Economics applicant thread UCAS 2013

Only mention books if you explain what you found interesting about an idea or whatever. Don't just name drop books. If you want to mention a book, you should focus on an idea from it and briefly discuss your thoughts on that idea and how/why that's added to your interest in economics. Books like "The Undercover Economist", are mentioned in A LOT of personal statements, I would personally avoid it.

I didn't recommend him "The Undercover Economist" to write about it in his PS. I recommended him to read it because it's maybe the best start to expand his knowledge on Economics, given that he said he doesn't study Economics at school.

Of course he shouldn't talk about mainstream books like "Freakonomics" or "The Undercover Economist" in his PS. He must somehow to stand out, especially if he plans to apply to top universities.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 181

Ecosse_14

19

Original post by aalex

I didn't recommend him "The Undercover Economist" to write about it in his PS. I recommended him to read it because it's maybe the best start to expand his knowledge on Economics, given that he said he doesn't study Economics at school.

Of course he shouldn't talk about mainstream books like "Freakonomics" or "The Undercover Economist" in his PS. He must somehow to stand out, especially if he plans to apply to top universities.

I wasn't really referring to your post. I was just making the point it's rather clichéd to put it (and Freakonomics moreso) in your PS :smile:

Reply 182

guidino

well...
probably tomorrow i'll spend the whole afternoon in a bookshop searching for interesting books
it's not our fault if we aren't taught economics,so i'm going to delve into economics on my own
if you can suggest me some interesting books to start with,i would be flattered
thanks a lot

Reply 183

MisanthropicLemon

10

Original post by Francium

LSE is one of the unis which takes a lot of time to decide but we don't complain, do we? Warwick got back to me within a month (and I applied in early October) so maybe it's not them being disrespectful to applicants but wanting to give full consideration to all of us.
Did the timing really affect your accommodation arrangements? That sucks indeed but shouldn't most of them not be first come, first served for this reason?

Well I didn't apply to LSE but if they took 5-6 months then I would be moaning too. I know they're well within their rights to reply late but the fact is that it affected my accommodation and caused everyone an unnecessary amount of anxiety. There were people that had already done Student Finance and I hadn't even had all my responses... All my other universities managed to respond months before, so I don't know why Warwick took so long. They're heavily oversubscribed but Cambridge have an even more complicated and rigorous system and get that done in a couple of months. Warwick kept me out of the loop the entire time, I think I received one email this year saying 'Sorry, we'll be replying by the end of March' and that was it. Other universities constantly made me aware of schedules and dates and all sorts. You can say Warwick did nothing wrong, indeed, technically they didn't, but in my opinion they didn't show much regard for applicants at all. The whole process is stressful enough without prolonged uncertainty. Just my opinion.

Reply 184

ThatRandomGuy

1

Do you guys think it is possible to have a personal statement that can be used for both maths and economics as well as pure economics? Because I think I might apply to LSE for maths and economics and apply to less competitive unis for just economics.

Reply 185

tooambitious

OP

16

Original post by ThatRandomGuy

Do you guys think it is possible to have a personal statement that can be used for both maths and economics as well as pure economics? Because I think I might apply to LSE for maths and economics and apply to less competitive unis for just economics.

Yes, its been done before, maths is an imprtsnt part if economics anyway so it should be fine

Reply 186

aalex

9

Original post by ThatRandomGuy

Do you guys think it is possible to have a personal statement that can be used for both maths and economics as well as pure economics? Because I think I might apply to LSE for maths and economics and apply to less competitive unis for just economics.

It's doable, but be aware that Maths + Econ at LSE is offered under the Maths department, so you should have a good deal of Maths in your PS.

Reply 187

printergirl

13

Has anyone read these books, and are they good to talk about on ps?
age of instability by david smith
Return of depression economics paul krugman
Also plan to read faultlines by rajan and end this depression now by paul krugman

If you’ve read any stated above what do you think of them?

Reply 188

JOR2010

14

Original post by tooambitious

Hey everyone,

I know its early, but the thread last year started around now, and i know there are other budding economists around! Now that we've got January results back (those of us who did them) and just that its half way through the year we probably have a better idea of where we want to apply, so i thought anyone who was thinking of applying in this cycle could ask any questions here, discuss books or university choices, so we culd have it in one place :biggrin:

So i suppose ill start by just saying where im thining of applying in order of preference

Oxford
UCL (L101)
LSE
Warwick
other

incredibly competitive, i know! im preparing for rejections :P
my grades are in my sig, and if anyone wants to discuss books, i'd be up for that too! Especially; '23 things they dont tell you about capatalism' and 'animal spirits'

:biggrin:

I was wondering whether I had to quote you to enter officially, so I thought I may as well!

I want to study Economics at either Cambridge, LSE, Warwick or Durham.

GCSEs, 11A*, A, A in FSMQ
AS Levels A (French, taken early); 100 in C1; Taking French, German, Economics, History, Maths and Further Maths to AS, hopefully Economics, History, Maths and Further Maths to A2.

Good luck to everyone!

Reply 189

FDR

10

Original post by printergirl

Has anyone read these books, and are they good to talk about on ps?
age of instability by david smith
Return of depression economics paul krugman
Also plan to read faultlines by rajan and end this depression now by paul krugman

If you’ve read any stated above what do you think of them?

I've read this. It really is a fantastic read, explains things very well and in easy to understand ways, and is also an entertaining read.

Reply 190

printergirl

13

Thanks, it's very easy to read do u no any other books like that?
Is it good to talk about. I dnt no wat to say about it

Original post by FDR

I've read this. It really is a fantastic read, explains things very well and in easy to understand ways, and is also an entertaining read.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 191

aalex

9

This year's thread is so inactive... The 2012 one already had 60 pages written this time last year.

Reply 192

tooambitious

OP

16

Original post by aalex

This year's thread is so inactive... The 2012 one already had 60 pages written this time last year.

I know, I was part of it, :frown:

Reply 193

alexjersey

Hi all,

I'm looking at applying for economics at the following institutions...
1. LSE
2. Oxford (E&M)
3. Durham
4. UCL
5. Nottingham

I got 11A*s and 1A at GCSE, and I'm taking maths, further maths, chemistry economics and music to A-level, with module marks as following for results in Jan
Maths - C1 = 95, C2 = 89, S1 = 90
Economics - Module 1 = 99
Chemistry - Module 1 = 87

Hopefully I will end up with A*A*AAA. Do you think I'm being too ambitious with my 5 top choices for UCAS?

Thanks! :smile:

Reply 194

aalex

9

Original post by alexjersey

Hi all,

I'm looking at applying for economics at the following institutions...
1. LSE
2. Oxford (E&M)
3. Durham
4. UCL
5. Nottingham

I got 11A*s and 1A at GCSE, and I'm taking maths, further maths, chemistry economics and music to A-level, with module marks as following for results in Jan
Maths - C1 = 95, C2 = 89, S1 = 90
Economics - Module 1 = 99
Chemistry - Module 1 = 87

Hopefully I will end up with A*A*AAA. Do you think I'm being too ambitious with my 5 top choices for UCAS?

Thanks! :smile:

Only tooambitious can answer that. :biggrin:

Reply 195

tooambitious

OP

16

Original post by alexjersey

Hi all,

I'm looking at applying for economics at the following institutions...
1. LSE
2. Oxford (E&M)
3. Durham
4. UCL
5. Nottingham

I got 11A*s and 1A at GCSE, and I'm taking maths, further maths, chemistry economics and music to A-level, with module marks as following for results in Jan
Maths - C1 = 95, C2 = 89, S1 = 90
Economics - Module 1 = 99
Chemistry - Module 1 = 87

Hopefully I will end up with A*A*AAA. Do you think I'm being too ambitious with my 5 top choices for UCAS?

Thanks! :smile:

No not at all!

Reply 196

tooambitious

OP

16

Original post by aalex

Only tooambitious can answer that. :biggrin:

The choice aren't quite as ambitious as mine, but then who is, it's in the name! :wink:

Reply 197

WayneCorp

1

Hi, how's everyone doing?

I'm just starting to read more books this summer really - I've started Animal Spirits, needless to say it is a very interesting read.

By the way has anyone else started their C3 Maths coursework?

Reply 198

tooambitious

OP

16

Original post by WayneCorp

Hi, how's everyone doing?

I'm just starting to read more books this summer really - I've started Animal Spirits, needless to say it is a very interesting read.

By the way has anyone else started their C3 Maths coursework?

Hey

I've read it, it's awesome :biggrin:

any other reading planned?
Are you on MEI? I'm standard OCR so u don't have cw, what does in entail?

Reply 199

Groat

13

Original post by alexjersey

Hi all,

I'm looking at applying for economics at the following institutions...
1. LSE
2. Oxford (E&M)
3. Durham
4. UCL
5. Nottingham

I got 11A*s and 1A at GCSE, and I'm taking maths, further maths, chemistry economics and music to A-level, with module marks as following for results in Jan
Maths - C1 = 95, C2 = 89, S1 = 90
Economics - Module 1 = 99
Chemistry - Module 1 = 87

Hopefully I will end up with A*A*AAA. Do you think I'm being too ambitious with my 5 top choices for UCAS?

Thanks! :smile:

If you get AAAAA at AS, then I would say you have a good chance of getting an offer from at least one of your universities. Beware that they all offer A*AA, which could put a lot of pressure on you.

Economics applicant thread UCAS 2013

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