Personal Statement:Physics 9

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

From an early age I have always had a desire to understand how and why things work, beginning with childhood interests in astronomy. My interest in Physics has since been confirmed through my studies of topics such as fundamental particles and high energy physics at 'A' level, including visits to Greenwich Royal Observatory and various coursework projects such as an in-depth study of the motion of projectiles, leading to my decision to study the subject at degree level. At university I look forward to studying a variety of different areas of Physics, particularly quantum mechanics and astrophysics due to the investigative and theoretical nature of these particular topics.

I am very much looking forward to studying Physics at degree level and although to do so I am undertaking a challenging course of study, I feel that this has in fact strengthened my interest and desire to study this subject at university.

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

Through my 'A' level studies I feel that I have further developed certain skills which will be useful for my university course. For example, studying English Literature and History at 'A' level has enabled me to improve my analytical skills and in particular, studying the Renaissance period in History has given me an insight into the origins of certain aspects of Physics. In addition, studying music at 'A' level has also complemented my studies in Physics, in that it has aided my understanding of sound production and how mathematical knowledge can also be applied to the manipulation of melodic and harmonic material.

This year I have taken up a Maths 'A' level course to be completed in one year to enable me to study Physics at degree level. This requires me to learn many of the topics in advance in my own time and I have found my studies very enjoyable despite the challenging nature of the course. I have chosen to study the mechanics modules since they complement my previous studies in Physics very well and also due to my interest in topics such as kinematics at 'A' level. I have particularly enjoyed these aspects of the course so far, as well as some of the more challenging core maths topics such as trigonometry and further differentiation covered in the second year.

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

As a keen musician I have been involved with a great deal of extra-curricular musical activities, including performing with a variety of school and college ensembles. In addition, I have been a member of the Brighton Youth Orchestra for a total of seven years on the french horn and have toured with them to Italy and the Czech Republic in recent years. I have also had many opportunities to take part in several special performances and workshops; for example, last year I played with the BBCSO brass at the Brighton Dome as part of the 'Out and About Proms'. Taking part in a workshop with James Galway as part of a flute ensemble and being given the opportunity to sing with the Bach Choir at the Royal Albert Hall in a performance of 'The St. Matthew Passion' have also been very enjoyable and rewarding experiences.

I also have a great interest in reading and studying English Literature A-level has enabled me to widen my knowledge of various authors, including reading foreign literature such as Kafka and Dostoevsky as well as studying twentieth century American prose which I particularly enjoyed.

Participating in the Duke of Edinburgh bronze award has also developed my logic, discipline and social skills, all of which I feel will be useful when studying my chosen course at university. In addition, taking the Cambridge Profile Scores Tests also revealed top percentile scores in all areas; including verbal reasoning (94), abstract reasoning (87), arithmetic calculation (94), working quickly and accurately (96), numerical reasoning (94), spatial reasoning (94) and spelling (98). I feel that of these, my arithmetic calculation and numerical reasoning skills will be particularly useful.

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.

Need help with your personal statement? You can ask a question or get feedback from The Student Room community (and our trained personal statement experts) on the personal statement advice forum.