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Mathematics Personal Statement Examples

Hopefully, these examples of Mathematics Personal Statements will help you create a unique statement for your UCAS application . 

I have always been fascinated by the world of mathematics and its ability to explain and understand complex phenomena in the world around us. From a young age, I have been drawn to the beauty and elegance of mathematical concepts and their ability to provide answers to some of the most challenging questions we face.

At school, I have excelled in mathematics, consistently achieving top grades in my exams and regularly participating in extra-curricular math competitions. I have particularly enjoyed studying topics such as calculus, algebra, and geometry, and I have found that my natural aptitude for problem-solving has allowed me to excel in these areas.

In addition to my passion for mathematics, I have also developed a strong interest in computer science. I have taught myself several programming languages and have enjoyed using these skills to create my computer programmes and simulations. I believe that the combination of my mathematical knowledge and computer programming skills would make me an ideal candidate for a degree in mathematical sciences.

As a university student, I am eager to continue exploring the fascinating world of mathematics and to push myself to the limits of my abilities. I am confident that a degree in mathematical sciences would provide me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a successful career in this exciting and rewarding field.

I am applying to your university because I believe that it offers an outstanding programme in mathematical sciences, with a strong emphasis on both theoretical and practical applications. I am particularly impressed by the diverse range of research opportunities available, and I am eager to participate in cutting-edge research projects that will challenge and inspire me.

As a student with a passion for mathematics, I am excited at the prospect of studying at such a prestigious institution and I am confident that your programme would provide me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a successful career in this field.

At school, I have consistently achieved top grades in my mathematics exams, and I have regularly participated in extra-curricular math competitions. I have a particular interest in topics such as calculus, algebra, and geometry, and I have found that my natural aptitude for problem-solving has allowed me to excel in these areas.

In addition to my passion for mathematics, I have also developed an interest in computer science. I have taught myself several programming languages and have enjoyed using these skills to create my computer programmes and simulations. I believe that the combination of my mathematical knowledge and computer programming skills would make me an ideal candidate for your degree programme.

As a university student, I am eager to continue exploring the fascinating world of mathematics and to push myself to the limits of my abilities. I am confident that a degree from the University of Cambridge would provide me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a successful career in this exciting and rewarding field.

I am particularly impressed by the wide range of research opportunities available at your university, and I am eager to participate in cutting-edge research projects that will challenge and inspire me. I am also excited by the opportunity to study at such a historic and prestigious institution, and I believe that the intellectual environment at Cambridge would be the perfect place for me to grow and develop as a student.

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Successful Personal Statement For Cambridge Mathematics And Physics

Last Updated: 6th April 2022

Author: Rob Needleman

Table of Contents

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it. 

Today, we are looking through a Mathematics and Physics applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Cambridge University. The Mathematics and Physics Course at Cambridge offers the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects: everything from abstract logic to black holes.

Read on to see how this strong Personal Statement addresses both maths and physics to showcase a high level of their ability. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement:

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

INTERVIEW + REJECTED

Enrolling on our Oxbridge Maths comprehensive Programme will give you access to Personal Statement redrafts. 

Your tutor will give you actionable feedback with insider tips on how to improve and make your Personal Statement Oxbridge quality for the best chances of success.  

Mathematics And Physics Personal Statement

Since childhood, I’ve always loved complex puzzles, logical problems and challenges. Later on I discovered mathematics and physics which offered a lot of interesting problems and I enjoyed spending time on them. I loved the fact that real-life events, such as throwing a ball, could be described by a virtual language created by humans. However the most impressive fact for me was when I discovered that mathematicians and physicists can predict events just by solving equations. That’s is when I decided that maths and physics are what I want to do in life to contribute to the world.

Even though my passion in mathematics started very early, I have struggled to get to where I am now. When I got into Bratislava’s best gymnasium in mathematics I found myself at a position I had never been before. That was the first time I wasn’t the best in mathematics in our class, in fact I was one of the weaker students in this field. However over time I made my way to the top, but I still couldn’t surpass my classmates. When I got to the 5th grade, I realized why I didn’t succeed. That year we got a new mathematics teacher and she opened my eyes and showed me the beauty of maths. The most important thing that happened that year however was when I won the regional mathematics Olympiad and they invited me to KMS which is a camp for people interested in mathematics. There I realized that the school mathematics is just a fraction of the possibilities in this area. However the thing that I believe helped me in mathematics is that I started enjoying it. Rather than solving a Sudoku or crossword puzzle I was solving geometry problems. Since then I have won many prizes including bronze medals from the Middle European Mathematical Olympiad and the International Mathematical Olympiad.

Besides maths and physics I also love playing the piano and practicing Kung Fu. I have played the piano for 13 years and my personal favourites are Chopin’s Nocturnes. I may not be great at it, but playing the piano helps me relax and forget about my worries for a while. I practice Kung Fu mainly for health. My favourite style is Bagua. I learned that Kung Fu is not only a martial art, but a way of living. Besides Kung Fu and the piano, I also enjoy teaching kids interesting facts or problems in mathematics. During school, I teach a mathematics club and I want to teach the kids that mathematics isn’t just numbers.

Every summer I help organize a mathematics day camp for children. Mathematics may be the subject which I’m best at, but I don’t want to be ‘just a mathematician’ in the future. Since I was little, I’ve always wanted to do something great like solving global issues or inventing something useful, however I realize that it is very hard to achieve this with pure mathematics. People advised me to go study economics and financial mathematics so I could have a good job and earn money, but that is not what I want to achieve in life. My goal is to shape the world and make it a better place for future generations. This is the reason I want to study physics or engineering. I started doing physics two years ago and since then I participated and won some competitions including the Regional Physics Olympiad. To be better at physics I started reading Feynman’s lectures which helped me a lot, but also taught me that there is much to learn out there about the world. The reason why I want to study in the UK is because there are many opportunities compared to Slovakia. I have many friends who study there and heard from them that it’s an amazing experience. The most important fact, though, is that in the UK I can study and work with people who are ambitious. I know what I want to achieve in life, and even though I don’t yet know exactly how to get there or where ‘there’ will be, I believe that a UK university education will steer me in the right direction.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

Successful Personal Statement For Natural Science (Physical) At Cambridge

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Download our Free Personal Statement Starter Guide 

Good Points Of The Personal Statement

This is a very good statement. The statement is well-written and structured. The student describes their life experiences without making the statement sound like a list of achievements. This is achieved because the student explains every experience described, rather than listing their life experiences with no context. It is clear that the student has many talents and achievements, and these are stated in a humble manner that does not make it seem as though the student is bragging. It is clear that the student is aware of the significance of their decision to study outside of their native homeland and the challenges that this will bring. The student explains their reasons for applying to study a dual honours course and does not neglect either discipline.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

The student uses the word ‘gymnasium’ instead of school/college. Whilst this may be the term used in Slovakia, in the UK a ‘gymnasium’ is a place where people exercise and its use in this statement is somewhat confusing. The way in which the student writes about their personal experiences makes the statement sound somewhat like an autobiography.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

This is a very good statement. The student clearly has personality and a high level of ability. Strange terminology used can be excused due to the fact that the student’s first language is not English, and that the vast majority of the statement is very well-written.

This Personal Statement for Maths and Physics is a great example of how to showcase a high level of ability. The candidate’s interest and achievements are clearly shown which is vital to Admissions Tutors.

Remember, at Cambridge, these Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

You can find more successful personal statements and our expert guides on our Free Personal Statement Resources page.

Our expert tutors are on hand to help you craft the perfect Personal Statement for your Cambridge Mathematics and Physics application.

With our  Oxbridge Maths Premium Programme, we help you craft the perfect Personal   Statement , score highly on the STEP and teach you how to  Interview effectively .

Discover our  Oxbridge Maths Premium Programme  by clicking the button below to  enrol and triple your chances of success.

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Sample Math Personal Statement (Oxbridge)

by Talha Omer, MBA, M.Eng., Harvard & Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field | personal statements samples by university.

The following personal statement is written by an applicant who got accepted to top graduate programs in math. Variations of this personal statement got accepted at Oxford, and Cambridge university. Read this essay to get inspiration and understand what a top math school PS should look like.

Sample Math Personal Statement for Oxbridge

The challenges involved in problem-solving have always been vital to my passion for studying Mathematics. However, the first beauty of mathematics I observed was in my childhood when I first encountered Geometry.

It was a simple but exciting problem relating to circles; thus, I got myself attached to the subject. I have always been a bright student in Mathematics, and later on, I realized that Mathematics is my thing. Besides Mathematics, no other field grabs my attention. I have also won the National Calculus competition in my country.

Throughout my voyage, I have kept my studies limited to the curriculum. Still, I have also explored different things, which gave me significant exposure to what we have accomplished in Mathematics and what is left for us to do.

I eagerly want to contribute to the development of Mathematics. My current area of research is regarding simplicial complexes, which borrow ideas from Graph Theory and Combinatorics. I want to pursue my education by enrolling in the Math program at Oxford and eventually do Post Doctorate in Pure Mathematics. My area of interest lies in Algebraic Topology and Algebraic Geometry. I want to become a researcher and devote my life to the nourishment of Mathematics.

Aside from that, I am very fond of the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture, which motivated me to choose the abovementioned areas. I learned about this conjecture when searching for methods to determine the solutions of polynomials having two variables. After digging further into things relating to this conjecture, I was amazed and startled by the beautiful work of Bryan Birch, Peter-Swinnerton Dyer (pioneer of the conjecture), Louis Mordell, Gerd Faltings, Manjul Bhargava, and Victor Kolyvagin. Their astonishing and brilliant results grabbed my attention, and I got myself attached to the conjecture.

It is surprising that different branches of Mathematics, such as Number Theory, Topology, and Algebraic Geometry, are connected abstractly. In my leisure time, I’m continuously exploring what has been accomplished so far regarding this conjecture and developing the background of Mathematics that I would need to understand and work on the conjecture. I’m eagerly looking forward to meeting this challenge in life.

Accomplishing such dreams in my country is nearly impossible as we have limited resources and no exposure to modern tools of Mathematics. However, I am much inspired by Oxford University and find it an ideal place for me to pursue my further education. Oxford has a phenomenal reputation globally and has played a significant role in current research and development of Mathematics.

I am very fond of Professor XYZ and Professor XYZ, currently members of the senior faculty at Oxford. There are of research that coincides with my area of interest. Professor XYZ’s work on 3-Dimensional Topology and Differential Geometry is advanced. His lectures on youtube are very insightful and give an excellent understanding of the subject.

On the other hand, Professor XYZ’s expertise in the subject of L-functions would help me understand the BSD conjecture. Besides that, the atmosphere of Oxford is also very appealing as it focuses on the character-building of its students. There are several societies at Oxford for this purpose, one of which is the Oxford Invariants Society. Such activities keep the student attached to people outside their field and allow them to communicate knowledge between them. The exposure of a student is bound to increase in such an atmosphere. Unfortunately, the universities in my country lack such activities, and I dreamed of such an atmosphere. It would be an honor to educate myself in such an ideal institute under the supervision of the mentioned Professors.

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More Personalized Help

Don't know what to write in your personal statement? Ask a mentor for advice! Your mentor can share how they wrote a personal statement and tips and tricks to get admissions committees to like you. Mentors can also help you edit a draft of a personal statement.

Personal Statement

Unlike undergrad applications, the Statement of Purpose (SOP from here on) is meant to be more "professional" than "personal". The purpose of SOP is literally to state your purpose for joining a program: what kinds of math are you interested in? Do you have experiences (research, reading UROPs, classes) in the areas of math you are hoping to pursue? Why are you applying to this specific program, e.g. are there (tenured) professors doing active research in the things you are interested in? In other words, your goal is to convince the professors reading your SOP that the program is a good match for you in terms of your research interests, and to sneak in relevant experiences you have to prove that you can survive (and succeed in) the program.

While there is no "best" template for SOP, there are things that you definitely should avoid. For instance, it is not a good idea to try too hard to impress, especially by writing about mathematical ideas that you don't understand fully. The professors are agile at catching those. It is also generally not a good idea to state that you are only interested in working with one particular professor in the program, unless this is what you really intend to convey. That one professor might not be taking students and your interest might change, so it would make you seem a "riskier" candidate .

Mathematics

Author: charlotte rougier, applied in: winter 2015, university offers: oxford, imperial college, warwick, bath.

For me, Mathematics is all about creativity, exploration and discovery. That's what makes it exciting and challenging.

I was impressed by the lecture "Birth of a Theorem" given by the Fields Medal winner Cedric Villani at the Royal Institution last April because of his enthusiasm in research and his desire to make his work accessible. The most compelling aspect of his speech was his analogy between the study of Mathematics and adventure, with challenges, failures and successes. The lecture and subsequent readings triggered in me an interest in taking the initiative to explore areas beyond what has already been proven.

"Fermat's Last Theorem" by Simon Singh and the square root of -1, described in "17 equations that changed the world" by Ian Stewart, captivated me. The story of Fermat's equation, based on modular forms and elliptic curves, showed me that building bridges between mathematical concepts and between mathematicians from different eras is essential. I also particularly enjoy the idea of proof and discovered how both proof by contradiction and by induction were used to solve Fermat's equation. The square root of -1 intrigued me as I realised that enigmatic numbers could turn out to have unexpected properties. The fact that it can unite both numbers e and pi in a single elegant equation, Euler's equation, drew my attention. Whilst I was particularly looking forward to studying analysis at university, this also developed my interest in algebra.

Following this line of thought, I deliberately sought out opportunities to explore what researchers currently study. I was offered two one-week work experiences in two different laboratories of mathematical research at the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris last February and April. Among all the areas being covered by the first team, some questions really caught my interest. For example, how satellites transmit signals to GPS devices and how these devices know how far away we are from satellites. I also discovered intriguing properties of prime numbers, like Fermat's Little Theorem. This illustrates the gripping challenge of finding logical relationships between numbers, something I have always enjoyed. The second team focused on Statistics and I contributed to the analysis of linear regression with PhD students. Belonging to a team in such atmosphere of reflection and cooperation during those two weeks confirmed my early determination to study Mathematics.

In fact, my interest in this subject has, for many years, driven my academic choices. I have chosen the scientific section with additional Mathematics. I regularly take part in Mathematics competitions. For instance, I won a Silver medal in the Intermediate Maths Challenge in 2013. I have also followed the English AS and A Level Mathematics syllabus and FP1 outside school to practice this subject from a different perspective. In addition, following a recommendation by my teacher, I tutored a student in the year below in Mathematics over the last year and a half. His average grade increased by 50%. Tutoring leads me to carefully consider the best method to tackle problems logically and rigorously and improves my ability to transfer reasoning.

Outside school, I have been determined to push my limits. I grasped opportunities to demonstrate my competitive spirit, my leadership skills and my enthusiasm for new experiences. I was one of two girls in my school selected for an international football tournament in Johannesburg during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Last year, I captained my team during the International Youth Games, a four days sport competition. I have enjoyed playing tennis for twelve years and I am now ranked 7.2.

In summary, I am extremely motivated and determined to study Mathematics. It clearly fulfils my ambition to explore an intriguing field which presents limitless opportunities while keeping me challenged, captivated and exhilarated.

Please note UCAS will detect any form of plagiarism. PSE and its contributors do not take any responsibility for the way in which personal statements are used.

How to Apply to Math REUs

For undergraduates potentially interested in going to graduate school for math or just curious about math research in general, REUs are a great way to gain research experience. I attended two REUs in the past and had great experiences, so I’ve put together this page in hopes that it might be helpful to anyone who’s considering applying. A lot of inspiration for this page came from Alex Lang’s NSF GRFP page , which is an excellent resource if you are a junior and plan to apply for the NSF next year!

What is an REU?

Outline of application process and components, factors to consider when applying, general tips, recommendation letters, personal/research statement, what to do after you’ve been accepted.

Disclaimer: Everything stated on this page is my personal opinion; it is not the opinion of any institution or REU program that I’m affiliated with. This advice is based on my own limited personal experience. Any suggestions for improvements are very welcome.

Link to my homepage

Links to other peoples’ REU application advice: Math REU Advice , Professor Courtney Gibbons , Rose-Hulman REU

An REU (research experience for undergraduates) is a summer program designed to introduce undergraduates to mathematical research. They typically run for about 6–8 weeks, and usually pair an undergraduate or a small group of undergraduates with a mentor (faculty member or postdoc or grad student) to work on a project. REUs are a full-time commitment—a stipend is provided (usually restricted to US citizens or permanent residents), and most places will provide housing and/or meals. In addition to research, REUs will often organize social events and fun excursions.

There are several websites listing the REU programs running each year. Be aware that these lists may not be complete and the programs listed might not necessarily take place every year!

• Math REU Programs
• NSF REU Sites
• AMS List of Math REU Programs

Most REU application deadlines are in February , but it’s important to start early and not wait until the last minute. Winter break is a good time to work on applications, but most applications should be up by November and it never hurts to start thinking about them earlier. You should ask for recommendation letters early (at least a month before the deadline) and order transcripts in advance, as it may take a while to process them.

• Personal information and CV: not all programs require a CV but it’s generally useful to have, especially if you’re applying to grad school
• Transcript (usually unofficial ones are ok): some programs also ask for a separate list of math classes you’ve taken (with grades and textbooks listed)
• Personal/research statement
• 1–3 letters of recommendation (usually 2): in my opinion this is the most important part of your application

Read the project descriptions carefully to see what kind of math is involved. Looking at projects from previous years is helpful, and it’s also useful to look into what kind of research the project leader does, as the REU project they supervise is often related to their own research. It’s important to be open-minded— don't limit yourself to topics and areas that fit your current interests . There is a huge amount of interesting math out there, and an REU provides a great opportunity to learn new things.

The mentor’s style is also an important factor to consider. Do you want someone more hands-on or do you want to be more independent? How often do you want to meet your mentor and the rest of your research group? Do you want a one-on-one experience or do you want to be in a larger group? Do you care if you’ll mostly be working with a grad student or with a professor?

• Some programs focus on an immersive learning experience, where you pick one topic and study it in depth. The level of the material and the extent to which you learn about it are both greater than what is covered during the ordinary school year.
• Some programs focus on original math research, which otherwise students typically don’t experience until after the first few years graduate school (unless you do a senior thesis or some other project). The REU mentor will often provide a lot of guidance, and it may be useful to see what research is like before applying to grad school.

There is no “better” type of program—it all depends on what you want. The two descriptions listed above are very broad generalizations that do not exhaustively describe all programs. If possible, look at the work that people from previous years have done—sometimes this is posted on the REU website, and sometimes past participants will post their work on the arXiv , which you can find by searching for their names.

Make sure you’re eligible before you apply! Many REUs will not accept international students due to funding restrictions, and some will take international students but ask them to find their own funding (for example through their home institution). It might still be worth applying since some programs do have the funding to admit some students who are not permanent US residents—just be honest about your status and see whether or not they are flexible.

It’s important that you meet the requirements for background knowledge. Some programs do not require any background, some explicitly state that they require a linear algebra and proof-based class, and some specifically target students who have not taken any upper-level math. Some programs have minimum GPA requirements. Some programs are only open to students enrolled at the home institution.

As you’ll be living here for several weeks over the summer, location can be an important factor—what is the weather like in the summer? How close is it to your home and/or home institution? How are you going to get here, and is transportation covered by the program? Are you interested in attending graduate school here?

Make sure you don’t have any conflicts with the start and ends dates of the program. Some REUs are more flexible about this than others, and it doesn’t hurt to ask.

REUs have stipends that vary depending on the program. Some cover housing and/or food costs, and some provide support for transportation to/from the program. Some programs that are not NSF-funded are able to provide financial support to international students.

Don’t worry if you don’t know all the specifics at the time you’re applying though—your goals and priorities might change between the time you apply and the time you have to accept an offer (usually around early March).

The application process is free, so don’t limit yourself to just a few programs. At the same time, applying is time-consuming and a lot of work, and it’s a bad idea to just blindly submit the same application to a bunch of different programs. I would recommend picking 1–2 top choices (it’s ok if you aren’t 100% set on one specific program when you submit your applications!) and applying to no more than 10 total (all of which you are genuinely interested in and really do want to attend). Make sure you carefully follow the instructions for the programs that you apply to.

REUs are extremely competitive, with hundreds of students applying for a very limited number of spots. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get into one your first try! These programs are very competitive, and this is by no means a comment that you’re somehow not “good enough”—there’s often a lot of luck involved, and sometimes there might be something specific that the coordinators are looking for. If you don’t get into an REU, you can ask a faculty member at your home institution if they would be willing to oversee a summer project or reading course with you. Keep in mind that REUs are not necessary for going to grad school or for doing math research in the future, and there are many other fulfilling activities that you can do over the summer.

This is the most important component of your application (in my opinion). Most REUs require 1–2 letters of recommendation, and some will require a letter from a previous REU advisor if you’ve participated in an REU before. It’s very important that you find someone who can write you a detailed and enthusiastic letter, and it’s useful to show them your application before they write the letter so they know how you’re presenting yourself. It is better to have a glowing letter from a less senior person who knows you well than it is to have a lukewarm letter from a famous person who doesn’t know you.

It’s ok to ask for letters from postdocs, but I would avoid asking graduate students for letters. Don’t ask for letters from people whose classes you didn’t excel in—you want someone who can speak positively about your mathematical ability and potential to do research!

Some potential letter-writers could include:

• Someone who you have directly done research with already, e.g. previous REU mentors or a faculty member at your institution with whom you did a project during the school year. This doesn’t have to be limited to math, for example if you’ve worked in a lab before a letter from the PI would make sense. According to a professor I talked to before writing this, “People want to see the ability and drive of the applicant. In some sense, math knowledge is not as important as these things.”
• Instructor of a math class who you directly interacted with and who remembers you, e.g. a class where you asked a lot of questions or went to office hours, someone who oversaw an independent reading course
• Other faculty members who you know and have interacted with, if they have something concrete to say.

Please request your letters at least a month in advance of the deadline—your letter writers are busy people! Make sure you have your documents prepared in advance, since, to repeat Ravi Vakil’s advice, it is in your interest to make your busy letter writer's job as easy as possible . It is also helpful if your letters mention what you are like as a person, since teamwork and collaboration are important parts of an REU and so coordinators may be less likely to choose someone who does not work well with others. ( Thanks for Colin Defant for this tip! )

If your letters haven’t been submitted close to the application deadline, send a friendly and polite reminder—it is your responsibility to remind your letter writers of the deadline. Be sure to thank your letter writers afterward, and keep them updated.

Links to other peoples’ advice about recommendation letters: Professor Ravi Vakil , Professor A.J. de Jong

• Why do you like math? Be specific about why you find it interesting and how you became interested in it. Citing specific examples (e.g. a class or a theorem) is better than something generic and broad like “math is beautiful”; presumably everyone else applying for the REU thinks so too.
• Why do you want to do research this summer? Don’t write a generic statement that doesn’t mention any of the specific projects and why you are interested in those projects in particular. It’s tempting to reuse the same statement for different programs, but you should make sure your statement for each program that you apply to includes specifics and makes it clear that you really do want to attend that particular REU.
• Talk about your previous research experience (if any)—what did you get out of the experience, what was the problem studied, what results did you get, and how did you go about solving the problem?
• Talk about why you are interested in the specific project or area of research that the REU is about. Try to be specific rather than generic. ( Thanks for Colin Defant for this tip! )
• Mention any previous coursework and independent reading you’ve done that directly relates to the research project. Again, specifics are good.
• If you’ve had previous experiences where you’ve worked with others on a research team, it’s good to mention this teamwork. Most REUs have students working together in groups with one another, so it’s important for the organizers that you be able to work the other participants.
• What are your plans after graduation? How will this REU contribute to them?
• This (and potentially letters) is the place on your application where you can explain poor grades if needed, but don’t spend too much space on it.
• Ask another person to proofread it!
• Mattie Ji, UMich 2023 [statement of interest]
• Anonymous student, UMich 2022 [cover letter]
• Anonymous student, [University of Maryland 2021 personal statement] , [DIMACS 2021 personal statement] , [UCLA CAM 2021 personal statement] , [UC Davis 2021 personal statement]
• Kenneth DeMason, UChicago 2019 [statement of interest]
• Ryan Alweiss, Duluth 2016 [personal statement]
• Sarah Fleming, Emory REU 2016 [cover letter] [research statement]
• Daniel Vitek, SMALL 2013 (knot theory) [academic summary] [personal statement] [research statement]

If you have a personal statement that you are willing to share and would like for it to be posted to help other future REU applicants, please email me at lenaji [at] umich [dot] edu. (These essays can also be anonymized and have identifying information removed.)

Many programs have agreed to the Common Reply Date agreement, which means that students accepted to these programs will not be required to accept or to decline an offer until a fixed date that’s the same for all REUs in the agreement (usually in early March). This means you have until this date to make a decision—it’s a bad idea to accept an offer and then back out later.

If you have questions about a program and you cannot find the answers on the website, it may be reasonable to email the program administrator about them, especially if you've been accepted to the REU. If you’re waiting to hear back from somewhere else before giving a program a response, let the program director know this! In some situations it’s also appropriate to ask for updates on the status of your application, for example if you have to respond to an offer from another program by a certain deadline. Also, don’t give up hope if you don’t hear back for a while—sometimes more offers will be sent out if the initial ones aren’t all accepted. On that note, if you’ve been admitted to an REU that you are certain you will not attend, you should decline it as soon as possible so that they can admit other applicants.

If you’re having difficulty deciding where to go, don’t hesitate to talk to people who’ve participated in the past or attend the institution where the program is hosted. Emailing is a good way to get specific information too—some people might ignore your email, but others may be happy to reply and share their experiences or link you to the project that they worked on.

Good luck with your applications!!

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Personal statement example mathematics and economics personal statement.

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Mathematics and Economics Personal Statement

The combination of the holistic approach of Economics with the precise detail of Mathematics is exciting and would give me the skills to excel in the field that I am interested in: the financial sector. I was reading a BBC article about issues Scotland had with the public expenditure they received, which initiated my interest for understanding a broader range of economics. This brought my attention to the Barnett formula, which uses the accurate nature of Mathematics in Economic methodology and is a model used by the Treasury in the UK to distribute the amount of public spending that is allocated to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

A-level Further Mathematics has helped me develop skills such as critical thinking and creativity through attempting complex questions which often need considerate methodology. I have always tried to push myself when it comes to Maths and this has been shown through my participation in the UK Maths Challenge, attaining a gold certificate and the "Best in the Year" award. Studying Further Maths has introduced me to matrices and vectors, so having the opportunity to simultaneously manipulate the two when studying Linear Algebra at University would be quite captivating. I am intrigued by the way statistics at A-level can be used as a means of drawing conclusions from data and I would like to be able to extend these ideas and have the opportunity to analyse experiments and collate information that can genuinely be useful to society. A full understanding of Economics will allow me to engage with the current affairs and explain why certain economic phenomena occur by relating it to the economic performance of a country.

In order to gain a stronger understanding of macroeconomics beyond my studies, I applied for an extremely competitive week-long summer work experience programme with Lloyds Banking Group in 2017, providing me with a greater insight to their Group Corporate Treasury (GCT) sector - arguably the bank's most important team known for being the “bank to the bank”. I learnt that GCT manage the flow of cash between the deposits that divisions bring in, and the loans they lend out through four main functions: balance sheet management, funding and liquidity, capital and issuance. The most valuable skills I gained from the programme was through the trading game that I played. I had 6 assets and used the stock market to judge how much of my assets I should buy or sell and when would be the best time to make the trades. This gave me an idea of the level of risk-taking that is involved, not just in trading but also with how banks operate. Presenting to employees on what I had learned about the FTSE 100 was also a vital experience as it allowed me to work on relevant skills in relation to my aim of wanting to apply economic theory to real world scenarios. I was required to identify drivers of the index, both economic and fundamental, and answer technical Q&A raised by the audience.

I have developed a range of transferable skills through non-academic activities; by playing tennis outside of school at a county level, representing my age as well as the men's team and winning many club tournament competitions. My passion for tennis extends beyond playing, as I coach younger children aged 4-9 to develop their playing skills. I have captained my school cricket team on several occasions as well as doing my Higher Sports Leaders Award (Level 3), where I worked with younger students by getting them involved in a variety of sports. My communication skills have been further enhanced during my National Citizen Service (NCS) programme as I volunteered with the elderly at the Royal Chelsea Hospital, providing them with entertainment. This has enabled me to gain confidence in my communication skills through adapting them in different situations depending on my audience, which I believe is an important skill to have, not only at university but also in the world of work.

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Mathematics msc personal statement example.

A trace of interrogating issues since childhood resulted to the passion for mathematics. Since it create the environment to interrogate the rationale behind any mathematical axioms and hypothesis. The elementary algebra was so fascinating to the extent that one can appreciate the beauty of mathematics.

I have always been captivated by my mathematics studies and having a skill for the subject there was never any qualm that I would choose mathematics as one of my electives subject after my junior secondary school examination. Having been granted my request to study further mathematics in the senior secondary school was one of my ultimate joy. Sooner than later, I was faced with a system of learning where the prominence is placed on the student rather than the tutor.

This gave me the brink to get the best of materials on the subject. I chance on a book titled Additional Mathematics for West Africa authored by A. Godman. This book was my instructor and my commencement of the mathematics dream. Therefore, the only person from class to pursue mathematics for my undergraduate.

Since exiling Advance (A) level system of education in the main stream curriculum in Ghana, brought about wide gap between the first and second year studies of calculus II, vectors and geometry in the university and what we studied under west Africa examination council (WAEC) in the senior secondary school. Hence to survive in the mathematics department calls for extra hard work.

Being introduce to real and complex analysis, abstract algebra was heddle I needed to overcome. This resulted in repeating courses stated above the second time and I was dazed with the grades I made through hard work. That was my turning point in abstract algebra and real analysis. Besides, it gave me the acuity of feeling that made mathematics my topmost enthusiasm.

The interdependence relationship that was display between algebra and geometry leaves a lot to desire, where solutions to algebraic equations can be visualized through geometry and the reverse is true. Once this correspondence is established the results can be derived solely through techniques of algebra and thus the beauty of mathematics.

Again, being introduced to lebesque measure and Riemann integral by the Dr. Margaret McIntyre, increase my appetite for graduate studies in mathematics. The fascination of using higher algebraic objects to describe geometric spaces also shows amazement to the reader. My lack of thesis during my studies was as a result of the department lacking personnel to handle some of the topics leading to a major in mathematics which will require such project work or thesis.

My profound interest was also prompted by attending a series of seminars by graduate students in the department. They exhibit an in-depth knowledge of practical applications to real life problems and it solution. They also try to explain the rationale behind some software applications in use.

I was also involved in non-academic activities such as swimming and athletics, periodically I attend dance and music lesson for the fun it.

I took on one year mandatory service to the nation in teaching. I was posted to a senior secondary and technical school to teach further mathematics. Teaching is a passion that comes out naturally. Impacting the knowledge acquired in mathematics to the less privilege once is my joy.

Having acquired almost twelve (12) years working experience in the banking industry; has really exposed me to a whole lot of direct and indirect applications of mathematics in the daily activities of writing and analyzing credit papers. The applications of mathematics in financial modelling and other software drives the desire to further the studies of this subject to both graduate and post graduate levels.

Coming to terms with the profound interest in algebraic geometry and algebraic number theory makes me consider, pursuing graduate studies in Acadia University due to the wide range of research that the faculty under takes.

Algebraic number theory is one of the research areas that Professor Jeff Hooper specialized in and I hope he will nature that passion in me to the benefit of the mathematics society both home and abroad.

The MSc program in applied mathematics offers exciting opportunity for industrial experience to enable graduate student embark on the practicality of mathematical theories both in business and engineering.

Considering, the research areas currently boarding on by the faculty; will be an interesting time to gain admission into the master’s program to broaden my horizon in these areas especially - Tidal energy in the Bay of Fundy. - Game of cops and robbers.

I am greatly looking forward to the transition from active cooperate environment into academia for my graduate studies. I believe that the challenge of studying and developing my mathematics to a PhD level is commencing with Acadia University and is going to be one that I will deeply enjoy.

I hope the admission committee will find my application appropriate for admission into the graduate program.

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