- 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
- 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
- Demonstrate understanding
- Show appreciation for mathematical concepts
- Display knowledge of economic theory
- Discuss specific economic principles or concepts
- Connect your experiences
- Relate work experience or projects to economics
- Explain how non-academic interests have shaped your economic thinking
- Highlight relevant skills
- Problem-solving
- Logical thinking
- Data analysis
- Communication
- 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
- 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
- Academic interests and achievements (30-40%)
- Discuss relevant coursework, projects, or competitions
- Explain how these have deepened your understanding of economics
- 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
- Future goals and course fit (10-15%)
- Discuss your career aspirations in economics
- Explain why the specific course and university appeal to you
- Conclusion (5-10%)
- Summarize your key strengths and motivations
- Reinforce your commitment to studying economics
Useful Tools
- UCAS Personal Statement Builder
- Helps structure your statement
- Provides prompts for each section
- Tracks character count
- Grammarly or Hemingway App
- Check grammar and readability
- Ensure clear and concise writing
- Mind mapping tools (e.g., MindMeister, Coggle)
- Brainstorm ideas and experiences to include
- Visualize connections between different aspects of your statement
- 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
- Discuss current economic issues
- Show awareness of recent economic events or debates
- Explain how these have influenced your interest in economics
- Highlight quantitative skills
- Discuss your aptitude for mathematics and statistics
- Explain how you've applied these skills in economics-related projects
- Demonstrate analytical thinking
- Describe how you've analyzed economic data or policies
- Show your ability to think critically about economic theories
- 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
- How can you make your personal statement stand out without resorting to gimmicks?
- What challenges have you faced in writing your personal statement so far?
- How can you effectively showcase your quantitative skills in your statement?
- What are your thoughts on using AI tools for personal statement writing?
- How can you demonstrate your analytical skills through your experiences?
- What current economic issues are you most interested in, and how can you incorporate them into your statement?
- How do you plan to tailor your personal statement for different economics programs?
Exploring Economics Pathways: Finding Your Niche
Diverse areas of Economics
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Development Economics
- Focus: Economic issues in developing countries
- Key topics: Poverty reduction, sustainable development, international aid
- Career paths: International development organisations, NGOs, policy research
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Online Learning
- Take free online courses (MOOCs) in different areas of economics
- Follow economics blogs and podcasts
- Join economics forums or discussion groups
- 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
- 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
- Reflect on your favorite topics in your current economics studies
- Consider which global issues you're most passionate about
- Think about your strengths in related subjects (e.g., math, politics, psychology)
- Explore the type of work environment you prefer (e.g., academic, corporate, governmental)
Showcasing Your Chosen Pathway in Your Personal Statement
- Explain how you discovered your interest in this specific area
- Discuss any relevant projects, readings, or experiences related to this pathway
- Connect your chosen pathway to the specific courses or universities you're applying to
- Outline how pursuing this pathway aligns with your future career goals
Discussion Points / Potential Questions
- Which area of economics most intrigues you and why?
- How has your understanding of different economics pathways evolved over time?
- What steps have you taken to explore various areas of economics outside the classroom?
- How might your other interests or skills complement a particular economics pathway?
- What challenges do you foresee in pursuing your chosen economics pathway?
- How can you gain practical experience in your preferred area of economics?
- 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