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Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Economics & Management, Oxford

11 replies

nevvamynd · 09/09/2021 19:26

DD is doing Maths, Further Maths, Economics at A Level. She likes the stats side of maths, and the more numerical side of economics. The MORSE course at Warwick us a good fit for her, but she also wants to apply to Oxford. She's wondering if the Economics & Management would be a better fit for her than maths & stats. Despite the name, It seems to have a lot of maths in it. Any thoughts welcome.

OP posts:
Needmoresleep · 09/09/2021 21:12

Reputedly entry is the most competive of any course at Oxford.

What about economics at Cambridge. A more mathematical course. There will be lots of stats.

Original poster
nevvamynd · 10/09/2021 13:53

For various reasons she strongly prefers Oxford to Cambridge. She is realistic about the odds of getting a place, but isn't going to let that put her off applying.

OP posts:
Needmoresleep · 10/09/2021 16:00

I am no expert, and in part am simply bumping your post. However one of the problems will presumably be demonstrating why she is interested in E&M when she is applying for MORSE and similar courses elsewhere. Even with a supplementary Personal Statement for Oxford she will need to work hard to cover both areas of interest.

Is she applying this year or next? What other courses is she interested in? EME or some sort of maths with economics at LSE, say? Econometrics at Bristol? Again I am no expert, beyond the fact that DS is currently studying for a PhD in Economics after a Masters in EME at LSE, but maths for economics seems to be a lot of statistics and "metrics". I know a lot of DS's degree overlapped with students studying maths, economics, or even actuarial science.

What I am probably trying to say is if there is not a consistent theme of interest in management for E&M, she will not help her chances with her Oxford application, and it is that competitive that she needs to give it her all, and if she stresses management other courses might question her enthusiasm for a maths heavy course.

(FWIW we know someone who studied E&M at UCL, whatever it is called, after narrowly missing Oxford and who was really happy with the course. )

Original poster
nevvamynd · 10/09/2021 16:52

Thanks, yes, she has been thinking along those lines, and has an idea for a common thread, but it is difficult. Elsewhere she is leaning towards maths & stats rather than maths & economics, but courses that blend all three are ideal. Econometrics is a good option for her.

OP posts:
shockthemonkey · 10/09/2021 17:06

A friend's son is studying E&M at Oxford and is none too impressed with the calibre of his cohort (himself included) and finds the course less rigorous than he had hoped. This might sound like false modesty on his part but I don't think it is.

Anyway, the comment surprised me because I've seen the stats for E&M and the acceptance rates are indeed very low... however we don't really know the standard of the applicants as compared to, say, PPE applicants who are reputedly extremely smart. My friend's son really looks up to the PPE students there.

If she decides to apply, get her to look carefully at the different first year modules and make sure her PS demonstrates a strong interest in one or two of them. That is key for any competitive course, but even more so with E&M, I am led to believe.

Best of luck to her

Phphion · 10/09/2021 17:48

There are some very maths-heavy branches of management, e.g. stuff around managerial economics, BDA and OR which involve various types of microeconomic modelling, plus the finance and accounting side of management which is more statistical.

The trouble is that, while she can specialise to an extent, she will not be allowed to only focus on those things on an undergraduate E&M degree. Would she really be happy having to take some courses that are essay-based or having to read a lot of theoretical work? If she is otherwise leaning more towards maths and stats rather than maths and economics, adding management takes her even further away from the maths that seems to be her main interest.

SeasonFinale · 11/09/2021 16:22

You can't submit a supplemental personal statement for Oxford.

Original poster
nevvamynd · 11/09/2021 17:34

She's not planning to submit a supplemental personal statement. The course content has a lot of mathematical content, and an A or A* in maths is one of the entry requirements.

OP posts:
Hoghgyni · 11/09/2021 17:47

The Economics modules are exactly the same for both E&M and PPE at Oxford. DD did micro, macro and statistics in her first year. She's dropping the more quantitative papers now, but your DD could focus on stats or econometrics in years 2 & 3 if that still held her interest. She may well enjoy modules like game theory as well. Management degrees can have a lot of maths or op research focus (speaking from experience).

SeasonFinale · 13/09/2021 02:37

@nevvamynd

She's not planning to submit a supplemental personal statement. The course content has a lot of mathematical content, and an A or A* in maths is one of the entry requirements.
It was another poster earlier who suggested she could. I was just pointing out she couldn't on case it misled you.
ofteninaspin · 14/09/2021 10:25

DS looked at the E&M course but was put off by the talk at an open day. He ended up applying for a mix of Economics courses elsewhere (including PPE) which made writing a PS quite challenging. The final version wasn't geared to the course he is studying at Cambridge although an interest in maths was a common thread, but he did submit a supplementary questionnaire. In hindsight DS feels that the admissions tests and interviews carry more weight than the PS.

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