Nearly Done

This is my nearly finished personal statement for UCAS. This is my favourite course at the moment.

I feel like I'm selling myself to education.

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I am applying to British universities to study Music & Audio Technology. I hope to make a career in the media, music or audio industries, and I want something broader than just training in sound engineering or music recording: I want to learn about topics from acoustics to programming. However, I also want to satisfy my personal interest, which derives from three complementary activities: music, computers and music technology.

Music has been a major part of my school career. I have been a member of the school chamber choir for four years, starting as a tenor and now as both a baritone and a bass. I have taken guitar lessons for the past five years; I took piano lessons for a year and a half to acquire keyboard skills, and was given free percussion lessons for three years by the school. I am taking music as a Leaving Certificate subject, with all the music technology options for the practical examination (I will be one of the first people in the school to take the backing track option).

My interest in computers is less formal but no less strong. I have built two PCs from scratch and upgraded others. I now own three PCs and an Apple MacBook Pro. I installed our home wireless network, with ADSL modem, wireless printer and network-available storage, and maintained some of our many home computers, and I have also done some basic html coding. My own computers run Garageband 3, Ableton Live Lite 4, and Sibelius 3, but I have dealt with many other programs such as Cubase, Logic and Ableton 5.

I first became involved in music technology by recording music and building songs from simple loops, then became interested in the technology that underpins recording and the manipulation of sound. I have fed this interest by reading about the technical and theoretical aspects of the equipment, and of sound in general. Work experience in Viva Music Studios taught me more about the practical aspects of recording, helping with recording demos and dealing with both the people and the equipment.

At school, I took ten subjects for the Junior Certificate and performed well across the entire range. I am taking eight subjects for the Leaving Certificate: three languages and three sciences (Maths, Applied Maths and Physics), plus History and Music.

While I am strong in the scientific and mathematical subjects, and have a personal commitment to music and music technology, I like to maintain a broad range of interests. I enjoy reading widely in politics and philosophy, especially David Hume's work. My interest in these areas also motivated me to gain a place on the summer International Relations course with the Centre for Talented Youth Ireland, and to take part in a number of peaceful anti-war protests.

My secondary education has been at boarding school, which has given me a large sense of independence and responsibility. That was recognised by the school's selecting me as a prefect, with a range of specific tasks and a general responsibility for the personal welfare of one of the junior years in the school.

I have in the past spent time helping to building a house with Habitat for Humanity, working at a homeless centre and cooking for disabled people. In 2007/08 I hope to do a gap year, working on a community project for six months, probably in Africa.

The Music & Audio Technology courses that interest me most are those with a firm theoretical basis that engages my mathematical ability, as well as practical components and a placement year. I have been to several open days in Britain and intend to visit more. I would be happy to attend an interview if asked, and look forward to facing the challenge of university life.

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So would you buy me?

Comments would be mucho appreciated