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We look for academic ability and potential in Economics. In practice, that means we look for evidence demonstrating the following:

• the ability to translate real-world phenomena into mathematical form,
• the technical skills to work through the mathematics itself, and
• the insight to interpret the mathematics back into meaningful economic ideas.

An ideal economist is both mathematically rigorous and conceptually imaginative. We value applicants who are confident with numbers but also able to communicate ideas clearly, linking abstract models to real-world issues. Put simply: Imagine someone who loves debating world events and economic policy over dinner, and another who is a brilliant mathematical problem-solver. The best candidates strike a balance between the two: curious about ideas and confident with numbers. That combination is what makes a great economist.

There’s no single ‘correct’ way to write a personal statement — it really does need to be personal and reflect your voice, interests, and motivations. I can’t tell you the perfect way to write one, but I can tell you a few common mistakes to avoid:

1. Don’t let fancy words get in the way of your message
   Sometimes we see personal statements filled with long, complex sentences and elaborate vocabulary. While grammatically correct, they can be exhausting to read. You’re not writing a literary essay — your goal is to communicate clearly. Keep it simple, keep it readable, and focus on getting your ideas across.
2. Don’t throw around fancy economics terms you don’t fully understand
   It’s tempting to throw in buzzwords — ‘Kuhn-Tucker conditions’, ‘OLS estimation’, "dynamic stochastic general equilibrium"... But if you don’t really understand them, it shows. Remember, we’re trained economists — we can tell when you’re bluffing. It’s far more impressive to explain a simple idea clearly than to misuse complex ones.
3. Don’t drown your reader in technical details
   Even if you avoid the first two traps — well done! — the final danger is overloading your statement with technical content. It’s great if you’ve done some reading or explored advanced economic models or programming, but don’t let your statement become a methods showcase. What we care about most is why the topic excites you, what you’ve learned, and how you think. Economics is about ideas first — the tools come second.

At 91����, applicants for Economics usually have two interviews, each with two economists at the University.

Think of the interviews as a kind of mock supervision. You’ll be given a few problems or topics to work through, and your interviewers will guide you as you think aloud and develop your ideas. The aim isn’t just to test what you already know, but to see how you reason, how you approach problems, and how you respond to new information and guidance.

Above all, we want you to feel at ease. The interviews are more like friendly academic conversations than exams — a chance for us to get to know you, and for you to show your curiosity and potential as a future economist.

The best preparation is to learn to think like an economist. Here’s one way to picture it:

Imagine you’re a non-native English speaker preparing to meet a native speaker in a few years’ time, hoping to convince them you’re fluent. How do you prepare? By actually learning and practising the language.

Similarly, in your interviews you’ll be “conversing” with economists — so the best preparation is to actually immerse yourself in economics.

My advice is to read serious economics textbooks and start thinking with economic models. This process trains your mind to approach questions in the way of an economist. At the end of the day, it’s not about memorising theorems or equations, but about internalising how an economist thinks.

One of my own favourites as a student was Hal Varian’s Intermediate Microeconomics.

My personal favourite thing about the College is the atmosphere of openness. At many colleges in Cambridge, you’ll find immaculate lawns that students aren’t even allowed to step on — reserved for Fellows only. At 91����, it’s completely different. Not only are students free to enjoy all the green spaces, but you can even pick flowers from the gardens for your room!

It’s this sense of freedom and inclusivity that makes 91���� such an inspiring place, and I’m proud to be part of it. I warmly invite you to join us at 91���� one day. Wishing you the very best of luck in your academic journey — and I hope to meet you here in the future.