Economics degree personal statement example (1e) UCL offer

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Travelling around the world, and having visited places including America and Iran, has allowed me to personally witness different economies and ignited my curiosity as to why they fluctuate. The reason why more poverty is seen in the streets of Tehran than in California, is mainly down to how well the resources at hand are used.

Knowing that today’s society is driven by economic decisions not only gives me great pleasure in studying the subject but motivates me to succeed in it. I was greatly inspired by Edmund Phelps’ analysis of tradeoffs in macroeconomic policy.

The way Phelps illustrated that there is no long-run trade-off between low employment and low inflation, due to consumers and companies expectations of future prices, showed me how simple concepts can be broken down further.

The last few years have equipped me for university life, not only because of the commitment of working independently and in a team, but being able to socialise with a variety of students with different backgrounds. Knowing that the degree involves a lot of maths and stats makes Economics the ideal degree for me to pursue, as I also have a keen interest in the running of the world around you.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

I have always been inspired by Mathematics and choosing it at A-Level was a natural decision for me, because solving complex problems grants me endless self-fulfilment. Further mathematics will allow me to appreciate the complexity of the subject, and improve my mathematical and statistical abilities, in order to build me a strong foundation before going to university.

Mathematical theories trigger the execution of virtually all actions and I relish applying them to economic principles. After having taken Economics at AS-Level, I was rapt with it straight away.

Understanding the fundamental significance of why principles like the implementation of ‘maximum prices’ has brought me much enthusiasm to broaden my knowledge in the subject. This includes keeping updated with economic issues using online resources as well as periodicals, making me aware of why certain disciplines are undertaken to facilitate the macro economy, such as the altering of interest rates and exchange rates.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

My eagerness made me read ‘A Guide to Game Theory’ (Fiona Carmichael), as it had a diverse range of analytical strategies used to solve problems. I was also fortunate enough to attend a lecture by Tim Harford, the author of ‘The Undercover Economist’, where he discussed his views on rational decisions. This gave me a better insight on how economists think and nurtured my interest in the subject. As I learnt how every factor is taken into consideration before making a decision.

Being involved in the school council gave me a better awareness of a budget. As we had to consider the opportunity costs in decision making. I was elected Finance Director in a Young Enterprise group, which was an invaluable experience. Being able to work in a business with others allowed my skills such as team-work and organisation to be developed, as strict deadlines had to be met.

I also undertook work experience at ‘Ridley’s Solicitors’, where I had to do banking, and was able to witness whether the company was maximising their utility. As part of community service, I am a literacy mentor for the younger years at my school. This has allowed me to give back to my school in recognition of its help. This gives me great pride as its positive externalities will benefit the community in the long run.

As the future labour force will have opportunity to be as trained as possible. I have participated in the maths challenge for the past six years and have managed to receive a gold certificate on several occasions. I enjoy sports and have shown my dedication by being part of the athletics, football and rugby teams throughout my schooling career, as well as captaining my local football team for five years. This highlighted leadership and motivating others in a team.

Universities applied to:

• UCL - Economics
• UCL - Economics and Statistics
• LSE - Economics
• LSE - Mathematics and Economics
• SOAS - Economics

Grades achieved:

• Maths - A
• Further MAths - A
• Economics - A
• Computing - A
• Business Studies (AS) - A
• 4A*s 4As 1B 0.5C

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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