Mathematics degree personal statement example (2b) five offers including Cambridge, Warwick

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Mathematics is one of the noblest of all human pursuits: pure logical truths discovered not for their application or usefulness but solely for the sake of expanding our understanding. It is because of this that I am so drawn to mathematics and have the desire to study and explore it at the highest level.

My interest in mathematics started, like many, simply because I was good at it. As I grew older, my interest developed; I became attracted to the certainty, objectivity and aesthetic value of mathematics that differentiates it from other subjects. The Mathematical Olympiads were important in showing me this side of mathematics as the A-level and GCSE syllabuses are often prescriptive and mechanical instead of being creative. The Olympiads allowed me to experience an alternative, with the emphasis on proof and reaching conclusions as opposed to the repetitive solving of equations. As such, I look forward to tackling the Olympiad this year with the hope of achieving a respectable score in BMO2.

Although I find the applications of mathematics engaging, it is the pure side that really fascinates me with number theory, as Gauss said, being the "queen of mathematics". The discovery of patterns and quirks particular to certain numbers, groups of numbers or every number appeals strongly to every part of me as a mathematician. When I was a very young boy I remember being extremely excited when I discovered that the differences between consecutive perfect squares are consecutive odd numbers; the excitement lasted a whole day until I was told that this was one of the most well known properties of squares. This and other experiences with the innate properties of numbers gave an attachment to number theory that has only grown in the years since.

Visiting China as part of an exchange has been the highlight of my year where I saw mathematics as a language; my partner and I were able to communicate better using mathematics than English or Mandarin.

As a hard working and independent person I am very well suited to mathematics and am excited to be studying it next year.

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

Mathematics has enabled me to gain a deeper understanding of physics and, to an extent, economics. A simple recent example of this was the exploration of exponential decay and the derivation of formulae using techniques from the statistics and core maths modules. In regard to economics I found the modeling surprising; it is a simplified and understandable model of the real world but it is based on erroneous premises. Economists seem to have mistaken mathematical beauty for truth. These experiences, combined with T.W. Korner's inspirational book "The Pleasures of Counting", have given me a great appreciation of applied mathematics as both an academic pursuit and as a tool to solve real world problems.

The broad interest that I have in mathematics is, at present, fuelled by my studying of every possible maths module, to the extent that I am self-studying 6 of them: D1-2, S2-4 and M5. I relish a challenge and am excited by the prospect of taking STEP II and III at the end of this year. Outside of practicing mathematics, I read voraciously and have a variety of tastes making my bookshelf a strange combination of Orwell, Nabokov and Simon Singh.

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

I partake in a range of pursuits but the one in which I am most involved is debating; being the head of my school's debating society and having enjoyed numerous competitions. There are some strong parallels between debating and mathematics, they both rely upon logical arguments but logic alone is not enough; both a good mathematical proof and a good oration must be inspiring as well, interesting and aesthetically pleasing; "there is no permanent place in this world for ugly mathematics". I also have an enthusiasm for politics and law having represented the Liberal Democrats in a mock election (though ending without a coalition!), and having attended the Cambridge Law Conference after winning an intra-school essay competition.

Universities applied to:

• Cambridge (G100)
• Imperial (G103)
• Bath (G103)
• Bristol (G103)
• Warwick (G103)

Grades achieved:

• Maths (A2) - A*
• Further Maths (A2) - A*
• Additional Further Maths (A2) - A
• Physics (A2) - A*
• Economics (A2) - 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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