sample personal statement for development economics

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Sustainable development/economics personal statement example.

The first time I recognised the magnitude of my passion for sustainable development was when my family visited the waste-site Smokey Mountain in Manila, Philippines. Smokey Mountain is a two million metric tonnes waste mountain and home for about 30.000 people.

Experiencing the immense volumes of waste and the appalling living standards of its inhabitants had a tremendous impact on me and helped me realize the necessity of resolving the imminent issue of waste.

Upon entering the International Baccalaureate Programme, choosing both Biology and Chemistry Higher Level was therefore an obvious choice.

The courses have provided me with extensive knowledge in the importance of intertwining economic, social and ecological aspects to achieve global sustainable development. A particularly enthralling example displaying the need to consider all features to achieve sustainable development which I met in school was the Haber process and its significance on the environment and the economy.

After having learned the importance of economic, social and ecological symbiosis, I spent my summer working with administrative tasks for the recycling department of the construction company NCC.

Determined to learn more about the field, I managed to attend a board meeting, providing me with a first-hand experience of the necessity of merging economic profit with environmental sustainability, and adding to my thirst for further studies within the field.

During winter break I had yet another profound learning when working at a crisis management company for a two week trainee period in which I became involved with the creation of an application informing how to prevent a drinking water crisis, such as water poisoning as well as teaching how to limit environmental and social consequences of an accident or a sabotage.

Sustaining the momentum I had built up during summer, I decided to focus my extended school project on pollution. I spent the remainder of the summer investigating the inhibitory effects of garden cress growth caused by sunscreen lotions. Having collected my data, I was appalled with how severe the effects of sunscreen runoffs were.

In an attempt of sharing my newfound realisation I sent my final report to the Swedish Young Scientist competition ‘Unga Forskare’ where it is currently being reviewed. The investigation was not only an appreciated challenge to me, but also an opportunity to carry out an in depth study and publish my own findings, giving me unmatched satisfaction.

In addition, I also decided to pursue extracurricular activities within chemistry and entered the try-outs for the Swedish team in the 2013 International Chemistry Olympiad. Having passed the first cut I look forward to the next session, bringing me one step closer to the National team.

Being raised in Sweden, where renewable energy makes up approximately half of the total energy consumption, I have lived with the idea of preserving and enjoying the nature. Naturally, I have caught an interest in hunting and game keeping which I joyously take part in with my father and grandfather as mentors. For the same reasons I have enjoyed golfing for nearly ten years.

The IB Programme has not only provided me with excellent academic preparations for further studies abroad, I have also had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world; learning about different cultures;

I have been able to accredit myself as bilingual, turning me into a truly international citizen, thereby allowing me to believe myself perfectly competent and willing to take on further studies in a nation as diverse and multicultural as the UK.

My hopes are that further studies at your university will prove an excellent investment for my future career in the environmental and developmental sector, allowing me to help eroding Smokey Mountain to less than a pile of dirt.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by SusDevSweden for application in 2012.

SusDevSweden's university choices London School of Economics University of St Andrews The University of Edinburgh School of Oriental and African Studies

Green : offer made Red : no offer made

SusDevSweden's Comments

This Personal Statement was done over a short time-lapse, however a great deal of time and thought was spent on it. Prior to writing it I had read Studential's guide on how to write a good Personal Statement, I had read most of the successful Economics, Environment and Development Personal Statements on the site and had figured out a good structure. All in all, I was fairly satisfied with it and I do belive it helped me getting into my top three choices (even though I later chose no to pursue any of them) If you want to know more about my application process, be sure to visit my profile. Best of luck!

P.S. It is never to late to begin your application process,! This was sent in Jan 15 2013. (The final date of submission)

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Edit on prior comment.

Wed, 25/09/2013 - 00:00

Perhaps I should say, the courses I was accepted at were Sustainable Development at St Andrews, Environment & Development at LSE and Economics & Development Studies at SOAS.

The courses which I was not accepted to were Economics with Environmental Studies at The University of Edinbourgh and Biology and Economics at St Andrews.

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Sample Economics Personal Statement (admitted to Oxford, Cambridge, LSE)

by Talha Omer, MBA, M.Eng., Harvard & Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field.

The following personal statement is written by an applicant who got accepted to top graduate programs in economics. Variations of this personal statement got accepted at Oxford, Cambridge, and LSE. Read this essay to get inspiration and understand what a top economics school PS should look like.

You might also be interested in reading this Statement of Purpose in Economics  that got admitted to Harvard, Yale and Princeton.

Sample Personal Statement Economics

“Flick…chuggachuggachuggaa…puttt-putttt-puutttttt…rizzzz…”

The sounds coming from near the doorway may have startled an outsider but were barely noticed by the people lounging on charpoys and mooras (wicker stools). With the atmosphere abuzz with their chatter, the sputtering sound of the diesel generator lent more time to catch up as the bulbs lit up and fans whirred on throughout the haveli (palace) on an otherwise hot evening. But on days when it refused to crackle, my grandmother would enkindle gas lanterns filling the veranda with hissing sounds and soothing moonlight rays.

I still cherish these memories from my childhood trips to XYZ, my native village, some 450kms from the closest city. At the time, the short sojourns from Kuwait felt rather adventurous. However, the perspective turned wrong when I permanently moved to XYZ. Due to unannounced electricity breakdowns, we would find ourselves groping in the dark to the closest candle stand while sweating in the scorching summer.

And just when we thought it couldn’t get worse, the occasional power breakdowns segued into a full-blown crisis of the decade. Over the next seven years, we witnessed unprecedented power outages averaging 15-18 hours daily. People weren’t just lamenting the loss of mental peace; they were mourning the monetary losses worth billions of rupees translating into 1.5% of GDP.

Fast forward 15 years, and I found myself in a position to alleviate the situation. As Deputy Administrative Head of the Government’s Economic Affairs division, I administer a departmental budget worth $500 million. I am currently undertaking solarization projects. A recent shift towards renewables has occurred after public unrest during the early decade led to hasty investments in thermal-based power plants. Unfortunately, seven years later, we are still reeling from the aftermath of a bitter public backlash as we have the lowest regional electricity consumption per capita.

In addition to high tariffs, the energy sector has been marred by the accumulation of circular debt of $30 billion. This has been caused by multiple factors, such as electricity theft, transmission losses, and non-payment of dues. Having worked in Economic Affairs Division, I have also been part of a team that took massive power sector reforms, including:

• elimination of subsidies
• policy formulation on electricity theft and conservation 
• overhaul of sectoral regulatory bodies
• privatization of distribution companies et al.

However, as the Program ended, so did the reforms.

Regrettably, negative externalities from these energy woes have had spillover effects on all socio-economic sectors. The environment has especially poorly been affected by the process for the lack of an integrated generation and transmission policy framework in the renewable industry. Being a lower riparian state has also exacerbated climate change. We face extreme weather conditions – floods, droughts, smog, and diminishing water tables. Unable to agree on water issues not covered under the Indus Water Treaty has led to regular skirmishes and legal battles in the International Court of Justice.

Given the background, my country’s economic and Energy woes require a holistic understanding of the subject. This makes Economic policy specializing in Energy the right choice for my graduate studies. Furthermore, I can become an effective leader and economist in the sector through the interdisciplinary pedagogical approach covering policy, economics, management, law; practical skills; quantitative and qualitative analysis within an international context.

My aim is socio-economic development in tandem with confidence-building measures and strategic partnerships with the neighboring countries. Studying at Oxford will provide this learning opportunity in and out of the class as I will interact with some of the most brilliant minds worldwide and work in teams with them. I also look forward to student-led events, conferences, guest lectures, field trips, and panel discussions to augment my understanding of supranational political demands. This will help me lead economic policy reforms for the next 25 years.

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Successful Personal Statement For Economics At Cambridge

Last Updated: 12th April 2022

Author: Chloe Hewitt

Table of Contents

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it. 

Today, we are looking through a Economics applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Cambridge University. The Economics Course at Cambridge provides a rounded, rigorous education in Economics which is valuable for a wide range of career paths.

Read on to see how this candidate wrote a Personal Statement that helped secure their place on a reputable degree. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement:

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

Enrolling on our Cambridge Economics comprehensive Programme will give you access to Personal Statement redrafts. 

With our  Oxbridge Economics Premium Programme, your tutor will give you regular actionable feedback with insider tips on how to improve and make your Personal Statement Oxbridge quality for the best chances of success.  

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Economics Personal Statement

The right answer – does such a thing even exist? When considering the field of mathematics, my response would be an unequivocal yes – indeed, I find its simplicity and elegance some of its most attractive qualities. For economics, however, the question of a right answer is not so straightforward. My interest in economics was sparked when I read “Freakonomics” and “SuperFreakonomics”. I found the search for a logical explanation behind seemingly illogical behaviour intriguing, and the idea that small changes to incentives could effect such large changes to those behaviours fascinating.

To further my understanding, I attended lectures at the LSE, including one given by Ha-Joon Chang. His arguments challenged much of what I had learned – deregulation and trade liberalisation would not, apparently, stimulate competitive growth, while education, it turned out, could not be counted on to increase entrepreneurship or productivity. These contradictions made me eager to read his “23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism” and “Bad Samaritans”. Although relishing his controversial stance on almost everything, I found his central thesis – that by using protectionism to support fledgling domestic industries, other poor nations can emulate South Korea’s success – overly optimistic and one-size-fits-all. As Paul Collier argues in “The Bottom Billion”, many are trapped by conflict or bad governance, with even bleaker prospects after “missing the boat” on which many Asian economies sailed away to prosperity.     

While economics is rooted in the world around us, with all its fascinating, messy complexities, mathematics derives its beauty from its abstract nature. It is unique in that it can lead us to an answer that is not merely the right one, but is true in an absolute sense. This was emphasised by G. H. Hardy in “A Mathematician’s Apology”, where he spoke of a mathematical reality distinct from the ordinary one, of which we can only ever hope to produce a “partial and imperfect copy”. Another of the appeals of mathematics is its breadth of application. I was able to explore this over the past three years in a series of Royal Institution master classes covering topics from graph theory to the mathematics of juggling. My decision to continue with mathematics was confirmed when I undertook the AEA; I found it challenging but immensely satisfying to be able to use simple concepts from the A-level core modules to solve even the most daunting problems.

Over the past year, I have mentored two students in mathematics. Explaining concepts to them helped deepen my own understanding and led me to explore proofs behind theorems I had previously accepted. In addition, acting as a primary school classroom assistant inspired me to set up my own volunteering scheme, in which I and other students help children learn to read. I have enjoyed competing in the UKMT Mathematics Challenge, in which I won a medal at Olympiad level, and the UK Linguistics Olympiad, in which I twice progressed to the selection round for the national team. I have also represented my school in the Hans Woyda competition, and am excited to be doing the same in the Target 2.0 challenge later this year.

Despite their differences, the authors I mentioned above hold something in common: their use of empirical methods to reach conclusions. It is here that the attraction of combining the study of mathematics and economics becomes especially apparent. Without mathematics, economics risks beginning to earn its title “the dismal science”, reducing to speculation and rhetoric without even the emotional investment enjoyed by politics. This is not to dismiss the importance of normative economics, but to say that it draws meaning from a basis in fact. I am not arguing for sound bite solutions to complex questions, but rather that, even in a field as hotly debated as economics, the right answer is still a worthwhile goal, reachable through the use of data and copious amounts of trial and error.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

Successful Personal Statement For Natural Science (Physical) At Cambridge

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Good Points Of The Personal Statement

This statement is thoughtful and interesting, and conveys clear motivations for studying Economics, as well as demonstrating a good level of preparation for university study. The student elaborates on their response to each preparatory activity they engaged in, rather than falling into the trap of simply listing books read and lectures attended. They are clearly passionate about the subject, and show promise as an economist, which they demonstrate in, again, not only listing their achievements, but explaining what they took from the experience, and subtly indicating what this says about them as a student.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

I have very little to say in criticism of this essay except that, perhaps, it could come across as a little cliché. Questioning whether there is such a thing as ‘the right answer’ in the introduction, and concluding that pursuit of the field to which they’re applying for further study is worthy are both very common.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

This is an exceptional personal statement. Not only is the student accomplished, they convey this without bragging, and in enough detail that we gain insight into their abilities, motivations, and personal interests, rather than simply receiving a list in prose form. Though the ideas with which the student begins and concludes the statement are somewhat unoriginal, the explanation found in between is exceptionally strong, and justifies the unoriginal sentiments – they’re clearly not being added just as throwaway lines.

This Personal Statement for Chemistry is a great example of demonstrating motivation and development which is vital to Admissions Tutors.

Remember, at Cambridge, these Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

Check out our other successful personal statements and our expert guides on our Free Personal Statement Resources page.

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How to Write your Economics Personal Statement

Are you applying to economics courses at university this year? If so, this guide might come in handy. Based on my experience helping students with personal statements, as well as discussions with other Cambridge students and fellows, I have built up an understanding of what makes a very good economics personal statement. Below I present a series of steps for how to write the personal statement.

Decide on your course

It sounds obvious, but make sure you have decided on the courses which you would like to apply to. If you are unsure, you can consider your A-levels, particular interests, or whether you have a particular job in mind for after university.

From this point onwards, I will assume you are interested in applying for some kind of economics degree. However, the advice below generally applies to joint degrees and other courses however.

Supercurricular activities for economics

Given you have decided on the course for which you are applying, the next step I recommend is to write a list of all your supercurricular activities .

This is not the same as an extracurricular activity. You can think of the difference like this:

• A supercurricular activity is an activity that takes place outside of school lessons, that is directly related to your university course of choice. An example is reading an economics book.
• An extracurricular activity is, again, an activity that takes place outside of school, but that is not directly related to the course you are applying to study at university. An example of this is being part of a sports team.

Supercurricular activities should form the bulk of your personal statement. Some universities post recommendations such as 75 to 80% of the personal statement should be about supercurricular activities exclusively. Other universities will state that they are only interested in your academic pursuits (in other words, supercurriculars).

Complete Guide

For the complete economics personal statement guide, click the link here (paid resource):

Types of Supercurriculars

Supercurricular activities can include, but are not limited to:

• Online or in-person lectures.
• Magazines or journals.
• Online courses.
• Essay competitions.
• Reading blogs.

In a future blogpost, I will outline some examples for various areas of economics.

How should you choose your supercurriculars?

I recommend choosing activities based on your particular interests within the subject of economics. For example suppose you are interested in labour economics (in other words, what decides the wage and employment level in an economy or labour market). Then I would recommend finding activities relating to these topics. This could include entering an essay competition by writing on a labour economics topic such as migration, minimum wages or inequality, or searching in YouTube for lectures relating to migration (such as Alan Manning’s LSE lectures, for example here ). You may be able to find podcast episodes covering these particular topics.

Another example is let’s say you had an interest in environmental economics. Then you could look into a podcast episode on carbon taxes (for example here ). You could then look into books, blogs or online courses on the topic and so on.

One possible way to structure your personal statement is to have one paragraph for each topic area. You could have a paragraph discussing labour economics, then another discussing the economics of crime, and a third paragraph discussing macroeconomic policy as an example. However supercurricular activities may not naturally group into topics. So you can choose to link them together in other ways, such as the type of activity or a common skill the activities show.

Several economics courses are looking for you to be proficient in mathematics. Hence it may be worth devoting some part of the statement to discussing economics supercurriculars that relate to mathematics, covering areas such as the use of calculus in economics, statistics, econometrics, game theory and so on. Alternatively you could simply includes pure mathematics supercurricular activities such as maths challenges or reading.

Activities to avoid mentioning

Ideally you should avoid mentioning books where economics and popular culture overlap. This includes books like Freakonomics and the Armchair Economist for example. While these are very enjoyable books to read in their own right, these books are too frequently mentioned and are often seen as too basic by some universities.

If you are applying to a very competitive university that does not interview, for example LSE, then it would be preferable to find books that are less frequently mentioned.

Work experience is not necessary for an application to an economics course. This is because work experience is often acquired through connections rather than ability, so it would be a poor indicator for admissions staff to use in assessing students’ abilities. Also work experience is often not directly relevant to the economics course. However work experience can be mentioned if you work on something that is relevant to the economics course, such as working as a research assistant or an economics journalist.

Generally you should not be mentioning your A-levels. Almost everybody applying is doing A-levels and so speaking about what you have covered in your A-levels will not help you to stand out. In any case your teachers will be mentioning your A-levels in your teacher reference anyway, so it is better to devote the personal statement to activities beyond your A-levels. If there are one or two relevant ideas from A-level that you really want to mention, as they are very relevant, then you can do so. But I would not recommend devoting a whole paragraph to your A-levels for example.

I have my supercurriculars. What next?

Suppose now you have your list of supercurricular activities. You can use these to form the main body of your personal statement.

For these activities, as above, group them into particular paragraphs. This grouping could be based on the topic of the supercurricular activities. You could aim for 2-4 activities per paragraph.

To discuss each activity I recommend three steps:

• Name the activity. For example name the book you read or name the essay competition title.
• Discuss what you specifically did. For example what did you write about specifically in your essay competition, or what was involved in your online course?
• Explain your personal takeaway. Did you agree with the book? Or did you find something particularly fascinating about the essay competition?

Note this is just one possible way of doing things. Depending on the activity you are discussing, you may find a different structure appropriate.

Between activities and paragraphs, it is often a good idea to try to create linking clauses. For example if you discussed your mathematical ability in one paragraph, then you could easily transition into discussing the use of statistics in economics in your next activity or paragraph.

I plan to expand more on how to write about your activities in a future article.

Other Paragraphs

I will now pay particular attention to other paragraphs you may need to write.

Introductions

Often students spend too much time trying to write a good introduction at the very start of the writing process. I recommend leaving the introduction until you have been writing about your supercurricular activities.

One mistake when writing introductions is to start with “from a young age” or “since I was five….”. This way of starting your statement is far too common.

Instead you could jump into discussion of a particular supercurricular activity. This could be an activity that summarises well why you want to study economics for example. You might also have supercurricular activities that do not fit well into a particular paragraph. The introduction could provide a good place to put those kinds of activities too.

Extracurricular Activities

It is possible to put a small paragraph in the statement discussing your extracurriculars (in other words activities not related to economics), for example sports teams, societies, positions of responsibilities, other hobbies etc. Some universities will want to see you are well rounded candidate while others will only care about your academics. I recommend inspecting the applications pages of the universities you are applying to, in order to verify the importance of extracurricular activities to the universities you are applying to.

You may wish to round off your personal statement with a few concluding sentences. I have seen this done in a few ways:

• A short sentence summarising why you think you would be a good candidate for the course.
• A couple of sentences discussing the most important part of your application or something you want to emphasise. This could be a research interest in a particular area, or a particular strength within the field.
• Alternatively, if you think there is a common idea linking most or all of your personal statement activities, you could mention it here too.

See if you think any of these ways are appropriate for your statement. Alternatively you could find your own way to conclude.

Checking and Revising

Get your statement checked by multiple people. Also different teachers will give different advice, so do not feel like you have to accept one’s person entire advice (including my own advice). After all, this is your personal statement and nobody else’s.

In revising the statement, one process most students go through is cutting down characters to fit the UCAS character and line count limits. If you are exceeding these limits, see if you can make points more succinctly. Often a second pair of eyes is very helpful in this instance. Beyond that, you may have to choose one or two of your activities to leave out, based on which you think offers least value to your personal statement.

Best of luck in writing your statement. More will follow on specific ideas for economics supercurricular activities.

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How to Write an Economics Personal Statement

Many students are unsure of how to write an Economics personal statement as they haven’t written one before. Starting your personal statement can be daunting, but you are not alone! We are here to give some pointers for students wishing to study Economics at university, particularly those applying to UK universities via UCAS. We have separated the process into three stages – research, writing and editing.

What to Research for your Economics Personal Statement

What to include in your economics personal statement, how to edit your economics personal statement, research your economics courses.

Research is vital for writing your Economics personal statement. First, you should have good knowledge of the Economics courses you are applying to. How does the university describe the Economics course (e.g. how Mathematical is it?). What content does the course include? Will your interested area in Economics be taught in the course?

Research Advice on How to Write an Economics Personal Statement

Second, you may want to read Economics personal statement examples from past applicants. This will give you some information what a good Economics personal statement includes, and what you should aim for. It is also good to look up any advice on writing personal statements. For example, this article you are reading! LSE also provides some general advice to writing any personal statement.

Research Which Aspect of Economics you are Interested in

Finally, you should research into the topic in Economics that you are interested in, which we will discuss more below. Google Scholar is a great way of searching for academic papers/essays regarding a specific Economics topic you want to learn more about. Another option may be to look through any suggested texts/reading for the university course you are applying to – does any topic in particular catch your eye? Finally, our article on Economics books to read for your personal statement may also help.

An Economics personal statement consist of many different components, and we explain the reason behind including each one in the sections below.

Area of Interest in Economics

In your statement, more than half of it should be used to show academic interest for a key topic/theme in Economics. The topic can be an extension to A-Level/IB syllabus that is slightly more advanced, or it can be something that will be explored further at degree level. This shows your understanding of Economics, and is a good opportunity to impress the admissions tutor with your enthusiasm. Remember – if you are interested in studying Economics, you should be self-motivated to learn more than what you are required to! Ideally, the topic/theme should also be tied to your personal reason to study the subject. This will make your interest more genuine, consistent and convincing. Have a specific topic in mind? Ask us about it !

Your Opinion on Economics

It is all well and good to explain what aspect of Economics you are interested in. However, that is not enough – admissions tutors would want to know your opinion on the issue/concept you discussed. They want to understand if have processed and understood what you have learnt, rather than just regurgitating it. It also demonstrates your ability to think and evaluate about a topic in Economics critically, showing independence of thought.

Motivation to Study Economics

Of course, you need to specify why you wish to study your subject in your statement. It is important to figure out a good reason here that is relevant to you personally, in order to stand out. Avoid generic reasons like ‘I wish to study Economics to understand the world better’ or ‘I wish to study Economics as my father works in finance’. Think deeper – what is it that is uniquely different about your environment, or what you experienced, that causes you to be interested about Economics?

Interest in Mathematics

For most, if not all Economics courses, there is a large amount of Mathematics involved. This is because Economics pursues a more scientific approach via Mathematical Modelling and Econometrics at higher levels of study. Hence, it is important for you to demonstrate your interest in Mathematics, and the use of it within Economics. You can reduce emphasis in this component if the course you are applying for involves less Mathematical modules.

Extra-curricular activities

It is important to include some extra-curricular activities relating to Economics, as it demonstrates your interest in the subject outside of your studies. Ideally this can relate to your area of interest in Economics and your motivation to study the subject. The activities can range from anything such as reading books on Economics , attending Economics events, to having a related work experience. If you want to include any experiences not relevant to Economics to show what you are like as a person, that is certainly acceptable, but should be less than 25% of your statement. Ask our Economics admissions advisor a free question below if you would like to know more about the various activities, and how to write about them.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Ask Wilfred a Free Question on GCE, IB or GCSE Economics * Email * We will answer your question by email and send you relevant notes/materials for your Economics course. Email Ask

After a first draft, it is important for you to get someone to review your Economics personal statement. This can help give you an objective perspective on what others think. Show it to your careers advisor at school, your Economics teacher, your Economics classmates, maybe even parents/siblings that have gone through a similar process. Of course, those who have more exposure to the subject may be a bit more helpful, like someone who applied for an Economics degree a few years ago. If you need professional, personalized advice on your Economics personal statement, you can reach out to our qualified admissions advisor for suggestions. After receiving feedback, you can edit your personal statement accordingly, taking into account each reader’s unique perspectives. You will then have to compare the suggestions and decide which parts/sentences to keep, change or remove. After many changes/edits your personal statement will finally be concise, unique and polished enough for submission!

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Undergraduate Personal Statement Example: Economics

With so many university personal statement examples available, how do you know if you’re reading a good one?  

After all, personal statement examples can teach you how to write and structure your application, and you can quickly learn how to write a personal statement by examining others.

Reading examples of personal statements can be valuable when applying to a university or college course. But what exactly should they contain?

Undergraduate personal statements should highlight relevant academic and practical experience, academic skills, ambitions and suitability for the degree field. This undergraduate personal statement example for Economics clearly illustrates these three critical elements.

Undergraduate degree personal statement examples are sometimes referred to as personal mission statements or statements of purpose , so if you’re tasked with writing a personal mission statement, the following example will work for you.

I’ve broken down this personal statement example section by section, with a commentary on each element. 

That way, you’ll see its strengths and weaknesses and get some inspiration for your own personal statement .

Once you’ve read the personal statement example and analysis, you can download a pdf of the whole document to use as inspiration for your own!

Personal Statement Example: Introduction

“The unprecedented pace and scope of global economic change shape our lives in unfamiliar and complex ways. The COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine and the rising surge of authoritarian populism in Pakistan all challenge social and financial norms, leading to unpredictability in individual behaviour and international markets. Having experienced first-hand the vastly differing economies of the UK, Pakistan and Qatar, I have developed an interest in how economics affects education, employment and income. Comparing each country’s response to the pandemic and observing the long-term impact of the decisions taken, I’m keen to learn which new ideas will replace the old paradigms, how inflation can be tamed without triggering a recession, and whether it is possible to grow global prosperity without exacerbating inequality at a national level.”

My Commentary and Analysis 

This writer begins this personal statement example by displaying an informed and comprehensive understanding of global politics and current affairs. Although this doesn’t seem directly connected to the study of economics, it’s actually a sophisticated way of introducing the topic. Economics and global affairs are inextricably linked, and displaying this knowledge allows the writer to evidence their knowledge comprehensively.

They then outline their global experience and begin to suggest the ways in which global politics and finance are interconnected. In doing so, the writer introduces their motivations and suitability confidently.

If you’re struggling with your personal statement introduction, check out my article on how to write perfect opening paragraphs here .

Personal Statement Example: Section 2

“I thrive on undertaking research into current financial issues and sharing my perspectives with the world. Following the IMF’s reporting of US tariffs on Chinese imports, I analysed how economies rival one another as part of a wider war of geopolitical positioning. Additionally, I examined the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and its economic effects on neighbouring countries. My articles ‘How the US-China Conflict Affects Asia’ and ‘The Economic Impact of the Afghan Crisis on Pakistan’ were featured in Pakistan’s New Reporter newspaper.”

My Commentary and Analysis

Here the writer outlines their research and clarifies their understanding of international trade and finance a little more broadly. This works well, as it adds some depth and development to the previous section without repeating content. 

The theme of international trade continues throughout this personal statement example, but the impressive aspect here is the reference to the articles that the writer has published. Again, this is an important aspect to include as, for an undergraduate example, it establishes the writer as a uniquely qualified and motivated candidate. 

It’s unusual for an undergraduate applicant to have this level of experience and clarity of motivation, so don’t worry if that isn’t something you have achieved yet. The key thing is to make the most of each experience you have and outline its value to your application and ambition.

If you’d like to learn more about how to structure your personal statement or statement of purpose , check out my awesome Personal Statement Template eBook here . It’s full of detailed examples of what to include!

Personal Statement Example: Section 3

“My relief work has exposed me to many societal disparities, fuelling my interest in economics and finance. I’ve witnessed first-hand the interplay between poverty and the economy and researched economic theories and their implications in real-world contexts to understand these real-life complexities. Deeply moved by the impact of the pandemic lockdowns on those reliant on a daily wage in underserved communities in Pakistan, I was inspired to set up a youth team for the food charity FoodShare and distribute warm meals through the uncertainty of constant lockdowns. This led me to research and discover theories such as Sens, which focused on income inequality and capability deprivation.”

The writer outlines their philanthropic and relief work with relevant examples, all of which serve to establish their understanding of the role of economics in real-world settings. 

The focus is beginning to move away from economics, and whilst the content is impressive, it would be sensible to relate the material to the subject area a little more fully at this stage in the personal statement.

Check out lots more examples of personal statements here , and see how they can inspire your application!

Personal Statement Example: Section 4

“Initiating a drive to plant trees as a member of my college’s Green Club, I realised that a financial incentive for growing trees, given directly to landowners in underserved urban and rural communities, would contribute precisely to the economic stimulus they need. My findings were substantiated when I read Dambisa Moyo’s ‘Dead Aid’. I admire her views on development in low-income economies and her arguments for using trade as a growth and development strategy in Africa rather than relying on government-to-government aid. It is experiences like these which have convinced me to pursue this course of study.”

My Commentary and Analysis: 

This is a highly complex paragraph in many respects. It outlines an additional aspect to the writer’s experience and motivation and gives the reader a deeper sense of the engagement the writer intends to have with the subject matter.

Offering evidence of research increases the writer’s range of academic skills and suitability for the course. This is important at this stage of the personal statement, as there have been few references to academic or transferable skills before this point. 

Undergraduate personal statements usually focus on the academic skills developed in further education. As this applicant has focused on other elements, it’s good to see the writer has begun to reference them at this stage.

The one thing that all successful personal statements have in common is that they are concise, engaging and accurate in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Consequently, I always recommend Grammarly to my students and clients. 

It’s an outstanding tool for ensuring your personal statement is rich with detail whilst hitting those all-important word limits. Check out the free version of Grammarly here , or hit the banner for more information.

Personal Statement Example: Conclusion

“My commitment to degree-level economics is reflected in my decision to study A-level Law during my gap year. This has developed my essay writing, analytical and critical thinking skills and taught me to apply logic and reasoning to reach decisions. Equally, attending the Young Leaders summer program at Buckley University last summer allowed me to develop my project management, team building and leadership skills whilst learning about sustainable development goals. I researched the pandemic in Canada and terrorism in Somalia and presented my ideas from an economic viewpoint, arguing how a country’s stability is directly interlinked with its economic growth, affecting the sustainability of development goals. I valued the opportunity to represent my team and take the lead in public speaking and debating at the Oxford Union Chamber, and was proud to win the ‘Best Debating Team’ prize. I won first prize in the Marshall Young Mathematician competition whilst at college, allowing me to put my mathematical, logical reasoning, problem-solving and analytical skills into practice.

A diligent, dedicated and motivated student, I’m confident that my personal qualities, practical experience and academic interests will fully support my commitment to reading for an economics degree.”

The first paragraph above is, perhaps, the most effective and relevant in this personal statement. This is because previous academic skills and experiences are referenced, and their value is considered in relation to the degree course applied for.

The writer then outlines their co-curricular activities. These are highly relevant and impressive examples, and including them here shows the scope of the applicant’s commitment and quality. Referencing the award the writer achieved and considering the transferable skills gained is a compelling strategy that adds to their suitability for the degree.

In summary, there are some significant strengths in this personal statement example. The applicant is mature, engaged and accomplished. They show a range of experiential and practical skills, and the depth of their achievements makes them highly suitable.

In contrast, there’s a lack of formal academic depth here and not very much content that reflects the writer’s personality. Equally, there could be a wider reference to the value that the writer would bring to the university environment.

For more great advice, check out my article on writing an excellent final personal statement paragraph here .

Click here or on the banner below to get your free download of this complete personal statement example . 

Whether you’re looking for personal mission statement examples or an example of personal purpose statement, I hope this personal statement example has been helpful. Above all, I wish you every success in your academic career. 

If you’d like to work with me to develop your personal statement 1:1 and write a powerful mission statement, I’d be delighted to hear from you. 

Find out about my personal statement support services by clicking here or on the image below.

Research and content verified by Personal Statement Planet .

David Hallen

I've worked in the Further Education and University Admissions sector for nearly 20 years as a teacher, department head, Head of Sixth Form, UCAS Admissions Advisor, UK Centre Lead and freelance personal statement advisor, editor and writer. And now I'm here for you...

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Economics and Finance Personal Statement

Over recent years I have developed a passion for looking at current events and how they affect the economy. This interest originates from the enjoyment I get from using maths to analyse a problem, as many situations can be explained clearly using maths. Economics is a subject that is very much alive and this is what makes it interesting to me. Every day there are new situations that economists can explore and analyse and I find this prospect extremely exciting.

Studying Pre-U Economics has increased my enthusiasm for the subject as I enjoy following macroeconomic debate in the UK and learning how globalisation changes markets. I have gained insights about how firms have had to react to globalisation and how nations use protectionism as a way of preventing industries from collapsing. The analytical skills that I have developed in Physics have proved particularly helpful as I can transfer these skills to Economics, despite them being quite different subjects. I enjoy following financial markets where you can see how the economic impacts of global events play out and have recently setup a paper trading account.  The trading application helps further my understanding of the impacts of economic events.  I can test my hypothesis of a particular event against the change in markets and improve my understanding.

I became interested in the socioeconomic elements of development and international aid after reading ‘Dead Aid’ by Moyo. The idea of ‘trade not aid’ resonated with me and led me to conduct further research which led me to conclude that having a skilled labour force would be more economically beneficial than trade. Reading ‘Awakening Giants’ by Bardhan gave an interesting insight at the speed at which China has become a leading economy.

I have also enjoyed exploring the world of economics through work experience, the first of which was with Tradition, a global financial services firm.  I learnt how to analyse and rank different trading strategies based on historical data modelling.  At Guardian Stockbrokers I witnessed in real-time the impact of macro and microeconomic data on different asset classes. I set up a demo trading account on the company’s platform to experience first-hand how the slightest change in the economic outlook  can influence the market price. Last summer I secured a place in HSBC’s work experience programme for 6th form students. I learnt about different aspects of retail banking and gained insight into how a retail bank works. This helped put some perspective as to how banking has changed over the years after the financial crisis.

Last year, I was selected to represent my school in a Physics symposium and as part of the team my role was to apply my analytical skills and communicate the results to my team. This opportunity helped with my team building skills.  I have also experienced how to set up a company and run a profitable business when I was appointed the company Financial Director for the young enterprise scheme. I gained insight into how to conduct meetings and improve my presentation and negotiation skills. I enjoy playing classical guitar and have had the opportunity to perform in school concerts throughout my school years. As an active member of the school Charity and Community Service committees I help the local community by volunteering at the day shelter for the homeless and the YMCA cafe. This experience provided me with a different perspective on life. Throughout school I have captained and toured with many school teams playing tennis, football and cricket.

Everyday something new happens in the economic world, I would love to be part of an undergraduate course that analyses these events. This is why Economics is my chosen course and I look forward to expanding my knowledge in this field at undergraduate level and, hopefully, further.

This student also took a year abroad too. 

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