The path that has led me to become a pursuant to a graduate-level teaching program is a unique story of strength, courage, and resilience in the face of incredible adversity. August 8th, 1978 saw the Soviet invasion of my homeland of Afghanistan. As the 40th Soviet Army deployed itself, we prayed for normality to return, but the Soviet occupation steadily escalated to extreme levels, violence and seemingly random incarcerations, with no immediate end in sight. We held out as long as possible, but it quickly became clear that my family and I would have to flee. It was winter and our only means of escape was to go through narrow and treacherous mountain passes on horseback, carrying all that we could, but basically the clothes on our backs, leaving home, property and belongings all we had ever known behind. On one side, the Soviet mortar shells exploding in the all-too-near distance, and the other, oblivion. We managed to escape to Pakistan and spent one year in a refugee camp, eventually being allowed to emigrate to the United States, where I would begin middle school. Coming to America proved a challenge, as well. In middle school, I faced racism and discrimination at the hands of the ignorant. These, to me - their senseless words - were just background noise. I knew I was safe, and no longer had to worry which family member was going to become a political prisoner or be killed next. I come from a family of engineers and followed in their footsteps, earning my BS in Architectural Engineering. My passion had always been teaching, and during college I was fortunate enough to work as a Mathematics professor's assistant. Even though I went to engineering school and enjoyed, even excelled, in the field of engineering, aiding in the design and construction of highways, and airports, I always thought that I would be much more fulfilled if I became an educator. The missing link in my life was revealed to me when I took time away from my career when I was blessed with children. I began teaching at home with my daughter, pursuing Algebra I and II through the Georgia Virtual Academy, a two-year course of study. This experience exposed me to many classroom strategies and principles of teaching. Over the years, as my children went to school, I spent time volunteering at their schools, observing and participating in the classroom environment. Now that my youngest child has started Pre-K, I have the opportunity to return to a professional career, and achieve a lifetime dream, that of becoming a Mathematics teacher. With my strong background in engineering, stellar achievements in college-level advanced mathematics, and passion for teaching, I have the requisite attributes to become an excellent educator of mathematics. Every student should receive the best education possible, and I am committing myself to a lifelong career as an educator. My aspirations and drive will eventually lead me to pursue a doctoral degree, and a teaching position with a reputable institution, eventually leading and shaping the educational system of my community. I thank you for your time, consideration and look forward to a personal interview.

Your program is my first choice for graduate school because of its excellence and the fact that I would not be so for away from my family in Michigan. I feel strongly that my BS Degree has adequately prepared me academically for the rigors of your program, especially since I have spent much of my free time reading a broad range of literature related to medical professions and especially the role of the Physician Assistant. As a woman with parents from the Middle East, I look forward to contributing to the ethnic diversity of your program. Especially interested in doing research in the areas of health care and diseases that are related to insufficient, inadequate, or unbalanced nutrition, I hope to contribute to the literature in the future by pursuing a special interest in providing service to the medically underserved. I see my ideal job as working in an Emergency Room hospital, and I am also open to utilizing my skills at some point in the future, on an international level as someone who is completely fluent in Arabic, both written and spoken. I have been to Syria, for example, and was most impressed by the desperate need for medical care in the land of my family origin. I have prepared myself professional by working as a volunteer at homeless shelters and with food drives, as a Patient Representative in ER, and a Nutrition Manager and patient educator. While some applicants undoubtedly have a higher cumulative GPA than my own, I had to work throughout college in order to support myself, as well as caring for five young nieces and nephews who had lost their mother. In a world at war I am also becoming increasingly convinced that my capacity as a medical professional who is fluent in Arabic might prove to be of special benefit to the victims of political violence, in ways that I am not yet able to foresee. I am searching for the courage to reach out in this area and look forward to the guidance and insights that I would receive in your program.

I grew up with a camera in my hand walking around family parties asking the ones I love the silliest of questions. My dream has always been to be a journalist, but not just any journalist; like the military, I want to be all that I can be. Although my academic record is not as strong as that of some other applicants to your program, I am very strong willed, focused, self-assured, organized, curious, and have an unwavering dedication to the principles of ethics and honesty that journalism was founded on and I still see light as the foundation of photography. The greatest contribution that I might be able to make to society would be to probe tirelessly to expose unsavory truths about the world we live in; in turn inspiring others to thirst for truth and accountability. By exploring the sheer variety of ways that people live their lives coupled with knowing that my work has indeed changed someone's life for the better; I am drawn to labor for fuller exposure of the harsh realities that have resulted from globalization. And I hope to encourage others become more involved as active citizen participants in global society. I have had the blessing of traveling frequently, living in Granada, Spain for six months while finishing my Spanish major as well as for three months in London, England. I have also traveled to Ireland, Whales, Scotland, Poland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Netherlands, Italy, Greece, France, Portugal, Africa, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Argentina. Completely fluent in Spanish, conversational in Portuguese and French, I can also read and write poetry as well as prose in all of them. And in addition to speaking Polish with my family, I also know basic Italian. I see this as the strongest aspect of my application, the versatility of languages in which I operate comfortably, and the diversity of my life experiences, as important tools for the journalist who wishes to feed on jetlag and the daily challenge of investigation in increasingly multi-cultural and multilingual environments. My cosmopolitan approach to journalism helps me to maintain a clear sighted sense of objectivity, with objectivity as the light at the end of the tunnel of diversity. Soon to be finishing my degree in writing and the Spanish language, I want to press on right away to prepare myself to work: do journalism; hit the ground running. XXX University School of Journalism is my obvious first choice because of its special development in the area of Broadcast Journalism and its focus on hands-on experience, perfecting skills in ethics and the arts, becoming confident, well-rounded journalists. My ultimate goal is to be a traveling documentary journalist, and do it for the rest of my life. I am especially interested in doing graduate work in the area of news and documentary or simply broadcast journalism. My dream is to travel the world and report on stories that people are either too afraid to tell or don't think have much importance, since there is nothing more important than being a global citizen that is fully aware of the interconnectedness of the world's citizens, using the advantages of globalization to expose its darker side, the faces of those left out of the progress. My short term goal is to begin working in a television related journalistic capacity that will challenge me while allowing me to grow and continue refining my skills as a journalist. I have also greatly profited professionally from the internship that I completed while studying abroad in Spain for the University of XXX's school newspaper, helping with editing and taking photographs for stories. I also volunteer for my college's school newspaper editing, writing articles, taking photographs, etc. My sheer drive is my greatest asset.

My experiences as a teacher in Africa have been the single-most influential part of my professional development. Still only 25, I have already spent many years cultivating a professional demeanor and excellent communications skills. While an undergraduate student, for example, I spent two years as a Resident Hall Advisor, enforcing school policies and resolving conflicts, laboring to maintain a healthy learning environment for 30 residents and also planning and organizing community events. With the Peace Corps in Mozambique, I taught Biology in Portuguese to approximately 1100 secondary education students for over three years and was selected to serve as the Chair of the Biology Department. Collaborating with colleagues from the departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, as well as from the Ministry of XXX and XXX, one of my greatest achievements was showing them how to set up, organize, and maintain an Information Technology Laboratory, providing instruction in numerous aspects of information management, from basic computing skills to digital spreadsheets for recording and calculating student grades. In keeping with my feminist consciousness, I also established a youth theater group that focused on male responsibility with respect to the HIV epidemic, helping students to think critically about gender roles and practicing safe sex. For my final year in the Peace Corp, I worked as a liaison between PC volunteers and staff, practicing mediation and facilitating relationships between our organization and Mozambican staff and volunteers. Most of my work was with helping PC volunteers in project planning and implementation and designing future training events, workshops, and conferences devoted to pre-service training, training of trainers, organization of regional meetings, in-service trainings, and project design training. I also coordinated training of the members of PC Mozambique's Peer Support Network with PC XXX's Office of Special Services. I look forward to focusing my graduate work on African educational systems in particular the promotion of education for women and girls and ways to reform curriculums to incorporate more critical and creative thinking that will lead to more positive and responsible life skills; as opposed to simple short term retention of information needed to pass national examinations. I look forward to a lifetime of learning and education devoted to the promotion of progressive educational initiatives in Africa, working with such organizations as the Peace Corps, the XXX Care International or Save the Children, doing grassroots work in education. I think that your department should accept me because of my grit and determination. Brought up in a lower-middle-class family, my parents were unable to help me pay for school or my expenses overseas. I have had a job since I was 14, yet still graduated at the top of my high school class and Magna Cum Laude in college. Last year, my sojourn with the Peace Corps ended abruptly when I was terribly injured in a car wreck: fractured vertebra, cracked ribs, and all of the bones in my face broken. I spent a month in the hospital in South Africa before getting approval to leave and finish my recovery in the US. Since returning, I have had 3 more surgeries, still blind in my right eye, I have spent countless hours in rehabilitation. I refuse, however, to allow this to deter me from following my dreams. I am more motivated than ever to acquire the skills that I need to continue to work on behalf of my beloved African people, both they and my accident have profoundly inspired me. Assisting in the education of Africa is the greatest contribution that I can make to society and the world. I have witnessed the power of education in the lives of both young and old. I have seen the pride in a parent's eyes when their son passes the 10th grade exam on his first attempt and I have heard the joy in a teenager's voice when she helped her own mother study for that same exam. My dreams are to put forward initiatives that encourage the education of women, that promote responsible decisions made by young men and show our youth that through education they can truly become capable of pursuing their own dreams. Even if they live in an oppressive society, through education they can find liberation; that freedom will reveal itself through their heightened ability to communicate, to think clearly and creatively, and to have teachers that inspire them to dignity and to find the courage to persevere against long odds, making their dreams a reality as well.

Before we can discuss why I am pursuing a Community Counseling degree, we need to discuss where I have come from. I thought I was in love, that he was the one. I was 19 and, looking back, a child bride. For three years I knew something was horribly wrong. I tried to fix it, and yet we had two children. My husband's alcoholism and abuse were too much to bear. Hitting bottom was not enough. I'd hit bottom before, and there are no answers there. The only hope for our survival my children and I - was divorce. For years I struggled financially, emotionally and physically, managing my time between full-time work and education in an attempt to better our standard of living and be a role-model a good Mommy to my children. It was while I was working at Kent State, a place I have worked and been educated in over eight wonderful years. Supervising student workers, I felt drawn to them, asking how they were coping with school, being away from home, and how classes were going. And while working through my BA, it was these same people, and staff that encouraged me, were my support system. I even met my future husband, a man who has done so much to heal my oldest wounds, and loves my children as his own. It is my express desire to work in a capacity that will allow me to be a sounding board, a soft place to fall, for students that are having trouble with life's pressures, and the demands they feel they are under. While I have enjoyed and excelled in my work as a Paralegal and Administrative Assistant in academic settings, for many years now I have felt unfulfilled, and that I had much more to offer. I have seen time and again, clients that are facing legal issues solely because of unaddressed psychological and emotional difficulties. Through my own experiences of survival and recovery, I feel I have much to impart. While I was handling every aspect of administration, in a number of capacities, my heart had always wanted to be on the other side of the equation, working with the client through their most trying times, and not just facilitating an efficient office. Albeit, working in various professional positions, I have had the chance to work in a multidisciplinary team environment; experiences that I know will aid me in my future in Community Counseling. XXX State has been my sole selection for educational development for many years. The environment XXX State creates for learning is unparalleled, the professors elite, and the quality of the education unquestionable. I have had the unique opportunity to be a student and employee of the university, aiding it as it aids me. It is my hope to continue this relationship until its inevitable terminus when I proudly graduate, walking away, serving others in my community as I have been served. For me, my family, and my community: this is my goal. When I see a student in a hole they can't get out of, I will get in the hole with them. I'll be able to tell them not to worry, I've been here before, and I know the way out. Hunkered down, 21 years old and frightened of the man I thought I loved, the father of my children, I felt helpless. I will never be helpless to help again. Never.

Civil war, suffering, death, and crippling poverty are things most Americans, and thankfully so, will never experience. Before I was 24, I had experienced all four, fleeing everything I had ever known as a civil war tore apart my homeland of Somalia. Living in refugee camps, I finally gained passage to Pakistan, where I finished my high school education. People do not often think about how refugees have hopes and dreams over and above survival and peace. While I pray for peace in Somalia, my parent's sacrifices to help me reach my dreams will never be in vain. Coming to America in 2000, and the University XXX, I have begun building my future, every day, one step closer to my dreams. I do not believe that my undergraduate GPA reflects the seriousness with which I approached my academics. While conducting my Civil Engineering undergraduate degree with UM, I had to work full-time to support my entire family in Somalia who depended upon my financial support to make ends meet. Simultaneously, I was going to school full-time, doing my utmost to bring my dreams of becoming a civil engineer to fruition. A solid academic foundation and research opportunities in Transport Engineering combined with my practical experience with the Minnesota DOT will allow me to make valuable contributions to cities, states and even at national levels, in highway engineering capacities, facilitating the movement of goods and people. For me, there is no greater contribution that I could make to society's future, my knowledge and experience expanding the prosperity of communities. Indeed, my time with the Minnesota DOT has proven my ability to work autonomously or as a team leader. As a graduate engineer for the agency, I realized how much I enjoyed the working environment, and producing engineering designs. I felt most productive while working with my teammates, though, giving presentations on the development and progress of our projects, and solving problems. University XXX has been my sole choice for academic development since coming to America eight years ago. It is my hope that I may continue my academic relationship with UM, up to the Ph.D. level. I have always been truly impressed with the school, am thoroughly satisfied and comfortable with the school, the amazing faculty and dynamic student body that has made me feel welcome. I look forward to the opportunity to develop myself as a creative leader for civil engineering. There are many opportunities in the field of civil engineering and through a continued relationship with UM, I will be able to make that field larger. Your time and consideration is greatly appreciated and I eagerly await a personal interview.

I am extremely curious as to how the universe functions as a macroscopic system, within which are numerous microscopic systems. These fundamental paradigms have fascinated me for many years and, due to my inquisitive nature, are the predominate reasons for my enthusiasm for Physics. Their exploration and analysis intrigues me, and this is an area that I wish to pursue further. I believe that this is a well-respected academic discipline, which will provide excellent career prospects in a range of research fields and professions. The subject is particularly stimulating as it frequently allows mathematical theory to be applied to practical problems. I enjoy reading Physics-related books such as A Brief History of Time and endeavour to keep up with the latest advances and theories by reading scientific journals. To enhance my knowledge and ability, I am following extra-curricular studies in the areas of matrices, complex numbers and similar topics, as these were not covered in my Mathematics course. My interest in Physics grew tremendously at A-level when I began to see how different branches of the subject fit together. There is greater scope to use my initiative and more focus on the fundamental scientific principals. I have particularly enjoyed the quantum and mechanical physics, as these help me to understand how the world operates, and often requires mathematical manipulation to form equations about a theoretical concept. Academically, I obtained good GCSE results and at AS level I was awarded four As in my principal subjects. In 2002, I received my school Mathematics Shield and last year was presented with both the Science Prize and Student of the Year Award. Recently I attended a Science Summer School focusing on Physics and Mathematics at both A-level, and degree standard. This experience has also enhanced my communication and interpersonal skills. Through my experience in retail in 2001, I learnt the importance of teamwork and how sections of large corporations operate. In February, I attended a Career Insight programme concentrating on university life and the application of science and engineering in industry. I contribute to my school on a voluntary basis, to provide assistance in the Science department. This entails assisting the lower years with their Science by devising worksheets and helping them to learn, which I find most rewarding. It has also enhanced my leadership and time-management skills. In my spare time I enjoy playing tennis, fell-walking and swimming. In recent years I have played the violin, achieving Grade 1 standard, and, as a member of the school orchestra I have performed in a number of school concerts. Presently I am participating in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. I believe that I am well suited to the demands of a Physics degree, as I am a dedicated and well-organized student, with a passion and enthusiasm for the Physical Sciences. Additionally, I look forward to the opportunity to learn more about the universe and to find out how everything connects together, as well as the chance to meet new and interesting people.

To me the application of physics is what makes physics useful and interesting. I find studying physics at A-Levels interesting and challenging, in particular the areas of theory and experimental work. I now hope to exploit my talent and interest by pursuing a career as a pilot. I have been fascinated by the complexity of aviation and the uses it has provided for people in their lives. Having travelled by aeroplanes my interest in aircraft grew with time. I understand that the road to becoming a qualified pilot is an extremely difficult one. However I am no stranger to hard work as I am working towards completing two very demanding A-levels. To gain financial stability in preparation for university I work part time in Marks Spencer. I wanted a job that would teach me a variety of skills as well as being enjoyable. So I trained to become a supervisor. Becoming a supervisor has taught me how to handle great responsibility, to cope with immense stress and to deal with the general public. This requires me to have excellent time keeping skills, attention to detail and be able to communicate effectively both orally and on paper. The job has also improved my ability to work under pressure and given me the opportunity to be independent using my own initiative. I also enjoy playing computer games, particularly role-play and adventure games, as they incorporate strategic planning and problem solving. Flight Simulator and Raptor F22 are two of my favourites of this genre. For recreational purposes, I play cricket to keep fit and healthy. This also enhances my ability to think competitively and strategically. Good communication, on and off the field is also essential. I have a very keen interest in current affairs, I like to be kept well informed of national and international social and political issues. I also share a passion for debating topics with my friends, which bring out conflicting opinions, allowing me to express my views assertively yet tactfully. This is supported by a further interest in Islamic History in particular the life of Prophet Mohammed and the Islamic law (shariah) I am looking forward to the challenge of study at degree level and exploring the opportunities available to students.

Having grown up in a house where children have been ever-present I know the challenges that are faced when working with those who are of a primary school age. I have also have been able to develop a knowledge of the benefits of working with a group of bright, intuitive children who are beginning their careers in Education. As the son of a parent who has worked as both a childminder and a special needs assistant in a Primary School I have been able to experience firsthand the joys of working with young people who have an incredible thirst for knowledge and who are willing to develop their potential to the maximum. Applying for a Primary Education course would allow me to progress into the field of Education and help children of a Primary age progress to the best of their ability and develop into well rounded, good people. It has been reported that there are significantly fewer men within the field of Primary Education and I hope that by applying to study Education and go on to teach at this level I will provide a good male role model for the next generation. Through my mother I have been able to experience the world of Primary Education and have had the opportunity to teach ICT on an individual basis to members of a Year 2 class. From this experience it was obvious that each member of the class was individual with regards to their learning styles and their personalities. This experience reinforced my opinion of Primary Teaching as a career in which it is possible to meet many interesting and individual characters that have brilliant imaginations, unlimited enthusiasm and many excellent ideas about the world around them. Throughout my time in school and in sixth form I have been able to participate in many experiences that have been incredibly beneficial to my development as both a person and as a student. One of the experiences I am most proud of is my involvement with our school's Peer Support Group (PSG). The PSG is a team of 5 students, each allocated to a form of Year 7s to help them with issues that they face throughout the year. We help many students throughout the year and have helped deliver bulletins on issues such as Racism, Bullying and Homophobia within assemblies and form periods. As a result of this I have been chosen as one of two people from the Wirral to be invited to a National Cyber Bullying Conference and report back to the Wirral Healthy Schools Committee and delegates from schools across the county. As a result of my participation within the PSG I have also been chosen as a School Prefect, giving me extra duties such as patrolling and delivering speeches in assemblies. Both of these roles have allowed me to obtain skills that would be helpful to me in a teaching role. I have been heavily involved with the school choir since I have moved from Primary to Secondary Education. This has allowed me to develop a greater understanding of what is required to work together as a group in order to achieve a single goal. Throughout my time in the choir I have performed three times a year in school concerts and have attended three musical tours to Austria, Germany and France. During my GCSE years I trained with the School Hockey team and had the ability to participate in several games for the school, allowing me to work within a team on the sporting field. As part of my extracurricular activities I have also participated in the Young Enterprise scheme in order to further my knowledge of Business and have the opportunity to work within a close knit group. Through a majority vote I was elected as the Managing Director of our company and enjoyed leading our team throughout the year and learning leadership skills that could put me in good stead for a teaching role. I believe that the challenge of studying Primary Education at degree level would be an interesting and incredibly beneficial choice and would allow me to further my enjoyment of providing support and imparting knowledge to those who crave it most.

I have wanted to pursue a career in Primary Education for several years now. I also greatly enjoy my studies of English, having achieved A grades at AS level in both English Literature and English Language, which is why I wish to study this as a specialism. I have a love of children, and there are many reasons why a career in this field appeals to me. I enjoy interaction with children on their own level, gaining insight into their perceptions and how they see the world. The idea of playing an active role in helping them develop, greatly appeals to me. I gain huge satisfaction from being able to help them learn and discover new things about the world. I also believe that it is a great challenge trying to put across a new concept so that a group of children, who previously did not understand, now do. I want to enable children to have fun at school and make the most of their primary school days, and not to find school boring or a waste of time. I also like the idea of having personal responsibility over a group of children, seeing them through a year, and witnessing them improving. I have had many varied experiences related to teaching, which have strengthened my desire to follow this career. I currently have a part-time job at Eureka! The Museum for Children, which I have held since February 2001. My job allows me to interact with many different children and adults, of varying ages, across a range of different backgrounds. A major part of my role involves enabling families and teachers to gain the most educational value from the exhibits, although my other day-to-day activities include teaching through role-play, managing and maintaining a classroom environment, and interacting with Foundation Stage children and their parents in the pre-school classroom. My work at Eureka! has taught me many things, most notably patience and the ability to keep calm. I assist at badgers, the junior section of St John Ambulance. I have joint responsibility for a badger set, in which I have to keep the children entertained, help them follow a set course, and maintain discipline. I enjoy this because it involves the same children every week, giving me the opportunity to get to know them, watch them develop, and earn their respect. I am also an adult member of St John Ambulance, and I am aiming to gain my First Aid at Work qualification. At school I am a prefect to a form of Year 7 children. I have joint responsibility for taking care of them in place of their form teacher, on a weekly basis. In July and August 2002, I assisted at a two-week remedial summer school at ****** Rd Primary. I gained a lot from this, witnessing literacy and ICT with Year 5 pupils, and supervising on out-of-school trips. This, alongside my work experience in St ******'s RC Primary in October 2000, has given me a good insight into the practical running of a school. In September 2002 I was in a team that came second nationally in the STEM website awards. I had to create an educational resource; my responsibility was the section for the Primary age phase. I found this useful as it made me look at things from the point of view of a teacher, creating teaching resources and activities I felt would be useful, and creating information pages that were easily accessible and understandable for KS1 and KS2 children. I also tried to link it as much as possible to National Curriculum ideas. I am currently a very active member of the school charity committee and have assisted in the organisation and implementation of many charity events. I feel that my experience and enthusiasm for Primary teaching would make this a fulfilling and rewarding career.

My choice of career was initially difficult. My interests are widely varied, covering everything from biology to philosophy and from art to technology. I have come to see engineering as a discipline that can satisfy and further develop my interests. I have enjoyed studying Maths and Physics at A-Level, and this has helped me to refine my problem-solving skills as well as increasing my theoretical knowledge. I am especially interested how maths reveals parallels between separate branches of physics. My studies, and my wide experience of engineering from a work perspective has shown me that my career choice is correct. Over Christmas 2003, I worked in a cycle shop, dealing with assembly, maintenance and repair. This first taste of engineering as work rather than a hobby whetted my appetite for more. Every weekend since November 2003, I have worked in the warehouse at a Comet store, where one of my responsibilities is to deal with returned products. Working with faulty electrical goods has shown me first-hand what opportunities for improvement exist across the field. After finishing GCSEs, I participated in a 12-week training placement at Chromogenex, a local medical engineering firm. The experience was fascinating, and I accepted an offer of employment with the company until I started college, and have been asked to return whenever I am available in the future. My work at Chromogenex was varied, including production and service, and I was given significant quality control duties. One of my most interesting responsibilities was to write the Work Instructions and Procedures, which production and service engineers will refer to as guidance to ensure that all products are of the highest standard. In October 2006, I took a week's work placement at a Rhos Designs, a design engineering firm whose main client is 3M. I enjoyed the CAD work, and the chance to take part in real projects, which will soon be put to use at 3M's various sites across Britain. I also like to use CAD for projects of my own, which recently included drawing up a design for a competition in which I participated. The competition involved planning and designing a home-made potato launcher to a deadline and a tight budget. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and am already working on my next design! During 2005, I was part of a four-person team working on a project on the EESW scheme run by the Royal Academy of Engineering. The project was an exciting task set by Corus at Trostre Tinplate Works. We were asked to design and build a solution to the problem of split edges in the cold rolling line. Our solution was effective and economical, and if adopted by Corus, could save the company thousands of pounds per hour, as the line would no longer need to be stopped in order to carry out emergency repairs. We designed and built a prototype solution, and a mock-up of Trostre's SCADA system to demonstrate the solution's potential. Our project received a prize for 'Most effective use of IT' at the Welsh National Convention of Excellence in Engineering. Before starting my degree course, I intend to enrol on the YinI scheme, which should give me an in-depth experience of engineering work, and help ground my subsequent studies. In my spare time, I enjoy computing, and am fluent with several operating systems and specific software packages. I have attended part-time courses in programming, graphics, CAD and Programmable Controllers for my own interest. Another important interest for me is linguistics, and I intend to continue my study of French to the highest level as well as beginning to learn other languages alongside engineering. For me, studying at this university would be as much about the experience as the qualification. I believe that engineering is a discipline that will offer me a chance to make a tangible difference in the world, and I am certain I will enjoy the opportunity to fully reach this potential.

I enjoyed Maths and Physics at Secondary School and this lead me to study them both at A-Level. I love reading books about them particularly those on theoretical Physics. I have always enjoyed finding out what makes the universe work and studying Physics would allow me to find out more. A course in theoretical Physics would also allow me to explore and use Maths in a greater detail. My main area of reading has been in 'fashionable' Physics such as Wormholes, Black Holes and Super String Theory, all of which I find fascinating. I have also been following the current debate between Steven Hawkins and Peter Higgs about what gives matter its mass and the existence of the Higgs Boson. When I first started Maths at A-Level, I was doing single Maths. I have now realised that I will need more Maths to really understand more advanced Physics ideas and, because I like Maths for its own sake, I have taken up extra lessons. This will improve my understanding of calculus, complex numbers and other relevant areas. I have extended my computing studies at college into other areas such as programming in C++, Visual Basic, Delphi and developing 3D Models/2D Drawings using CAD software. Out of College, I have been part of an amateur dramatics society for many years and have played 'the fool' in Pantomimes such as Pinocchio in which I played half a double act of fairies! I play guitar and have publicly performed with friends on many occasions playing music from Hymns to Punk. I go touring on my bike as often as I can and I have extended this interest into a part time job in a cycle shop. I joined the scouts when I was six years old moving through the ranks until I became a senior patrol leader. Scouting has given me the opportunity to enjoy many activities such as orienteering, camping, back woods cooking and abseiling. My interest in water sports was also encouraged in the scouts as we often went kayaking and canoeing. I completed my Chief Scout Award at the age of fifteen which involved completing tasks from organising camps and troop nights to completing obstacle courses and building bridges. I hope that my love for Physics is obvious and I genuinely believe that I would enjoy and develop from a degree course in theoretical Physics and am determined to make the most of all the opportunities that university offers.