Writing my SOP (Statement of Purpose) was a crucial aspect of my application journey to UK colleges. Having applied to universities in the United Kingdom myself, I understand the daunting task of crafting a compelling narrative that expresses genuine interest in a particular subject. My chosen field was economics, and I'd like to share my own Statement of Purpose with fellow prospective applicants this upcoming fall. It's essential to note that UCAS places a strong emphasis on originality, and plagiarism is strictly discouraged. Any instance of plagiarism, if detected by their thorough checks, could lead to the nullification of the entire application.
I'm pleased to share that my well-constructed SOP played a significant role in my acceptance to three esteemed universities: University College London (UCL), University of Warwick, and University of St Andrews. This experience reinforces my belief in the power of a thoughtfully written SOP and its potential impact on university admissions. As you embark on your application journey, keep in mind the importance of authenticity and originality in your SOP, as these elements can truly make a difference in your application's success.
So here it goes
Who believes that an economist can save more lives than a doctor? I do! Alvin Roth, an economist, has used economic theories and proposed a model that dramatically improved the chances of receiving a kidney donation. As a student, when I heard about it at the summer school conducted by the Indian School of Business and Finance, I realised the relevance of the subject in day to day working of society and started taking an interest in it.
Health and finance influence the lives of everyone no matter what caste, creed or religion an individual belongs to. However, while investing is integral to managing finances, stock markets carry a stigma in India. This incongruity made me take courses on technical and fundamental analysis to improve my understanding of the market and help people around me to accept its importance. The courses gave me the skills to analyse chart patterns and financial statements of listed corporations. Further, the six weeks of training under Mr Ankit Soni, a Nomura investment banker, gave me more profound insights into company and industry analysis.
Knowledge is of no use until and unless it is used productively. As the president of my school's 'Economics Society,' I took the initiative to start 'The Monetary Peacock,' a newsletter to provide simplified explanations of economic policy changes while simultaneously busting myths about the money market. The publication helped generate interest in the subject and made students aware of the misconceptions passed down to them. My understanding of the market also pushed me into investing as I started at 17 with the stocks of 'Tata Consultancy Services.' The learnings from my experience helped me rank 10th out of 100 teams worldwide in a junior entrepreneurship challenge organised by IE Business School, Spain. Further, the rising inflation and slowing economic growth inspired me to write an article on 'stagflation' that got a special mention from the school economics faculty. The diverse applicability of economic theory is one of the prime reasons I wish to pursue the subject at university.
Having been introduced to human psychology in class, I supplemented it by reading outside my school curriculum. "Freakonomics" was an exhilarating read; I came across the philosophy of incentives driving human behaviour. This breeding of psychology with economics caught my eye and gave me the motivation to write a review-based research paper on the role of psychology in the decision-making of investors in India. The paper combined research undertaken by Daniel Kahneman, Rasuma Putri and Abhijeet Chandra, alongside many others in the field of behavioural economics and was selected to be published in the International Journal of Advanced Research.
One of my proudest achievements is being the 'Chief Operation Officer' of my mass media firm 'The Emissary,' a student-run organisation that aims to give teenagers a platform to express their talent and become the leaders of tomorrow. The organisation has grown into a large community of teenagers from 25 schools in 4 countries and has received support from the state's chief minister for its development. Alongside my entrepreneurial pursuits, Cricket has played an essential role in shaping my personality as a self-motivated and resilient individual. Being a member of the school team for the past 5 years and training with an international player, Yuvraj Singh has helped me improve my collaboration and time management skills which are imperative for surviving in the fast-changing world of Economics.
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