Studying economics in the G5 is one of the best opportunities in education. The courses are challenging, engaging and provide fantastic career opportunities. If you are analytical and engaged in the commercial world around you this could be the perfect degree for you. Here’s what the universities themselves say:

Cambridge

Our course provides a sound understanding of core, pure and applied economics. However, while you study economics in considerable depth in this specialised degree, you employ ideas and techniques from many other disciplines too; including mathematics and statistics, history, sociology and politics. Therefore, our graduates are extremely well qualified for a wide range of jobs and further courses.

LSE

What caused the 2008 economic crisis and what was the right policy response? How can we design policies to tackle the widening inequalities observed within and across countries, or the challenge of climate change? Why does a gender pay gap persist? Why, as economies grow richer, are people often not any happier? Economics considers broad-ranging real-world issues such as these. In this programme, you will take an open-minded and scientific approach to issues like these, using formal modelling of economic relationships, and testing hypotheses against data.

What are the career prospects?

Median salary of students six months after graduating: £38,500 Top 5 sectors students work in:

· Financial service activities

· Legal and accounting activities

· Management consultancy activities

· Public administration and defence

· Education

This degree provides excellent preparation for a range of careers, but universities particularly welcome students who want to learn about economics, rather than simply prepare themselves for a prosperous future.

Over the past two decades, many graduates have chosen to pursue careers in the financial sector, which can include positions involving economics research as well as those in banking or hedge funds. Increasingly, many have also preferred to take up positions as economic or management consultants, to join central banks, their home country’s government economic

service or international organisations. Some graduates from the programme pursue quite different careers, whether as professional accountants and auditors, engaging in entrepreneurial activity, marketing or law, or in entirely different fields.

How to prepare for an application

Students this year faced many challenges. Fewer contact hours at school, higher grades awarded to previous students who then choose to reapply, and a greater awareness of programmes and competitions that improve students’ chances of success. So what next? How can you continue to stand out from the crowd? Here are our top tips:

1. Sit the entrance tests and prepare early. Applications are more data-driven than ever. You should start practising at least 9 months out and track your performance each month.

2. Enter competitions with a view to win. Simply submitting an entry is no longer good enough when you enter international essay competitions and prizes. You need to be focused on gaining a prize.

3. Include detail in your personal statement. Generalised comments can be made by anyone – professors want to see the specific information of your experiences.

Speak to the Libra team today to find out how to make your application sparkle.