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.
As far back as I can remember, I have been fascinated by computers and electronics. I have always enjoyed learning more about them and their applications, and how I can use them. As a small child with my first family PC, I have longed for a deeper understanding of computing, and this has shaped my educational choices inside school, as well as other projects outside of school.
I started out making basic web pages in HTML, and have since expanded upon these with dynamic content such as JavaScript and Flash. Recently, I enhanced my knowledge of Flash and ActionScript and used it to create a basic iPhone game, which has been downloaded from the Cydia store over 4500 times. I also took Udacity's CS101 online class, which covered uses of Python, which I passed with the second highest grade, as well as small courses in JavaScript from Codecademy. I feel that knowledge of a high-level language, coupled with the Assembly language taught in my AS Electronics course, has shown me the great breadth of computing and how versatile computing as a whole can be, from the smallest microcontroller to the largest supercomputer, and this enthrals me.
I have complimented my Electronics AS level with A-Levels in Further Maths and Physics, which help give me the logical thinking and information that helps in Computer Science. On choosing my A-Levels, I was disappointed that my school did not offer Computing as an AS option. However, I felt my education was lacking in pure computing, so I consulted my head of year, and I entered myself as a private candidate in AS Computing, and I taught myself the course.
I have built upon the Assembly language that was taught to me, in a project to make a digital clock using a PIC microcontroller and an Assembly program. This task has not only been enjoyable, but has been a good experience of creating a product from design to production. I started with an idea, coded the program and refined it, built a prototype to test it and finally created a soldered end product. In creating this, I have learned more about the physical components of such a system, as well as practical skills, such as soldering and debugging code, which I had no experience of when I started.
I undertook 2 weeks of work experience at Large Public Organisation's IS&T Department, which involved working with the different areas that are required for maintaining the network of such a large organisation. This showed me the scale of the technology that is required and the tasks this entails. At school, I am known among students and teachers for my computing knowledge, and my head of sixth form has asked me personally to produce a magazine-style document for local distribution within a local newspaper.
In my spare time, I enjoy tinkering with and making electronics, playing video games and reading. I like watching ice hockey, and I play recreationally with friends. Last year, I took a night class at the University of Somewhere in beginners' Japanese, which I took because it was interesting and I feel it expands on the breadth of my knowledge. I was also part of my school's team for the 2011 UK Maths Challenge, where we reached the regional finals. I follow Formula 1 almost religiously, and I have been accepted as a volunteer marshal at Silverstone Circuit.
It has always been my dream to study Computer Science at degree level, and I have worked towards it for as long as possible, and I am an enthusiastic, willing and able student. I am eagerly awaiting studying Computer Science at university, to explore new areas of computing and go deeper into existing areas.
Universities Applied to:
- Cambridge University (Computer Science with Natural Sciences) - Rejection
- University of St Andrews (Computer Science) - Offer (AAB) Firm
- University of York (Computer Science) - Offer (AAA) Insurance
- Edinburgh University (Computer Science) - Offer(AAB)
Grades Achieved:
- Maths (AS) - A
- Maths (A2) - B
- Further Maths (AS) - A
- Further Maths (A2) - D
Did quite badly in 3 maths exams, hence the large dropoff
- Physics (AS) - B
- Physics (A2) - B
- Computing (AS) - C
- Electronics (AS) - A
Reviewer comment:
Second section is strong but could be developed to include why these activities were interesting to the applicant
Project paragraph is excellent and develops the personal statement to explain the interest of the applicant in completing practical projects.
Extra-curricular section is too long, should be 20% of the total length
Start of PS is very cliched
PS needs to avoid listing and go into more detail about what interested them, link it to computer science and explain why
Find expert advice on writing an excellent personal statement over on The Uni Guide.
