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Having enjoyed science over the years, I decided that Engineering was the course I wanted to pursue. The fact that the course will allow me to exercise my mind in a very demanding context appeals to me greatly. By this, I mean the general method of analysis and approach to problems that Engineering provides is what I am looking for. It is very logical and as a result has an inherent beauty to it when you see that everything in a formulated argument is coherent. My choice to read Engineering has also been furthered by New Scientist and more recently STEP physics which have whetted my appetite for further study
I decided to take the IB in order to study the Sciences and Mathematics but as well to take other subjects in order to continue important skills in English and French. These skills help communication, which I value as an important skill when working in an Engineering team or in everyday university life. Whilst the IB Mathematics course has proved challenging I decided to follow a Further Mathematics course involving some STEP Maths and Mechanics Four to overcome the lack of Mechanics in the course
Against this the aspect of the IB programme that has appealed to me the most is the practical application of Physics and Maths in a quantitative way. This approach allows us to experiment with situations that are relevant to everyday life and to these situations we can apply the problem-solving skills to improve the situation before us. Other factors that have influenced my decision to read Engineering throughout my school career involve the potential for private research whereby you can discover things experimentally and theoretically
This was achieved, primarily, while carrying out my Extended Essay, which, although in Chemistry, gave me a flavour of what doing you own private research is all about. This is a skill which I feel will be useful in Engineering and one that has given me a good degree of satisfaction in coming out with a good result
The breadth I have gained from taking the IB has been of great importance to me, and I plan to continue with a range of activities that I have picked up through the CAS programme and general interest. Having been a Petty Officer in the Navy Combined Cadet Force I feel I have been able to enjoy myself but also profit in terms of team building and leadership which I have found to be vital as a School Prefect. In carrying out responsibilities as a Prefect I have become aware how much time and effort you must put into organising yourself in order to live up to your own expectations and the expectations of others
These skills were put into practice when I partook in the Young Enterprise Scheme. As director of operations and finance, I learnt how difficult it was to motivate workers and keep the production of our photo frames up. However, again this experience was very valuable and I learnt more about how to run a business as well as a team to a much greater effect than one can be taught in class. Over the past year, I have also played Basketball and fives in the first teams and also run in the cross country team in addition to being a regular attendant of the Defunct Economist Society and more recently the Cultural Awareness Society
I plan to use my Gap Year as a chance to become a more rounded individual and gain some experience of the world. In applying to Arthur Andersen for a scholarship I hope to build my teamwork skills and leadership qualities further still before embarking on a trip to France to make myself fluent in French.
