申请专业：数学MATH MATHEMATICS

　　At first sight, what a mathematician does may seem small, but it is the closest one can come to achieving permanence. The possibility of producing or creating anything that is even slightly permanent is what drives me to study mathematics. The topic to have engaged me the most at A-level has been differentiation because it is centred on the idea of limits, which relates directly to infinity and infinitesimals. My understanding of infinity evolved after having read Clegg’s ‘A Bri History of Infinity’, in which I first came across Cantor’s continuum hypothesis. The paradoxes associated with infinity and the counter-intuitive arguments put forward about it have motivated me to study this topic in detail, and I therore look forward to the intriguing courses at university, such as analysis. The prospect of understanding a diverse range of theories and how they connect is fascinating in today’s ever advancing society, as they can be applied in many industries.

　　‘It may be very hard to dine mathematical beauty, but that is just as true of beauty of any kind’ – Hardy in ‘A Mathematician’s Apology’. I agree with Hardy, for I feel that mathematical beauty is inexpressible and yet so common. However, I believe that mathematics at school level has lost its beauty, as there is not enough emphasis on the proofs of theorems and the focus lies in the end result of a theorem instead. My opinion is that a theorem and its proof are both of equal importance, as one cannot exist without the other. Yet mathematical beauty can only be found in proofs, some of which I have discovered upon reading ‘Journey Through Genius: The Great Theorems of Mathematics’ by Dunham, and I therore look forward to the rigorous approach of being taught mathematics at university level, which places more emphasis on understanding. While still at school, I found some stimulation in learning topics that go beyond the regular A-Level syllabus, for example Euclid’s algorithm and its applications to solving linear Diophantine equations. I have always tried to extend myself, such as by taking the Senior Mathematics Challenge, in which I achieved a gold certificate, as well as sitting the Advanced Extension Award (AEA) in Mathematics and Sixth Term Examination Papers (STEP) I and II, in which I achieved a Distinction and grades 1 and 1, respectively.

　　Having completed my A-levels, I intend to further my knowledge in mathematics by enrolling on an Open University course called ‘Using mathematics’, from September 2008 to June 2009. This focuses on how A-level Mathematics can be applied to real life situations, such as the use of matrices and vectors in order to examine the interdependence of different subpopulations. In addition, I plan to sit the STEP III examination to ensure my knowledge is maintained and, above all, it will be an exciting challenge. By getting a job in my gap year, I can guarantee myself financial security for my time at university, rather than doing a part-time job that may disrupt my studies at university, as well as allowing me to gain independence and maturity. I also intend to find some valuable work experience in the field of finance. I currently assist mathematics students on various websites and I hope to extend this by teaching underprivileged children abroad. Furthermore, I wish to expand on the extra-curricular activities that I started at school, such as my passion for playing the drum kit, which I developed four years ago. I was an active member of my school’s hockey and bridge clubs and hope to keep progressing in these, and to also learn new martial arts. Having written articles on topics such as collision detection, as well as winning a prize for one of my projects, I particularly look forward to having more time to improve my programming skills.

　　Sophistication, precision and the axiomatic approach of mathematics have always appealed to me and I hope to appreciate their ficacy to an even greater extent at university.

　　COMMENTS

　　GENERAL COMMENTS:

　　The focus after the academic part of the personal statement is on my gap year rather than extra curriculars. This is necessary because the PS is the only place you can really convince admissions tutors that a gap year is worth it.

　　It’s best not to list more than 2 or 3 topics in maths (a mistake I made previously) because it gives admissions tutors a chance to grill you on them (and they’ll almost certainly know a lot more about those topics and be able to extend you beyond the level you’ve used to) easily in an interview situation.

　　Don’t mention too many books either, even if you have actually read them, because you’re likely to forget lots of information and spend too much time bore any interviews going through those books rather than improving on your maths.

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