1. Aamna Shah personal statement
The continual transition between languages from a young age has made me a
confident speaker in languages such as Urdu, Hindi and English. In particular I have
found the German language compelling as a subject because of my interest in
studying its syntax. Its complex structures and cases fascinate me and as I learn
one grammatical structure it reinforces my enthusiasm to learn another.
My love for the German language has developed in many ways. Discovering that
the extensive work of the Grimm Brothers has had a profound influence on the
writing of fairy tales,has served to increase my appreciation for German language
and literature. At university I look forward to studying and analysing German
literature in greater depth.
I also look forward to spending the third year of the degree abroad in Germany. I
have already spent time visiting Berlin in the summer holidays to prepare me for
the course in the subject and to acclimatise myself to forthcoming
challenges.During my visit I was always excited to learn more about German
culture and it has also increased my vocabulary; I have produced a vocabulary list
of all the new words I encountered. Experiencing the language first-hand and
communicating with people in German has improved my German greatly.
I have attended taster courses which have given me insight into what German
courses entail and require, for example research and oral examination skills, both
of which I have developed throughout my German AS course. I had an intensive
oral exam for which I had to do research into topics such as smoking in Germany.
Also, through my English Literature AS course, I have gained time management and
essay writing skills and through AS Psychology I have been able to improve my
analytical skills for example by analysing different approaches to psychopathology.
In addition, this summer I participated in The Sutton Trust Summer School in which
I had the opportunity of experiencing German at degree level for one week. Being
taught by university lecturers and discussing the course with undergraduates has
increased my excitement about doing German at university.Moreover, summer
school has been vital in my appreciation of what a course in such a subject will
entail. It has also given me a taste of what university life is like and I can
confidently say that I am prepared to conquer the challenges of living
independently and studying a subject that I am truly passionate about.
Outside of studying I have a passion for writing poetry. I have had two poems
published in the Poetry Rivals Anthology 2012 and 2013. I have also helped lower
school pupils with their reading skills by being a paired reader with them.
Furthermore, last summer I participated in a government led scheme called “The
Challenge” which is an intensive three-week programme consisting of physical and
team challenges. Through this I was able to appreciate core values that lead to
efficiency when working independently as well as with others, such as teamwork,

2. Aamna Shah personal statement
leadership and communication skills. During this experience I was tasked with
leading my team whilst hiking in Surrey, and together we worked as a team to
build tents, to kayak and rock climb.My dedication to independent learning is also
illustrated by my intention tomemorise the Islamic holy book, the Qur'an, and
learn the Arabic language in my gap year.
I believe that I am fully equipped with the necessary skills and mind-set required
for continuing German at degree level. I am a diligent and hardworking student
and I look forward to overcoming the challenges that university life will present.