This is a real personal statement written by a student for their university application. It might help you decide what to include in your own. There are lots more examples in our collection of sample personal statements. |
The rapid developments and achievements in aircraft and aerospace technologies have interested me and motivated me to pursue a career in the field of Aeronautical Engineering
I am passionate about this field as I read literature on a variety of aircraft, their design and roles. I feel I have an understanding about the demands of the degree as my elder brother has successfully completed a degree and PhD in Aeronautics at Imperial College. A key factor in my decision were my visits to the Farnborough Airshow on many occasions, where I had the chance to see some of the world's most advanced aircraft and aerospace technologies. These visits captured my imagination and the aircraft and technology on display were exciting
I also attended a five day summer school at Imperial College as an introduction to engineering which made clear the contribution of core engineering disciplines (such as structures and materials) to aeronautics. I had the opportunity to meet and discuss aspects of engineering with undergraduates reading different engineering degrees
This gave me some insight into the scope and application of engineering in general
I have always taken a keen interest in extra-curricular activities and a variety of sports. I have represented my school in cricket for five consecutive years, have been part of the school football team and also greatly enjoy playing tennis. Amongst my other interests, I quite enjoy desktop design and publishing and I am fluent in many industry standard software packages
I am currently working on a voluntary basis for a graphic design and layout company to which I contribute computer aided designs. I have also had the opportunity to develop my organisational and teamwork skills when I helped organise a local community five-a-side football tournament. It was sponsored by a local business and attracted over twenty teams. I was elected to represent my form, at my previous school, on the school council which involved organising the annual achievements assembly. I take an active interest in discussion and debate, an interest which I furthered through organising a discussion/debating forum at school that tackled a variety of subjects
Through organising presentations and chairing events in front of large audiences, I was able to develop both my communication and presentation skills. I have now organised a similar setting at college where many different issues are raised and discussed. I was part of a mentoring scheme developed by the school, which involved local businesses, to help younger children at school with troublesome experiences such as bullying. Linked to this, I have recently joined a youth forum in my locality and have helped it organise its recent campaign against drug abuse amongst teenagers
My interest in aircraft has been reinforced by the subjects I study which form the foundation of engineering in general and specifically aeronautics. Aeronautics will also offer the opportunity to develop some of the concepts I have covered in Mathematics and Physics that I take a specific interest in such as Mechanics and the Laws of Motion
A key aspect of my interest in engineering is that it further applies the theories, tools and concepts within these subjects in a practical context. I hope to elaborate upon my interests in these subjects during the course of my degree
I believe that by studying Aeronautics I will be combining both my academic and long-standing interests in this ever-expanding field