The Student Room Group

Extra curriculae activities for economics

Ive just started my A levels and really havent started any extra curricula activities. I really am lazy and i cant be bothered to do all the help the school during exam type stuff etc. I wouldnt mind doing things that would actually help. Could anyone suggests anyting?

Also how highly are xtr-curic considered when aplying for economics. im planning on applying to a good unis(oxbridge/lse etc) and wanted to know how much i should be doing.
Reply 1
If your school offers it do Young Enterprise but generally just do things you enjoy like sport or music, abit of work experience always helps to. It's far more important to get AAA(A) though.
jolity
Ive just started my A levels and really havent started any extra curricula activities. I really am lazy and i cant be bothered to do all the help the school during exam type stuff etc. I wouldnt mind doing things that would actually help. Could anyone suggests anyting?

Also how highly are xtr-curic considered when aplying for economics. im planning on applying to a good unis(oxbridge/lse etc) and wanted to know how much i should be doing.

Do as much as you want to do. Make sure you enjoy it (= most important). I'm a firm believer that doing something purely for your university application defeats the object of doing the extra-curricular. But that's just me and ECs take a high priority in my life, because I can't stand the idea of just doing work, work, work :smile: But if you really are lazy, I would focus on your studies and try to get 300 in all your ASs than do ECs. Or perhaps a bit of volunteering?

In the words of the great Geoff Riley:

Geoff Riley
"The students most committed to extra curricular activities (academic and broader) are nearly always those who are also committed to their studies and want to stretch themselves and make a difference in each - they are good jugglers - the busiest people are the best."
- http://www.tutor2u.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11192

For relevant ECs: try Young Enterprise, Target 2.0 and some public speaking/debating. However, I will say that if you want to do any of these activities to a high standard, they require a lot, lot of work.

NB: Half of the YE company, which won the UK Final three years ago, received offers from Oxbridge. Their MD went on to read Economics at Tit Hall, Cambridge (I think).
Reply 3
jolity
Ive just started my A levels and really havent started any extra curricula activities. I really am lazy and i cant be bothered to do all the help the school during exam type stuff etc. I wouldnt mind doing things that would actually help. Could anyone suggests anyting?

Also how highly are xtr-curic considered when aplying for economics. im planning on applying to a good unis(oxbridge/lse etc) and wanted to know how much i should be doing.

It's a good idea to do some (eg community work/team sports). It will show you have something extra to offer to your university as well as an opportunity to develop some skills. If you already have a parttime job, no need to do much extra volunteering.
Reply 4
jolity
Ive just started my A levels and really havent started any extra curricula activities. I really am lazy and i cant be bothered to do all the help the school during exam type stuff etc. I wouldnt mind doing things that would actually help. Could anyone suggests anyting?

Also how highly are xtr-curic considered when aplying for economics. im planning on applying to a good unis(oxbridge/lse etc) and wanted to know how much i should be doing.


Although work experience isn't too important for Economics, some relevent experience could really make you stand out of the crowd. You might want to look out for places which do summer placements for AS/A level students. The only ones which spring to my mind at the moment are the Bank of England and The Adam Smith Institute, if any of those are up your street!

But be warned they can be very competative.

Aside from that the normal sports, musical instruments, YE, DoE, debating societies etc are always a good bet - as long as you enjoy them! :smile:
Reply 5
regular Monopoly practice :smile:
Reply 6
ECs are of minimal importance, make a token effort, but don't worry about them.
Reply 7
Is it important to say in your ps that you are interested in reading newspapers (the economist and times). Does it help, are you disadvantaged if you dont.
Reply 8
confused?
Is it important to say in your ps that you are interested in reading newspapers (the economist and times). Does it help, are you disadvantaged if you dont.

If you want to you can, if you don't, it doesn't really matter. Honestly, reading The Economist doesn't say anything about your understanding of Economics, I wouldn't mention it unless you were absolutely desperate.
BazTheMoney
ECs are of minimal importance, make a token effort, but don't worry about them.


Surely that depends on:

1.) The subject you're applying for. (Econ is ultra competitive)
2.) The tutors you face in the interview

?
Invisible
Surely that depends on:

1.) The subject you're applying for. (Econ is ultra competitive)
2.) The tutors you face in the interview

?

Economics is an academic subject with not vocational unput, ECs are no held in high regard. As long as you've made a token effort (and read a few books) it doesn't really matter.
Go to next month's CBI conference.
BazTheMoney
If you want to you can, if you don't, it doesn't really matter. Honestly, reading The Economist doesn't say anything about your understanding of Economics, I wouldn't mention it unless you were absolutely desperate.

I considered this, then didn't mention it. I thought it was pretty much a given that all would-be Economics students adore current affairs and read the Economist? Thus, unncessary.
deianra
I considered this, then didn't mention it. I thought it was pretty much a given that all would-be Economics students adore current affairs and read the Economist? Thus, unncessary.

It doesn't really have that "wow" factor tutors are after, "...also, I read The Economist", "Wow! lets give this guy an EE offer!!". If you don't have anything else put it down mention it, it's better than nothing after all, but I wouldn't waste the space or time, honestly.
Reply 14
deianra
There's bound to be someone who insists that their third cousin twice removed got an EE offer for saying they read The Economist. (Okay, so they were also amazing at interview, brilliant at Economics with 15A*s, 8As, etc, but they did read the Economist and that was deffers why they got in). :rolleyes:

Also, Amrad wrote that he reads newspapers and I didn't. If he gets more offers than me, now we'll all know why :wink:


Urm no didnt say anything about newspapers...
Reply 15
Urm nope never had it in there :smile:
Amrad
Urm nope never had it in there :smile:

I have so read it in your PS! *rummages*

What's this then, Amsy? "I take a keen interest in current affairs and regularly read ‘The Economist’." :biggrin:
deianra
Hmm. Oh well, people have got in saying they like reading newspapers and also by not mentioning it. I think it's all down to a matter of space. Doesn't matter that much.

But they probable (actually, certainly) didn't get in because they've read the occasional newspaper and edition of The Economist. Lodas of people mention it, but it doesn't really say anything except they like current affairs, which most people do anyway.
BazTheMoney
But they probable (actually, certainly) didn't get in because they've read the occasional newspaper and edition of The Economist. Lodas of people mention it, but it doesn't really say anything except they like current affairs, which most people do anyway.

It'd be nice though.

M walks into interview.
"Hi, I'm Megsy and I read the Economist." *smiles nicely*
"Here, have a BBB offer!"
"Yey!" *hugs interviewer and runs off*

(Yes, I still live in my daydream land...)

I've been practising logic questions. I'm happy now - all these ones I couldn't answer three months ago are becoming very much easier. I feel vaguely prepared. I'm going to start revising the AS Economics stuff from mid-November onwards, but now, I'm just going over the extra reading (for the umpteenth time) and a lot of just thinking about everything. If that makes any sense. What's everyone else doing?
Reply 19
deianra


In the words of the great Geoff Riley:

- http://www.tutor2u.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11192



All the oxbridge applicants should have a read of these posts.