Early start pays off for six lucky Economics pupils
Report by Year 12 pupil, Charlie
Our trip to the Chicago Booth MBA programme started with a minibus lift from Mr Funcasta at 6:40am, a most ungodly time for a group of teenagers! However, once we had been treated to some coffees from Mr Troy, the morning had truly started. Having snuggled up to the London commuters on the 7am train, we took the Waterloo and City Line to Bank and walked to Chicago Booth. For some of us it, was the first time we’d ever worn a security pass. However others, such as James, could have easily passed for a professional working in the city. We were welcomed with a wonderful breakfast and started to meet some of the other ‘chosen ones’ from KAA and the London Academy of Excellence, all of whom were very friendly.
The first lecture was given by Lars Stole on Business Economics, who spoke engagingly and with real enthusiasm for his subject. Although we had only encountered the economic models being explored recently, the challenging material was explained thoroughly despite the break-neck pace.
Following this was a lecture on ‘Personal Introductions and Networking’, and we all gained many valuable insights on effective presentation techniques and impactful speaking. We put these new skills into practice during the breaks, meeting Executives who worked in banking, logistics, and law. We saw immediate results; with increased confidence came fascinating conversations with inspiring individuals, despite the occasional blunder.
After the lunch, which consisted of some tasty Brazilian food, we had our third talk on Game Theory with Jun Wong. Jun drew on several examples from popular culture such as the TV show “Golden Balls” which added relevance and interest. He finished by organising a game: three fishing teams choosing how much to catch, making judgements between co-operation/mutual benefit (avoiding overfishing) and unilateral gain. It brilliantly illustrated the subject matter, whilst simultaneously bringing out the characters of the players!
Finally, we had a general talk about the University of Chicago, hearing about some of the great minds which have been cultivated at this impressive institution. Possibly the most interesting moment was the economics duel between Mr Troy and Jun Wong, where we saw, in a microcosm, the fundamental debates that go on between economists in the wider world.
This was an amazing day out and such an incredible opportunity for six lucky pupils. We owe a massive thank you to all those who made this event possible.
