Computer Science Personal Statement

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

I wish to study Computer Science as it will allow me to apply the skills I have learnt in my current studies into real life scenarios; giving me the ability to hopefully create systems that people will use in their everyday lives. The world of computing is constantly evolving from the creation of the top new Smartphone to the development of new multi-platform applications used worldwide. My interest in computing began in primary school through the medium of coding. Starting with languages we created in order to have secret coded conversations in class. Soon after this we attempted, and unsurprisingly failed, to learn and incorporate Morse code into classroom conversations. This interest advanced further when I became acquainted with the video game industry, realising that code provides the building blocks in order to create things. The book "Code", written by Charles Petzold, helped to solidify my understanding of the fundamentals of Computer Science, giving an insight into the evolution of programming. I found the transition between using switches to enter binary data into memory, to discussing high and low level languages over the space of just two chapters particularly interesting. This leap exemplified the speed and huge extent to which programming has advanced in recent years. Human-computer interaction is a subject that fascinates me. It creates a bond between Psychology, which I am studying at A-level, and Computing. Another aspect I find engaging is the progression of Human-Computer Interaction from people using no GUI at all to the growth and use of virtual reality more recently.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

History A-level has provided me with critical thinking skills that will be essential in tackling problems faced during my studies, and has also helped develop my writing skills. Producing an essay involves careful, sophisticated planning, analysis and synthesis. This will carry over into computer science as it involves solving difficult problems systematically, and effectively turning theory into reality. Studying Psychology, particularly in regards to producing psychological reports and conducting studies, has provided me with leadership and teamwork skills which will help me with group working in a Computer Science degree. Taking Computing at A-level has taught me the foundation of computing, as well as the principles of object-oriented programming and computational thinking. The subject has also given me the freedom to reinforce my programming skills through the teaching of VB.NET along with several sorting and searching algorithms.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

Outside of schoolwork I am an ardent gamer. Along with sparking my interest in programming, gaming also led me to building my first PC when I was 13. This advanced my knowledge in the hardware of computers after spending hours researching different components, while I saved the money to buy the parts. More recently, I built a 3D printer with my friend as part of a college project he took part in. This was a certain step up from putting together a computer and I hope to proceed with similar projects in the future. I am currently also in the process of creating a program in VB.NET related to my job as a coordinator for a motorcycle recovery company. The program involves the management of recovery jobs with SQL integration. SQL is used in order to store the data from customers, the job and staff at the company. This project has helped strengthen my programming capabilities, teaching me new skills as well as refining the basics. This project has also showed me the importance of perseverance when programming after having to restructure my entire database when running into, what seemed to be, a rather trivial problem. The feeling of overcoming these problems vastly outweighed the stress of finding them in the first place, further fuelling my desire to create more. I believe that studying Computer Science will allow me to develop the skills I will need to pursue a career in the computing industry.