Personal statement questions

Original post by AspiringUnderdog

If I wrote about videos and articles, is it still required for me to write about books?
What's more important, reading/research or super curricular activities (e.g. lectures and taster days)
Would it be bad if wrote about a taster day at Oxford even though I'm applying to Cambridge?

Do I need to be specific about where I've done research from, e.g. multiverse stuff from an article?

At an interview, if asked about stuff I've done to show an interest, should I refer to my statement or say something new.

May add more questions in an edit below

@Peterhouse Admissions would appreciate an input from you please <3

Sounds like you're interested in physical natsci (since you mentioned multiverse stuff)? If so, don't sweat the personal statement. There's absolutely no requirement to write about books, nor do I think it's particularly useful unless those books improve your ability to solve unfamilar maths/physics/chemistry problems using your A-level knowledge. There is no 'more important' thing - all you need to do is write about what interests you in the subject you have applied for. It's fine to put the Oxford taster day on, no-one will hold that against you.

It's unlikely you'll be asked much about about interest/motivation at interview (the only such question I had across two interviews was 'why do you want to study science at university' which was more a confidence-booster than anything else) but if so, just pick something you like can talk about without having to rehearse an answer; it doesn't matter whether you put it on your PS or not.

Reply 2

OP

Original post by Forecast

Sounds like you're interested in physical natsci (since you mentioned multiverse stuff)? If so, don't sweat the personal statement. There's absolutely no requirement to write about books, nor do I think it's particularly useful unless those books improve your ability to solve unfamilar maths/physics/chemistry problems using your A-level knowledge. There is no 'more important' thing - all you need to do is write about what interests you in the subject you have applied for. It's fine to put the Oxford taster day on, no-one will hold that against you.

It's unlikely you'll be asked much about about interest/motivation at interview (the only such question I had across two interviews was 'why do you want to study science at university' which was more a confidence-booster than anything else) but if so, just pick something you like can talk about without having to rehearse an answer; it doesn't matter whether you put it on your PS or not.

Yup you got that right. So if I talk about a taster day I should use that to explain how it inspired me or would I rather talk about skills gained?
I thought that the general physical science interview was more focused on motivation/interest. What did you answer to that question and are you studying at Cambridge now?

Reply 3

Original post by AspiringUnderdog

Yup you got that right. So if I talk about a taster day I should use that to explain how it inspired me or would I rather talk about skills gained?
I thought that the general physical science interview was more focused on motivation/interest. What did you answer to that question and are you studying at Cambridge now?

It depends on what you did on the taster day really. Get into the specifics of thos

From looking at what you wrote in your previous thread, my guess is that the "general physical sciences interview" will involve a quick 'why science/natsci' opener, then some technical questions on more general skills (graph sketching and estimation), rather than quizzing you on your PS.

I don't really remember how I answered the question, but I didn't say anything particularly impressive.

I start in October (unconditional offer as I've done my A-levels).

Reply 4

OP

Original post by Forecast

It depends on what you did on the taster day really. Get into the specifics of thos

From looking at what you wrote in your previous thread, my guess is that the "general physical sciences interview" will involve a quick 'why science/natsci' opener, then some technical questions on more general skills (graph sketching and estimation), rather than quizzing you on your PS.

I don't really remember how I answered the question, but I didn't say anything particularly impressive.

I start in October (unconditional offer as I've done my A-levels).

Ah so would the other interview(s) not involve graphing but be more physics/chemistry related.
Also, would you be willing to share your grades for GCSE, AS and A level?

Reply 5

Original post by AspiringUnderdog

Ah so would the other interview(s) not involve graphing but be more physics/chemistry related.
Also, would you be willing to share your grades for GCSE, AS and A level?

That would be my guess, purely based on the information from the website.

My grades were 10 A*s and an A for GCSE, 5 As for AS-level and 4 A*s and an A for A-level. I did A-level maths in year 12.

Reply 6

OP

Original post by Forecast

That would be my guess, purely based on the information from the website.

My grades were 10 A*s and an A for GCSE, 5 As for AS-level and 4 A*s and an A for A-level. I did A-level maths in year 12.

Damn you destroyed it. Well done! Why did you take a gap year then?

Also, would you be willing to share you personal statement? If you don't want to that's fine dw.

Reply 7

Original post by AspiringUnderdog

Damn you destroyed it. Well done! Why did you take a gap year then?

Also, would you be willing to share you personal statement? If you don't want to that's fine dw.

Didn't get in the first time! (Applied for CompSci which in hindsight wasn't the subject for me.)

I'll PM you.

Reply 8

OP

Original post by Forecast

Didn't get in the first time! (Applied for CompSci which in hindsight wasn't the subject for me.)

I'll PM you.

Ah okay. What made you decide to try again then?

Reply 9

Original post by AspiringUnderdog

Ah okay. What made you decide to try again then?

Various reasons:

•

I developed more of an interest in physics and (especially) chemistry in my second year and wanted to continue studying them

•

I knew several other people in my year who had offers for phys natsci and knew that I was at their level, or better than them, academically

•

Gove scrapped AS-levels meaning that they introduced the new test which I thought I would do well in (and it turns out I did)

•

I decided that CompSci wasn't for me during the summer of year 13 (my firm was CompSci at UCL) and I didn't want to faff around with clearing after getting my results

•

I really liked Cambridge as a university - the collegiate system suits me well and I thought that the breadth of natsci would be good in that I could choose what I want to specialise in after trying it out first

Reply 10

MR1999

Original post by Forecast

Various reasons:

•

I developed more of an interest in physics and (especially) chemistry in my second year and wanted to continue studying them

•

I knew several other people in my year who had offers for phys natsci and knew that I was at their level, or better than them, academically

•

Gove scrapped AS-levels meaning that they introduced the new test which I thought I would do well in (and it turns out I did)

•

I decided that CompSci wasn't for me during the summer of year 13 (my firm was CompSci at UCL) and I didn't want to faff around with clearing after getting my results

•

I really liked Cambridge as a university - the collegiate system suits me well and I thought that the breadth of natsci would be good in that I could choose what I want to specialise in after trying it out first

What did you do in your gap year?

Reply 11

OP

Original post by Forecast

Various reasons:

•

I developed more of an interest in physics and (especially) chemistry in my second year and wanted to continue studying them

•

I knew several other people in my year who had offers for phys natsci and knew that I was at their level, or better than them, academically

•

Gove scrapped AS-levels meaning that they introduced the new test which I thought I would do well in (and it turns out I did)

•

I decided that CompSci wasn't for me during the summer of year 13 (my firm was CompSci at UCL) and I didn't want to faff around with clearing after getting my results

•

I really liked Cambridge as a university - the collegiate system suits me well and I thought that the breadth of natsci would be good in that I could choose what I want to specialise in after trying it out first

Ah I guess fair enough, you definitely made the right choice. Did you have any doubt about making this choice as you could waste a year and still not get into Cambridge? Also how hard was self teaching M4/M3?
Would you not consider doing computer science as a first year module in natural science then?
Sorry for so many questions but you've been a lot of help. If I could rep you more I would. PRSOM thingy

Reply 12

Original post by Desmos

What did you do in your gap year?

I'm a volunteer adviser at my local Citizens Advice Bureau - helping people with benefits, debt, employment, housing, that type of thing. I also did some (paid) tutoring for A-level maths, worked retail for 8 months, and learnt a bit more maths (M3/M4). All good fun but I'll be glad to get back to proper academic work.

Original post by AspiringUnderdog

Ah I guess fair enough, you definitely made the right choice. Did you have any doubt about making this choice as you could waste a year and still not get into Cambridge? Also how hard was self teaching M4/M3?
Would you not consider doing computer science as a first year module in natural science then?
Sorry for so many questions but you've been a lot of help. If I could rep you more I would. PRSOM thingy

I did have a few worries about this but I wasn't happy with either my university or course choice in the end so I thought it would be worth it regardless as I'd get a chance to apply for something different. I think I'd have gone to either Durham (Natural Sciences) or Warwick (Maths and Physics) if I didn't get into Cambridge second time round, both of which I would have been happy with.

I had considered doing the first year CS option but it would probably eat up too much time and be disproportionately hard compared to the other papers, so I'm just going to do Materials instead.

M3/M4 weren't too tricky but I had no pressure on as I didn't sit the exams and could go through them slowly.

No worries about the questions, happy to help anyone who wants to know more! :smile:

Reply 13

OP