 2nd one is perfectly fine, just send it to the addmissions address with your ucas number so we can tie it up with you ucas application.

Hope that helped.

Its been a couple of years but what uni did you ended up going to?