Personal Statement:Physics 22

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Physics is the fundamental science, the study of everything, and for someone who wishes to learn more about everything, what better subject could I possibly choose? My love for physics initially stemmed from a book I read, The Never-Ending Days of Being Dead by Marcus Chown. I was awed by the incredible scenarios and theories it presented: the dilation of time as you reached near-light speeds, inflation speeding up the expansion of the big bang, Stephen Wolfram's theories of the universe being generated from just 4 lines of computer code. I was entrapped.

Hungry for more, I attended lectures run by Birmingham University, where I learnt more about magnetism, materials at ultra cold temperatures and black holes. I came across books by Deutsch, Greene and Feynman, which introduced me to string theory, quantum mechanics and general relativity. I began to love how counter-intuitive the subject was. The lack of a universal time, events happening at different rates from different perspectives. Concepts of probability leading to entanglement and tunneling, laughing in the face of common sense.

The magazines "New Scientist" and "Scientific American" have kept me up to date with the current scientific world, and have helped me relate my studies at A-Level with the wider world, where astounding leaps forward in technology can be explained by the principles I am learning now. In particular, these books and magazines have inspired an interest in nano-technology and quantum mechanics, which have quickly become my favourite fields in physics, mainly due to their relevance in modern times and the current rate of advancement in the two fields. Manipulating materials at a molecular, and even atomic level is coming to the forefront of science today, applications such as nano-lasers that can focus light to an area less than its wavelength, the uses of entanglement in quantum supercomputers and the grafting of nano-particles onto the natural building blocks of DNA. All coming with fantastic consequences, cures for viruses and tumours, clean sources of renewable energy, the synthetic replication of food and water.

Physics has a huge impact on almost every single facet of our life. It often fascinates me why people do not take such an inquisitive view to physics, it not only defines our world and universe, but has millions of practical applications. The opportunity to be part of this exciting time in physics feels like a privilege, and something I would be very proud to be involved in.

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

I consider myself an independent person and learner, able to study and learn on my own. In year 12 I taught myself the D1 maths module, achieving over 90% in the exam. I believe this shows that I can motivate myself beyond the compulsory syllabus, and am comfortable teaching myself from a book and online resources. I enjoy learning in this way as it allows me to understand topics on my own terms and at my own pace, which deepens my understanding, and motivates me to learn more.

Studying both maths and further maths at A-level have developed my reasoning skills and logical abilities, and I hope will provide a good grounding for the more mathematically advanced aspects of pursuing physics at degree level. My final A-Level, geography, has developed my research and analytical skills, broadening my horizons, and my education.

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

Sport forms a big part of my life: representing club and school at badminton and playing hockey for club, county and the school XI has given me the confidence to succeed in other areas of my life. It has endowed me with teamwork and organisational skills and have given me various leadership roles with a variety of people.

After volunteering at my local library for three months, I now have a regular Saturday job there, which has let me work as part of a large organisation, work as part of a team, and apply my skills into real life situations.

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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