| This is a real personal statement written by a student for their university application. It might help you decide what to include in your own. There are lots more examples in our collection of sample personal statements. |
Economics appeals to me because of its dynamic nature; it is a subject where questions rarely have one simple answer. 'The Financial Crisis: Who is to blame?' - a lecture by Howard Davies introduced me to the extent of this breadth, with his formulation and analysis of multiple possible causes of the crisis with reasons from inefficient markets to human greed. Such open-endedness has attracted me to Economics and I hope, through studying it at undergraduate level, to develop skills to help shape future economic policy.
To further my understanding, I shadowed an economist at the Fiscal Statistics and Policy department of the Treasury. This introduced me to economic tools such as cost-benefit and value-for-money analyses, which I learnt are used to appraise and evaluate policy options. I also participated in a Barclays Interbank Event, gaining an insight into how banks manage their borrowing and lending activities and the role of interest rates in economic management. Using these insights, I was chosen to represent my school in the Bank of England's Target 2.0 challenge following the school heats. This allowed me to explore the rationale behind monetary policy by organising, analysing and evaluating both qualitative and quantitative data.
As a regular reader of 'The Economist', I have become interested in the debates around the best ways for governments to stimulate growth in countries most affected by the crisis, which I believe was exacerbated by the growing interdependence of markets in the new global economy. Attending an Economics taster course, I learnt more about the concept of globalisation which struck me as providing the opportunity for both prosperity and great conflict due to the contradictory forces that define it. Reading 'Globalisation and its discontents' by Joseph Stiglitz allowed me to understand how the economic concepts of open markets and globalisation are intertwined and the wider implications of this for economic policy. As an avid follower of international events, I was interested in the European economic crisis and its devastating impact on Spain, an exchange programme having piqued my interest. My keenness to explore Economics beyond the UK led me to undertake the Extended Project, independently investigating whether ineffective government policies exacerbated Spain's abnormally high unemployment rate.
Economics is a challenging and diverse discipline; the wide range of subjects I study have given me the ability to understand the full spectrum of issues that impact on financial situations. The application of mathematics, such as the use of hypothesis testing in the statistical analysis of economic data, is an aspect I look forward to. History also strikes me as a subject inextricably linked with the study of Economics as historic events are important determinants of economic development today. My interest in economic history was fuelled by reading Niall Ferguson's book 'The Ascent of Money' which exposed me to the historical development of money and credit. An insight from the book was that financial systems have historically been prone to crisis, largely caused by the choice of economic policies.
As an active member of my school community, I participate in activities on a social level as well as holding positions of responsibility. As Spanish Subject Leader, I work alongside the Directors of Learning which has required me to develop my communication skills and creativity in devising innovative ways to promote the subject. Mentoring younger students in Maths and History has enabled me to explain ideas in clearer and more concise ways whilst my membership of the Economics Society has provided the opportunity for enriching economic debate. I relish the opportunity to be part of a vibrant academic community and believe I have the potential to cope with the rigour of an Economics degree, whilst contributing to wider university life.
Universities Applied to:
- Warwick (Economics)
- Nottingham (Economics)
- Bristol (Economics with Study in Continental Europe)
- LSE (Economics and Eonomic History)
- Durham (Economics)
Grades Achieved:
- Mathematics (AS) - B
- History (AS) - A
- Economics (AS) - A
- Spanish (AS) - A
- Philosophy (AS) - A
- Critical Thinking (AS) - A
