My ambition to study for a degree in mathematics and finance has been inspired by my deep interest in my A-level courses in mathematics, ICT and accounting, and by a natural aptitude for mathematical puzzles and challenges.  At the same time I have found myself increasingly interested in the way the world economy works. Living in a time of recession and economic crisis has prompted many questions about the forces which sent prosperous countries into financial collapse in 2008, threatened bankruptcy within a few months and suddenly deprived the growing economies of the east of their markets.  The speed of change has been astonishing and the continuing uncertainty provokes intellectual curiosity as well as concern about how the situation can recover and whether the effects of these dynamic economic forces can be controlled or even predicted.  The understanding I have begun to develop in my A-level courses has made me want to study the subject in much greater detail, and my hope is that I shall be able to make a career in financial mathematics, probably in banking, leading ultimately to becoming an investment banker.  I am very interested in the problems of financial management, the intricacies of probability and prediction in business and economics, and the role of uncertainty in economic calculation.  I should like to understand more fully how markets work and consumers make their choices, how competition operates and the effect of monopolies.  I am curious about such macroeconomic issues as the interaction of movements in output, unemployment, inflation and interest rates, and the relationship between supply and demand.  It is a very complex world and full of fascinating challenges which I am eager to confront. I am academically able, though I was disappointed with my A-level performance which was hampered by a serous illness, so that I am retaking my final year.  I have attended a Business Enterprise day which offered many insights into the financial world and demonstrated the importance of leadership and management skills.  I regularly follow the movements of the stock market and read the Financial Times as well as the Daily Telegraph.

At school I have held posts of responsibility, such as school prefect, responsible for the care and supervision of my fellow pupils, and assisting in the running of school events, which has taught me much about understanding other people and observing their behaviour.  I am eager to keep fit and attend a gym regularly as well as enjoying football, tennis and snooker. For several years I have captained the school cricket team, organising training and fixtures and carrying out managerial duties and administration, as well as offering an example of leadership and fostering the sense of team involvement. I spent a work experience session as a teaching assistant in the PE department at my school, working alongside professional teachers as part of a team, performing administrative tasks and working to deliver successful results.  I supervised and coached younger pupils within the school environment, exercising my organisational and leadership skills.

I am the first member of my family to apply to study at a university.  English is my mother tongue, but I also have good conversational Gujarati and Urdu.  I believe that languages are an invaluable asset in an increasingly international world and globalised marketplace.  I have a great interest in other cultures and also enjoy music.  I am extremely hard-working and give my full commitment to anything I choose to do.  I am a strong team-member and enjoy working with others, but have the confidence in my own judgement to be equally happy working on my own.  My academic performance has been uniformly strong and I am full of curiosity about the subjects I hope to study to an advanced level.  I am determined to succeed in my chosen path, and I believe that I have the necessary qualities to become a very efficient undergraduate.

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