I have become increasingly fascinated by current affairs and how they greatly affect the global economy. After learning about how governments’ monetary, fiscal and supply side policies, among others, aim to help their economies, I am certain I want to study Economics to fully understand these complex connections between policy and economy.
As my interest has developed, I have regularly read magazines and newspapers, such as Forbes, The Economist, The Financial Times and The Sunday Times, too keep up to date and gain alternative views on issues, including monetarist and Keynesians viewpoints on combating unemployment, inflation and budget deficit. I also read many books, including A Very Short Introduction to Capitalism by J. Fulcher, and The Great Crash and Journey Through Time by John Kenneth Galbraith, my favourite author on the subject. I find his contention that history always repeats itself highly thought-provoking.
My A-level subjects have strong links with Economics. The study of Maths is extremely relevant as I am interested in Econometrics, while Government and Politics has enabled me to link economics to policy, such as debt reduction and the impact this has on recession and employment. Each of these has also helped me to think logically, improve problem solving skills and engage in both written and verbal debate.
For the past two years I have worked for a small business, supporting the accountant by inputting receipts and sales figures, and checking petty cash receipts. My responsibilities include processing wages for 90 staff, requiring a good understanding of SAGE and bank reconciliation. Checking income and expenditure on a weekly basis with the Director and Accountant demonstrated the application of theory, such as the creation of budgets and the importance of working capital, within a real world context. Realising how strategic management was needed to respond to reduction of investment within the public sector also demonstrated the connection between policy and economics that had interested me in my studies. I have broadened my experience of the application of economic theory by undertaking a placement at an accountancy firm in Canary Wharf, where my role included meeting clients and inputting data for sales and purchase ledgers.
I have been accepted to work on voluntary projects helping the Carib Indians to become self-sufficient. This is something about which I am extremely passionate and am confident that my knowledge of economics will prove both useful to and be enhanced by this project. I have taught in a Year Six class at Gilbert Colvin Primary School, requiring me to be organised, responsible and committed. I also learned how to adapt my mentoring approach to the individual; useful in my role as a School Prefect, where I was responsible for helping to enforce school rules. I have also been part of the football and cricket team, and enjoyed my occasional role as captain. In my spare time, my friends and I organised a dance for charity and were able to raise £364 for Great Ormond Street.
Through my study of the subject, my work within business and my extra-curricular activities I have shown myself to be a dedicated and ambitious student of Economics, capable of studying the subject at a high level and driven to do so by an ever-increasing awareness of both the positive and negative impacts it can have on our lives.
We hope this example of an economics personal statement is useful.