Personal Statement-MML at Cambridge (poss. Magdalene)

First rough draft, needs a lot of attention...

My interest in Modern Foreign Languages started at an early age, when I was introduced to some French market traders as a part of the Poole-Cherbourg Twinning Programme, and was encouraged to speak to them in their own language. Since this occasion, I have been able to visit Cherbourg on several occasions and further my language studies at Parkstone Grammar School through my French, German and Italian lessons. I am eager to continue these studies at university, whilst deepening my understanding of European culture.

During my time at Parkstone, I have been fortunate to participate in a number of visits to French and German speaking areas, which have improved my oral skills and confidence as well as my knowledge of the cultural aspects of language learning. I have visited the French Alps, which presented me with the occasion to visit a tourist area of France, which I had previously not had the opportunity to do, educating me in this aspect of French life. I have visited the Rheinland region of Germany on two occasions, participating in an exchange and on a study visit. These trips have involved immersing myself in German family life and requiring me to act independently using my German as a tool. During my school holidays, before beginning my Italian AS level studies I arranged a trip to Sardinia, to experience Italian ways of life.

To extend my studies, for the past two years I have participated in the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme, gaining my Bronze and Silver awards. The scheme has helped me to widen my areas of interest, and as a result of this I now swim and practice yoga on a regular basis and run a Language Club at a local primary school. I enjoy visiting the cinema and the theatre and I have had the chance to see some foreign language films in French, German and Italian which challenged me to understand the colloquial spoken word in an unfamiliar context. I maintain an interest in current affairs both domestically and internationally, I have visited the Houses of Parliament and have had the opportunity to question Charles Kennedy, Leader of the Liberal Democrats. I enjoy reading European news, and have been particularly interested in the issues surrounding the Enlargement of the European Union; I have followed this issue using both Le Monde and Die Welt online.

I have participated in life within school by participating in, and eventually running the Christian Union, which has helped me to communicate and form relationships with students from every year group in the school, giving me experience in pastoral care. I have transferred these skills for use in the school’s Language Club, which is a student run society created to encourage an interest in modern languages. Throughout Lower Sixth I have taken the role of Sports Representative within my form group resulting in a victory in Summer Sports Day. These activities have made me eager to contribute to extra curricular student life at university.

Ultimately, Modern Foreign Languages appeal to me because they allow us to gain a greater depth of understanding of the world around us………….

Reply 1

priya

14

sounds good. closing statement is great but make sure you remember it and think about it, they might pick up on it in interview eg. "so in what ways does language allow us to gain a deeper understanding of cultures?" etc etc

good luck with your application!

Reply 2

CÃ¥cambo

For a first draft, I think it's quite good.

However, I think this sentence is overly-verbose.

francoise

I enjoy visiting the cinema and the theatre and I have had the chance to see some foreign language films in French, German and Italian which challenged me to understand the colloquial spoken word in an unfamiliar context.

For one, no one 'visits' the cinema - it sounds stilted and unnatural.

Did the films actually 'challenge' you? And why was the 'colloquial spoken word' in an 'unfamiliar context'? Were they yodelling or something? :wink:

They also seem to lap up anything about the 'massive scope' that a language course offers. Maybe you could mention any interests you have in literature/history/philosophy.

Reply 3

francoise

OP

Should I leave the closing statement like that, do you think? I was going to add to it, but couldn't think of what to put-what a nightmare!

Reply 4

RxB

1

francoise

Should I leave the closing statement like that, do you think? I was going to add to it, but couldn't think of what to put-what a nightmare!

My closing statement was quite similar to the close of your penultimate paragraph. TBH I don't think your last sentence/paragraph is entirely necessary, but it's up to you.

Reply 5

francoise

OP

Yeah, that sentence doesn't really make sense! Thanks for your comments, the films challenged me in a language sense, rather than an ideas sense, should i make that clearer? Ooooh massive scope-what a phrase, that'll be going in! And somethings about phil & literature.

Should I mention actual names of texts, (hiroshima mon amour, candide, dante's inferno) and films (amelie, il cinema paradiso, lola rennt) that I have studied?

Reply 6

CÃ¥cambo

francoise

Yeah, that sentence doesn't really make sense! Thanks for your comments, the films challenged me in a language sense, rather than an ideas sense, should i make that clearer? Ooooh massive scope-what a phrase, that'll be going in! And somethings about phil & literature.

If I were you I'd totally re-write that sentence. Simplify it a bit. The linguistics tutor who interviewed me commented on students' tendancy to over-complicate what should be a simple idea, rendering it almost unitelligible.

Should I mention actual names of texts, (hiroshima mon amour, candide, dante's inferno) and films (amelie, il cinema paradiso, lola rennt) that I have studied?

It can't hurt! I mentioned Candide and was asked about it at every interview I went to.

Reply 7

francoise

OP

I have just started to study Candide, so I'm worried that I won't know enough about it to be able to talk abot it with authority in the interview, I think I'll leave it out.

Reply 8

priya

14

francoise

Yeah, that sentence doesn't really make sense! Thanks for your comments, the films challenged me in a language sense, rather than an ideas sense, should i make that clearer? Ooooh massive scope-what a phrase, that'll be going in! And somethings about phil & literature.

Should I mention actual names of texts, (hiroshima mon amour, candide, dante's inferno) and films (amelie, il cinema paradiso, lola rennt) that I have studied?

i wouldn't mention much about lola rennt. it's a good film but virtualy every cambridge german applicant has seen it.

whats dante like? i'm going to have to study it in the 2nd term as part of my Italian ab inito course

Reply 9

francoise

OP

Dante is very hard, considering I've just done italian GCSE in 8 months, and am doing as level on 2 hours tuition a week, so i've only learnt the very basics of italian. But with a good dictionary you will find that aftetr the first Canto or so you don't have to look up every single word! Good luck with it-we're only doing 10 Canti, you'll probably do all 33-aaargh!

I won't be carrying on italian A2 so I don't really need Dante, as literature is not an option for AS, but I'm studying it with my class as they are year 12's and will be needing it for their A2 studies.

Personal Statement-MML at Cambridge (poss. Magdalene)

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