Economics Personal Statement
A strong academic history, a passion for world relations and the drive succeed to make an effective difference to my local and national community; I believe I am an ideal candidate to study economics at degree level. I have a passion for micro and macro-economics. I understand that it is the one binding factor that affects our daily lives, from our jobs, education, leisure to saving and expenditure. I am very interested in the larger forces that affect Britain and the rest of the world - from health care, interest rates, exchange rates, government policies and employment, and international trade are areas in which I wish to further my knowledge and experience. The emergence of the British and global economic turmoil has prompted my interest in economics. My inquisitive nature has spurred my personal research in to the global state of affairs, and taking a more academic approach to discover theories and rationale for how our world is operating today. A-level economics covers the basics of this course, however, I am keen to delve deeper in to economics. Learning from esteemed professors and interacting with likeminded peers, I wish to further my knowledge of our history, philosophy, geography and social policy, and how these factors related to our current world economy. I believe this course will provide the insight and skills to effectively analyse and appraise issues we face.
Lateral and critical thinking are aspects which I believe are essential for the study of economics. During my Army Officer life experience, I was faced with a variety of theoretical situations in which I challenged to consider a variety of factors, processes and solutions in which would affect a broad spectrum of individuals and entities. This experience has highlighted my ability to take a holistic view of situations in an unconventional manner, which I believe can be applied to my degree.
Strong communication skills are also an important element to the successful study of economics. Working as a waiter has strengthened my ability to effectively communicate and present facts in a persuasive manner. I believe this is an asset, as I wish to make a positive contribution and valid arguments to topical debates during the course, developing my understanding and analytical skills.
I enjoy meeting new people and working within a team for a common goal. As an integral player of my local football club, I have gained skills in teamwork, communication and ability to think strategically. These skills will serve me well during the course and also in the workplace, where being a part of a team with a variety of personalities and pressures will be a welcome challenge.
My passion for economics and world issues has become an increasing passion of mine. I enjoy reading a variety of news, books and reports to maintain a more objective view of the current climate, giving me the ability to stay on top of the latest economic trends and form personal opinions. I naturally question the current strategies made by authorities, and find myself looking for better answers and futures.
I have decided to take a gap year before embarking on an economics degree. The main reason is to gain more commercial awareness, which I believe will enhance my ability to apply economics to the world we live in today. I am also keen to travel to India, to absorb the vast array of cultural expression it presents. The UK and India provide two contrasting economies for me to understand and analyse, which I believe will give a greater and diverse thought process for study.
Economics is about choice; about making decisions in the best interests of the people, given the limitations imposed by a variety of factors, such as income, costs, time and society. I believe I have a solid grounding in economics, the passion and skills to pursue economics at degree level, to actively and effectively use this in my future career to support local and national communities and decisions bestowed upon them.