Personal Statement:Physics 12

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Physics is bizarre and extraordinary and seeks to explain everything from quarks to galaxies. It uses maths to discover everything from the movement of the stars to how an atom can be in two places at once. Growing up, I have always thought about life's fundamental questions and I believe physics is the key to finding the answers.

I have discovered a fascination with the ideas of quantum mechanics and how our universe is rooted in such complex yet fundamental rules.

I enjoy thought experiments and their proof that theory is an invaluable tool for describing real life. They show problems have both experimental and theoretical bases and the mathematical aspects of physics are something I find very interesting. I am keenly following the LHC at CERN, as I believe it will provide answers about elusive dark matter and other particles, like the Higgs boson, which will help us understand our universe more deeply.

Physics is a subject which will fascinate me for the rest of my life. I look forward to studying more exciting scientific breakthroughs at university and I hope I can make a difference, however small, to mankind’s understanding of our universe.

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

I have a passion for physics and maths which I maintain outside school, having participated in a number of extra curricular maths courses since year nine. I spent a week studying university level maths at the University of ******** and achieved Gold in the Intermediate level of the UKMT. I have read extensively about physics and particularly enjoyed ‘In Search of Schrodinger's Cat’ by John Gribbin, as much of it was interlinked with the work we were doing in class. We used Planck’s constant in many formulae and this book explained more uses for the constant, how it was calculated and the other discoveries Planck had made. It also linked in with matrices which I had studied in further maths; deepening my understanding of the way mathematical tools can explain such sophisticated phenomena.

As I have advanced in my scientific understanding, it has become clear to me how physics, chemistry and maths link together and how having an understanding of one of these subjects is advantageous to a fuller understanding of the others. I enjoy further maths, especially the pure modules, as they stretch my mathematical knowledge and I love the challenge of solving a difficult problem.

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

Outside school, I achieved my grade eight flute with merit, a target which I have worked toward since I began playing at the age of eight. I also play in a flute choir and I love how many different lines of music can blend together to produce something more beautiful than anything one instrument could play. Working as a team is important in any aspect of life and a team can often achieve more than any individual, a philosophy which applies to physics just as much as to music.

I have two part time jobs, which have given me the opportunity to learn how to manage my finances and develop my interpersonal skills. Waitressing has shown me how to work with many types of people and I have learnt how to manage my time well. I have also been employed as a childminder for the same family for five years and I have developed a strong sense of responsibility and proven myself as a reliable and trustworthy person.

One of the most exciting things I have ever done was visiting Japan as part of my school’s exchange programme when I was fifteen. I lived with a Japanese family for ten days and experiencing and understanding such a different society was amazing. It enhanced my language skills and I saw how a different schooling system and culture works. My experience helped me to become more independent and encouraged me to try new things – from food to traveling across Tokyo on the tube – an attitude that is important in uncovering new ideas. Physics is worldwide and this means people from different backgrounds will often need to work together, making understanding different traditions and cultures a necessity.

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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