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Should I include Waiter Job in Oxbridge personal statement?

Hi,

This summer I’ve managed to get a temporary job working as a waiter at a local restaurant.

I'm debating whether I should put this on my personal statement or not as I am applying to Oxbridge for Physics.

I was told that most of my personal statement should be related to physics as I am applying to Oxbridge and it will obviously be very competitive

I was just wondering if anyone already currently at Oxbridge/ has received an offer included any sort of waiter/waitress job in their personal statement and if you did could you share it with me as I am not sure how to word it in my PS.

Thanks,

Max

Reply 1

H Millington

No. The college I go to specializes in getting students into Oxbridge and the biggest thing they tell us NOT to do is put part-time jobs into our personal statement unless they directly link with the course. (E.g if you worked in a lab part-time then you'd add that.)

Reply 2

username5776776

I'm not an expert in this by any means, but I would agree with the above user. Unless it's directly relevant to the course you're applying for, it's just a waste of characters. You could use that space to comment on a book you have read that relates to the course, or anything else that's relevant.

Good luck :smile:

Reply 3

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

No. Oxbridge admissions tutors have indicated previously in interviews with major newspapers that they are baffled when applicants include things like ABRSM grades in their personal statement when applying for any course other than music; a random food service job is going to be even more irrelevant to your interest in and ability for studying a particular academic subject.

Also for physics in general it's not going to be relevant even for other unis. While it is true that other unis are sometimes more interested in extracurricular activities, the nature of the subject you are applying to means that it's just not of any relevance really. For some subjects where such things are important it may be possible to include it in some capacity with reference to team working or leadership (if you were in a management position) skills, but neither of those things are really that critical for physics admissions.