Economics and Finance Personal Statement Example 19

I remember the days when my family and I would sit at the dining table to discuss current affairs, politics, and economic problems. Although I do not recall much of what was said, I know that I was always confused. My older sister would often chip in a few comments, but I could never relate. As a curious and competitive 12-year-old, I wanted to contribute to the discussion and that was what sparked my interest in economics.

I find Economics fascinating because of how it is integrated into everything we do, from our daily decisions to world problems, and how a myriad of complex situations is converted into simple models to find solutions using mathematics to express ideas. Studying Demand Side policies in year 11 was particularly interesting for me, especially coming from a country with high-income inequality, and a weak exchange rate. This made me understand why problems such as recession and inflation occur and how they could be fixed.

Reading The Prosperity Paradox by Clayton M. Christensen reconfigured my perception of economics. I realised how detrimental donating funds were to developing countries and discovered a different approach to innovation by investing in changes that create new markets to not only alleviate poverty, but also create long-lasting prosperity in societies through market-creating innovations. Although I could argue to an extent that the aids could be somewhat helpful, there is no doubt that it often fosters corruption and overdependence in less-developed countries. Also, I usually read The Punch and The Economic Times to stay updated on current affairs as well as occasionally watching TED Talks which I find highly informative and entertaining.

Being a member of the selected group of students to attend the Model United Nations Conference in South Africa (2018) helped me apply my knowledge of economics on a larger scale through debating and analysing different strategies to improve education in several countries. Through my extensive research, I was awarded the Best position paper. This was an enjoyable experience which helped me improve on my research and public speaking skills greatly.

Working as a finance intern at Bankly last year, gave me insight into the financial world. I learnt about different aspects of banking and some personal finance tips. While working, I noticed how there was pressure on the firm to provide loans for the rising demands of customers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the cost of increased credit risk. It was a rather draining, yet intriguing experience, where I developed a good work ethic and learnt how to communicate effectively with customers and my fellow co-workers.

Aside from academics, I engage myself in sporting activities such as soccer, swimming, and athletics for my school’s team, of which I have won many internal and national awards since 2015 and was awarded the Athlete of the Year (2018). As the Sports Prefect (2020), I have led other students successfully in multiple competitions which has taught me to be tenacious, committed and a vital member of a team.

My role as the financial secretary of the French club (2019) in school developed my mathematical and decision-making skills as I regularly calculated the financial costs and benefits for the group. I also trained the chess team to win tournaments while I was the vice president of the school’s Chess club, (2020). These responsibilities enabled me to improve on my time management skills and work effectively under pressure, giving me a good work-life balance, which is applicable to the rigour of Economics and Finance.

Furthering my education at a UK university will empower me with the knowledge and skills to face the endless possibilities and overcome obstacles in my future career, especially considering the fact that the UK is a financial hub. I wish to utilise my knowledge to not only contribute at the dining table, but to also develop my society and country positively.