In order to really impress with future university applications, it is crucial you explore beyond the confines of your curricula. With so many different potential areas to explore, it might seem impossible to know where to start. We are here to help! This digest is centred around three hot topics in Economics today to stimulate wider reading and get you thinking ahead of applications and university interviews (particularly for Oxbridge Economics).

The Economist is a brilliant source to increase general awareness of subject-specific current affairs for personal statement writing and university interviews. The magazine (and Economist podcasts) are not only fantastic for aspiring economists, but students preparing for a whole array of STEM and Humanities courses. In this Curious Minds digest, we explore five of the Economist’s top 10 trends for the world ahead in 2022, posing a range of Oxbridge interview-style questions and offering reading suggestions for students looking beyond the syllabus in their degree preparation.

This Curious Minds digest is based around a prominent topic in the news: “the first energy squeeze of the green era”. If you are looking to study a scientific or social science degree (e.g. Geography, Economics, Politics etc.), it is crucial to examine current affairs articles and topics in the news. This digest will pose a range of questions around the energy market shortage, and will start you thinking about the potential causes and implications.

Since the 18th century we have seen ourselves as separate from nature. But as human activity threatens the very climate system we need to survive, is it time to reconsider? In this Curious Minds digest, 1st Class Cambridge Human, Social and Political Sciences graduate, Keira, traces the development of the human-nature relationship from its encapsulation in Enlightenment thinking, to today’s warming world. This digest is particularly relevant to students thinking of Social Sciences degrees.

For students applying for a social sciences degree, it is important to understand the linkages between adjacent fields. The following questions were asked to an Economics candidate at Cambridge during his interview. In this Curious Economics Minds digest, we encourage you to interrogate and explore the following questions in detail, thinking about how Governments, Environmental Policy, and Business intertwine.

Miranda works in a highly pressurised role in Cabinet Office as a Covid-19 Policy Advisor at the centre of government and previously worked as an EU Exit Advisor. Follow her journey from preparation for the challenging Economics & Management degree at the University of Oxford, to parliamentary and volunteering work experience and Civil Service applications. She leads you through top tips for Oxbridge application and how to secure relevant work experience.