Adult Nursing Personal Statement

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Economics fascinates me with how dynamic it is as a social science. One of the many aspects of economics and business studies which I find curious and rewarding is behavioural economics and how individual and organisational decision-making provides the foundation on which economic theories and models are constructed. It is fascinating how these models, broken down, can be used to analyse and evaluate situations in an applied manner which are relevant in our world and to organisational decision-making. Past and present circumstances highlight how important studying economics is, especially regarding the interpretation of quantitative and qualitative data. The colourful economic history, such as the recent financial crisis and the ever-changing political landscape, drives my enthusiasm to study at degree level, thus gaining further knowledge to understand how these events influence and impact organisations and individuals across the economy. My desire to expand my knowledge and analytical skills, which one day could be implemented in an organisation, underlies my desire to continue to study at a degree level and pursue my goals.

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

Moving from Finland to the UK to start sixth form was a great decision as it allowed me to study the subjects that I am most passionate about. Studying business studies and mathematics alongside economics has been a great benefit. My mathematical modules have enhanced my ability to solve problems in a logical manner and approach problems with a wide perspective. The range of concepts, theory, and history has been a joy to study. Studying economics and business studies has enabled me to become more engaged and have a deeper understanding when reading about topics which, unfortunately, are not within the A-level syllabus. One such topic which has intrigued me is game theory, which was also covered in the book 'Prisoner's Dilemma' by William Poundstone. The book describes how Game Theory can be applied in a range of subjects including economics and with the use of mathematical methods and consideration of internal and external factors, it can be used as a model for understanding organisation and individual decision-making in, for example, competition pricing, and how this is arguably truer within an oligopolistic market structure.

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

Spending holiday periods working for my family's electrical engineering company has given me insight into how precise and organised businesses have to be to perform overall and on a management level in order to save costs to be competitive; how factors such as the economy and uncertainty of, for example, future raw material prices along with finance affect costings when producing quotations and how government legislation influences activities. The experience has merely shown how economics and management incorporate within each other and fosters my desire to further my knowledge in this area. Having lived and studied in Wales, New Zealand, and Finland and now England and having had the opportunity to visit places such as China, Malaysia, and many European countries, I have experienced many different cultures. These experiences have made me realise how economics shapes and influences society and have helped grow my appreciation for the subject. The challenge of learning Finnish when moving to Joensuu at the age of 9 was aided by also engaging in the culture and wider sporting community. I ended up captaining Lahti, a large city academy football team, and travelled extensively throughout Europe with the club to places such as Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Estonia. These experiences developed my confidence and communication skills, flexibility, and adaptability as I had to learn Finnish and adapt to a new culture. My other hobbies consist of sailing and assembling computers.