Accounting and Finance (with a Placement Year) Personal Statement

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Having an interest in the world of commerce and industry, I believe that studying Accounting and Finance at a higher level will help me to reach my goal of becoming an accountant. I first came to realize that I have a deep interest in this course when I took part in a fundraising competition in year 6. I had to trade to capitalize on profit, to raise money for Children in Need. At this very young age, I had to do some bookkeeping of what I’d purchased, the prices of the items, profit and loss. Bookkeeping experience has developed and enabled me to win the competition. I was awarded a certificate for raising the largest sum for charity. This was the most memorable achievement for me. As Steve Jobs said: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” It is fundamentally crucial to choose that which you love, to be able to be that which you can be.

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

I am outstanding with problem-solving and thinking from a businessperson’s perspective. Therefore, I decided to do business studies as a subject. During my studies in Business, I came to be more inquisitive in what I was learning, as I once had to analyse and interpret financial statements of various mainstream companies. This has given me the opportunity to explore the basic methods of bookkeeping in the corporate world. I'm currently studying ICT, which involves many mathematical programmes such as learning various types of functions on Excel and performing a range of calculations using data models. I strongly believe that this subject is relevant in modern day accountancy. Business has expanded my knowledge of operations. Moreover, ICT will broaden my acquaintance of Microsoft Excel, as this is the key component for Accounting; Excel was designed to support accounting functions such as preparing financial statements. Travel and Tourism is a way to see the world and I have learnt a lot on globalisation and GDP. I’m also doing an Extended Project Qualification on the globalization of financial reporting.

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

Currently, I work with customer services and advise in the retail sector. I recently completed my work experience with Bank of England and my role was a learning & development assistant placed in the Human Resources department, where I had to manage spreadsheets of upcoming events. I also helped the Learning & Development team by inputting data of their stock take from their suppliers into Excel. Working in this department has strengthened my public speaking and communication skills, as I did a presentation in front of many departments who work for the bank. When working as a teaching assistant, at a primary school I taught mini maths lessons from this I commended on my time management and adaptability. I’ve always met deadlines. Adaptability skill was gained as I’ve adapted into every department I’ve worked in the school and I knew how to deal with the different year groups. Outside of academic pursuits, I enjoy watching The Apprentice and Dragons Den as these shows expand my business skills. I also like to go shopping with my friends and families; as these activities help me relax, especially during the exam period. I’m planning to do both an under and post-graduate degree in Accounting.