Personal Statement - Physics 8

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

From a very early age I remember pondering questions that were, to me, seemingly unanswerable: what existed before the Big Bang? Why is a paperclip attracted to a magnet? Now that I am older and have a wider knowledge of current physics, I can contemplate other, more involved questions. How is it possible that a cat can be alive and dead at the same time? What exactly is holding an atom together? I am fascinated by these ideas and am hungry to learn the theories needed to attempt to explain them. I welcome the prospect of spending time and effort working with the scientific community to achieve a wider appreciation of the world we live in and trying to attain a level of understanding as high as is possible in a single lifetime.

My main interest within physics lies in quantum mechanics. About two years ago I was shown a video on the Internet by an astounded friend that explained the results of Young's double slit experiment (using electrons) in relatively simple terms. I was stunned to see that a single electron can pass through two slits at once, but as soon as its path is observed it 'decides' to act in a completely different manner! My ignorance of the topic created a desire for me to learn more about this astonishing idea and so I read "Quantum: A Guide for the Perplexed" by Jim Al-Khallili. From this brilliant book I learnt about the way in which the electron transforms into a probability wave or "wavefunction" and interferes with itself after diffracting out of the slits. The book then introduced me to complex applications of this experiment and, along with various magazine and Internet articles, I clarified for myself intricate ideas such as Schrodinger's cat and quantum entanglement. I also read "The Trouble with Physics" by Lee Smolin in which he describes previous attempts at unification of various ideas in physics, such as the successful unification of electricity and magnetism, or the unsuccessful unification of light and sound. He then goes on to explain one of the current attempts at the unification of all known forces and particles - string theory. I feel that reading on these topics has prepared me well for undergraduate physics and I am excited at the prospect of studying at a higher level.

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

Studying all three sciences and maths at A-level has given me the opportunity to explore a wide range of different theories, techniques and problems and has provided me with a broad scientific training base from which I wish to develop further. All of these subjects pose exciting challenges, but my main passion is for physics. I very much look forward to immersing myself in the subject in future years whilst enjoying other challenges of university life.

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

To familiarise myself with how physics can be used practically, I requested a visit to the Quantum Optics and Laser Science Research Group at Imperial College London. I assisted a PhD student and his supervisor every day for three weeks in their ion-trapping project that aimed to shed light on quantum computing. My main job was to build a circuit to power an electron beam. The beam was used to form ions from calcium atoms, as ions are more easily manipulated. However, the circuit had to be built in such a way that it would automatically adjust the intensity of the beam to form just the right number of ions.

In my spare time, I am generally found playing the drum kit. After passing Grade 8 with distinction I have taken up teaching and play in four different music groups: a concert band, a jazz group, a brass band and my own funk fusion band. I enjoy performing in and around London and annually touring European countries with the school concert band. To keep fit I play football and table tennis with friends. Competitively, I have represented my school on a number of occasions in football, rugby and athletics competitions.

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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