Personal Statement - Geography 2

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Geography is a subject that interests me and motivates me because I have always been fascinated with the way that Geography relates to almost everything in everyday life. I live close to the coastline in Dorset so I have had many chances to visit and study landmarks such as Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door and Old Harry Rocks. I have also been on geographical visits to Studland to study succession in a psammosere, Southampton, to study urban land uses, and to South Wales for a week to study rivers, soils, deindustrialisation and urban land uses.

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

I chose not to follow music as a career which led me not to do GCSE or A level music at secondary school. I have however, gained financially from it from playing the drum kit at shows and from teaching regularly. This is very satisfying because I can see the results of my work through the pupil improving their skills and knowledge of the instrument.

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

I have played the drums for over eight years and achieved a grade 8 standard in 2001 as well as attaining Grade 5 music theory. In 1998 I became a member of the Dorset Youth Wind Orchestra (DYWO) and played with them in their millennium concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 2000. Since joining the orchestra I have met lots of other young musicians and teachers from all over Dorset as well as learning new percussion instruments such as timpani, vibraphone and congas. I play for my schools jazz, concert, traditional and combo bands as well as my own rock band with friends. As well as doing various concerts with the DYWO and school bands I have played at parties and functions with my own rock band. I have also been to music festivals which are fun and a good opportunity to experience live and new music.

I went on two weeks work experience to 'The Band of the Royal Corps of Signals' in Blandford to play percussion with the band. I had an enjoyable two weeks there, which included a visit to Cardiff to play in Prince Philip's 70th birthday celebrations at Cardiff castle. In this I had to play a pair of cymbals and march, with the rest of the band, through the centre of Cardiff to Cardiff castle.

I have also worked in a small village shop for a year and worked in the cafeteria at 'Monkey World', which is a local zoo for primates.

During the summer I was chosen to supervise a newly built play area at Monkey World, which was hard work because of the large numbers children I was responsible for.

I have visited Portugal and the USA twice, and I have been to Belgium and France many times on family holidays. For part of my gap year I would like to get a job so I can afford to travel prior to university.

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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