Banking and finance degree personal statement example (1a) work experience

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Extensive international travel has influenced my life from a very young age providing me with the opportunity to observe the stark economic contrasts between the ‘Third World’ and the ‘Western World’. Sharing experiences with parents who have lived in Africa, Europe and the USA has fuelled my desire to study Economics at A Level and fully appreciate the mechanisms that drive world economies.

Economics is at the core of world discussion and upon closer examination of many current news articles I have begun to recognise their correlation to the subject. Whilst reading ‘The Undercover Economist’ by Tim Harford I find myself identifying with analogies such as ‘economics is just like engineering, it will tell you how things work and what will happen when you change them’. Similarly, I believe economics is an intricate puzzle whereby it is the role of an economist to integrate economic theories with government policies in order to resolve economic problems. After attending conferences at both the University of Bristol and Oxbridge, my view on economics has been broadened. I was intrigued by the theory behind Freakonomics and am keen to learn more about the unpredicted links between the most unrelated things.

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

From childhood days of playing mental maths games through to complex problem solving at A Level, Maths has been a continued interest of mine. My analytical ability was put to test during a Cass Business School taster day, where quick thinking, clarifying and configuring the task at hand resulted in being a member of the most profitable group during a trading shares simulation. Whilst attending a University of the West of England business enterprise day, my pitch to a panel of experts played a major part in achieving ‘Best Business Idea’.

Comprehensive study of A Level Economics, combined with work experiences, has allowed me to relate theory to practical situations. Liaising with professionals has strengthened my appreciation of the close link between economics and the finance sector. I believe this, and a university education will enable me to not only understand but also apply principles needed to operate in the dynamic and fast-moving world of financial markets.

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

Work experience at Britannia Building Society provided me with an invaluable insight into retail banking. This included shadowing the branch manager, working closely with the financial planning advisor and operating behind tills. Being introduced to options regarding financial assets has helped me grasp ideas surrounding investing in bonds, shares or increasing savings. In addition, I worked at Harrison’s Accountancy and Insolvency Agency obtaining knowledge of liquidations and insolvencies of businesses. These experiences have enhanced my desire to focus on a career in the finance sector. In order to keep up with current financial affairs I regularly read the economy section on the BBC website, the Economist website and subscribe to a weekly update from RBS outlining topical developments in the financial markets.

Over the last 18 months my job at O2 retail has enabled me to grasp valuable skills and concepts which I believe will be crucial when being introduced to new topics at University. As a result I have developed strong interpersonal skills and improved my persuasive skills when achieving the perfect deal mutually beneficial to both customer and the company. Whilst captaining my football team I have learnt the value of leadership, motivation and maintaining high team morale. These skills have successfully been used in other aspects of my life including class debates and participating in the trading shares simulation at Cass Business School.

During a recent trip to Zurich, it was enlightening to meet with the assistant vice president at Credit Suisse who is the regional manager for Production Testing Group for Foreign Exchange. Discussion with him provided me with knowledge of exchange rate processes in a leading investment bank.

Universities applied to:

• University of Birmingham (Money, Banking and Finance)
• Cass Business School (Banking and International Finance)
• Henley Business School (Finance and Investment Banking)
• University of Surrey (Economics and Finance)
• Cardiff Business School (Economics and Finance)

Grades achieved:

• AAA
• AAA
• AAB
• AAB
• AAB

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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