• What is Your Core Message?
• Principles for a Strong Economics Personal Statement
• Practical Guide to Crafting Your Economics Personal Statement
• Key Do's and Don'ts
• Structure and Content
• Useful Tools
• Using AI Responsibly
• Tips for Economics-Specific Content
• Discussion Points / Potential Questions
• Exploring Economics Pathways: Finding Your Niche
• Diverse areas of Economics
• Ways to Explore These Pathways
• Aligning Your Interests with Potential Pathways
• Showcasing Your Chosen Pathway in Your Personal Statement
• Discussion Points / Potential Questions
• Closing Thoughts

What is Your Core Message?

Your personal statement is your opportunity to showcase:

• What you care about in economics
• What you stand for
• What makes you curious
• What gets you out of bed in the morning

It's not just about listing achievements, but demonstrating your passion and potential.

Principles for a Strong Economics Personal Statement

1. Show genuine enthusiasm for economics
• Reflect on economic issues that interest you
• Discuss areas of the course you've found fascinating
• Explain what inspired your interest if you're new to economics
2. Demonstrate understanding
• Show appreciation for mathematical concepts
• Display knowledge of economic theory
• Discuss specific economic principles or concepts
3. Connect your experiences
• Relate work experience or projects to economics
• Explain how non-academic interests have shaped your economic thinking
4. Highlight relevant skills
• Problem-solving
• Logical thinking
• Data analysis
• Communication
5. Be specific and personal
• Don't just list books you've read - explain their impact on you
• Avoid clichés like "I've always been passionate about economics"

Practical Guide to Crafting Your Economics Personal Statement

Lewis notes

• This is about finding the right fit both ways; got rejected from Oxford
• Know what you are applying for!
• Interested in economics debate of Indyref in 2014
• Find your niche and pull through that red thread
• Use the EF Hub to find that red thread

Key Do's and Don'ts

Do:

• Be authentic and show your genuine interest in economics
• Highlight relevant experiences and skills
• Use specific examples to illustrate your points
• Connect your experiences to the course you're applying for
• Proofread multiple times and ask others to review

Don't:

• Use clichés or quotes from famous economists
• Simply list books or articles you've read without explaining their impact
• Exaggerate your achievements or experiences
• Copy from others or use generic statements
• Leave it to the last minute

Structure and Content

1. Introduction (10-15% of word count)
• Hook the reader with a unique insight or experience related to economics
• Briefly state why you're passionate about studying economics
2. Academic interests and achievements (30-40%)
• Discuss relevant coursework, projects, or competitions
• Explain how these have deepened your understanding of economics
3. Extracurricular activities and work experience (20-30%)
• Focus on experiences that demonstrate skills relevant to economics
• Explain how these experiences have shaped your economic thinking
4. Future goals and course fit (10-15%)
• Discuss your career aspirations in economics
• Explain why the specific course and university appeal to you
5. Conclusion (5-10%)
• Summarize your key strengths and motivations
• Reinforce your commitment to studying economics

Useful Tools

1. UCAS Personal Statement Builder
• Helps structure your statement
• Provides prompts for each section
• Tracks character count
2. Grammarly or Hemingway App
• Check grammar and readability
• Ensure clear and concise writing
3. Mind mapping tools (e.g., MindMeister, Coggle)
• Brainstorm ideas and experiences to include
• Visualize connections between different aspects of your statement
4. EF Hub

Using AI Responsibly

AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful, but use them wisely:

Do:

• Use AI for brainstorming ideas
• Ask AI to suggest structure or organization
• Use AI to check for readability or clarity

Don't:

• Let AI write your entire statement
• Copy AI-generated content without personalizing it
• Rely on AI for factual information about economics

Remember: Your personal statement should reflect your unique voice and experiences.

Tips for Economics-Specific Content

1. Discuss current economic issues
• Show awareness of recent economic events or debates
• Explain how these have influenced your interest in economics
2. Highlight quantitative skills
• Discuss your aptitude for mathematics and statistics
• Explain how you've applied these skills in economics-related projects
3. Demonstrate analytical thinking
• Describe how you've analyzed economic data or policies
• Show your ability to think critically about economic theories
4. Showcase interdisciplinary connections
• Explain how your interest in other subjects (e.g., politics, psychology) relates to economics
• Discuss how a broad perspective enhances economic understanding

Discussion Points / Potential Questions

1. How can you make your personal statement stand out without resorting to gimmicks?
2. What challenges have you faced in writing your personal statement so far?
3. How can you effectively showcase your quantitative skills in your statement?
4. What are your thoughts on using AI tools for personal statement writing?
5. How can you demonstrate your analytical skills through your experiences?
6. What current economic issues are you most interested in, and how can you incorporate them into your statement?
7. How do you plan to tailor your personal statement for different economics programs?

Exploring Economics Pathways: Finding Your Niche

Diverse areas of Economics

1. Macroeconomics
• Focus: Entire economies, national and global economic trends
• Key topics: Inflation, unemployment, economic growth, monetary policy
• Career paths: Central banking, government economic advisors, international organisations
2. Microeconomics
• Focus: Individual markets, consumer and firm behaviour
• Key topics: Supply and demand, market structures, game theory
• Career paths: Market analysts, competition policy, business consultancy
3. Behavioural Economics
• Focus: Psychological insights into economic decision-making
• Key topics: Cognitive biases, nudge theory, experimental economics
• Career paths: Marketing strategy, public policy design, financial advising
4. Development Economics
• Focus: Economic issues in developing countries
• Key topics: Poverty reduction, sustainable development, international aid
• Career paths: International development organisations, NGOs, policy research
5. Environmental Economics
• Focus: Economic aspects of environmental issues
• Key topics: Climate change, natural resource management, sustainable growth
• Career paths: Environmental consultancy, sustainability roles, green finance
6. Financial Economics
• Focus: Financial markets and instruments
• Key topics: Asset pricing, corporate finance, financial risk management
• Career paths: Investment banking, financial analysis, risk management

Ways to Explore These Pathways

1. Academic Exploration
• Read economics journals and publications (e.g., The Economist, Financial Times)
• Attend guest lectures or webinars on various economic topics
• Participate in economics competitions or challenges
2. Online Learning
• Take free online courses (MOOCs) in different areas of economics
• Follow economics blogs and podcasts
• Join economics forums or discussion groups
3. Practical Experience
• Seek internships or work experience in different economic sectors
• Volunteer for organizations that apply economic principles
• Conduct your own economic research or analysis projects
4. Networking
• Join economics student societies or clubs
• Attend career fairs and talk to professionals in various economic fields
• Connect with economics alumni from your school or desired universities

Aligning Your Interests with Potential Pathways

1. Reflect on your favorite topics in your current economics studies
2. Consider which global issues you're most passionate about
3. Think about your strengths in related subjects (e.g., math, politics, psychology)
4. Explore the type of work environment you prefer (e.g., academic, corporate, governmental)

Showcasing Your Chosen Pathway in Your Personal Statement

1. Explain how you discovered your interest in this specific area
2. Discuss any relevant projects, readings, or experiences related to this pathway
3. Connect your chosen pathway to the specific courses or universities you're applying to
4. Outline how pursuing this pathway aligns with your future career goals

Discussion Points / Potential Questions

1. Which area of economics most intrigues you and why?
2. How has your understanding of different economics pathways evolved over time?
3. What steps have you taken to explore various areas of economics outside the classroom?
4. How might your other interests or skills complement a particular economics pathway?
5. What challenges do you foresee in pursuing your chosen economics pathway?
6. How can you gain practical experience in your preferred area of economics?
7. How do you plan to stay informed about developments in your chosen economics field?

Closing Thoughts

• Encourage students to keep an open mind as they explore different pathways
• Remind them that it's okay to be unsure or to change their interests over time