Mathematics degree personal statement example (1i) Cambridge offer

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Throughout my time at school and college, mathematics has been the subject whose lessons I have relished. Studying the subject at A-level has served only to increase my enjoyment of it, owing to the great depths to which it can be explored and the satisfaction that solving a difficult problem can give. Some of my most enjoyable lessons have been ones where I have been allowed to simply open a textbook and work independently through some enjoyable problems.

As my enjoyment of mathematics has grown, I have found myself taking an interest in reading a number of books on the subject. I found the rigorous definitions and explanations provided by Courant and Robbins in “What is Mathematics?” particularly exciting. Perhaps the most intriguing chapter was that on the calculus, as it covered the concept of limits, to which very little reference is made at A-level, in an enjoyably thorough manner. Singh’s “Fermat’s Last Theorem” is one of the most riveting books that I have read, depicting the plight of a mathematician and the ingenuity required to prove such an elegant result by a largely indirect method.

I have also taken pleasure in reading about the prime numbers. Wells’ “Prime Numbers” gave me a very broad understanding of the topic, covering much general background information necessary for further study. I found Hampshire’s “Prime Obsession” told me a lot about the history surrounding discoveries about the primes, particularly owing to the book’s focus on the Riemann Hypothesis, which is stated so simply yet of which a proof seems to be so elusive.

The opportunity to study mathematics further at university, with the emphasis on rigorous proofs and an understanding of the fundamental concepts, is appealing. It is for these reasons that I very much look forward to the challenges ahead.

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

Over the last few years, I have been part of teams in school “Pop Maths Quizzes”, one of which we won due to my answering of a tiebreak question. I have also taken part in the three levels of the UKMT Mathematics Challenges on five occasions overall, achieving a gold award each time, and in my first year of sixth form I sat the first round of the British Mathematical Olympiad. Recently, in a bid to improve my mathematical ability, I have been working through STEP examination papers at home, and I enjoy the satisfaction gained from solving a question which is gratifyingly more difficult than the average one found on an A-level paper.

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

On a further academic note, over the past year I have edited my college’s French newsletter, which is entitled “**** *****” – a literal translation of the college’s name. I was responsible for appointing people to write articles and was in charge of assembling the final publication. This experience, along with my college’s Curriculum Enrichment Project – where groups meet weekly and research a mainstream topic on which to give a presentation and a report – impressed upon me the importance of teamwork. Within these two projects, I enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment when the final pieces came together.

Away from college, I enjoy playing chess with family and friends. I am a member of the Conservative Party, and take an avid interest in its policies and in politics in general.

Universities applied to:

• Cambridge
• Bristol
• Imperial
• Warwick
• Durham

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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