7 Economics Personal Statement Examples | With Analysis
What makes a great personal statement?
How do you improve your chances of achieving a university offer in economics?
In this post I will give some personal statement examples and discuss what the best economics personal statements do well.
Key features that great personal statements share
Disclaimers, evolution of economics personal statements, what makes a great economics personal statement, key features that great personal statements share: a reminder, lots of supercurricular activities, personal insights about such activities, demonstrate key skills, a well written essay, more economics personal statement advice, latest posts.
This diagram shows my summary of what makes a great economics personal statement. Based on my experience as an economics tutor and economics personal statement examples, here are four qualities that make personal statements stand out.
I explore these categories further below and in my ultimate economics personal statement guide.
For my ultimate economics personal statement guide, check out the link below:
Firstly, here is a list of ten economics personal statement examples available online.
Also below, there is analysis of what makes a great economics personal statement.
Personal Statement – Details and Claimed Offers | Comments | Link |
Cambridge interview; offers from LSE, Warwick, UCL and St Andrews | + Good evidence of independent study. + Great supercurricular activities discussed. + Good personal takeaways. Note work experience is not necessary for your application. Here the work experience has been used very well though. Yet if you do not have work experience, you can do equally as well through other activities such as reading books. | |
Offers from LSE, UCL, Bristol, Queen Mary, Warwick | + Solid supercurriculars mentioned. + Great use of personal experience. ~ Sometimes supercurricular discussions could be more detailed. ~ Introduction or conclusion may benefit from an anchor activity. | |
Offer from Cambridge | + Great supercurriculars mentioned. + Strong maths related supercurriculars ~ Introduction and conclusion could be more specific. | |
Offers from Cambridge, LSE, UCL, Warwick and Bath | + Evidence of mathematics related supercurriculars + Great use of personal experience. + Interesting personal takeaways from many of the activities. | |
Offer from Cambridge | + Good economics related supercurriculars, touching on various different areas in economics + Good attempts at personal takeaways + Good use of personal experience. ~ Personal takeaways could be more varied and sometimes deeper. | |
Offer from Oxford (Economics and Management) | + Student’s motivations for applying for the course are clear. ~ Books and articles should be discussed, not only name-dropped. Personal takeaways are important. ~ The language often sounds contrived and not natural. | |
Offer from Oxford (Economics and Management) | + A lot of great supercurriculars mentioned. + Interesting extracurriculars too. ~ Often the personal takeaways could be more detailed and less surface-level. ~ Second paragraph lacks details about the supercurricular activities. ~ Conclusion and introduction are ok but at least one could be anchored in details. |
To learn how to improve your economics personal statement, check out the link below by clicking the blue button:
I cannot guarantee that the personal statements linked above achieved the university offers claimed on those pages. Nor can I claim that each statement is 100% perfect.
By linking to these sites, I do not endorse any of the sites linked above.
You should not copy any part of the personal statements above. Doing so is plagiarism and can lead to the disqualification of your university application. Instead learn from the techniques and kinds of things mentioned in their statements. See specifically the rest of this article for what we can learn from these personal statements.
A proportion of the samples above are relatively old (five to ten years ago or more).
For some universities the personal statement is more important for applications. Consider for example LSE and UCL, top universities where there are no admissions tests or interviews.
We can look at more recently written and publicly available personal statements.
Based on these, here are some observable trends in recent years among the best performing economics personal statements:
- More supercurriculars relative to the above personal statements.
- More reference to undergraduate-level economic theory. This can show further reading and an ability to potentially do well in the undergraduate course.
In this section I am drawing on my experience as a tutor about what makes a great personal statement. I am also using the available online examples of economics personal statements and the criteria listed by the top UK universities.
Such statements are by no means always perfect, yet they show the qualities and skills that allow students to attend the best universities.
These examples allow us to analyse what makes a great personal statement and also where students often go wrong with personal statements.
As a reminder, here are the four features of great economics personal statements mentioned above:
- Lots of supercurriculars
- Highlighting key skills
- Personal takeaways
Here is a breakdown of these categories:
What activities have you completed, outside of class, that relate to economics? Have you read a book, entered an economics-related competition, or watched an economics lecture? These are examples of supercurricular activities. I consider these a key focus for the best personal statements and I discuss these further in my economics personal statement ebook. These show your motivation to study economics which will be critical if you want to study the subject for three years at university.
For more on supercurricular activities, click the link here:
These are what I refer to as “personal takeaways” later in this guide. What did you learn from the supercurricular activity? Detail is very important, both for showing a high level of understanding and also to convince the person reading your statement that you actually completed the activity. This should go beyond just recalling the activity – maybe there is something you learnt from this activity or something you read that you disagreed with. We discuss how to write about personal takeaways in the ebook.
For more information about how to use supercurricular activities in your statement, including how to generate personal insights, click this button below:
Obviously you should try to show academic ability in economics and motivation to study economics. But what other skills are useful to show in a personal statement?
While there are many skills that could potentially be useful, I draw your attention for now to two key skills: Ability in mathematics and independent study (including research). Evidence from supercurricular activities that you have these skills will help convince admissions staff. Moreover these skills will help you in the economics course.
What constitutes a “well written essay”?
Your personal statement should be well structured, with effective links between ideas and paragraphs. The grammar should be completely correct, that is there should be no mistakes.
Finally consider your vocabulary – can you embed economics-related terminology into your personal statement? You can use a thesaurus but do so with caution – sometimes it is obvious where a thesaurus has been used (and often the new word used does not make sense in that context!).
For more economics personal statement tips or for economics university application advice, check out the link below:
For A-level Economics resources, click the link here:
- Tariff Diagram Step by Step
- 14 Practice Papers for A Level Economics 2024
- Theme 1 Edexcel A Economics A Level Practice Questions – Fossil Fuels
- 3.3.1 Revenue
- 1.3.4 Information gaps – Edexcel A Level Economics notes
About the author
Helping economics students online since 2015. Previously an economist, I now provide economics resources on tfurber.com and tutor A Level Economics students. Read more about me here .
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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.
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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.
Successful Personal Statement For Natural Science (Physical) At Cambridge
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Ensure your enthusiasm for economics stands out
It's key to explain in your personal statement why you’re interested in economics and why you want to study it.
Think about the following:
- Show an appreciation of mathematical concepts.
- Reflect on something that has given you an insight into local, national, European or global economic issues, and explain what interests you about it.
- If you have already been studying economics at A level (or equivalent), talk about an area of the course you’ve found especially interesting.
- If you haven’t studied economics before, explain what has inspired your interest in it.
- What especially appeals to you about the subject or the courses you’ve chosen? You can look up specific course details using our course search .
- Demonstrate that you have a real interest in economic principles and concepts.
- Show some understanding of economic theory.
What to include in your economics personal statement
- Your long-term goals: explain how your degree choice fits with your future ambitions and career aspirations.
- Wider reading: do pick out one or two specific issues that had an impact on you – just saying you subscribe to ‘The Economist’ or ‘The FT’ or that you’ve read ‘Freakonomics’ or ‘The Undercover Economist’ won't have an impact unless you elaborate. Better still, think outside the box and write about something you’ve read that’s slightly more obscure. As one admissions tutor said: 'If I read about ‘Freakonomics’ one more time, I’ll scream.'
- Economics-related experience: reflect on any work experience, responsibilities, or non-academic interests or achievements that are relevant to economics or demonstrate appropriate skills or qualities.
- Other relevant insights: if you’ve undertaken an economics-related project, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or summer school, reflect on any insights this has given you.
- Demonstrate your skills: give examples of skills you possess that will serve you well as an economics student and mean you're able to proactively contribute to the course. These could include self-motivation, teamwork, the ability to think logically, effective time management, good communication, or problem-solving skills.
What not to include in your economics statement
We've also picked up some tips on what to avoid:
- Don’t skim the surface – be specific.
- Don’t give a shopping list of things you’ve read or done.
- Don’t exaggerate.
- Don’t waste space trying to impress with things you’ve done that aren’t relevant – relate everything to the courses you’re applying for.
- Don’t make sweeping claims about your 'passion for economics', how you’ve 'loved it from an early age' and 'what an honour it would be to get accepted at your university'.
- Avoid grammar and spelling mistakes.
As the University of Bristol's ' Why Study Economics? ' website says, 'a straightforward personal statement that gets all the core points across in a coherent way serves the purpose best'. So do say something that will stand you out from the crowd, but avoid being too off-the-wall.
Don't be too bland and generic, either. London School of Economics says 'your statement should be as original as possible to differentiate you from other applicants' while the University of Nottingham looks for 'students with a wide variety of interests and enthusiasms from a wide variety of backgrounds'. Strike the right balance by demonstrating your enthusiasm, your intellectual curiosity, and the quality of your insights.
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Please note UCAS will detect any form of plagiarism. PSE and its contributors do not take any responsibility for the way in which personal statements are used.
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Personal statement
The quality of an applicant's personal statement is very important at LSE. The School does not interview for places so this is an applicant’s only opportunity to demonstrate they are a good fit for the course. Applicants should consult the advice here, as well as advice from UCAS when preparing to complete this section of their application.
Please note that writing a personal statement following the guidelines below does not guarantee an offer of admission. Personal statements are looked at on a comparative basis and there is a great deal of competition for places at LSE.
LSE does not accept additional or supplementary personal statements. We can only consider the personal statement submitted via UCAS.
Writing your personal statement
We expect that your submitted Personal Statement is structured and coherent and that you fully utilise the space available on your UCAS application form. We expect that you have checked spelling, punctuation, and grammar and that your Personal Statement flows in a logical order. We expect that your Personal Statement is entirely your own original work. We reserve the right to reject your application where it has been found that a statement has significant similarities to a previous submission or has been created with the use of Artificial Intelligence.
Before you start writing, do your research
Before you start writing your personal statement, you should visit our course guides . These guides give information on the course content of each of our undergraduate programmes.
When assessing your personal statement our Admissions Selectors will look at how well your academic interests align with the LSE course. So, for example, the Anthropology Admissions Selector is likely to prefer a statement which focuses mainly on social anthropology - which is taught at LSE - over one which suggests the applicant is very interested in biological anthropology, or a combined degree with archaeology, as these courses are not offered at the School.
Similarly, a personal statement which shows an interest mostly in modern international history (the focus of LSE’s International History course) is likely to be more competitive than one which shows a significant interest in ancient history, as LSE does not offer any ancient history units.
If you are applying for a range of slightly different courses, we recommend that you focus your personal statement on the areas of overlap between them, so that your statement appeals to all of your UCAS choices. It is important to note that LSE does not accept replacement or supplementary personal statements.
What to include in your personal statement
Your personal statement should discuss for the most part your academic interest in the subject you wish to study. One way to think about the personal statement is to reflect on what we expect from LSE undergraduates: we ask them to learn about topics relevant to their course, through reading or other experiences, and then discuss the ideas they have encountered in academic essays. This is the skill we look for in the personal statement and we recommend at least 80% of your statement should be dedicated to this type of academic discussion.
How you show your wider engagement with your subject is entirely up to you. Our Selectors look for students who can best reflect on the experiences and academic ideas they have encountered through the opportunities available to them, not those who have had the best opportunities. If you are not sure where to start, you could try listening to podcasts of LSE public events or look in the prospectus for examples of suggested reading. Remember we are interested not just in a list of what you have read/encountered, but evidence you have reflected on the academic ideas.
To help you begin, there are several questions you could think about:
- Why have you chosen the course? What attracted you to the subject? Which aspects of the subject have interested you sufficiently to want to study it at degree level? Is there a specific area of the subject you wish to focus on? What are the big issues in the subject, and what do you find most interesting about them? What are your thoughts on these topics?
- Have you developed your subject interest outside of your school studies? For example, have you undertaken any additional reading to broaden your knowledge of the subject? Have you attended lectures or explored online material relating to the subject? What did you find interesting in your reading/in the lectures you attended and what are your thoughts on the topics covered?
- Have you gained any skills from your other school subjects that complement your application to study your chosen subject? Have you had the opportunity to undertake work experience relevant to your application? If you did, how did this experience give you a wider understanding of the topics you will study at university?
- Have you attended any schemes or activities at LSE or other universities, such as Summer Schools, Saturday Schools, LSE Choice, etc? What you have learned from these? Have they furthered your knowledge of or interest in your chosen subject?
If you are applying for deferred entry, as well as thinking about the questions listed above, you may also wish to indicate (briefly) why you are taking a gap year and what you plan to do during the year.
If you are applying as a post-qualified student (ie, you have already received your final results), you may wish to mention briefly what you have been doing since your exams.
Please note : You are not expected to simply answer all of the questions above; these questions are merely intended to give you some guidance as to what to think about when writing your statement.
Extra-curricular activities
At LSE you are admitted to study a particular degree course so the majority of your personal statement − at least 80% − should focus on your academic interest in that subject. Many students like to include some details of their extra-curricular activities such as involvement in sports, the arts, volunteering or student government. As our Selectors are most interested in your academic interests, we recommend that no more than 20% of your statement is spent discussing extra-curricular activities.
Applying to combined degree programmes
LSE offers a number of combined degree programmes. If you are applying to one of these programmes, you are advised to give equal weighting to each subject in your statement. For instance, if you are applying to our Politics and Economics degree, you must show evidence of interest in both subjects; a statement weighted towards only one aspect of the degree will be significantly less competitive.
Example of a poor personal statement
"I have always dreamed of coming to LSE since I was young. It has been a dream of mine to study at this institution, which is well renowned for its social science courses.
I am currently studying History, English and Business and Management at Higher level and Italian, Maths and Chemistry at Standard level in the International Baccalaureate, and feel that these subjects are providing me with a solid background for university study.
I want to study History because I want to be a world class Historian, and feel that this degree will help me. I am especially interested in Ancient History, particularly the history concerning the Roman Empire. I am fascinated by the way in which the empire was run, and the events that led to its downfall.
"I was the captain of the school football team, and this has taught me the importance of working together as a team, and allowed me to prioritise my time between my studies and football practice. I feel that this has provided me with the experience to successfully balance my academic and social life, and I plan to continue this balance whilst at university.
It is my dream to become an alumnus of the School, and I am sure that as I am the top student of my class, you will offer me a place."
This brief example of a personal statement is poor. The applicant has mentioned an interest in history but they have not discussed this in depth or shown any evidence of wider engagement with the subject. Where the applicant does talk about history, the discussion is superficial and focussed on ancient history, which LSE does not offer as part of our history course.
The applicant has specifically mentioned LSE, which is likely to be unattractive to their other choices, and has wasted space listing their International Baccalaureate subjects, which would be shown in the qualifications section. The applicant has described how a history degree will help them get the job they later want, rather than what they are looking forward to studying during the degree.
The applicant has reflected on the transferable skills they have developed leading the football team. This is good, but it would be nice to see the same level of reflection applied to academic topics - this student has spent more time talking about football than about history.
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Personal Statement
Introduction.
As part of your UCAS application , you will be required to write a personal statement with a maximum of 4,000 characters. This is sent to each of your chosen universities, who use it – along with the other parts of your application, such as exam grades – to assess your suitability for their course and whether to make you an offer.
Your personal statement allows you to demonstrate to the admissions tutors why you are applying for their course; what interests you about the subject and why they should accept you – showing that you have the achievements, qualities and skills they are looking for. For more competitive courses, there will often be little difference between your grades and the grades of other applicants, so it is essential to make your personal statement effective by devoting appropriate time to its preparation.
It can be tough getting started on your personal statement – however, the earlier you begin drafting it, the more time you’ll have to finalise it before the UCAS deadlines for submission of your application (15 October 2017 for Oxbridge and Medicine/Dentistry/Veterinary Science, and 15 January 2018 for most other courses). Although there is no definite formula for writing a personal statement, and different subjects require different styles, the following advice breaks down the process and offers guidance for each step of completing a science-based personal statement.
Aims of the Personal Statement
Ultimately, the aim of your personal statement is to show the university’s admissions tutors that you are a good fit for their course, bearing in mind that different universities may be looking for slightly different attributes in their students. Some universities offer specific guidance on what they are looking for in personal statements through their website or course prospectus – use these to research and make notes of any specific admissions advice for the courses you are applying to, as this will allow you to tailor your personal statement to your preferred universities.
In order to produce an effective personal statement, you will need to address a number of key points that the admissions tutor will be looking for, and cover these in a well thought-out and well written manner. To achieve this, your personal statement should demonstrate:
- your interest, enthusiasm and passion for the subject, giving evidence and examples of specific areas of interest
- the relevant skills you have learnt from your studies, extracurricular activities and employment, and how these have prepared you for a degree course in your chosen subject
- your ability to articulate your enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, the subject by writing long prose in a clear, confident and structured manner, using a wide range of vocabulary
- the ways in which you have been following up your interest and furthering your understanding in the subject at a higher level, outside the syllabus (i.e., projects, further reading)
- that you are well informed about what is involved in taking your subject at degree-level
- that you are a well-rounded individual with hobbies outside of your subject
- that you have a general idea of what you want to do after university
The most effective personal statements cover the above points implicitly, backing up claims through discussions and experiences which show the admissions tutor your passion for the subject, rather than vague generalisations and statements such as “I am passionate about physics” – they will already assume this. Isolate a reason as to why you personally engage with your subject and then discuss specific examples to substantiate this, eg. through a reflective discussion of further reading you have done. Write with quality, not quantity, in mind – the admissions tutor will be more impressed to read in detail what you learnt from one or two specific experiences or books, as opposed to a section which brushes over four or five. At the same time, don’t let the personal statement become a mini essay trying to simply demonstrate your knowledge of a topic you found through further reading – keep the discussion personal, showing what you got out of reading or learning it and why you found it interesting – for example did it relate to another subject you’ve studied?
For competitive courses and courses for which applicants are interviewed, another key aim of your personal statement is to persuade the admissions tutor to make you an offer or invite you to interview, as opposed to another applicant with equal grades. Your personal statement should illustrate and highlight your abilities, written with an intellectual flair that will impress the admissions tutor, all whilst being interesting, relatable and personal to you – it is a personal statement, after all. Quiet confidence is an effective style – avoid appearing overly modest and avoid being overly arrogant .
The next step is to think about what you’re going to include in your personal statement to meet these aims. This topic is discussed in the following section. Later, once you have completed the first draft of your personal statement, refer back to these aims and remove any content that is not contributing to them, as it doesn’t belong in your personal statement.
What to Include
Below is a list of points students tend to talk about in science-based personal statements, divided into two main sections: academics and non-academics. By dedicating some time to brainstorm answers to these, you will be significantly closer to getting started on your personal statement. At this stage, don’t worry about sentence length, order, connectives or how much space you will devote to each point in the final version – structuring will come later. Jot things down that you consider minor – you’re not committed to actually include any of these things in your statement once you start writing it. The only limitation is do not lie.
Reasons for choosing the course:
- Why does the subject interest you? This leads on to why you have chosen the course, a key factor that the admissions tutor will want to know.
- Why do you want to study the subject at a higher level? Answer this in terms of the new skills and knowledge you will gain, show you understand what is required of you in studying the subject at degree level and that you have the potential to succeed.
- Which aspects or areas of your studies have you enjoyed most so far? For example, any particular content, experiment, project, or an approach to learning – convey your understanding of how this relates to work you would do on a degree course, eg. how you displayed teamwork in undertaking a project, or how it increased your interest in the subject.
Demonstrating interest in the subject outside of the curriculum:
- Demonstrate any further reading you have done around the subject – eg. from books, respected newspapers, scientific journals, documentaries, websites, blogs, podcasts, radio programmes, lectures attended – explain the content of the further reading briefly and then focus on how you, personally, engaged with it, by reflecting on why it made an impression on you, and by giving your critical views on it.
- Mention any trips you attended to relevant institutions, through school or on own initiative – eg. university residentials or taster days, summer schools, work experience, volunteering, trips to industry/research institutions such as JET or CERN – as with further reading, reflect on your experiences, relate them to the course or your current studies, and explain what you’ve learned from them and how they’ve helped develop your interest in the subject.
- Describe skills you developed, used and improved through doing extracurricular activities, competitions, awards – eg. relevant clubs, societies, CREST projects/awards, Olympiads, maths challenges – these will often demonstrate skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, initiative, creativity and independent research skills. Don’t just mention them for the sake of it – explain how they have increased your interest and understanding of your chosen subject.
- Summarise any mentoring, work experience or shadowing you may have done – these can demonstrate that you have initiative; and for work experience or shadowing, describe what you enjoyed about experiencing what it’s like in a higher-level research/industry environment. Mentoring shows your interest in engaging younger pupils – explain why you enjoyed this, and how it helped your own studies.
- If you have done (or are doing) an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), explain how it relates to your interest in the subject and how the skills you gained from it will prepare you for university – the EPQ shows you are able to think analytically and independently and demonstrates transferable skills such as independent study, effective research, public speaking, time-management, recognising bias, organisation, motivation, planning and monitoring own progress.
Future plans:
- Outline any potential long-term career plans you have – explain why you are attracted to the career and how you would use the experiences, skills and knowledge you would gain from the degree course.
- If you don’t currently know what want to do after university, discuss what aspect of university you are most looking forward to and what you want to gain from the course and university life.
- If you are planning to defer your university entry, briefly outline any gap year plans you have – focussing on any potential academic or subject-related plans (eg. work experience in industry), or explain what you will learn from travelling or employment, and why it will benefit you at university.
Non-Academics
Transferable skills and knowledge:
- Write about the relevant skills you have learnt from any jobs, placements, work experience or volunteering you have done – for example, useful skills for university include the ability to work independently, teamwork, organisational skills, good time management, problem-solving, listening, critical thinking, etc.
- Mention also any positions of responsibility you’ve held, both in or out of school – for example, if you’ve been a member of a club or society (in your community or at school), or led important team projects – this shows good leadership skills.
Other relevant interests, hobbies and achievements:
- To help show you are a well-rounded individual, list any non-subject related activities, hobbies and spare-time interests you have, no matter how minor – for example, do you take part in any sports teams, music rehearsals, drama schools, travelling or reading?
- Also discuss any non-academic accomplishments such as a Duke of Edinburgh award. These wider interests are valuable as they demonstrate your talents, and can indicate characteristics whose transferable skills will be useful for succeeding at university, even if they don’t directly relate to your subject.
Once you have brainstormed and thought carefully about your answers to the above questions, you need to choose which points you feel you should include in your personal statement. If your list involves too many similar things, for example, a large number of books that you’ve read, select just two or three which you enjoyed the most, or which made the biggest impression on you. This way, you can elaborate in more detail on your experience of reading them – the admissions tutors would prefer to see this than simply seeing a list of books. Always try to avoid making generic statements – make sure you give a personal take on everything you mention in your statement – talk about the details in the book that you found most inspiring. In terms of which experiences to include in your statement, more recent ones are more valuable than older ones, as the admissions tutors want to know you as you are now, and how you will be at their university. Show the admissions tutors you know your own strengths and make sure you understand topics and details in your personal statement well enough to talk confidently about them at interview, if your university uses interviews as part of their selection process.
If you have worked through the above list and feel you don’t have enough exciting experiences or exotic excursions to write about, compared to other people’s statements you may have read, there is no need to worry. By spending some productive time researching through books and science news websites and publications, and reflecting on what you have learned, you should still be able to collect sufficient material to write a very good statement for a science-based subject. The admissions tutor will not be judging you based on the fact you might not have had the same opportunities as other people.
Note, there is no need to list your qualifications (eg. “I am currently taking A-Level Maths, Physics and Chemistry and achieved … grades at AS”) in your personal statement – this is already covered in the Qualifications section of your UCAS form, which the admissions tutors will see on the same page as your personal statement – you will be wasting valuable characters in your statement if you were to list these here, too.
Although there is no set structure for science-based personal statements, the following can be used as a guide:
- A punchy opening paragraph about your general interest in the subject and why you want to study it.
- A couple of mainly academic paragraphs as the body of the statement – these are more flexible – discussing your experiences of the subject in more detail.
- The penultimate paragraph in which non-subject related content such as extra-curricular activities and hobbies are discussed.
- A punchy closing paragraph about your aspirations, commitment and what makes you look forward to the course.
Universities typically recommend that you focus around 75% on academic subject-related discussion, and 25% on non-subject related extra-curriculars.
Organise your material and use a sensible order that will make your text flow – the key is to make your statement easily readable for the admissions tutor. Keep sentences short, as overly-long sentences can be difficult to follow and make your statement cumbersome. Clearly defined paragraphs can help with this but, on UCAS Apply, you can’t indent lines and, if you leave lines between paragraphs, these empty lines will count towards the 47 lines you are allowed, leaving you with fewer characters to use.
Extra Additions
There are a number of additional matters to include in your personal statement if you are an international student, a mature student, or are planning to take a year out before going to university (a gap year):
Gap year students
Briefly explain, in a few sentences before the conclusion of your personal statement, why you want to take a gap year and outline any plans you have, focussing on potential academic plans (eg. work experience in industry). If you don’t have any academic-related plans, explain what skills you will learn from travelling or employment, and how they may relate to your course.
Mature students
Use the personal statement additionally to explain what you’ve been doing since leaving formal education, why you want to return to study, and demonstrate how you will cope with the rigours of academic work – using experiences in employment to evidence this. To provide more details of current or previous employment, send a copy of your CV directly to the universities you are applying to (don’t send it to UCAS). If your degree will result in a change of career, explain why you have decided to follow a new direction.
International students
Your personal statement should also explain why you want to study in the UK and demonstrate that your English language skills are sufficiently advanced to allow you to successfully complete a degree course taught in English. You can show this by giving examples of any English courses or tests you’ve taken, saying if any of your previous studies have been taught or examined in English, and describing any activities where you have used English outside of your studies. You should also discuss why you want to be an international student in the UK, rather than study in your own county. Read UCAS’ International Undergraduate Guide for Students for more information.
More than one subject
If you are applying for courses in more than one subject area, you have to try to make your personal statement fit with the different courses you are applying for across your chosen universities, since you can only submit one personal statement through UCAS. You can either choose to emphasise the subject you prefer (or the one which is more competitive) – while, at the same time, explaining that you also have an interest in the other subject – or you can take a thematic approach by focussing on ideas, topics and skills which are applicable to both courses.
Your personal statement is a formal piece of writing and the style in which you write it should reflect this. It should sound natural – but not chatty – and use diverse vocabulary – but not overly complex words with which you’re not familiar; everyday formal language is fine . Spelling, grammar and punctuation should all be correct, and avoid contractions and abbreviations (such as “I’d” and “didn’t”). Addressing the reader (the admissions tutor) directly using “you” is not usual practise in personal statements. Assume the reader already has a level of knowledge – for example, there is no need to explain what Duke of Edinburgh awards are, or to describe what a well-known book is about. Avoid making lists or using repetitive language (“I enjoy…”, “I enjoy…”) in your statement.
Although you want to make your personal statement stand out from other applicants’, there is a line between standing out to the admissions tutor in the right way and in the wrong way. Originality is a key part in making your statement personal – and although it might be tempting to include (or even start) your statement with a quotation by an important figure in your subject, this is very commonly done by many applicants, and can come across as clichéd. Quotations are someone else’s words, and the admissions tutors want to hear your own! The use of jokes – no matter how well intentioned – is also discouraged as they can be misinterpreted by the reader, who may not have the same sense of humour as you. Re-evaluate any use of the words “love”, “adore” or “ignited” (in fact, any fire-related metaphors) as these have a tendency to sound cheesy and their use is rarely justified, given how many synonyms exist for these words. Avoid clichés along with intellectual pretensions and overly hyperbolic phrases, as these can sound tacky when reading the personal statement in a formal environment.
Before you start to write each sentence, consult the planning sheet you made from the questions under “ What To Include ”. Using these notes, you will be able to incorporate more effectively which ideas and statements you want to convey in each sentence. Try to use connectives to link sentences in order to improve the flow of the text; but avoid using filler sentences or vague and generic statements which add nothing to your statement. Write succinctly and remove anything that doesn’t contribute to its aims (laid out in “ Aims of the Personal Statement ”). There is no need to state repeatedly in different words how passionate you are about your subject – this should be shown implicitly through your evidence of wider reading and subject-related experiences. When discussing further reading, be specific and give brief examples from the book to provide insight in your own thinking in relation to what you have read – show you have formulated an opinion on the book, how it has made an impression on you, and what you got out of reading it.
You should do more than simply describe the subject-related experiences in which you have been involved: elaborate on and emphasise what you took away from them, how they increased your interest in the subject and, show evidence of useful and relevant skills you gained or improved through the experiences. You will often not even need to state the skills themselves – and if you do, avoid listing too many. Fully utilise each experience – show through your discussion of it that you enjoyed it and really engaged in it – in turn, this will help your style be enthusiastic and positive to the admissions tutor.
When entered into UCAS Apply, your personal statement will lose any formatting within it – bold, italic or underlined words are not allowed, and many types of special characters and symbols will be removed – including accented characters (à, é, ù), € and special quote and bracket characters (eg. “ ‘ ’ ”, {}, \ – though the characters “, ‘, () and / are allowed). Tabs and multiple spaces will be condensed to a single space, so you are not able to indent lines. You can leave an empty line between paragraphs to more clearly define these, but this will reduce your character amount.
Never lie, embellish or exaggerate any statements in your personal statement – apart from anything else, you may be asked to expand on them at interview and find yourself caught out. Of course, there’s no need to be an expert in quantum mechanics if you mention your interest in the field, but be prepared for questions in the interview that will show you know at least the basics of it to reassure the interviewer that you have done sufficient research in to it. Don’t make unsupported claims for yourself, either – always back yourself up with evidence or examples. Most important, never, ever plagiarise anyone else’s work in your statement, or pay for someone to do it for you. UCAS uses a similarity detection system to scan your personal statement against every other applicants’ (including previous year’s) – and if plagiarism is detected in your statement, your chosen universities will be told.
Feedback and Finalising
Once you have completed your first draft of your personal statement and are reasonably happy with it, it is time to show it to teachers, advisors and family and ask for their constructive feedback and comments on it. Some advice will likely be simple – correcting any accidental spelling, grammatical or punctuation mistakes (ensure the corrections are right!), and suggesting rephrasing of unclear sentences – but some suggestions might be more substantial and require more consideration. Don’t take any criticism personally – people are genuinely trying to help by offering their opinions. If you seriously disagree with any suggestions in particular, you can choose to ignore them – it is your personal statement and you have to be happy with the final version you submit. Redraft as necessary, let a range of (trusted) people have a look at your new version and repeat this re-drafting process as long as you think the feedback you are getting is useful. It is generally not a good idea to post your personal statement online on forums or discussion boards, as anyone is then able to copy it and pass it off as their own.
If you have have gone over the 4000 character limit and there is still academic content you are adamant on keeping in your personal statement, ask your referee – usually a teacher or admissions/senior tutor at your school/college – if they can mention it in your reference, as an alternative approach.
Once you are happy with the final version of your personal statement, paste it into UCAS Apply before your school or college’s internal deadline, pay UCAS the £24 fee, and submit your application to your chosen universities. Good luck!
Helpful Links
- Official UCAS personal statement page
- The Student Room’s personal statement advice
- Subject specific guides to personal statements from The Student Room
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Statement of Purpose
The statement of purpose is very important to programs when deciding whether to admit a candidate. Your statement should be focused, informative, and convey your research interests and qualifications. You should describe your reasons and motivations for pursuing a graduate degree in your chosen degree program, noting the experiences that shaped your research ambitions, indicating briefly your career objectives, and concisely stating your past work in your intended field of study and in related fields. Your degree program of interest may have specific guidance or requirements for the statement of purpose, so be sure to review the degree program page for more information. Unless otherwise noted, your statement should not exceed 1,000 words.
Personal Statement
Please describe the personal experiences that led you to pursue graduate education and how these experiences will contribute to the academic environment and/or community in your program or Harvard Griffin GSAS. These may include social and cultural experiences, leadership positions, community engagement, equity and inclusion efforts, other opportunities, or challenges. Your statement should be no longer than 500 words.
Please note that there is no expectation to share detailed sensitive information and you should refrain from including anything that you would not feel at ease sharing. Please also note that the Personal Statement should complement rather than duplicate the content provided in the Statement of Purpose.
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Please visit Degree Programs and navigate to your degree program of interest to determine if a writing sample is required. When preparing your writing sample, be sure to follow program requirements, which may include format, topic, or length.
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What to include in a Personal Statement
Personal Statement Tips
Personal statement example mathematics and economics personal statement.
Submitted by Arnav
Mathematics and Economics Personal Statement
The combination of the holistic approach of Economics with the precise detail of Mathematics is exciting and would give me the skills to excel in the field that I am interested in: the financial sector. I was reading a BBC article about issues Scotland had with the public expenditure they received, which initiated my interest for understanding a broader range of economics. This brought my attention to the Barnett formula, which uses the accurate nature of Mathematics in Economic methodology and is a model used by the Treasury in the UK to distribute the amount of public spending that is allocated to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
A-level Further Mathematics has helped me develop skills such as critical thinking and creativity through attempting complex questions which often need considerate methodology. I have always tried to push myself when it comes to Maths and this has been shown through my participation in the UK Maths Challenge, attaining a gold certificate and the "Best in the Year" award. Studying Further Maths has introduced me to matrices and vectors, so having the opportunity to simultaneously manipulate the two when studying Linear Algebra at University would be quite captivating. I am intrigued by the way statistics at A-level can be used as a means of drawing conclusions from data and I would like to be able to extend these ideas and have the opportunity to analyse experiments and collate information that can genuinely be useful to society. A full understanding of Economics will allow me to engage with the current affairs and explain why certain economic phenomena occur by relating it to the economic performance of a country.
In order to gain a stronger understanding of macroeconomics beyond my studies, I applied for an extremely competitive week-long summer work experience programme with Lloyds Banking Group in 2017, providing me with a greater insight to their Group Corporate Treasury (GCT) sector - arguably the bank's most important team known for being the “bank to the bank”. I learnt that GCT manage the flow of cash between the deposits that divisions bring in, and the loans they lend out through four main functions: balance sheet management, funding and liquidity, capital and issuance. The most valuable skills I gained from the programme was through the trading game that I played. I had 6 assets and used the stock market to judge how much of my assets I should buy or sell and when would be the best time to make the trades. This gave me an idea of the level of risk-taking that is involved, not just in trading but also with how banks operate. Presenting to employees on what I had learned about the FTSE 100 was also a vital experience as it allowed me to work on relevant skills in relation to my aim of wanting to apply economic theory to real world scenarios. I was required to identify drivers of the index, both economic and fundamental, and answer technical Q&A raised by the audience.
I have developed a range of transferable skills through non-academic activities; by playing tennis outside of school at a county level, representing my age as well as the men's team and winning many club tournament competitions. My passion for tennis extends beyond playing, as I coach younger children aged 4-9 to develop their playing skills. I have captained my school cricket team on several occasions as well as doing my Higher Sports Leaders Award (Level 3), where I worked with younger students by getting them involved in a variety of sports. My communication skills have been further enhanced during my National Citizen Service (NCS) programme as I volunteered with the elderly at the Royal Chelsea Hospital, providing them with entertainment. This has enabled me to gain confidence in my communication skills through adapting them in different situations depending on my audience, which I believe is an important skill to have, not only at university but also in the world of work.
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The Personal Statement Topics Ivy League Hopefuls Should Avoid
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Yale University
A compelling personal statement is a critical component of an Ivy League application, as it offers students the unique opportunity to showcase their personality, experiences, and aspirations. Kickstarting the writing process in the summer can give students a critical advantage in the admissions process, allowing them more time to brainstorm, edit, and polish standout essays. However, as students begin drafting their essays this summer, they should bear in mind that selecting the right topic is crucial to writing a successful essay. Particularly for students with Ivy League aspirations, submitting an essay that is cliche, unoriginal, or inauthentic can make the difference between standing out to admissions officers or blending into the sea of other applicants.
As ambitious students embark on the college application process, here are the personal statement topics they should avoid:
1. The Trauma Dump
Many students overcome significant hurdles by the time they begin the college application process, and some assume that the grisliest and most traumatic stories will attract attention and sympathy from admissions committees. While vulnerability can be powerful, sharing overly personal or sensitive information can make readers uncomfortable and shift focus away from a student’s unique strengths. Students should embrace authenticity and be honest about the struggles they have faced on their path to college, while still recognizing that the personal statement is a professional piece of writing, not a diary entry. Students should first consider why they want to share a particular tragic or traumatic experience and how that story might lend insight into the kind of student and community member they will be on campus. As a general rule, if the story will truly enrich the admissions committee’s understanding of their candidacy, students should thoughtfully include it; if it is a means of proving that they are more deserving or seeking to engender pity, students should consider selecting a different topic. Students should adopt a similar, critical approach as they write about difficult or sensitive topics in their supplemental essays, excluding unnecessary detail and focusing on how the experience shaped who they are today.
2. The Travelogue
Travel experiences can be enriching, but essays that merely recount a trip to a foreign country without deeper reflection often fall flat. Additionally, travel stories can often unintentionally convey white saviorism , particularly if students are recounting experiences from their charity work or mission trips in a foreign place. If a student does wish to write about an experience from their travels, they should prioritize depth not breadth—the personal statement is not the place to detail an entire itinerary or document every aspect of a trip. Instead, students should focus on one specific and meaningful experience from their travels with vivid detail and creative storytelling, expounding on how the event changed their worldview, instilled new values, or inspired their future goals.
3. The Superhero Narrative
Ivy League and other top colleges are looking for students who are introspective and teachable—no applicant is perfect (admissions officers know this!). Therefore, it’s crucial that students be aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and open about the areas in which they hope to grow. They should avoid grandiose narratives in which they cast themselves as flawless heroes. While students should seek to put their best foot forward, depicting themselves as protagonists who single-handedly resolve complex issues can make them appear exaggerated and lacking in humility. For instance, rather than telling the story about being the sole onlooker to stand up for a peer being bullied at the lunch table, perhaps a student could share about an experience that emboldened them to advocate for themselves and others. Doing so will add dimension and dynamism to their essay, rather than convey a static story of heroism.
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Similarly, many students feel compelled to declare their intention to solve global issues like world hunger or climate change. While noble, these proclamations can come across as unrealistic and insincere, and they can distract from the tangible achievements and experiences that a student brings to the table. Instead, applicants should focus on demonstrable steps they’ve taken or plan to take within their local community to enact positive change, demonstrating their commitment and practical approach to making a difference. For instance, instead of stating a desire to eradicate poverty, students could describe their extended involvement in a local charity and how it has helped them to discover their values and actualize their passions.
5. The Sports Story
While sports can teach valuable lessons, essays that focus solely on athletic achievements or the importance of a particular game can be overdone and lack depth. Admissions officers have read countless essays about students scoring the winning goal, dealing with the hardship of an injury, or learning teamwork from sports. Students should keep in mind that the personal essay should relay a story that only they can tell—perhaps a student has a particularly unique story about bringing competitive pickleball to their high school and uniting unlikely friend groups or starting a community initiative to repair and donate golf gear for students who couldn’t otherwise afford to play. However, if their sports-related essay could have been written by any high school point guard or soccer team captain, it’s time to brainstorm new ideas.
6. The Pick-Me Monologue
Students may feel the need to list their accomplishments and standout qualities in an effort to appear impressive to Ivy League admissions officers. This removes any depth, introspection, and creativity from a student’s essay and flattens their experiences to line items on a resume. Admissions officers already have students’ Activities Lists and resumes; the personal statement should add texture and dimension to their applications, revealing aspects of their character, values and voice not otherwise obvious through the quantitative aspects of their applications. Instead of listing all of their extracurricular involvements, students should identify a particularly meaningful encounter or event they experienced through one of the activities that matters most to them, and reflect on the ways in which their participation impacted their development as a student and person.
7. The Pandemic Sob Story
The Covid-19 pandemic was a traumatic and formative experience for many students, and it is therefore understandable that applicants draw inspiration from these transformative years as they choose their essay topics. However, while the pandemic affected individuals differently, an essay about the difficulties faced during this time will likely come across as unoriginal and generic. Admissions officers have likely read hundreds of essays about remote learning challenges, social isolation, and the general disruptions caused by Covid-19. These narratives can start to blend together, making it difficult for any single essay to stand out. Instead of centering the essay on the pandemic's challenges, students should consider how they adapted, grew, or made a positive impact during this time. For example, rather than writing about the difficulties of remote learning, a student could describe how they created a virtual study group to support classmates struggling with online classes. Similarly, an applicant might write about developing a new skill such as coding or painting during lockdown and how this pursuit has influenced their academic or career goals. Focusing on resilience, innovation, and personal development can make for a more compelling narrative.
Crafting a standout personal statement requires dedicated time, careful thought, and honest reflection. The most impactful essays are those that toe the lines between vulnerability and professionalism, introspection and action, championing one’s strengths and acknowledging weaknesses. Starting early and striving to avoid overused and unoriginal topics will level up a student’s essay and increase their chances of standing out.
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Mathematics and economics personal statement example 1.
As Pythagoras may have said, (Ambitious)2 + (Bold)2 = (Critical thinker)2 makes a perfect student and is what I strive to be. From the simple Pythagorean to the complex Fermat's Last Theorem, mathematics is a never ending branch of study which I enthusiastically enjoy studying and why I wish to pursue it even further at university.
It all started from the young age of 6, and the fulfilment I felt once I had memorised up to my twelve times tables. From then on it was clear that a course with a significant mathematical content is the only path for a person such as myself, as the satisfaction of solving a difficult question after several failed attempts could not be beaten.
I feel certain that the logical approach to problem solving inculcated by my years of studying maths will serve me well in all of my future studies.
After being the only person who achieved an A* grade for Mathematics in Year 11 at my school, it was then I thought that I should challenge myself by taking A Level Further Maths as well as Maths, and I also continued to take all 4 of my subjects for A2.
Although this is challenging, I find that this will enable me to effectively deal with the amount of work during university. Economics is a subject which took my interest while I was doing research into selecting my A Level options two years ago, but it is now safe to say I love it as much as I love maths. I am part of the Economics club at college and find it enjoyable as well as useful.
We discuss current economic issues such as the recent fall in unemployment in the UK, how the inflation rate is currently within the target and how it can be kept at 2.7%, and other interesting issues. My favourite branch of economics is macroeconomics, as during my summer AS exams I found that revising for my Economics Unit 2 exam became less of a chore and more of a 'hobby'.
I prefer analysing items as a whole rather than individual sections, so by default macroeconomics was more desirable in comparison to microeconomics. Economic models fascinate me such as the simple growth model by Robert Solow, which can explain long run economic growth within one diagram.
When attending Cambridge University's mathematics master class during my first year, it was the financial aspect of mathematics that interested me the most. I then started reading The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford, and found myself asking questions such as "why do poor countries stay poor?" and "will deficit ever be cleared?" and wanted to study why the economy is as it is.
Aside from studying, I spend my time working part time as a GCSE Maths tutor at a tuition centre, tutoring Maths privately and a Maths mentor at my college. I find great contentment in teaching others something I love and passing on my knowledge to people. Educating minds is a skill, and to be able to possess such a gift is highly valuable to me and something I wish to continue after university.
During autumn 2012 I took part in the National Citizen Service for Waltham Forest. It was an enjoyable experience throughout and I learned many skills such as teamwork, leadership, and determination which is crucial for an individual. It also allowed me to think independently when planning the community project, as we had to organise the whole project ourselves.
Organisational skills are vital in life especially as a student and generally as an individual. I also had to overcome my extreme fear of heights when doing outdoor activities such as zip wiring as challenging myself is rewarding as well as enjoyable.
I am the first person in my family to apply for university, and have great motivation to do well and potentially go on to postgraduate study as well. I believe that my academic ability, outside work, and most importantly my determination for both mathematics and economics, would make me a successful student and great asset to your university.
Profile info
This personal statement was written by Iffath96 for application in 2014.
Iffath96's university choices University of Bristol University of Exeter University College London Queen Mary, University of London
Green : offer made Red : no offer made
Iffath96's Comments
My teachers said to get rid of the first line but I went with my gut instinct and kept it - worked out in my favour woo!
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World Bank country classifications by income level for 2024-2025
Eric metreau, kathryn elizabeth young, shwetha grace eapen.
The World Bank Group assigns the world’s economies [1] to four income groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high. The classifications are updated each year on July 1, based on the GNI per capita of the previous calendar year. GNI measures are expressed in United States dollars [2] using conversion factors derived according to the Atlas method , which in its current form was introduced in 1989 [3] . The World Bank’s income classification aims to reflect a country’s level of development, drawing on Atlas GNI per capita as a broadly available indicator of economic capacity. The classification of countries into income categories has evolved significantly over the period since the late 1980s. In 1987, 30% of reporting countries were classified as low-income and 25% as high-income countries. Jumping to 2023, these overall ratios have shifted down to 12% in the low-income category and up to 40% in the high-income category. The scale and direction of these shifts, however, varies a great deal between world regions. Here are some regional highlights:
- 100% of South Asian countries were classified as low-income countries in 1987, whereas this share has fallen to just 13% in 2023.
- In the Middle East and North Africa there is a higher share of low-income countries in 2023 (10%) than in 1987, when no countries were classified to this category.
- In Latin America and the Caribbean , the share of high-income countries has climbed from 9% in 1987 to 44% in 2023.
- Europe and Central Asia has a slightly lower share of high-income countries in 2023 (69%) than it did in 1987 (71%).
These changing compositions are depicted visually in the diagram below, which shows country classifications by region and over time since 1987.
Classification changes
The updated country income classifications for FY25, based on the GNI per capita of 2023, are available here .
From a statistical perspective, classifications can change for two reasons:
- Changes to Atlas GNI per capita : In each country, factors such as economic growth, inflation, exchange rates, and population growth can all influence the level of Atlas GNI per capita. Revisions to improve methods and data can also have an impact. Updated data on Atlas GNI per capita for 2023 can be accessed here .
- Changes to classification thresholds : To keep income classification thresholds fixed in real terms, they are adjusted annually for inflation using the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) deflator , a weighted average of the GDP deflators of China, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Euro Area. The new thresholds for Atlas GNI per capita (in US$) are as follows:
The chart below shows the economies moving to new income categories this year:
This year, three countries—Bulgaria, Palau, and Russia—moved from the upper-middle-income to the high-income category:
- Bulgaria has been steadily approaching the high-income threshold with modest growth throughout the post-pandemic recovery period, which continued in 2023 as real GDP grew 1.8%, supported by consumption demand.
- Palau also continued its post-pandemic recovery as GDP returned to previous levels, growing by 0.4% in real terms. With inflation (as measured by the GDP deflator) at 8.1%, nominal GNI increased 10.0%.
- Economic activity in Russia was influenced by a large increase in military related activity in 2023, while growth was also boosted by a rebound in trade (+6.8%), the financial sector (+8.7%), and construction (+6.6%). These factors led to increases in both real (3.6%) and nominal (10.9%) GDP, and Russia’s Atlas GNI per capita grew by 11.2%.
Algeria, Iran, Mongolia, and Ukraine all moved up from the lower-middle-income to the upper-middle-income category this year:
- While the Algeria n economy grew 4.1% in 2023, the main reason for the upward reclassification was a comprehensive revision to national accounts statistics undertaken by the Algerian authorities (Office National des Statistiques) to align with current international standards. This realignment resulted in an upward revision to the level of GDP (on average 13.3% higher over the 2018-2022 period) due, for example, to the expansion of investment estimates to include research and development, improved methods for measuring production in public administration, and improved coverage of the non-observed economy.
- Iran ’s economy grew 5.0% in 2023, driven mainly by oil exports and supported by gains in services and manufacturing. GNI jumped 39.5% in nominal terms which, combined with the depreciation of the Iranian rial, resulted in a 17.6% increase of the Atlas GNI per capita.
- Mongolia continued its recovery after the pandemic, with real GDP increasing 7.0% in 2023. Growth was driven by expansions in mining of 23.4%, along with higher export prices which boosted exports by 53.4%.
- Ukraine ’s upward change in classification resulted from a resumption of economic growth in 2023 (real GDP grew 5.3%, following a drop of 28.8% in 2022) along with a continued decline in population, which has fallen more than 15% since the invasion from Russia began. These factors were further amplified by price increases of domestically produced goods and services to result in a large increase in nominal Atlas GNI per capita of 18.5%. While Ukraine’s economy was significantly impaired by Russia’s invasion, real growth in 2023 was driven by construction activity (24.6%), reflecting a sizable increase in investment spending (52.9%) supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction effort in the wake of ongoing destruction.
West Bank and Gaza was the only country whose classification moved downward this year. The conflict in the Middle East began in October 2023, and while the impact on West Bank and Gaza was limited to the fourth quarter, its scale was nonetheless sufficient to lead to a 9.2% drop in nominal GDP (-5.5% in real terms). Since West Bank and Gaza’s economy was close to the threshold (it entered the upper-middle-income category only last year), these declines brought Atlas GNI per capita back down to the lower-middle-income category.
More information
Detailed information on how the World Bank Group classifies countries is available here . The country and lending groups page provides a complete list of economies classified by income, region, and World Bank lending status and includes links to prior years’ classifications. The classification tables include World Bank member countries, along with all other economies with populations greater than 30,000. These classifications reflect the best available GNI figures for 2023, which may be revised as countries publish improved final estimates. Data for GNI , GNI per capita , GDP , GDP PPP , and Population for 2023 are now available on the World Bank's Open Data Catalog. Note that these are estimates and may be revised. For more information, please contact us at [email protected] .
[1] The term country, used interchangeably with economy, does not imply political independence but refers to any territory for which authorities report separate social or economic statistics. [2] In countries where dual or multiple exchange rates are in use, the exchange rate used to convert local currency units to US$ is an average of these exchange rates, provided necessary data are available. [3] For data beginning in reference year 1987. The authors are pleased to acknowledge the essential contributions of our colleagues, Charles Kouame , and Tamirat Yacob to the preparation of this piece. Please note: The country classification described here aims to serve analytical purposes and changes have no direct impact on the eligibility for World Bank resources. In the classification used for World Bank operational purposes, a range of additional criteria are considered to determine country eligibility and the terms and conditions of Bank financing. For more information, please see the IBRD Financial Products web page.
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Economics and mathematics degree personal statement example (1a) 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.
To study Mathematics and Economics at university would allow me to apply the mathematical methods I have enjoyed learning to real life problems, and to explore areas of economics I have not yet touched upon.
Maths and Economics Personal Statement Example 2. The application of mathematics in the real world has always fascinated me. Mathematics acts as a base from which economics progresses, with such skills as differentiation needed to find the elasticity coefficients in higher education.
Maths and Economics Personal Statement Example 1. By skimming through a daily broadsheet or examining journals such as 'The Economist' it is clear to see that economic issues affect everyone both locally as well as on a global scale. However, I have been interested by Mathematics for many years and have found my enjoyment for it has ...
This diagram shows my summary of what makes a great economics personal statement. Based on my experience as an economics tutor and economics personal statement examples, here are four qualities that make personal statements stand out.
Our economics personal statement examples for university, as well as our top rated statements, will inspire you to write your own unique statement, and help you understand how economics students have successfully gained university places in the past.
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 ...
All the help you need to write your personal statement to apply to the top UK universities. Examples and a concise method available for free!
Mathematics with economics degree personal statement example (1a) 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. When first introduced to economics at a summer school in ...
What to include in your economics personal statement. Your long-term goals: explain how your degree choice fits with your future ambitions and career aspirations. Wider reading: do pick out one or two specific issues that had an impact on you - just saying you subscribe to 'The Economist' or 'The FT' or that you've read ...
Maths and Economics Personal Statement Example. It seems clear to me that the two fundamental pillars that support businesses and economies are a solid knowledge of economics and mathematics. Historically speaking, the rise of economics as a specialist subject of study, to which some brilliant minds have applied their talents, has allowed ...
Economics degree personal statement example (1e) UCL offer. Submitted by: Anonymous. "Travelling around the world, and having visited places including America and Iran, has allowed me to personally witness..." Economics degree personal statement example (2d) with review. Submitted by: Anonymous.
Mathematics with Economics - 2013 ( LSE, UCL) One of the most amazing parts of Mathematics, historically, is the concepts behind various proofs. For example reading William Dunham's 'Euler: The Master of us all' gave me an insight ... Examples of UCAS undefined Personal Statements that received an offer from Lse, to help you write your ...
Maths Personal Statement Example 16. The study of mathematics and the challenges that it presents arouse equal measures of both frustration and enjoyment. It is the moment of enlightenment arrived at through differing proportions of determination and experimentation that is the appeal of the subject...
Maths/Economics Personal Statement Example. Maths/Economics Personal Statement. Having grown up in a family where economics and business have greatly shaped our lives, I have gained an appreciation of the importance of attempting to predict change. Watching the growth of my grandfather's company, and seeing how important predicting changes in ...
Writing your personal statement. We expect that your submitted Personal Statement is structured and coherent and that you fully utilise the space available on your UCAS application form. We expect that you have checked spelling, punctuation, and grammar and that your Personal Statement flows in a logical order.
This page breaks down and offers step-by-step guidance to the process of writing a personal statement for science/maths/engineering subjects.
Economics and mathematics degree personal statement example (1c) 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 is at the forefront of the many decisions made by ...
Please also note that the Personal Statement should complement rather than duplicate the content provided in the Statement of Purpose. Visit Degree Programs and navigate to your degree program of interest to determine if a Personal Statement is required. The degree program pages will be updated by early September indicating if the Personal ...
Maths and Economics Personal Statement Example 36. Simplicity is not simple. Mathematics demonstrates this like no other. It unites things that initially seem disparate and complex, which, through modelling, can be reformed into ways that can aid much simpler understanding. Yet Maths is wonderfully complex.
Teaching Personal Statement. Submitted by Jordon. My ambition is to one day become a teacher. Personally, I have had a hugely positive experience of both primary and secondary education. I am applying for primary education because I feel I have the potential to inspire and encourage children of all abilities to reach their full potential.
A compelling college essay is a critical component of an Ivy League application, as it offers students the opportunity to showcase their personality and aspirations.
Mathematics and Economics Personal Statement Example 1. As Pythagoras may have said, (Ambitious)2 + (Bold)2 = (Critical thinker)2 makes a perfect student and is what I strive to be. From the simple Pythagorean to the complex Fermat's Last Theorem, mathematics is a never ending branch of study which I enthusiastically enjoy studying and why I ...
Scroll down this page to find a collection of real personal statements written by students applying to study mathematics and related courses at university. Plus, over on The Uni Guide, we've also got advice from universities on what they want to see in a maths personal statement . Among the tips shared by these admissions experts: focus on how ...
Explore the updated World Bank country income classifications for 2024-2025, highlighting GNI per capita shifts and global economic trends. Discover which countries moved between income categories and understand the factors driving these changes.
Personal Statement:Philosophy and Economics 1. Personal Statement:Politics 3. Personal Statement:Politics 10. Personal Statement:Politics and Philosophy 2. Personal Statement:Politics philosophy and economics ppe 5. Personal Statement:Politics philosophy and economics ppe 9. Personal Statement:PPE 12.