Personal Statement - French and Italian 2

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Wittgenstein’s words “the limits of my language means the limits of my world” truly embody my love for languages. I believe that without language, man is nothing, and the study of foreign languages and cultures opens up the world to us. My interest in French began in secondary school and continued to grow as I gained more and more insight into French society and culture. I would also relish the challenge of beginning Italian ab initio.

I am also greatly interested in Italy’s rich cultural heritage, particularly its musical tradition, which I feel has had a great influence on Italian society. I have begun to learn the basics of Italian, which I have found both fascinating and very rewarding, and I feel Italian would compliment French very well, being another Romance language. I have also tried to explore some areas in which the two cultures overlap, such as the collaboration of Moliere and Lully in the production of the former’s ballet-comedie “Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme”.

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

Soon on after starting secondary school, it became apparent that I had an aptitude for French, and I made rapid progress through the examination system. Now that I have completed the A-level course, I have been able to pursue areas of personal interest within the language. After studying Moliere’s “Le Tartuffe” and Mauriac’s “Therese Desqueyroux” for my A2 course, I developed an interest in the works of these authors, so I began to explore some of their other works, such as “Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme” by Moliere, and “Genitrix” by Mauriac. I also visited Paris to see a performance of “Le Tartuffe”, which greatly enhanced my enjoyment of it. I particularly admire Moliere’s ability to expose the flaws of society whilst still maintaining a comical outlook. With regards to Mauriac, I am greatly impressed by his ability to create such complex, multi-dimensional characters with which I feel the reader can develop very strong relationships. Attending the French course at Villiers Park challenged me to explore aspects of French language and culture which I had not previously explored. I was particularly interested in the study of a selection of Baudelaire's "Fleurs du Mal" because of his revolutionary approach to poetry. I also enjoyed the work on Old French-it fascinates me to see how the language has developed over time, and I have thus studied extracts of "La Chanson de Roland" and d'Orbigny's "Floire et Blanchefleur".

Although my other A-level subjects may not be considered typical subjects to study alongside a language, I have found that they have complimented each other in some unusual ways. For example, the study of Music often requires similar analytical skills to those required in the study of Literature, and is also a window into the cultural history of various countries. On top of this, the subject has taught me that success requires a lot of hard, independent work, which I feel is a crucial skill for university courses. The study of Biology and Chemistry sets me apart from other language students, as I feel it shows a broad range of skills which are essential for a languages degree, and has also led me to develop an interest in linguistics, which I have begun to explore through my extended project on the development of French.

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

Outside the curriculum, I have a broad range of interests. I am heavily involved in music, being the Principal Bassoon in my college’s orchestra and wind band as well as the ___________ Symphony Orchestra, and various other associated groups. I also lead the __________ Guitar Ensemble and sing tenor in my college choir and chamber choir. Again, this has opened up the cultures of France and Italy to me, as well as improving my time management and teamwork skills. On top of this, I am a keen swimmer, and in the past, I have taken up voluntary work as a swimming teaching assistant, which has helped me to develop my communication skills.

Universities applied to:

• University of Cambridge (St. John's)
• University College, London UCL
• Durham University
• Bristol University
• University of Exeter

Grades achieved:

• French (A2) - A (Old Spec)
• Music (A2) - A*
• Biology (A2) - A*
• Chemistry (A2) - A*
• General Studies (A2) - A
• Mathematics (AS) - A

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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