Personal Statement - Genetics 2

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Biology has always been a subject that I have found fascinating. I am interested in all areas of Biology, however through furthering my studies to A level and the wider reading I have undertaken has led me to develop a particular interest in Genetics. Genetics is a field that is constantly evolving and providing new questions and ideas and I would relish the chance to study it in depth at University. It fascinates me that such miniscule things can have such a massive impact on our lives; both through ourselves in our evolution and development, and in the advancing of new technologies such as Craig Ventor's 'Synthia'.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

I have studied Biology, Chemistry, and English Literature to A2 level and Psychology to AS level and I feel that these choices have provided me with a wide and varied base upon which to begin my University education. I have found the molecular aspects of both Biology and Chemistry to be fascinating and have found this to be a strong foundation for my love for Genetics. I have the expected strong scientific based skills of practical laboratory work and logical thought processes, and these skills are enhanced by a high level of analytical and essay writing abilities due to gaining A's within my English coursework. I have also found practical based investigation a real strong point of mine, as well as being thoroughly enjoyable, this would further lend itself to a laboratory based course within Genetic Studies. I believe that these skills will prove to be very helpful for studying University level Genetics.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

Whilst in school, I helped to run the school newspaper by organising and writing articles. This has given me good organisational skills and the ability to form strong interpersonal relationships. I have read with year 7 pupils three times a week and am a volunteer child minder for children between birth and eleven years old. These tasks mean I am reliable, hard working and focussed. I also volunteer within a charity called Out and About, and I provide care and help in taking out disabled children, and have also completed various qualifications, such as safe guarding of children and manual handling. Despite these not being directly related to my courses, I have learnt valuable aspects that are easily applied to Biology. I enjoy working with others and am strong team member, as both a leader and a follower, and feel that the work I have done as a volunteer in school will allow me to be a valued and contributing member of University life.

My interests are diverse and varied. I play guitar and piano and enjoy writing music. I am involved with my Village's Twinning group, organising their youth activities. This year I successfully organised a trip for fifty French children to a Scouting Activity Park. My French verbal skills have improved through this involvement. Through this I have refined my public speaking skills considerably and have gained good interpersonal skills. Having such a wide range of interests both in and out of school is very important to me, and University will help me expand these with a new group of people.

Universities applied to:

• University of Essex (Genetics)
• University of Hertfordshire (Genetics)
• Queen Mary University (Medical Genetics)
• University of Westminster (Genetics)
• University of Essex (Biological Science)

Grades achieved:

• Biology A2 - B
• Chemistry A2 - D
• English Literature A2 - B
• Psychology AS - C

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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