The fact that the 2013 Nobel Prize in Economics appeared to be the third Nobel Prize within the last twenty years awarded for research in the field of Asset Pricing has not been surprising to me. Although it is only one part of the broad field of financial market theory, having a closer look at Asset Pricing shows how it is a fascinating subject of great controversy, not least emphasised by the fact that the Prize was given to Eugene Fama as well as to Robert Shiller, a declared opponent of Fama’s hypothesis of efficient markets. Considering that Behavioural Finance has challenged Modern Portfolio Theory in recent years I remain unsure whether we will ever entirely understand Asset Pricing in financial markets. Therefore, discussing questions like this against the background of modern phenomena like “Bitcoin” is one of the reasons I intend to study Accounting and Finance on degree level.

My Abitur courses created the basis for me to seek a deeper understanding of Finance and its diverse subtopics. Maths proved essential for dealing with any business-related subject as it improved my analytical and numeracy skills. Business Administration and Accounting made me understand how financial statements build the foundation of financial decision-making, revealing the close connection between Accounting and Finance. With books like “How the City of London Works” and “The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life” drawing my interest to financial markets, I dealt with Graham’s approach on Value Investing in “The Intelligent Investor”. As both Graham’s methods as well as the success stories of people applying them, like Buffett, seem to contradict the proponents of efficient market theory, the fascinating controversy of financial market theory mentioned above is reinforced and makes me eager to learn more about this subject.

However, what makes Finance even more intriguing to me is its status as an integral part of our everyday life. Hearing my grandparents discuss how to invest their money, seeing my father think about whether to buy or lease a new car or my mother’s puzzled look after she received a letter from Continental AG informing her about her options during their capital increase, I understood that life is full of finance-related decisions. With that in mind, I think that studying Finance is not just gaining expertise but makes one a more educated person in life.

Working as a fundraiser for the German Red Cross not only challenged me in proving high endurance and my ability to cope with stress but also made me experience Finance at a very basic level. Interning at an investment consultancy and taking part in the elaboration of financial concepts enabled me to obtain a profound insight into financial markets from a practical point of view. As I found consulting people on financial issues appealing this experience reinforced my desire to turn my passion for Finance into a career and gave me a valuable understanding of business procedures and problem solving, which I plan to build on during my studies.

In my spare time, apart from my interest in languages and managing a virtual portfolio, I have always been committed to politics. Participating in a political debate contest and being in the executive committee of a local representation of Europe’s biggest political youth organization “Young Union” furthered my communication and leadership skills remarkably. In the course of the financial turmoil I noticed how politics is linked to financial issues, regarding monetary and fiscal policy has dominated the headlines for the last years.

During an internship in Ireland in 2012 I found that my open-mindedness in an international environment opens up new horizons and enables me to consider problems from a diverse range of perspectives. I assume to also meet such an environment when studying at a university in London which makes it the ideal place to discuss (my own) theories and ideas with similar minded people.