From The Student Room

TSR Wiki > University > Applying to University > Personal Statement Library > Investment and Financial Risk Management

My decision to take a degree in Investment and Financial Risk Management was prompted whilst studying finance. What attracts me to this degree is the opportunity to gain knowledge on financial and investment practises to apply to a career in fund managing.

Experience investing in the equity markets and work experience in the fund managing sector has provided me with the grounding to succeed on this course. Having successfully traded in the financial markets, I have gained the confidence to currently represent my college in the School of Finance 'Student Investor Portfolio Challenge'. Working in a small group and forming a conclusion based on both fundamental and technical aspects, this challenge has provided me with sound knowledge on how to evaluate the market and balance a portfolio within a team. Currently, my ranking is positioned in the top 3% out of over 4700 teams across the country.

Taking part in sports such as football and chess are important to me, and something I wish to continue throughout my university life. Since joining my local chess club, I have competed in several tournaments and achieved a high ranking. Having been a member of the Air Training Corp and reaching the rank of a Corporal has also helped me develop my communication skills when leading a team. My experience as an air cadet also helped me develop self-discipline and motivation to aspire to the highest level. A current passion and hobby of mine is bungee jumping. Whilst travelling across New Zealand on a three week tour I accomplished my goal of jumping off the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere, the Sky Tower. I have also participated in other extreme sports such as abseiling and skydiving.

The reason I believe I can succeed in this course is my enthusiasm and commitment for understanding how the financial system operates. In both the Finance Award and Certificate, I successfully gained the best results in my class. Achieving a 96% pass rate in my first year made me realise that my strengths in this field are something I need to capitalise on. I am a member of a union in my college that has recently released a student magazine. My role as economics editor is to research into and write about the financial sector for my reports. My aim is to get other students interested in economics by writing engaging and informative articles.

I have previously worked for a small fund managing company. This experience gave me the opportunity to gain and develop extensive knowledge and analytical skills in financial operations. During this time I was given a challenging project, to research a variety of funds to construct a proposed portfolio for a major client of the company. Using quantitative tools to analyse different securities and funds allowed me to form a conclusion and complete the research. This is where I learnt Modern Portfolio Theory and used measurements such as Beta and Alpha to assist me in my task. I was also fortunate enough to attend regular meetings with my manager and his key clients as they discussed relevant issues regarding their portfolios. During my work experience the sub-prime crisis became a prominent issue. The company received many enquiries from its clients about how this crisis would impact their investments. I was given an additional task to research certain hedges and alternatives which could be applied to their portfolios. My involvement in this task further increased my decision to apply to university. Furthermore it has reinforced my strengths to work under pressure and to analyse effectively.

The course content of a degree in Investment and Financial Risk Management strongly appeals to me and being a student at university will no doubt provide me with the essential knowledge I need to advance my career in the fund managing sector. ]

Applied:

• City University-Cass Business School- Offer: Distinction, Distinction, Merit

(Only applied to one university and was accepted with this PS.)