Computer science degree personal statement example (1o)

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

For as long as I can remember, I have had a curious desire: to grab any electrical household appliance I could find, take it apart piece by piece, and carefully study its intricate design. Putting the appliance back together again was a different story – suffice it to say that, back then, my mother was not pleased with my work, but I could not resist the strange temptation. I was deeply fascinated with what I might find in the carnage in front of me; vein-like wires, tiny chips, a whole city of circuits. I began to wonder how much more was out there. Since then, my desire has evolved into a deeper and more meaningful interest that I aim to pursue at a university level. Computers have always intrigued me, but it is the theoretical aspects, the problem solving, and the continued advancement of computers that have sparked my desire to learn more.

Computers seem to allow for a never ending stream of knowledge. Every day I am able to learn something new, a new way of thinking or a new problem to solve, this only fuels my drive to want to learn more. I believe the next step for me is to continue my interest at university, where I will be able to develop further, and help those around me to develop by sharing ideas and working together. There is much to learn and I hope that I will not only learn from my experience at university but you will also be able to learn from me.

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

Growing up in small town America, I went to one of the more prestigious schools in the state. I participated in school sports, including football and basketball which helped improve my intrapersonal skills. I belonged to a chess club, that placed in the top ten out of hundreds of schools in the state tournament, and was an active member of a local non-profit that organized community activities, charity events and other functions designed to help those in need. These activities would help me develop leadership and organisational skills by having to implement new ideas for events and monitor them.

It was when I moved to the UK that I realized my interest in other aspects of computing. I was first introduced to programming, more specifically C++ by my cousins boyfriend. At first I thought the idea of programming was absurd. As I gradually developed more and more of an interest, I began to teach myself to program, writing very basic codes that were very self gratifying, not only because of just the sheer joy of making things but because I was able to use my own creative ways to solve problems, to create something from nothing. It was this that I found rather enticing. I continued my growing interest in computers at college and found myself working at the local 10 pin bowling centre, where I was even asked to help install the wireless network within the building. I became more confident, more comfortable, and saw myself grow as a young adult. I was able to take the skills I have learned and implement them, increasingly realizing what I want to pursue; Computers.

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

My most memorable experiences, however, involved visiting a small local computer store. During these visits, I often held long discussions with the store’s owner, where I learned a lot of the basics about computers, for instance how to install operating systems, processors and the difference between RAM and ROM. He also allowed me to help install PC software and components. It did not matter to me that I was not getting paid for the work; for me, the knowledge I gained was more than enough.

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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