Describe an Important Decision You Made

Cue card. Describe an important decision you made. You should say:

• what the decision was
• how you made it
• who helped you
• and explain why it was important

Band 8 model answer

An important decision I made was choosing to study business instead of engineering at university. It was difficult because, like many families in Bangladesh, mine expected me to become an engineer. I made the decision by honestly weighing my strengths — I’d always been more interested in how organisations work than in technical problems — and by talking it through at length with an older cousin who understood both fields. Her advice helped me see that following my genuine interest would keep me motivated for years. It was important because it set the direction of my whole career, and looking back, I’m certain I chose the path that suits me.