Watch him embark on an exploration journey with passion and successfully turn the cold and aloof goddess school LSE around with PS!

Date：2022-03-19   Author：admin

About Explore-stone


To meet the demands of families for more professional and refined planning and application services for undergraduate studies in the UK, the Explore-stone project was born. Based on a vast amount of admission data, with an excellent service team, rich university resources and scientific planning services at its core, we provide high-standard application planning and personalized services for students aiming to enter the G5 universities in the UK.
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), as one of the five schools in the UK, enjoys a good reputation both at home and abroad. In the workplace, especially in the financial circle, LSE enjoys considerable popularity and competitive advantages.

According to a survey conducted by the British salary survey company Emolument on the salary standards of graduates after they enter the workplace, LSE graduates rank first among British universities with an average salary of £38,000 (median annual salary).

In the Target School rankings of the Front Office of major investment banks, LSE also surpassed major American universities and ranked first.

For this reason, every year, the number of outstanding students from all over the world applying to LSE is countless. LSE also maintains its consistent "aloof" attitude. Especially for economics-related majors, the very low admission rate each year is jokingly called "god fights" by students, which shows the intensity of competition and the difficulty of admission.

What traits do the "chosen ones" who can win the favor of LSE possess?

Today, we have specially invited Dong, a student who obtained the Mathematics and Economics program at LSE, to share his application journey with everyone.

Student Dong


School attended: Lingke Shanghai

Standardized test scores: A*A*AA (A2)

Admitted schools: London School of Economics and Political Science, University of Hong Kong

Admitted major: Mathematics and Economics

1. Clarify the direction

Since I first came into contact with economics in high school, I have developed a strong interest in it. I am willing to spend time learning about the extracurricular knowledge of economics, which is very difficult for me to do in other subjects.

Therefore, I have always regarded economics as my major goal in college. After all, only by choosing a major that one loves can one avoid regrets.

Studying economics, if I want to get involved in investment banks when I enter the job market in the future, at least I need to attend a university at the level of Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University and Jiaotong University in China. This is very difficult for me to achieve. Therefore, I chose to study in the UK.

2. Set goals

Now that one has clearly defined their direction, it is natural to aim for a good goal.

For applications to undergraduate programs in the UK, a good application essay is a powerful weapon. Therefore, as I needed to seek help from a professional institution, I found Explore Stone through the recommendation of senior students.

Since I didn't consider applying to Oxford or Cambridge, I quickly decided on LSE. My application essay teachers, Mr. Wang and Mr. Wan, suggested that I apply for two majors at LSE: Pure Economics and Mathematics Economics.

At first, I only wanted to apply for the Pure Mathematics course, not the Mathematics course, because I was not good at math and didn't want to be involved in too many math courses in college. But later, Teacher Wang patiently analyzed for me, saying that I would also learn a lot of mathematical knowledge after applying for pure economics, and that mathematics economics is also a subject of LSE. So I decided to apply for both.

3. Document creation

As is well known, the personal Statement (PS) is an important part of undergraduate applications in the UK. A high-quality PS is not achieved overnight but requires meticulous refinement.

In the procedures of the document, Teacher Wang and Teacher Wan also gave me a lot of effective suggestions.

I remember when I was reading related books at that time, I couldn't quite understand a lot of knowledge and asked many questions that seem very stupid now. But the teachers always patiently explained to me and accompanied me to sort out the PS materials.

When I was writing the application essay, the two teachers first told me roughly what each paragraph should be about in the form of a PPT, and then asked me to try writing it myself.

I wrote a lot in one draft and my language expression was very unstandardized. However, both teachers encouraged me not to be afraid and asked me to write down everything I thought of.

Revising documents is a very difficult and painful process. When I finished the first draft, there were many problems, and I thought many of them were not "problems" at all, so the revision was very troublesome. I asked two teachers, and they patiently answered my questions and explained the detailed flaws.

I feel that I was mainly able to apply to LSE thanks to my personal statement (PS), as I didn't expect my score to be high and I didn't have any outstanding competition achievements either. So I'm very grateful for the patient guidance of my teachers, which enabled me to fulfill my dream.

I remember that I was rejected by UCL Pure Economics at that time, and overnight, all the UCL pure economics students of the entire grade were rejected. At that time, I was both shocked and anxious, feeling that LSE was also doomed. But Teacher Wan and Teacher He comforted me at once and promptly analyzed the reasons for me, which greatly alleviated my anxiety.

Because Teacher Wang and Teacher Wan are both senior students from the same school, I feel very close to them. Therefore, there is no barrier in communication, which I have not experienced in other institutions.

4. Experience sharing

I think throughout the entire process of applying for a study abroad program, it is crucial to know what you are passionate about and whether you are willing to spend time on that subject.

In addition, it is suggested that everyone maintain a good state of mind and not be overly obsessed with the outcome, which may affect their current performance.

Because when I applied to LSE, I was not one of the outstanding students. There are many students who have better standardized test scores and competition results than me and are competing with me in the same major. Therefore, I need to keep a calm mind and be prepared for failure.

When taking certain classes (subjects related to your future university major), you should also actively interact with the teacher. After class, go to the teacher to ask questions and draw their attention. It's very helpful when writing a recommendation letter; otherwise, the teacher wouldn't even know who you are.

At the same time, it is also necessary to ensure one's academic performance, and the estimated grade of the applied major should also reach A.

Remember: "Academic enthusiasm" is always an element in choosing a major.

Tutoring Review

Dong is a student we have ever taught who left a very deep impression on us. During the learning process, he is very humble and eager to learn. He can follow the teacher's advice while maintaining his own ideas.

I'm very glad to see him become a member of LSE. I also wish him to enjoy his college life, study hard at school and keep striving towards his dream.