Personal Statement Consultations & Tutoring
My name is Daniel, and I am a London-based teacher with the experience and expertise to support you or your child as they assemble their university application this summer.
Whether your school has been able to provide close personal attention to your application during the lockdown or not, my consultation will ensure your statement is the best it can be, in good time for the application deadline.
My background
Qualified teacher (QTS and PGCE) at an academically selective independent secondary school in the London area.
I am on the Higher Education team at my school with responsibility for supporting university applicants, including Oxbridge applicants in particular. I am up-to-date on what Oxford and Cambridge expect from their applicants, as well as the changing HE picture nationally.
Oxford graduate (MMathPhil Mathematics & Philosophy at Merton College, pictured above), and was awarded an exhibition (scholarship) for results in Honour Moderations exams. While at university I was chair of the Debate Selection Committee of the Oxford Union, and edited the British Journal of Undergraduate Philosophy.
At school, I achieved the highest possible grade (45) in the International Baccalaureate, one of 96 internationally that year out of 48,522 students, with four subjects at Higher Level rather than the usual three. At GCSE I obtained ten A*s and one A grade.
Personal Statement Consultations
Suitable for anyone, whatever courses and universities you are applying to. I provide:
Detailed and constructive written feedback on your draft, based on your personal aims and situation.
A 30-minute meeting to discuss my feedback and make a plan for any improvements needed.
You send your draft to me 24 hours before our meeting, so no time is wasted watching me read it while you wait.
Many tutors advertise a personal statement service but their only experience is their own application. I am a teacher with experience supporting over one hundred UCAS university applications including many students who secured Oxbridge offers.
Frequently-asked questions (click to expand)
What sort of written feedback will I receive?
In general I will provide feedback on writing (proofreading for errors but also tone and style), what is and isn't important, common pitfalls or clichés and where you should add detail. I will also identify any missing areas you haven't addressed. If you are applying to a course that might interview you, I will highlight potential interview topics based on what you have written.
What happens in the meeting?
First, we will go through my written feedback to make sure you understand it, and discuss any questions you have. Where I have suggested you may want to change things, I will help guide you through how you might improve what's there, or come up with additional material. Where I have suggested you may want to remove things I will make sure you understand my reasoning. I will also leave a little time for any general questions you might have about your application process.
I am not applying to Oxbridge. Is a consultation still useful?
Absolutely. In fact, if you are applying to a course where you will not be interviewed then the personal statement is your only opportunity to make a personal impression.
I haven't yet decided the courses/universities I want to apply to.
Before the consultation I will ask you to let me know where you currently stand, which will inform the feedback I give. But there is no need to have finalised your decisions before a consultation.
I haven't finished my draft yet. Can I still get a consultation?
The standard consultation relies on having a draft to discuss, even if it is very rough. If you haven't got any idea where to begin, email me and we can arrange a meeting to help you get started instead.
Do you provide an editing/writing service?
No. I will never write anyone's personal statement, or any part of their personal statement, for them.
Mock/Practice Oxbridge interviews
Oxbridge interviews are best understood as mock tutorials/supervisions rather than being like a job interview. With preparation, you can ensure you enter the room confident that you know what the tutors are looking for. I provide:
Mock interviews, representative of the real thing, for any course involving a mathematical or philosophical component: Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Economics, Philosophy, PPE and more.
Practice interviews for all courses. These are still challenging, academically-focused and structured like the real thing, but I do not claim to be able to probe as deeply in subjects where I am not an expert.
All interview sessions involve a 30-minute interview (the standard length for real interviews) followed by 10 minutes of feedback and target-setting so that you can prepare with clear goals in mind.
Beware of tutoring firms who will give you a generic job-style interview and claim it as Oxbridge preparation, or whose knowledge of Oxbridge interviews is decades out of date! My interviews are based on feedback from my students each year in order to best prepare you for the experience.
(Note: This year it seems probable that Oxford and Cambridge will hold their interviews via videoconferencing, but there has been no indication that the general style or goal will be different to physical interviews.)
Mathematics tutoring
Many students' learning has suffered during the lockdown; tutoring may be the most efficient way to prepare for a return in September without the fear of spending next year playing catch-up. I have experience teaching Mathematics and Further Mathematics at GCSE, A Level and for the International Baccalaureate, and can prepare students for any part of those courses.
As a tutor I provide a personalised service, identifying where a student's strengths and weaknesses are and giving them the feedback and support they need to improve. Because I am also a practicing classroom teacher, I understand how to support the teaching a student is receiving at school rather than trying to replace it.
Book now
Personal statement consultation: £100 (written feedback on draft + 30-minute consultation)
Mock/Practice Oxbridge interview: £60 (30-minute interview + 10-minute feedback)
Tutoring: Normally £80/hour
Other services by arrangement; all meetings are via online videoconferencing.
To book, or for any questions, please email bregmand@gmail.com.