Personal Statement for master's degree at Cambridge university - Essay Example

The memory of my childhood in Kazakhstan is full of questions related to economics. Why is there nothing on the shelves in the shops? Why do my parents need to queue all morning for basics such as flour and sugar? At the time, I did not understand the intricacies of a transition economy or how the policy of Shock Therapy for the Kazakh economy in the 1990’s lead to the poverty, hyperinflation and unemployment that I witnessed all around me. Once I understood that these social realities could be explained and possibly prevented by studying and applying economic knowledge, I made the firm decision to study Economics at university.

For me, a decision to study economics is much more personal than simply selecting a future profession. I want to study economics to solve the problems that surrounded me growing up in Kazakhstan. This decision has lent great focus to my academic endeavours. I am a great candidate for studying at Cambridge because I have a strong history of academic achievements. I was proud to be awarded The President’s Bolshak scholarship and was a recognized Gold Medal scholar, meaning I graduated with distinction in all of my courses.

I also excel at mathematics courses and have a natural ability for working with numbers. My first step towards my future degree in Economics was a foundation course at UCL, which I completed last year. The Economics module introduced me to the theory as well as the practical side of Economics. Currently, I am earning a BSc in Economics at the University of York. My undergraduate courses are expanding my knowledge, though most of it is focusing on theory at this point. I am currently learning about micro and macro economics as a part of my undergraduate studies.

In addition to these standard economics courses, I have added modules that highlight my math ability. These courses started with Dynamic Modeling for Economists in my second year and continuing with Industrial Economics in my third year. The former is by far my favourite field of Economics: I am fascinated to learn the techniques available for modeling economic processes which evolve through time and for solving dynamic economic problems. I have also elected to add a concentration of advanced mathematics that I believe will help me with my graduate studies at Cambridge.

In addition to these formal studies, I am getting real world experience through internships. I have worked at The Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Competition Protection. This agency is in charge of monitoring and ending monopolistic practices. While there, I helped investigate the telecommunications sector in Kazakhstan, helping to identify monopolistic practices. Last summer I was able to work for PricewaterhouseCooper back home in Astana. I assisted in data analysis for the “Samruk-Kazyna” project.

I also serve as vice-president of The York Kazakh Society, handling all financial arrangements for the club. My most exciting experience so far has been travelling to New York City on a scholarship to participate in a three week seminar on finance. In addition to my academic pursuits, I have two great passions in my life. I love to compete in debate and go ballroom dancing. These activities help my studies by giving me a way to relax and sharpen presentation skills. Continuing my study of Economics at Cambridge is very important for my future.

Cambridge is universally recognised as a top tier school for Economics. My goal is to study in the graduate school at Cambridge so I will be equipped with the best