Hello everybody. Could you please check my letter of motivation and provide some feedback ? I am applying for a specialization within my bachelor program. Admission is solely based on the LoM, entrance exam and grades. Thanks in advance!

Dear Sir or Madam,

First of all, thank you for providing me with the opportunity to apply for the new specialization in applied mathematics.

My name is Martin ….and I am currently enrolled in bachelor’s degree in business, economic and social sciences with majors in economics and business administration. As a student with an interest in economics and finance, it is necessary for me to have a solid foundation of economic/finance theory and econometrics. Yet I cannot get this solid foundation without understanding the language of mathematics that these fields use. Moreover, I need to be able to read the academic literature to figure out what research ideas have policy relevance. That literature uses a lot of statistical and mathematical models, so I will need to be equipped with mathematical tools to read it intelligently. In other words, mathematics is the language of economics.

However, the combination of economics, finance and applied mathematics is not only of an theoretical importance. Analytical and numerical techniques have had a significant influence in financial practice such as derivative contracts. My interests are very broad and lie mainly in the fields of macroeconomics, risk and portfolio management. Only the proper understanding and use of mathematical models in finance might assist me to make financial projections and decisions adequately. All these are the reasons behind my decision to apply for specialization in applied mathematics.

Sincerely,
Martin ...