Computer science degree personal statement example (1n) work experience

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Ever since I first stumbled upon computers, I have been fascinated by the possibilities offered by them and the ways in which they work. For these reasons I feel that a Computer Science degree would both fuel my interest in all things technology driven, as well as allowing me to take the opening steps on a path leading to a career that I hopefully find fulfilling and enjoyable.

My interest in computers grew from what was initially a mere curiosity – striving to play around with each and every program I could get my hands on, constantly in awe at how the ugly grey box under the desk allowed me to do anything from shooting aliens to drawing pictures. Even today, computers continue to surprise me, and I find my interest growing continually along with my desire to keep experimenting with the potential.

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

Recently this interest has led to me taking my first proper steps into programming, prior to my work experience placement at Spirent Communications. A friend recommended Python as a starting point, and I was able to quickly pick up the basics of programming, writing a few small programs to experiment with the language. At the beginning of my work experience, I switched to learning C++. With the help of the software engineers at the company, I was able to quickly transfer what I had learned from Python into C++. Members of staff near to me in the office were impressed at the speed I was able to learn the fundamentals of object-oriented programming and solve problems when it came to converting my Python programs into C++.

The week I spent at Spirent furthered my belief that a Computer Science course would be ideally suited to me. One member of staff told me that they saw no reason why I should struggle with such a course and encouraged me to pursue programming further. Following that week, I have bought a book (the optimistically titled ‘Teach yourself C++ in 21 days, which has allowed me to develop my skills at my own pace) and continued to learn C++, and I find it incredibly rewarding being able to create a program to solve any given problem.

Whilst I am not studying a maths or physics A-Level, I do not believe that this will handicap me when it comes to computer science. I received a strong GCSE maths grade and have the ability to pick up and focus on new concepts quickly, and I am not afraid to seek help when I struggle.

Throughout my school life I have achieved a lot – reflected in both my grades and through prizes awarded at my school’s annual speech night, where I have often been awarded prizes for effort and attainment. I was awarded the Wendy John award for creative writing in 2005, and have been selected for the ICT prize in 2008. My enthusiasm for English writing has also lead to a news story I wrote being published in the local newspaper.

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

I am enquiring about spending a year in industry before joining a university. Such a programme would allow me to spend time in an environment relevant to the Computer Science course, and develop my skills with computers and programming.

I always endeavour to perform to the utmost of my ability when presented with a task, and I try to get involved with many extra curricular activities. I have completed NPLQ and Community Sports Leadership courses, and also act as a coach for my local swimming club. These experiences have allowed me to develop my skills in working as a team and also served as a large boost to my confidence when dealing with a wide range of problems.

Sport has always been a major part of my life, and I have dabbled with many sports throughout my life, joining numerous school teams and out of school clubs. Two major sporting interests have been swimming and athletics. I represented Devon at Long Jump at a number of competitions, and trained regularly until I decided to focus my interest on Competitive swimming. I now train several times a week for swimming, often early in the morning before school.

With a computer science course I hope to work toward a sustainable career that will continue to interest me for years to come.

Universities applied to:

• Cardiff
• Birmingham
• Reading
• Leicester

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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