Accounting Personal Statement

Whilst many people who are enthusiastic about business are interested principally in what we might consider to be its more glamorous side, such as complex financial deals brokered by high-flying executives, billionaire tycoons or lavish product launches, my interest in the business world is grounded in a totally different set of factors. As the financial crisis has clearly demonstrated, if business and finance are not built on solid rules and principles, then the entire economic edifice on which we all depend is liable to come crashing down. Accordingly, what is in my mind the most fundamental aspect of our economy, and therefore the reason why I wish to study accounting, is the regulations and practices which ensure that companies operate according to sound principles. For it is only through operating in this way that we can ensure that there can be confidence in the economic system and in the companies that work within it. I have been passionate about accounting ever since I began to study it whilst at school. Aside from my belief in its supreme importance, as a discipline it appeals to my personality. I greatly enjoy solving complex problems that require an analytical mind and a thorough, methodical approach. To me there is a certain beauty to the objective of ensuring that a company’s accounts are completely recorded and balance correctly. Furthermore, I find learning about the complexities of accounting regulations, and in particular the way in which they continually evolve and the rationale that underpins them. I found the process of studying accounting to be very rewarding, and I am now really enjoying my college studies in this area, a fact that is demonstrated by the high marks that I have been receiving of late. At university I hope to build on the basics that I have learnt and gain a greater practical and theoretical knowledge of the discipline. I am currently in the process of trying to find a work experience position within an accountancy firm or an accounting department to observe accounting processes in action.

My interest in finance goes hand-in-hand with my love of accounting. The critical role that financial transactions play in ensuring that the wheels of the economy do not grind to a halt never ceases to captivate me. The recent years of financial turmoil have only strengthened this amazement, and have demonstrated to me the necessity of gaining a thorough understanding of finance not merely to gain professional knowledge and expertise, but to help me more broadly to understand the world in which we live. I am very eager to develop an in-depth understanding of themes such as the different ways in which company finances are structured; how global financial transactions are carried out; the relationship between the financial sector and the wider economy; how financial projections are made and to what end; and the role played by financial regulations on the conduct of businesses and financial organisations. As with accounting, finance is a subject that very much suits my way of thinking. I enjoy working with complex sets of data, and am particularly keen to sharpen my quantitative skills through studying finance at university.

I believe that studying accounting and finance at university will provide me a thorough grounding in these two vitally important subject areas, from which I will be able to sure-footedly move onto undertaking further professional training. I am a highly motivated individual, and my ambition is to become a chartered account, hopefully within a company that has an international presence. Since a young age I have been taught to value the crucial and unique role that education can play in facilitating one’s dreams, and for that reason I will approach my undergraduate studies with a single-minded determination.