Mechanical Engineering Personal Statement

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Growing up, there was one focus that utterly fascinated my young self; automobiles. As a child, it was the more simplistic features of these engineering phenomena, such as exterior design, sheer speed and the roar of the engine that enchanted me so greatly. As much as those factors to this day still captivate me, as I became older and more mature, my knowledge of this subject area enhanced significantly. Ultimately, understanding how all of these elements cooperate in harmony, as one body, is what I find most intriguing. After much extended research, my admiration for the engineering innovator, Karl Benz, has been truly established. Commonly regarded as the originator of the first automobile powered by an internal combustion engine, his contributions to the vast domain that is engineering are simply colossal. One creation of his that captivated my mind tremendously was the ‘Blitzen Benz’; a vehicle fabricated solely for the purpose of speed. Assembled in 1909, this automobile boasted a 21.5L engine that produced 200 horsepower. At a time when the iconic Ford Model T was only generating around 22 horsepower, the pure muscle and craftsmanship that had been put into the Blitzen was enough to achieve a record breaking land speed of 141.94 mph; “faster than any plane, train, or automobile” at the time. In summary, I genuinely believe there is enormous room for change in current engineering. The immense amount of finite resources that are being consumed on a daily basis is simply unacceptable. I have faith that young engineers will be the pioneers of more efficient and ‘green’ technologies that may leave our planet in a more inhabitable state for generations to come. Ultimately, my aspiration is to become one these innovative engineers and I sincerely hope a degree from your University will be the supporting basis for this objective.

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

I have profoundly enjoyed studying mathematics and physics at A-level; my preferred topic in both subjects has been mechanics. However, in GCSE physics, the topic that I enjoyed most was hydraulics. Mathematics has allowed me to further enhance and practice my problem solving abilities whilst physics has enriched both my practical application and theoretical understanding, involving many crucial concepts to engineering. I hope a degree from your University will allow me to transfer key abilities from a place of study into, eventually, a place in industry.

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

Previously, having no access to motor vehicles, I compromised with contraptions such as bicycles and skateboards. Repairing these became a hobby and I was the person that my friends came to if they had an issue that required mending. Although these apparatuses are more straightforward in design than automobiles, hopefully, higher education will allow me to develop and progress, eventually resulting in a career within the field which I am so passionate about. I believe that my current accumulation of skills have been gained through my experience in the workplace. Currently, I am employed at The Commercial Hotel and Bar where I am confident that I have improved my ability to communicate with both team members and customers. Understandably, I am mindful that the finest engineers must possess a resilient skill-set, which should include the ability to thrive in both collaborative and solo tasks, flourish under pressure and blossom in positions requiring a leadership mentality. Hopefully, a place on this course will allow me to reinforce and augment my previously developed skills whilst allowing me to simultaneously acquire many more essentials abilities that will prove beneficial in later life.