Mathematics International Personal Statement Example

For much of my life, I considered maths to be dull; a basic set of rules that could be a convenience from time to time. As disinterested as I was, I was capable of succeeding in my classes, and suddenly, during a weekend of arduous, continuous maths homework, I found myself seeing every question as not a problem to be solved as if I were a computer, but a puzzle, in which a complex question would be slowly transformed into a simple, beautiful solution.

Suddenly delighted by problem solving, I began to delve deeper into every concept I learned of. For instance, after learning about Pascal's triangle and the binomial theorem, I decided to expand the concept to include all polynomials of any number of terms, and after plenty of testing and research, I noticed some patterns and began to understand what Pascal's triangle really meant in a conceptual sense. Maths used to be a science to me, but as I learn and understand more, it becomes an art as well. For the past 6 years, I have taken the highest-level mathematics class available to me. In both my precalculus and calculus classes,
I have had amazing teachers that have helped me see maths in a new light.

Currently, I am currently studying statistics, but because I enjoyed calculus so much, I am also taking a calculus-based independent study physics class, as it is the only other available class that involves calculus. I am attracted to the idea of studying mathematics because I want to open the spectrum of my mathematical knowledge beyond what I have long thought to be the limit. I want to live my life in constant pursuit of new knowledge, and I believe there is always something new to be learned about maths. More than anything else, however, I want to be able to ask and answer questions that extend mathematics to the realm of philosophy.

Ultimately, from my current perspective, I think my ideal future would be one that would allow me to explore and expand the world of mathematics, in which I could think about a problem for days or even weeks without interruption. Of course, I don't think everything will work perfectly for me, and even if it did, I don't know if I will want to live that lifestyle five years from now. I do know that I truly enjoy maths in a way I enjoy no other subject, and doing it for the rest of my life would be a pleasure.

Beyond maths, I am also very interested in social studies, specifically the history of various social movements and their impacts. Additionally, I have played the saxophone for more than six years, and have participated in my school's marching band for four years. I'd like to think that if maths is an artistic side of science, music is a scientific side of art. On my free time, I have learned to program a little bit of Python, but I have also extensively programmed my graphing calculator, in both TI-83 Basic and TI-68k Basic, which has given me another perspective on the beauty of mathematics.

As a student from the United States, studying in the United Kingdom would provide numerous opportunities for me to gain a better understanding of the world I have often wondered of while staring at maps. I feel that if going to university is an opportunity to study anywhere in the world, it would be a tragic waste of such an opportunity to study near my familiar home, even though there are some wonderful universities available here. Additionally, as far as I am aware, the UK education system for university is far more suited to the way I learn, with more focus on the subject of my degree rather than other subjects I am less passionate
about.

I am very excited for the possibility of a major transition in my life, and I look forward to living in a new country, studying a subject I enjoy, and creating a life for myself at
university. Thank you for considering me.