In this post, senior Possibilities Pakistan member and Project Manager Schyan Zafar, provides us with his own UCAS Personal Statement. Schyan completed his undergrad from Oxford University. 

Mathematics happens to be my passion. It delights me as assorted aspects would assorted individuals. Being the philosophy of reasoning, it would help me in my future life to think on the instant, to comprehend to the minutest, and thus to understand the world around me with greater alacrity. Moreover, being the language of all Science and a vast sea of divine truths and unparalleled beauty, it would provide me with a firm foundation in scientific education, allowing me to pursue my quest for knowledge into virtually every area of Science and paving way for a successful career in whatever professional domain I choose.

My interest in the subject is not limited to Pure Mathematics; it spreads out to encompass its applications in everyday life as well. Among other disciplines, I am interested in Probability, Statistics and Actuarial Science and their applications in social sciences such as Economics. This explains my eventual aim of seeking a career as an actuary, wherein all these different areas are coalesced to one, thus allowing me to forever remain in touch with the subjects of my interest. However, before pursuing my professional ambitions, I would like to obtain a postgraduate qualification in one of the aforementioned fields of study.

I opt to study abroad rather than at home as I would like to take advantage of the expertise and excellence of the West and apply the skills acquired over there to the service of my own people. I feel confident that I will be able to complete a higher education course in the UK as throughout my academic life I have been following a curriculum comparable to that in effect in Great Britain. Also, my qualifications to date have been awarded by a renowned British university. My level of competence in the English Language can be judged by my two A grades in this subject at two different levels, not to mention that all save one exams I took were written in English.

One of my favourite quotes being “Excellence is a standard, not a goal”, I have always prided myself on maintaining a fine educational record. My results at the O and AS Levels bear ample testimony to my academic ability. Significant among these are my two mathematical qualifications at AS Level in which I have attained a perfect score. Having constantly been amongst the topmost students in my form each year since the beginning of my school days, I enjoyed partial merit scholarships for six years prior to my Advanced Level, wherein I am currently studying on a full scholarship at my chosen institution after rejecting an offer of a complete fee waiver plus a handsome stipend by another. Hence I can confidently say that, given the chance, I would do my Alma Mater proud.

Like a typical teenager, I like to spend my leisure time watching television. Yet unlike one, I spend my time constructively, allocating right quantities to leisure and work, never forgetting which is more important. Reading is a pastime I cannot imagine my life without. Also, I like playing chess with other members of my family as well as national masters. I particularly enjoy playing blindfold chess which, like Maths, I find an excellent way of exercising my mind. I try to live a healthy life, for which purpose I play squash and swim as often as I can spare the time. My activities also include debating and other public speaking events. I have also experienced a Model United Nations competition as a participant, and been selected for ‘Buraq’, a summer/winter camp held annually for the top forty students of the country for ten days of rigour and toil, both mental and physical, which serve as superb learning tools for practical life.

Note: In agreeing to have my UCAS personal statement published, my intention is to provide a specimen of a successful statement to serve as a guide for prospective applicants. It is NOT intended for prospective applicants to copy any part of my statement which, apart from being extremely poor scholarship, might even result in outright rejection of their application.

Comments on my personal statement:

I started searching for courses and universities to apply to over the summer holidays following my AS Levels. I received very little guidance regarding the application process except what I could find on the internet. Consequently, my personal statement contains several features which, in retrospect, I would avoid. I would like to point these out.

I applied to read the following courses starting September 2006:

1. Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Oxford;
2. Mathematics and Economics at the University of Nottingham;
3. Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics (MORSE) at the University of Warwick;
4. Mathematics at Imperial College London;
5. Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh; and
6. Mathematics at the University of York.

The main purpose of a personal statement is to show that you have a genuine interest in the subject you wish to study, and provide evidence that you are capable of completing an undergraduate degree in that subject. It is therefore important that the courses you apply to are similar in nature, since you can only send one personal statement, and it is very difficult to show a genuine interest in varied academic disciplines within the same statement.

The first paragraph of my personal statement was written with the sole purpose of explaining why I had opted for a mathematical degree. Universities, especially Oxford and Cambridge, want to select students who are passionate about their chosen subjects, so this should be the main focus of your statement. You can do this quite effortlessly if you really are passionate about the subject you are applying to study!

With hindsight, however, and perhaps a bit more maturity, I would avoid using the colorful language that I used, were I to go through the process again. Colorful language can be counter-productive: in trying to show enthusiasm, there is the chance that you give the impression that you are actually using this sort of language to conceal your lack of genuine interest in the subject.

The second paragraph starts off with addressing the question of what exactly it is that interests me about my chosen subject. It is important to realize that the same subjects can be totally different at school and at university – I learned this the hard way! – and to incorporate that into your statement. Do a bit of research to identify areas which seem particularly interesting to you and mention them. This shows that you are knowledgeable about your subject and know what to expect from it. You can also mention individual modules that you have opted for at school.

I go on to link my chosen subject and particular areas of interest with my future plans. However, institutions do realize that A Level is still quite early to be thinking about your long-term future plans, and it is perfectly fine not to mention any specific career path. Contrary to popular belief amongst Pakistani students, it is also unnecessary to go on to do a postgraduate degree for most jobs. Only research, lecturing and highly specialized fields (e.g. quantitative analytics) require a postgraduate degree.

Again, avoid using a flowery language. At the same time, avoid making your statement too matter-of-fact. Try to strike a balance. A varied sentence structure with simple vocabulary and expressions can still be made to sound interesting. (Ignore this if you are applying for an English degree!)

In my third paragraph I explain why I wish to study in the UK and provide evidence that I am capable of doing so. A little bit of flattery never hurts, but do not overdo it.

In the fourth paragraph I provide evidence of my academic abilities. This is where you mention all the scholarships, distinctions, awards and academic prizes that you have won. Do not mention your O/AS Level grades, though, as you do that in a separate part of the UCAS application. Do not try to be modest!

In the last paragraph, I mention my extracurricular interests and activities. The importance of this section is very often exaggerated. For British universities, your extracurricular activities and achievements do NOT matter. It is still a good idea to include these in your personal statement, though, as they give a better picture of you as a person rather than as an academic. However, this is the least important part of your statement.

Do remember that every personal statement is, and should be, different. Do not try to stick to the same structure or content as mine (or anyone else’s); tailor your personal statement to your own self. Also, go through the UCAS website in detail – you will find additional hints and tips on writing a good personal statement.

Good luck with your application!

 Source: Schyan Zafar