lse maths with economics personal statement

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Personal statement

The quality of an applicant's personal statement is very important at LSE. The School does not interview for places so this is an applicant’s only opportunity to demonstrate they are a good fit for the course. Applicants should consult the advice here, as well as advice from UCAS when preparing to complete this section of their application. 

Please note that writing a personal statement following the guidelines below does not guarantee an offer of admission. Personal statements are looked at on a comparative basis and there is a great deal of competition for places at LSE. 

LSE does not accept additional or supplementary personal statements. We can only consider the personal statement submitted via UCAS.

Writing your personal statement

We expect that your submitted Personal Statement is structured and coherent and that you fully utilise the space available on your UCAS application form. We expect that you have checked spelling, punctuation, and grammar and that your Personal Statement flows in a logical order. We expect that your Personal Statement is entirely your own original work. We reserve the right to reject your application where it has been found that a statement has significant similarities to a previous submission or has been created with the use of Artificial Intelligence.

Before you start writing, do your research

Before you start writing your personal statement, you should visit our course guides . These guides give information on the course content of each of our undergraduate programmes. 

When assessing your personal statement our Admissions Selectors will look at how well your academic interests align with the LSE course. So, for example, the Anthropology Admissions Selector is likely to prefer a statement which focuses mainly on social anthropology - which is taught at LSE - over one which suggests the applicant is very interested in biological anthropology, or a combined degree with archaeology, as these courses are not offered at the School. 

Similarly, a personal statement which shows an interest mostly in modern international history (the focus of LSE’s International History course) is likely to be more competitive than one which shows a significant interest in ancient history, as LSE does not offer any ancient history units.   

If you are applying for a range of slightly different courses, we recommend that you focus your personal statement on the areas of overlap between them, so that your statement appeals to all of your UCAS choices. It is important to note that LSE does not accept replacement or supplementary personal statements. 

What to include in your personal statement

Your personal statement should discuss for the most part your academic interest in the subject you wish to study. One way to think about the personal statement is to reflect on what we expect from LSE undergraduates: we ask them to learn about topics relevant to their course, through reading or other experiences, and then discuss the ideas they have encountered in academic essays. This is the skill we look for in the personal statement and we recommend at least 80% of your statement should be dedicated to this type of academic discussion. 

How you show your wider engagement with your subject is entirely up to you. Our Selectors look for students who can best reflect on the experiences and academic ideas they have encountered through the opportunities available to them, not those who have had the best opportunities. If you are not sure where to start, you could try listening to podcasts of LSE public events or look in the prospectus for examples of suggested reading. Remember we are interested not just in a list of what you have read/encountered, but evidence you have reflected on the academic ideas. 

To help you begin, there are several questions you could think about:

• Why have you chosen the course? What attracted you to the subject? Which aspects of the subject have interested you sufficiently to want to study it at degree level? Is there a specific area of the subject you wish to focus on? What are the big issues in the subject, and what do you find most interesting about them? What are your thoughts on these topics?
• Have you developed your subject interest outside of your school studies? For example, have you undertaken any additional reading to broaden your knowledge of the subject? Have you attended lectures or explored online material relating to the subject? What did you find interesting in your reading/in the lectures you attended and what are your thoughts on the topics covered?
• Have you gained any skills from your other school subjects that complement your application to study your chosen subject? Have you had the opportunity to undertake work experience relevant to your application? If you did, how did this experience give you a wider understanding of the topics you will study at university?
• Have you attended any schemes or activities at LSE or other universities, such as Summer Schools, Saturday Schools, LSE Choice, etc? What you have learned from these? Have they furthered your knowledge of or interest in your chosen subject?

If you are applying for deferred entry, as well as thinking about the questions listed above, you may also wish to indicate (briefly) why you are taking a gap year and what you plan to do during the year. 

If you are applying as a post-qualified student (ie, you have already received your final results), you may wish to mention briefly what you have been doing since your exams. 

Please note : You are not expected to simply answer all of the questions above; these questions are merely intended to give you some guidance as to what to think about when writing your statement. 

Extra-curricular activities

At LSE you are admitted to study a particular degree course so the majority of your personal statement − at least 80% − should focus on your academic interest in that subject. Many students like to include some details of their extra-curricular activities such as involvement in sports, the arts, volunteering or student government. As our Selectors are most interested in your academic interests, we recommend that no more than 20% of your statement is spent discussing extra-curricular activities. 

Applying to combined degree programmes

LSE offers a number of combined degree programmes. If you are applying to one of these programmes, you are advised to give equal weighting to each subject in your statement. For instance, if you are applying to our Politics and Economics degree, you must show evidence of interest in both subjects; a statement weighted towards only one aspect of the degree will be significantly less competitive.

Example of a poor personal statement

"I have always dreamed of coming to LSE since I was young. It has been a dream of mine to study at this institution, which is well renowned for its social science courses.  

I am currently studying History, English and Business and Management at Higher level and Italian, Maths and Chemistry at Standard level in the International Baccalaureate, and feel that these subjects are providing me with a solid background for university study.  

I want to study History because I want to be a world class Historian, and feel that this degree will help me. I am especially interested in Ancient History, particularly the history concerning the Roman Empire. I am fascinated by the way in which the empire was run, and the events that led to its downfall.  

"I was the captain of the school football team, and this has taught me the importance of working together as a team, and allowed me to prioritise my time between my studies and football practice. I feel that this has provided me with the experience to successfully balance my academic and social life, and I plan to continue this balance whilst at university.  

It is my dream to become an alumnus of the School, and I am sure that as I am the top student of my class, you will offer me a place."  

This brief example of a personal statement is poor. The applicant has mentioned an interest in history but they have not discussed this in depth or shown any evidence of wider engagement with the subject. Where the applicant does talk about history, the discussion is superficial and focussed on ancient history, which LSE does not offer as part of our history course. 

The applicant has specifically mentioned LSE, which is likely to be unattractive to their other choices, and has wasted space listing their International Baccalaureate subjects, which would be shown in the qualifications section. The applicant has described how a history degree will help them get the job they later want, rather than what they are looking forward to studying during the degree. 

The applicant has reflected on the transferable skills they have developed leading the football team. This is good, but it would be nice to see the same level of reflection applied to academic topics - this student has spent more time talking about football than about history. 

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December 21st, 2022

How to write a successful personal statement.

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

The prospect of writing a personal statement can be daunting. It is not simple to sum up your character, achievements and academic skills in 4,000 characters. I wrote almost 10 drafts over the span of three weeks until I was satisfied. While arguably unnecessary, dedicating a substantial amount of time to your personal statement will pay off. As you are lined up next to thousands of other straight A candidates, the personal statement can often be the deciding factor. This is particularly so at LSE, who are explicit with their focus on the personal statement.

Indeed, the content of the personal statement is only as good as the writing and structure. If you are applying for an essay based subject, the personal statement will be a reflection of your ability to write succinctly and maturely. My recommendation is to have a line of argument, theme or underlying notion throughout the personal statement. Admissions see potential in such candidates as when you get to university, sustaining an overall idea in an essay is essential.

Including a diverse range of pre-reading helps to illustrate a deep interest in your chosen subject. I included four books, two of which I analysed in depth. I also touched on articles, podcasts, videos and lectures. Work experience is not essential and does not have to be directly related to your field: it is more important to discuss the transferrable skills acquired. It is not enough to merely state what you have done without engaging with it: say why you are interested in it; your opinion on the academics; or argue against it.

LSE tend to favour a higher proportion of academic content to extra-curricular (about 80%). I took this to an extreme and used a 90/10 split. Most students that I have spoken to wrote around a quarter on extra-curricular. Indeed, if your extra-curriculars are highly applicable to your chosen degree, it may be worth focusing on them more. Indeed, whatever you choose to discuss, ensure that you interconnect it to the subject that you are applying for. When discussing activities unrelated to academia, try and explain how the skills that you have learned from them can be applied to your future studies.

On a more niche note, if you happen to be in the situation I was and have a “ non-preferred subject ” such as Art and Design, I recommend using the personal statement to assert the relevance of your subject choice to your degree. More generally, it is useful to link your chosen school subjects to your degree programme and illustrate how they are useful and connected.

In terms of receiving help, your school is a good place to start. Teachers can offer useful insights, as can former pupils, if you can contact them. I would also recommend utilising the vast support available online. For me, listening and reading to the personal statements of those who had already received places at top universities was the most useful way of understanding the level of writing required to succeed. Many are available on YouTube, while other advice on the topic can be found on The Student Room. While this can be valuable, remember to take others’ opinions with a pinch of salt.

While challenging, the personal statement is your opportunity to present your personal qualities and academic skills that will distinguish you from others. The success of your personal statement is very much dependent on the work you put in. My best advice is to take it seriously as it will play a key role in dictating the next stage of your life.

About the author

I am a first year undergraduate, studying BA History with Spanish. I am involved with many societies, such as the newspaper, netball and yoga. When I am not in the library, I love to explore London and find unusual new places.

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Mathematics with Economics

Applied in: winter 2013, university offers: lse, bristol, warwick, southampton.

I am amazed how mathematics can bring us to the boundaries of our minds and break up challenging problems into simple, neat steps. In my view, mathematics is not merely a cascade of complex numbers, formulae and axioms; it is logical thinking and the ability to approximate and evaluate something beyond what we can see or physically grasp. This is what makes it invaluable to the field of economics where mathematical theories and constructions help predict and solve issues for society at macro and micro levels.

My perception of mathematics as a constructive systematic approach was challenged by the book 'A Mathematician's Apology' by G.H. Hardy, exposing me to the beauty of mathematical language, offering precise complexity together with overwhelming elegance. The vast variations of applications no longer mean a mathematician is just 'a maker of patterns', but unveiled that they create the foundations of academia. I attended lectures by Marcus Du Sautoy where he discussed the idea of the Riemann Theory and prime numbers being fundamental to nature. This view of our surroundings having underlying connections to mathematics links with the concept of the golden ratio in the book 'Mathematics: A very short introduction' by Timothy Gowers. I was intrigued by how the most irrational of all numbers has inspired people from different disciplines to interconnect mathematics, which is intrinsically found in nature, to man-made constructions.

Having always relished challenges in advanced mathematics I attended a mathematics summer school organised by the Debate Chamber. This gave me substantial insights into first year undergraduate topics, for example L'Hopital's Rule. Looking at alternative methods to solve calculus problems and exploring ideas behind infinity fostered a deeper understanding of the branch of mathematics beyond the school syllabus.

Mathematics has fuelled my interest in economics. Relating individual problems whilst having practical applications on a large scale. On the AS syllabus I was captivated by the problems around trade within countries and how it can stimulate economic growth. This motivated me to research independently the potential outcomes of Germany leaving the Euro for my EPQ. I was intrigued by the limitations which the German Government imposed to resolve the existing problem of the Greek bailouts. On completing my project I realised that most of the disputes stemmed from politics. Behavioural economics as shown in 'Thinking: fast and slow' by Daniel Kahneman can crucially help predict human decision-making and biases. These rational choices are based on facts, which implies that there is more to play in the world of economics then just mathematical relationships. These external stimuli interlock intuitive and logical thinking.

Work experience at J.P. Morgan allowed me to further explore the link between mathematics and economics. Spending a week looking at various sectors of banking, I observed how statistical models help predict the market behaviour. Additionally, I have attended a 3-day program Step Up, Step In, ran by Morgan Stanley, which added to my motivation to join the Introduction to Investment Qualification (CISI) to learn more about the financial industry.

I have a genuine interest in subjects that compliment mathematics. Being a member of Science, Philosophy, Investment and Economics societies has helped me discover new ideas and concepts that allow me to unearth my real interests. I am a self-motivated and determined individual, which has been recognised through my assignment to the roles of President of the full boarders, non-commissioned officer in CCF and a prefect, whilst being a member of various sporting teams. Due to these commitments, I know that I will thrive under the pressure of a demanding mathematically focused degree because I can aptly balance my extra-curricular commitment with my academic work.

Please note UCAS will detect any form of plagiarism. PSE and its contributors do not take any responsibility for the way in which personal statements are used.

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Mathematics and economics personal statement example 1.

As Pythagoras may have said, (Ambitious)2 + (Bold)2 = (Critical thinker)2 makes a perfect student and is what I strive to be. From the simple Pythagorean to the complex Fermat's Last Theorem, mathematics is a never ending branch of study which I enthusiastically enjoy studying and why I wish to pursue it even further at university.

It all started from the young age of 6, and the fulfilment I felt once I had memorised up to my twelve times tables. From then on it was clear that a course with a significant mathematical content is the only path for a person such as myself, as the satisfaction of solving a difficult question after several failed attempts could not be beaten.

I feel certain that the logical approach to problem solving inculcated by my years of studying maths will serve me well in all of my future studies.

After being the only person who achieved an A* grade for Mathematics in Year 11 at my school, it was then I thought that I should challenge myself by taking A Level Further Maths as well as Maths, and I also continued to take all 4 of my subjects for A2.

Although this is challenging, I find that this will enable me to effectively deal with the amount of work during university. Economics is a subject which took my interest while I was doing research into selecting my A Level options two years ago, but it is now safe to say I love it as much as I love maths. I am part of the Economics club at college and find it enjoyable as well as useful.

We discuss current economic issues such as the recent fall in unemployment in the UK, how the inflation rate is currently within the target and how it can be kept at 2.7%, and other interesting issues. My favourite branch of economics is macroeconomics, as during my summer AS exams I found that revising for my Economics Unit 2 exam became less of a chore and more of a 'hobby'.

I prefer analysing items as a whole rather than individual sections, so by default macroeconomics was more desirable in comparison to microeconomics. Economic models fascinate me such as the simple growth model by Robert Solow, which can explain long run economic growth within one diagram.

When attending Cambridge University's mathematics master class during my first year, it was the financial aspect of mathematics that interested me the most. I then started reading The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford, and found myself asking questions such as "why do poor countries stay poor?" and "will deficit ever be cleared?" and wanted to study why the economy is as it is.

Aside from studying, I spend my time working part time as a GCSE Maths tutor at a tuition centre, tutoring Maths privately and a Maths mentor at my college. I find great contentment in teaching others something I love and passing on my knowledge to people. Educating minds is a skill, and to be able to possess such a gift is highly valuable to me and something I wish to continue after university.

During autumn 2012 I took part in the National Citizen Service for Waltham Forest. It was an enjoyable experience throughout and I learned many skills such as teamwork, leadership, and determination which is crucial for an individual. It also allowed me to think independently when planning the community project, as we had to organise the whole project ourselves.

Organisational skills are vital in life especially as a student and generally as an individual. I also had to overcome my extreme fear of heights when doing outdoor activities such as zip wiring as challenging myself is rewarding as well as enjoyable.

I am the first person in my family to apply for university, and have great motivation to do well and potentially go on to postgraduate study as well. I believe that my academic ability, outside work, and most importantly my determination for both mathematics and economics, would make me a successful student and great asset to your university.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by Iffath96 for application in 2014.

Iffath96's university choices University of Bristol University of Exeter University College London Queen Mary, University of London

Green : offer made Red : no offer made

Iffath96's Comments

My teachers said to get rid of the first line but I went with my gut instinct and kept it - worked out in my favour woo!

This personal statement is unrated

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Successful Personal Statement For Economics At Cambridge

Last Updated: 12th April 2022

Author: Chloe Hewitt

Table of Contents

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it. 

Today, we are looking through a Economics applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Cambridge University. The Economics Course at Cambridge provides a rounded, rigorous education in Economics which is valuable for a wide range of career paths.

Read on to see how this candidate wrote a Personal Statement that helped secure their place on a reputable degree. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement:

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

Enrolling on our Cambridge Economics comprehensive Programme will give you access to Personal Statement redrafts. 

With our  Oxbridge Economics Premium Programme, your tutor will give you regular actionable feedback with insider tips on how to improve and make your Personal Statement Oxbridge quality for the best chances of success.  

Discover our Premium Programmes today to learn how you can enrol and triple your chances of success.  

Economics Personal Statement

The right answer – does such a thing even exist? When considering the field of mathematics, my response would be an unequivocal yes – indeed, I find its simplicity and elegance some of its most attractive qualities. For economics, however, the question of a right answer is not so straightforward. My interest in economics was sparked when I read “Freakonomics” and “SuperFreakonomics”. I found the search for a logical explanation behind seemingly illogical behaviour intriguing, and the idea that small changes to incentives could effect such large changes to those behaviours fascinating.

To further my understanding, I attended lectures at the LSE, including one given by Ha-Joon Chang. His arguments challenged much of what I had learned – deregulation and trade liberalisation would not, apparently, stimulate competitive growth, while education, it turned out, could not be counted on to increase entrepreneurship or productivity. These contradictions made me eager to read his “23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism” and “Bad Samaritans”. Although relishing his controversial stance on almost everything, I found his central thesis – that by using protectionism to support fledgling domestic industries, other poor nations can emulate South Korea’s success – overly optimistic and one-size-fits-all. As Paul Collier argues in “The Bottom Billion”, many are trapped by conflict or bad governance, with even bleaker prospects after “missing the boat” on which many Asian economies sailed away to prosperity.     

While economics is rooted in the world around us, with all its fascinating, messy complexities, mathematics derives its beauty from its abstract nature. It is unique in that it can lead us to an answer that is not merely the right one, but is true in an absolute sense. This was emphasised by G. H. Hardy in “A Mathematician’s Apology”, where he spoke of a mathematical reality distinct from the ordinary one, of which we can only ever hope to produce a “partial and imperfect copy”. Another of the appeals of mathematics is its breadth of application. I was able to explore this over the past three years in a series of Royal Institution master classes covering topics from graph theory to the mathematics of juggling. My decision to continue with mathematics was confirmed when I undertook the AEA; I found it challenging but immensely satisfying to be able to use simple concepts from the A-level core modules to solve even the most daunting problems.

Over the past year, I have mentored two students in mathematics. Explaining concepts to them helped deepen my own understanding and led me to explore proofs behind theorems I had previously accepted. In addition, acting as a primary school classroom assistant inspired me to set up my own volunteering scheme, in which I and other students help children learn to read. I have enjoyed competing in the UKMT Mathematics Challenge, in which I won a medal at Olympiad level, and the UK Linguistics Olympiad, in which I twice progressed to the selection round for the national team. I have also represented my school in the Hans Woyda competition, and am excited to be doing the same in the Target 2.0 challenge later this year.

Despite their differences, the authors I mentioned above hold something in common: their use of empirical methods to reach conclusions. It is here that the attraction of combining the study of mathematics and economics becomes especially apparent. Without mathematics, economics risks beginning to earn its title “the dismal science”, reducing to speculation and rhetoric without even the emotional investment enjoyed by politics. This is not to dismiss the importance of normative economics, but to say that it draws meaning from a basis in fact. I am not arguing for sound bite solutions to complex questions, but rather that, even in a field as hotly debated as economics, the right answer is still a worthwhile goal, reachable through the use of data and copious amounts of trial and error.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

Successful Personal Statement For Natural Science (Physical) At Cambridge

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Download our Free Personal Statement Starter Guide 

Good Points Of The Personal Statement

This statement is thoughtful and interesting, and conveys clear motivations for studying Economics, as well as demonstrating a good level of preparation for university study. The student elaborates on their response to each preparatory activity they engaged in, rather than falling into the trap of simply listing books read and lectures attended. They are clearly passionate about the subject, and show promise as an economist, which they demonstrate in, again, not only listing their achievements, but explaining what they took from the experience, and subtly indicating what this says about them as a student.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

I have very little to say in criticism of this essay except that, perhaps, it could come across as a little cliché. Questioning whether there is such a thing as ‘the right answer’ in the introduction, and concluding that pursuit of the field to which they’re applying for further study is worthy are both very common.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

This is an exceptional personal statement. Not only is the student accomplished, they convey this without bragging, and in enough detail that we gain insight into their abilities, motivations, and personal interests, rather than simply receiving a list in prose form. Though the ideas with which the student begins and concludes the statement are somewhat unoriginal, the explanation found in between is exceptionally strong, and justifies the unoriginal sentiments – they’re clearly not being added just as throwaway lines.

This Personal Statement for Chemistry is a great example of demonstrating motivation and development which is vital to Admissions Tutors.

Remember, at Cambridge, these Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

Check out our other successful personal statements and our expert guides on our Free Personal Statement Resources page.

Our expert tutors are on hand to help you craft the perfect Personal Statement for your Cambridge Economics application.

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