This is a temporary place to edit a personal statement for JD's application to ic.ac.uk for a MSc in Advanced Computer Science. Please feel free to edit things as you feel neccessary. You may want to look at [http://www.davidpashley.com/resume.html my CV].

The Question says:

Supplementary Personal Statement - Describe your academic interests and reasons for applying. Include details of work experience you consider relevant to your proposed study, careers objectives and relevant non-academic achievements. Expand on a separate sheet if required.

The Notes also have this to say: Use this space to tell us why you are interested in the subject for which you have applied. Describe your academic interests and reasons for applying to Imperial College. Selectors place particular importance on the personal statement.

• PhD:

  • ooh that looks scary when written down

• Computers:

  • okay need to mention a few things here

  • Compilers, source code checking, clint
  • debian
  • general interest? tinkering? list programming etc.
  • many programming languages mentioned in CV
    • -done any fixing for local people? -degree? dissertation?
• jobs:
  • Cranfield - skills?
  • Leeds Uni Summer programming job, teaching lower years. shows good communication and an understanding of your subject.
  • PGL - skills? relevance???
• Parish council, law, music: juggling?
  • Skills: Parish council - skills?
    • Juggling, photography - skills? badminton, music - relevant? if so - variety? anything else?

[uh, 4.2 now? ] [hint from Uni personal statement: try and cut down on use of the word 'I' ?]

I have a keen interest in compilers and languages, in particular parsing and program analysis. I am particularly [repeat of particularly] interested in detecting security flaws and common programming errors like buffer overflows and memory leaks. Many aspects of the M.Sc. at Imperial appeal to these interests especially the modules on Program Analysis and Advanced Issues in Object-Oriented Programming, along with complexity, finite automata and regular expressions. At Imperial, I would hope to build on work undertaken for my final year project, to learn new skills and consolidate my understanding of program analysis and compilers. The MSc might lead towards further academic study; I am currently considering a PhD on program analysis and static code checking. I would like to research techniques for developing automated tools for secure programming and producing more robust programs.

something somewhere about how the course will help me to a) regain my compsci knowledge after years working and skills and b) prepare me for dealing with researching

I undertook my BSc. at the University of Leeds, attracted by the theoretical nature of the course and the chance to develop my programming and mathematical skills. Amongst others I enjoyed the Functional Programming and Graphics modules. I was particularly successful at Compiler Design which I applied to my final year project, designing and implementing a static source code checker for C++. I implemented a naive scheme to check for problems using python to test the code. When this proved inadaquate I researched techniques for correctly parsing C++, which would form the basis for any further work on the subject. While at Leeds I helped to develop a replacement student database for the department. I also helped to teach C++ programming and discrete mathematics to the lower years.

Since graduating in 2001 my work as a systems administrator for a small computer consultancy has built on skills learnt during my undergraduate studies---programming and systems analysis have been particularly vital---and developed new skills. Close attention to deadlines has been important, as have communication skills when interacting closely with customers. [skills, skills, skills - look at all your skills!]

In my spare time I am usually involved in computer-related projects, including working for the Debian Linux distribution where I currently maintain the irssi IRC client and help with KDE packaging. The work requires patience and persistence, often taking extra time to attend to details or fix bugs. I have learnt to programming in a range of languages including C, C++, shell scripting, Perl and python and pick up new languages easily. I hvae used various different paradigms [not sure about that word] including procedural, OO, functional and declarative

Over the last year I have travelled to several technical conferences including FOSDEM in Brussels and Debconf in Oslo enabled me to meet up with like-minded people to exchange ideas and news. Membership of several local Linux user groups [continues this exchange on a regular basis (??)]. Presenting talks to these groups has been valuable public speaking experience.

I enjoy problem solving and the sense of achievement on completion, I show persistence in making something work and always put in the time and effort required to obtain the best possible results. I take great satisfaction and pride in a well designed piece of code or an elegant proof and [...] [perhaps this should go towards the end. It still sounds like a conclusion to me, but it's up to you!]

To balance my computer-related work, I keep fit [??? ;o)] through juggling and badminton, relax with music and films and take a lively interest in law and local government. I am a parish councillor, through which I've developed organizational and teamwork skills.

I will require funding.

Some suggestions (from GaneshSittampalam, randomly browsing the Wiki)

Try to emphasise your computer science interests, rather than your general computing interests. You want to give the impression of a serious interest in computer science backed up by your hacking skills, rather than a hacker with a passing interest in CS. Talking about having used computers since the age of 8 is rather cliched in this kind of thing, so you might want to consider leaving it out.

I would start with paragraphs 3 and 4 (about why you want to do the MSc and about the BSc, possibly introducing it with the last sentence of paragraph 2. You could say "compilers, in particular parsing technology" if "compilers and parsing" sounds wrong to you.

Talk more about your final-year project. It's the most relevant experience you have, particularly for the research aspects of the MSc (I assume it has a large project) and for a PhD.

When talking about the languages you know, emphasise that you can pick up new ones quickly (I'm assuming from the range that you can!). It's far more important than the specific ones that you do know.

Presumably something has told you to indicate your need for funding at the bottom. I'd have vaguely expected that to be a tick-box somewhere else in the application.