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Mathematics Personal Statement Guide
Your Personal Statement plays a crucial role in your mathematics university application , as i t’s the first chance you have to introduce yourself as an individual to the admissions tutors .
Y ou can demonstrate your passion to study maths, show the contribution you would make to the cohort, and prove that you have the abilities and motivation to receive an offer.
A lot of applicants struggle to write personal statements. It’s difficult to balance writing about academic interests with personal achievements, keep everything relevant to the maths courses you’re applying to, and fit it all within just over one A4 page of text.
To help you get on the right track, our Personal Statement Guide takes you through everything you need to know to create a great maths personal statement :
- Why are Personal Statements Important?
- What Should I Include in a Mathematics Personal Statement?
- What Should I Avoid in a Mathematics Personal Statement?
Advice on How to Start a Mathematics Personal Statement
Advice on how to finish a mathematics personal statement , why are personal statements important .
The personal statement is a written piece that you submit as part of your UCAS application. You write and submit one statement that is sent to all of your university choices, and it must fit within either 4,000 characters or 47 lines in the UCAS form (whichever limit you reach first).
The personal statement gives Admissions Tutors a feeling of who you are as a potential student. It gives a personality to the rest of your application and helps universities decide between applicants with very similar qualifications , based on who they think is best suited to the course.
As an applicant, you have to check certain boxes in your personal statement. You have to prove that: you have the skills to succeed on the course, you are academically curious about mathematics , and you are motivated and passionate about studying mathematics at a high level .
This means that a successful mathematics personal statement needs to be unique, interesting, and packed full of specific interests that you have within the field of maths. If you’re applying to Oxbridge or other top-level universities, you especially need to make sure the statement is focused on your academic interests and only includes maths-relevant achievements.
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What Should I Include in a Mathematics Personal Statement ?
A mathematics personal statement needs to cover your passion for studying maths, your academic achievements and experiences relating to maths, and your specific interests or evidence of research you’ve done within the field of math ematics.
Passion for Studying Maths
You need to demonstrate your passion and motivation without being general or telling a long story.
Begin by thinking about why you decided you wanted to study maths? Perhaps you’ve always loved working with numbers, maybe you want to use maths to solve engineering or mechanical problems, or maybe you find beauty in the logic and process of pure maths proofs?
Whatever the reason may be, it should be unique to you and a genuine reflection of why you love maths.
Academic achievements and experiences
You should think about what you are proud of having completed in your mathematics career so far. This could be ‘proper’ achievements like winning a maths competition or receiving a school prize, or it could be more personal, like persevering at solving a difficult problem.
When it comes to experiences, this could be anything provided you can link it to maths (either directly or indirectly). Think about transferable skills here; for example, undertaking a law internship could be relevant if it involved lots of data handling and statistical work, as well as analytical and critical thinking.
Specific interests and evidence of research
The point of this element is to show that you have thought about maths beyond the classroom.
You could discuss interesting academic books you have read, relevant news stories that relate to or involve maths, or multimedia sources like documentaries, films, or TV programmes that in some way relate to or have inspired you to pursue mathematics.
Rather than producing a list of sources, you should pick some key examples and discuss them in depth: get to the heart of the mathematic principles involved, and engage with them on a personal level. Not only will this make for a good personal statement, but it will also help prepare you for Oxbridge interviews .
What Should I Avoid in a Mathematics Personal Statement ?
Do not be wishy-washy with your statements . Rather than saying that you have always loved maths, perhaps explain how numbers or equations fit into your world view; rather than saying you like a particular mathematician, discuss their specific contributions and how they have inspired your maths journey.
Being specific and digging down into the academic side of maths is what is really going to impress admissions tutors.
Avoid cliched statements like the plague . Even though you are passionate about maths, don’t state “I am passionate about maths”; find a less cliched way to say it instead.
Your statement might require several drafts to ensure the language is interesting yet accurate, but it’s worth it: if you came up with something in a minute, then it’s likely so did lots of other applicants.
Don’t be tempted to mention personal achievements that are not related or involve transferable skills relevant to maths. We understand that it’s tempting to include details of your Judo black belt, your gold Duke of Edinburgh award, or your prize for best history essay, but unless you can clearly argue its relevance to studying mathematics, then it won’t impress the tutors.
Register to access our complimentary e-book "So You Want To Go To Oxbridge? Tell me about a banana…"
There are a thousand different ways that you can begin a personal statement, which often makes it the most difficult part of the process.
There’s one one-size-fits-all answer to this: some applicants begin with a quote from a mathematician that has inspired them, others start by discussing what inspired them to pursue maths at university, whilst others jump straight into a discipline that they find most interesting.
The opening of the statement sets the tone for the entire personal statement , so it’s crucial that it’s in your own words and reflects your own personality; admissions tutors will be able to tell if it’s someone else’s words! If you’re struggling to find an opener, we recommend drafting the rest of the personal statement before coming back to write the introduction.
This can help you have a better idea of what opening will best set the groundwork for the rest of the statement body.
Profile info
This personal statement was written by AgentKB for application in 2012.
AgentKB's university choices Cambridge University University of Bath University of Bristol The University of Warwick Loughborough University
Green : offer made Red : no offer made
AgentKB's Comments
I put a lot of work into this statement and I have uploaded it so that anybody can read it to get a few ideas of what sort of things to put into a maths personal statement. (Do not copy - you will get caught out)
Related Personal Statements
I was impressed by your.
Thu, 28/06/2012 - 22:19
I was impressed by your personal statement, also I had an opportunity to enjoy reading that you have so many the same interests as I do. Pity, I would like to have an ability to write even similar as you (speaking about the way you express your thoughts)... Thanks for sharing your ps :) I would like to have some advices from you if it would be possible. My email [email protected] :)
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PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE Mathematics (MSci) Personal Statement
Submitted by Milo
Mathematics (MSci) Personal Statement
In my mathematical career to date, I have always pushed myself and thrive on new challenges. As such, I took the FSMQ additional maths in year 11 and am teaching myself AS further additional and the AEA in my year out. Working independently, I find I am always eager to learn more. This is the key reason I look to study maths at university, not because it's what I'm best at, but because I genuinely love doing it.
A level study expanded my mathematical horizons from matrix algebra and complex numbers to hypothesis testing and probability distributions. So far, proof by induction is the topic which absorbed me most. The concept that something can be 'proven' true for all cases is especially engaging and powerful; I can't wait to improve my skills in this field. In my spare time, I have begun working on STEP papers. Studying more advanced topics and being able to answer deeper questions is very rewarding.
A maths degree will always deliver this kind of challenge which is an exciting prospect for me. Studying chemistry fed my love for problem-solving. Topics like spectroscopy and synthesis built on the skill set gained in maths; gathering information and using it to find the solution to a problem. My favourite were problems requiring analysis of multiple graphs and spectrograms to be collated to achieve the final answer. The influence maths had on my thinking and, ultimately my ability to problem solve, was an important factor in my gaining a silver in the Chemistry Olympiad. Maths gave me the confidence to think logically and analytically and enabled me to persevere with difficult problems, knowing a solution would come. As a mathematician, this helped me take a step back from complex problems and approach them using potentially riskier, less obvious strategies.
Studying biology also allowed me to appreciate the importance of maths in making sense of data and thus allowing progress in research. Biomedical research is responsible for improving and saving lives through medical and public health interventions, many of which could not have been developed without the framework of understanding provided by mathematicians. Health economics research, clinical trials and epidemiology rely heavily on maths to provide reliable evidence to guide clinicians and policymakers. My natural curiosity led me to seek out many extracurricular events, including a problem-solving day where I was introduced to modular arithmetic and its applications in cryptography. Working in groups, we were required to present our findings to the wider audience, a presentation in which I took the lead. Explaining unfamiliar maths to strangers was very gratifying and I relished the way people's questions deepened my understanding.
Attending an Oxford conference on personalised medicine and the Earth Optimism Day in Cambridge showed me how central maths is to many disciplines. From statistical testing of evidence to mathematical modelling of climate change and population epidemiology; maths is everywhere. This convinced me further that it was the right degree for me. I have developed excellent interpersonal skills through volunteering in schools in the UK, India, and southern Germany, overcoming language barriers to communicate effectively.
I am currently a mentor to A2 further maths students and was mentor to AS students last year; teaching is entirely different to learning and has deepened my understanding. Being part of my local swimming club for over a decade taught me the value of commitment and teamwork, as has over 2 years working in cafes and as PA to a senior academic. For the first time (having earned enough!), I have an opportunity to travel independently and will visit China, Japan and Vietnam in 2018. Oriental cultures have always fascinated me: how ancient traditions coexist in such technologically advanced societies. Experiencing such different ways of life will undoubtedly prepare me better to embrace everything university life has to offer.
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Maths Personal Statement Example 16. The study of mathematics and the challenges that it presents arouse equal measures of both frustration and enjoyment. It is the moment of enlightenment arrived at through differing proportions of determination and experimentation that is the appeal of the subject...
Browse our range of Maths personal statement examples. Gain inspiration & make sure you 're on the right track when writing your own personal statement. ... Teacher Advice Advice articles for teachers. ... Mathematics with Additional Philosophy and Statistics Personal Statement . Mathematics has always been among the forefront of my interests ...
Mathematics personal statements. Scroll down this page to find a collection of real personal statements written by students applying to study mathematics and related courses at university. Plus, over on The Uni Guide, we've also got advice from universities on what they want to see in a maths personal statement.
Example 1: Entry-level teacher. I recently graduated from Little Valley University with a bachelor's degree in early childhood education. I'm seeking the role of preschool teacher at your school. For the last three years, I've worked as a substitute teacher at Willow Park Elementary.
A mathematics personal statement needs to cover your passion for studying maths, your academic achievements and experiences relating to maths, and your specific interests or evidence of research you've done within the field of math ematics. You need to demonstrate your passion and motivation without being general or telling a long story.
Differentiation and integration Is my favourite part of Pure Mathematics. A level Chemistry is helping me strengthen my knowledge in mathematics because there are a lot of calculations you have to do for example: chemical equations, calculating molarity and speed of atoms. Studying Chemistry demands that I grip onto concepts and the application ...
What else to include in your maths personal statement. Your extra-curricular activities: tutors want to know about your sporting, cultural, or community involvement, or anything else you do outside your studies that demonstrates drive, commitment, enthusiasm, and your potential to excel. What you'll contribute: uni isn't just about studying ...
Your personal statement is the perfect place for you to go into a bit more detail about why. "Personal statements are really important for students heading to more vocational courses (like maths with secondary education) or who don't fit the standard of an 18/19 year old with A-levels," says James.
Mathematical Sciences Personal Statement. Mathematics, overlooked as it is, is the most fundamental subject in our educational system and is THE enabling tool to solving problems. My commitment to maths stems from my recognition that as an effective problem solver, one ought to understand what is expected to resolve day-to-day difficulties.
Mathematics Personal Statement Example 1. I have always been fascinated by my mathematical studies and, having a flair for the subject, there was never any doubt that I would choose mathematics as a degree. It is a pivotal subject on which so many others depend (such as physics and chemistry).
Maths Personal Statement Example 1. Mathematics is a subject that I have thoroughly enjoyed throughout my school years. The challenge of thinking and the process of logic always attract me to Mathematical problems, however difficult and regardless of the form in which they come. I am enjoying my courses of A-Level Mathematics, Further ...
Mathematics Personal Statement. Submitted by Sana. I believe Mathematics is a tool for understanding the world because the world revolves around numbers and problems. The process of learning new ideas and the logic required to work through a puzzle is what keeps me captivated. Dealing with new proofs, techniques and formulas at A-level has led ...
Mathematics Personal Statement Having enjoyed the study of mathematics throughout my own life, and having pursued subjects at undergraduate level which highlight both its theoretical elegance and practical application, I believe I have shown the ability and continued enthusiasm to impart this passion for the discipline to others. Having also gained some experience of the hugely rewarding ...
Mathematics Personal Statement Example. To say that I have always been sure about my path in life would be a lie. In saying that, I don't mean that I am not a passionate worker devoted to my academics but more that through my academic career up until the beginning of year 12, when I moved to a new school for sixth form, I did not receive the ...
For example, rather than just telling them angles in a triangle add up to 180 degrees, I showed them why this is so using parallel lines which they hadn't previously realised. This made me question how I approached Mathematics as a subject. I felt the need to discover the derivations of such concepts and examine why they actually work, in an ...
My personality, as well as my non-academic interests, define me as a creative and gregarious young man who works well independently and as part of a team. I have a great work ethic and believe that a great attitude and hard work are key characteristics for success at university and a future career as a Maths teacher.
In summary, I am extremely motivated and determined to study Mathematics. It clearly fulfils my ambition to explore an intriguing field which presents limitless opportunities while keeping me challenged, captivated and exhilarated. UCAS free and trustworthy example of a Mathematics personal statement that received offers from Oxford, Imperial ...
Mathematics Personal Statement Example 14. The challenge of problem solving has always been key to my passion for mathematics. For me, the satisfaction gained from systematically working through a complex problem to an often unobvious solution is unmatched by other areas of study. It is a continually intriguing and limitless academic discipline ...
Mathematics degree personal statement example (1a) Warwick offer. My passion for mathematics was fixed at the age of ten, on the morning that my mathematics teacher told I would be sitting the Junior Maths Challenge, 'as practice for when you are older'. As I nervously started to answer the questions, a whole world began to open before me.
Mathematics (MSci) Personal Statement. Submitted by Milo. In my mathematical career to date, I have always pushed myself and thrive on new challenges. As such, I took the FSMQ additional maths in year 11 and am teaching myself AS further additional and the AEA in my year out. Working independently, I find I am always eager to learn more.