What is your motivation for applying to university?

1. What is your motivation for applying to university?

2. How important is the personal statement? complements the reference shows commitment evidence of how you communicate breadth of experience discriminator

3. The Personal Statement • 600 words using Times New Roman font 12, 47 lines of text, 95 characters per line • Motivation towards the courses you have chosen. Indicate which areas of the course particularly interest you. • Contributions to school and community life. Identify community placements, school council commitments, charity work. • Skills you have that are suited to University life: self-disciplined, self-motivated, hard working, committed, ambitious. • Work experience • Hobbies and pastimes

4. Before completing your personal statement, you may wish to refer to the following for guidance given by UCAS. Guidance on completing your personal statement You can ‘copy and paste’ text into the personal statement from word processing packages such as Word or simply type directly into the space provided. As text is entered, the number of lines used is calculated by the system and detailed at the bottom of the screen. It should be noted that the maximum number of lines available is 38. Statements exceeding 38 lines will result in an error message and must be reduced to 38 lines before the section can be completed. Presentation of your personal statement may be improved through the in-built features of the system such as Bold, Italics and Underline. Font style and size may not be changed within the system and is set to a default. Any text pasted into the personal statement from a word-processing package using a font other than Times New Roman will be changed to the default settings. The ‘Print preview’ facility may be used to determine the appearance of your personal statement on the UCAS form.

6. ‘I have chosen to study French and Spanish as a joint course firstly due to a love of these two cultures gained through visits to the countries. I have studied in a French language school in Bordeaux and have also taken a language and culture course in Barcelona, as well as taking part in an exchange with a school in Pamplona. My choice of subject is especially due to a keen interest in the literature of these cultures, and I really relish the prospect of broadening and deepening my knowledge of them through further study and time abroad. I have read widely in both languages and have particularly enjoyed Molière and Voltaire (French), and Márquez and Borges (Spanish). I have worked hard to acquire a thorough knowledge of the grammar of both languages, and I strive to speak and write them as accurately as possible. A friend and I were instrumental in refounding the school’s Modern Languages Society: we invite visiting speakers and show foreign language films. I am a very keen sportsman and have represented the school at Rugby (1st XV), Football (2nd XI) and Cricket (2nd XI). I also play both rugby and cricket for local teams, and am a keen golfer. I am also a House monitor at school.’

7. I enjoy the study of History because it is a wide-ranging subject covering the social, economic, political and scientific development of the world. Learning and thinking critically about the past is important because it helps to explain why society and its institutions are the way they are today. I am fascinated by people’s reactions to events in History and what that says about the age in which they lived. In my A Level course I have found that considering human nature is an important aspect of source work. Reading Niall Ferguson’s ‘Virtual History’ has also shown me how many different interpretations can be put on events in History. I have applied for courses which will give me a broad base of knowledge with the opportunity to study chosen areas in depth. Studying History at university will develop my skills in analysing and evaluating information and presenting my ideas clearly and concisely. These skills will be useful and marketable in almost any career. I enjoy visiting museums and historical sites that can often bring history to life. This summer I went to Edinburgh where I visited Edinburgh Castle and Traquair House which are significant to my Jacobite source work. I have been a ‘Friend’ of the London Transport Museum for three years and have attended various talks there. This appeals particularly to my interest in social history. I have even designed my own website about the London Underground. I have fund that the study of History has helped a great deal in my English Literature A Level as it has provided me with a greater understanding of the societies and context in which many of the texts were written. In my Maths class I have presented a talk on the History of women in Mathematics. I researched this on the internet as no books were available on the subject. I play the piano (Grade 8 standard) and I am very involved with the music department at school. I play the violin in the School Senior Orchestra, which has performed in the Royal Festival Hall and recently went on tour to Prague and Salzburg. This was very exciting as we visited sights such as Prague Castle and Mozart’s birthplace. I also play the saxophone in Wind Band; I am a member of the Senior Recorder Consort and I sing in the Senior and Madrigal Choirs. I hope to continue participating in music groups at university. I have spent a week’s work experience with London Transport looking at several departments and another week with the Finance Department at BT. This has given me useful insights into how companies are organised. I have been Managing Director of a Young Enterprise company, which successfully produced a school yearbook and reached the area finals for which I had to write a company report. From this experience, and from working in the school tuck shop, I have learnt much about responsibility, leadership and teamwork. I have also participated in a paired reading scheme with Year 7 pupils and completed a Sixth Form counselling skills course, both of which developed my communication skills and my ability to empathise, which will be very useful for my course at university.

8. I wish to undertake a BA degree course focusing on the technical aspects of the theatre. The passion which I have for this subject is a prominent part of my life and has recently been confirmed by the two weeks of technical work which I was offered at this year’s Edinburgh festival. After my degree I hope to put my study into practice via a career in the theatre. My festival work built on the knowledge and experience I gained from a week’s work experience as a technician and theatre administrator, at the Komedia Theatre, Brighton. As a result, I have been offered further experience at the Komedia during vacations. My decision to consider theology and Religious Studies alongside theatre is because the contrasting mode of study would allow me to follow up both aspects of my interest and ability which I have also had for many years. I especially enjoy exploring and debating topics in this area and the philosophical and spiritual questions which they raise. For the past three years, I have benefited from working backstage at school, organising and participating in sound, lighting and stage management for a range of events. To gain further insight into different styles and structures of directing, I enjoy visiting the theatre and cinema whenever possible. Although the theatre is a great love, I have developed other areas of interest including voluntary work at a local infant school. I have found it fulfilling to have had an input into the early education of children. I have enjoyed working with other people and enjoyed gaining counselling skills in a six week course organised by the Sixth Form last year, helping me listen to others sympathetically. Communicating effectively with others was also helped by the four week Buddhist meditation course I took recently. As Tuck Shop Team Leader at school, I have been able to develop my leadership skills as well as being part of a team, both of which I have used in my Saturday jobs. My experiences of travel and foreign exchange have added to my personal confidence and sense of independence.

9. I have had a strong interest in mathematics since my early school career and thoroughly enjoy all aspects of the subject. I find problem solving both stimulating and fulfilling and this has helped me in the programming section of my Computer Science A Level, as well as in maths. My decision to study mathematics at degree level stems from my desire to further my learning in the subject and the enjoyment I get from understanding and manipulating mathematical theories. Lower down the school I have been awarded several silver awards for the Junior maths Challenge. More recently I have given presentations in both maths and physics; ‘The development of the atom’ and ‘Maths Personalities’, in particular Johannes Kepler. Throughout my seven years at secondary school I have been an active member of numerous sports teams and earned the title ‘district champion’ in athletics, netball and hockey for several years running. Through years of playing both team and individual sports I have gained great teamwork skills and learnt the vital importance of communication. I would very much enjoy the opportunity to continue with my sport, especially netball, at university. I have taken part in various dance shows and provided help and support for the production and development of a Sixth Form play. I also involve myself in music and have been playing the clarinet at a high standard for six years. Using my knowledge of music I have taught young children the basic skills of playing the recorder and clarinet, which has increased my own understanding of music. I have had work experience in the clerical department of Woodmansterne Card Company and Renaissance Computer Firm. This experience involved numerous tasks, such as invoicing and customer enquiries and required use of my own initiative and decision making. I have had a part time job for almost a year at Subway, an American sandwich establishment, which I thoroughly enjoy and involve myself in fully. This year I was elected Chair of Sixth Form which involves various responsibilities, including attending governors meetings, giving speeches and organising school and charity events. This valuable experience has developed my public speaking and organisational skills to a great extent. I took part in the Christmas charity collection that I organised, which involved travelling to Oxford Street, London in fancy dress and singing carols for the day to raise money for the Save the Children fund. I have participated in many school open evenings by guiding people around the school, playing netball and swimming. I have also attended the Sixth Form open evenings as Chair of the Sixth Form and have given presentations about what the Sixth Form involves and what it has to offer.

10. Feedback Form Candidate Name: • Reasons for choosing/changing to medicine 14/20 • Work experience 8/10 • General knowledge of healthcare 5/10 • Interests/hobbies/sport 5/10 • Determination/Conscientiousness 6/10 • Communication skills 10/10 • Team work 4/10 • Intellectual potential 20/20 • TOTAL SCORE 72/100 • Threshold for rejection = 77 and below TOPIC TOTALSCORE

11. Understanding your feedback data Assessment before interview Our tutors will have looked at your UCAS form with the following issues in mind: • Reasons for choosing medicine. This is frequently not addressed. • Amount of work experience in a caring role. Here we are looking for how you interpreted your experiences, not just the amount undertaken. • General knowledge of healthcare. We expect applicants to understand the integrated nature of healthcare and the importance of allied professions. • Interests/hobbies. Some students may have more opportunities than others to pursue their interests. We are not so much concerned with exactly what the student does in his/her spare time but how the experiences are used to develop potential as a student doctor. • Determination/Conscientiousness. The length of time that a student has been committed to a medical career is not the only factor. Equally important are the steps taken to confirm this commitment. We expect to see evidence of an understanding of the realities, advantages and disadvantages of a medical career. We are interested in whether the student works at an appropriate level of intensity, submits work on time and is reliable. • Communication skills. We are interested in contributions to class discussion and extra-curricular activity. • Leadership qualities and team work. These may be demonstrated within the school or in the wider community. • Intellectual potential. GCSE grades, achieved or predicted A Level grades are not the only factors taken into account. Other evidence of intellectual potential beyond merely the ability to pass exams is important. • Humanity/Humility. We are trying to assess the student’s ability to care for and empathise with others. Also how the student sees him/herself in the school/workplace and wider community. • Presentation and style. Applications are marked down for careless errors of grammar and spelling. • Mitigating Circumstances. These will be taken into account on an individual basis if they are disclosed at the time of application.

12. Summary • Be early • Show what you have learned from what you have done • Demonstrate self-reliance and ambition • Be truthful • Spell accurately • Check grammar • Avoid clichés