Personal Statement
Personal Statement
（Education）
It is my conviction that the meaning of life does not dwell in the length of time that one can live or the material abundance that one can acquire, but in the richness and the wonderfulness of life itself. With the increase of my age, many things in my life have changed. But one thing remains constant, that is, I will consistently insist on doing what I like to do and hope that my endeavors can be valuable to the life of others. I see this as the only way whereby I can realize the value of my life.
My undergraduate study focused on economics and I achieved remarkable scholastic performance in this field. My GPA is 3.44 (my GRE score is 2020 and TOEFL---- ). For four consecutive years of my undergraduate study, I received scholarships for my distinguished academic performance. Due to my equally prominent performance in extracurricular activities I was conferred on the Outstanding Student in Campus Activities. However, honestly speaking, my real interest lies not in economics, but in education. Ever since I was a primary school student, I had cherished a strong desire for a teaching career exemplified by my teachers. In the actual teaching career that I embarked on upon my graduating from university, I have become increasingly aware that the existing educational conditions in China are far from satisfactory. The backward teaching methodology and the prevailing pedagogical ideology have rendered Chinese education out of place with the modern international development in education. On the macro level, the current education theory and practice in China lag significantly behind advanced countries in the West. For instance, though education via the internet has achieved considerable development in past two years, in practical operation such education has more often than not deteriorated into an extended form of the conventional examination-oriented education instead of a really interactive process. In my personal experience, despite the fact that some of the problems that I have encountered in my teaching career can be solved by consulting relevant technical literature, I have found that the more serious flaws inherent in China's current educational system cannot be worked out easily. Under such circumstances, an advanced program in education becomes necessary.
In this age of information, traditional education, both in its ideology and methodology, has met unprecedented challenge like many other aspects of human existence. Meanwhile, the pursuit for higher levels of educational development and of the quality of life has largely transformed the educational value orientation of the general public. The educational model that is centered around the cognitive and intellectual instruction has been seriously questioned. Greater attention has been devoted to the cultivation of well-developed personality and to the ontological status of the individual in education. Such issues as the internal studies of education science, scientific decision-making in education, and meta-education have also been increasingly emphasized upon. There have also been innovations in educational research methodology. The tendency has been to combine modern technology with humanistic research categories and with naturalistic research categories, and to organically integrate qualitative descriptions with quantitative descriptions. It is also important to carry out educational experimentations in which educational predictions are complemented by educational feedbacks. Both the complexity of education and the complexity of human individuals have made the comprehensive application of diverse educational approaches necessary. Those new horizons are what fascinate me.
In view of the following qualifications that I have acquired, I believe that I will acquit myself satisfactorily in the prospective Ph.D. program in education that I am currently endeavoring to apply for. First and foremost, as is often claimed, one's interest is one's best director. I believe that I will do well what I am really interested in doing. Secondly, though I majored in economics as an undergraduate, my trainings during that stage helped develop effective modes of thinking and research approaches. In addition, I conscientiously self-studied many works related to education, including A Developmental History of Educational Science in the West, which enabled me to construct a solid groundwork for more advanced studies in this field. Next, it can be safely asserted that education and economics are not entirely separated. For example, it is necessary to apply many statistical methods in educational psychology and my academic record indicates that statistics is the subject that I am most good at. Last but not the least, my current teaching career and my teaching experience will play a positive role in facilitating my target degree program.
The reason why I apply for the University of -- is that it is the first state university with a time-honored history. The School of Education in this university is quite prominent among its counterparts in the field. I am particularly attracted by the School's powerful pedagogical resource, vibrant intellectual atmosphere and a comprehensive curriculum. I plan to apply for a degree program in Instructional Technology or Educational Psychology, both of which enjoy unparalleled academic reputation in the world. My application for Instructional Technology is motivated by my strong interest in the application of modern science and technology, especially the information technology represented by the Internet, in the field of education and in the nature of a series of revolutionary changes resulting thereof. Instructional Technology is a new discipline that has emerged as a result of the rapid development of modern communication technology since the late 20th century. It has tremendous potential for development and commercial application. As for my motive in selecting Educational Psychology as another possible area of specialization in my degree program, it is my long-cherished interest that primarily counts. On the other hand, all the accomplished educators since the 1960's have been well-versed in psychology. Almost every important new educational theory is derived psychological findings in one way or another so that educational psychology has subsequently developed into a fundamental subject for the science of education. The tendency in the 21st century is to emphasize on the micro research of educational activities and against this backdrop educational psychology will be attached greater importance. In Instructional Technology, I would like to focus on the following studies: how to improve educational efficiency by applying research results from natural sciences and engineering technology; how to explore the combination and coordination of pedagogical contents and to improve teaching methodology by exploiting the theoretical findings from psychology and educational science concerning the process of teaching and learning. In Educational Psychology, I will concentrate on applied cognition and development, gifted and creative education, genetics and children development, personality structure and individual differences and other related subjects.
For me, to shift from economics to education and to pursue an advanced degree in the United States is not so much a challenge as an opportunity. At present, major reforms are being introduced into virtually every important aspect of Chinese society. The field of education especially calls for comprehensive reforms. The United States occupies an absolutely leading position in the present-day world in education. It is my conviction that, in the United States, advanced educational theories, technologies and information will facilitate me immensely in the achievement of remarkable academic progress, fulfilling my aspiration to become an accomplished professional in the field of education. This will not only bring my patriotic fervor into reality but also make my life more meaningful and rewarding.
Personal Statement
（Business）
Mystified by people who reached the zenith of their career at a young age, I have longed to become one of them since my childhood. After eighteen years of cherishing this never-withering dream, I have often pondered what kind of qualities and beliefs contributed to their success. Even though there are answers in books, I would very much like to find out the truth by my own experience. I believe wit once bought is worth twice taught; and I can bootstrap my way up to the pinnacle of my profession. At that moment, fortune smiled on me.
In my sophomore year, as soon as I heard the University planned to select three students from a pool of more than twenty thousand candidates for an exchange program with Western Kentucky University, America, I realized it would be a perfect opportunity for me to widen my horizon and to enrich my knowledge. Even though the selection criteria were very stringent and demanded students not only to have outstanding academic performance and to speak fluent English, it also required the candidate to have independence and abilities to organize, dispose and coordinate complex affairs, and to be able to overcome all kinds of difficulties. I was opted for attending the final interview after a series of selective trials.
Then I was ruled out for I didn't have the English Certificate stipulated. When I heard that, I was very disappointed. Should I allow the stereotype to ruin the opportunity around the corner? At that moment, my high school headmaster's words came to me: “opportunity knocks on the door softly”. For my dreams, I must fight hard and prove my strength to the appraisal panel. Because of my persistent requests, I finally gained an opportunity, persuaded the examiners by my idiomatic and fluent English, and became one of the three winners.
In retrospect, I have learned that even though extraordinary personal qualities are key factors contributing to my abilities to organize various large scale activities at the University and Western Kentucky University, keen perception and clear vision to asses the potential for opportunities are also very important in life. Even though I can declare confidently that I have acquired many of these fundamental capacities, the study of merchant princes' success stories has taught me that I must cultivate an attitude promoting research independence, leadership and a team spirit. With the aid of the world-class program offered by your Business School, I can not fail.
I have deeply engraved in my memory the historic moment when the famous American President, Franklin Roosevelt, announced America's participation in World War II. I am overwhelmed by his brilliant decision and pine for becoming a person of consequence who can control not only his own fate but also inspire many others to fulfill their own destiny. The reason that I have chosen Business Planning Management is that I am fond of giving counsel and enjoy the challenge of devising strategies within a command objective.
Besides my efforts to solidify my skills in my chosen field, I have also found many sources of learning and improvement in books, lectures and symposiums. I have attempted to integrate theory with practice during several of my internships. Among the examples I could site would be my experiences at DTZ Debenham Tie Leung. This international real estate advisor with offices in forty six countries allowed me to practice my skills and to incorporate my knowledge in many areas toward the discipline of market research and analysis. During this experience, when compiling questionnaires, I had to design and develop mechanisms that allowed the surveys to be not only comprehensible to the respondent, but a pleasant experience as well. I had to make sure that the wording of the questions was straightforward and unambiguous.
As to the content of the questionnaires, I employed my professional knowledge and wide-ranging experience skillfully and strategically in order for the surveys to be congruent with the purpose of the investigation. In addition, I exploited the methodologies I had learnt flexibly and adopted suitable ways and means when dealing with individual questions. For example, I chose Likert scale method to measure consumers' attitude toward a particular building and to measure their personal preferences.
Furthermore, when working on the layout of the questionnaires, I considered whether or not the whole content was substantive and straightforward. Further, I considered whether or not the format was clearly written and finely divided; whether or not the manner of the question was appropriate, and whether or not the questions fit the psychological profile of the interviewee. Finally, I addressed the issue of executive charisma. I needed to be able to identify potential interviewees quickly and accurately, interact with them effectively and efficiently, adapt quickly to different types of individuals, persuade the interviewee of the efficacy of my research, and insure that the responses would have statistical validity.
During this process, I learnt to incarnate and concretize abstract knowledge and concepts, and to adapt my way of thinking to accommodate the situation and individuals with whom I was dealing. By so doing, my communication skills, adaptive faculties, and psychological make-up were improved and tempered greatly. Most importantly, it reinforced my positive views about the society, the country and its people.
In China, there are still many important questions to answer. Such questions as how to solve logistics costs in circulation enterprises, how to develop corporate culture, how small and medium-size enterprises compete with big business and foreign enterprises in terminal markets, how domestic companies consolidate resources and work out correct strategies after China's accession into WTO, need to be answered. All of these questions will be the focus of my future research interests.
I believe an overseas education can help me broaden my outlook, acquaint myself with approaches that advanced countries adopt to treat real issues in enterprises, and will help me acquire knowledge on how to discover, analyze and solve problems. I intend to plunge into the pioneering work of discriminating methodologies beneficial to Chinese companies' development. In an excellent foreign environment, I can also get in touch with a variety of people, distinct cultures and different means of disposing matter, which, in turn, will spur me to become a well-informed and comprehensive person, and an elite talent as well.
Moreover, I have also learnt from personal experience that America has ultramodern experimental equipments. It has a democratic, united, dynamic, stable and harmonious academic atmosphere, and direct human relations. All of these elements will help me deploy my talent in full, contact on the cutting edge of sciences, and learn the best practice trends in the world. These elements will further help me to develop into a professional who can truly accustom himself to various environments and societies.
Unequivocally I can state that self-confidence, self-reliance and self-learning abilities are three of my virtues. With them, I easily succeeded in Western Kentucky University. I believe there is still vast scope for me to tap my potential in my chosen field. Now, at this turning point in my life, I am full of eagerness, optimism and passion. I am confident while the path to success is often scattered with obstacles and hindrances, with great effort, motivation and commitment, academic accomplishment will be well within my reach. Therefore, I aspire to catch this precious opportunity of pursuing a PhD degree at your world-famed university just as before and to realize my dream of becoming a first-class business leader so as to contribute to the company's, the nation's, and even the world's harmony and progress.
Personal Statement
（International Marketing）
As a 23-year-old aspiring student who has grown up and received his education in pace with the evolution of China’s market economy over the past two decades, I deem myself in possession of many professional qualities for undertaking a career in advanced marketing and business management. I believe that I have demonstrated more creativity, management skills, English language proficiency, and the courage to accept challenges than most of my peers on a number of important occasions?being selected from a large number of competitors to study at XX University of XX on an exchange program, winning prize in the XX for University Students, launching my own company upon completing my undergraduate program. My interest and my demonstrated abilities show me unmistakably that to take up a lifelong career in high-level marketing management will be very appropriate for me because that is where my potential lies. In order to scale new heights academically and to lay a solid foundation for my later-day career development, I would like to apply for a Master’s program in international marketing at the prestigious Business School in XX University. For me, this is a self-conscious attempt to face challenge and to transcend my former self. I expect to be initiated into a first-rate academic environment in which my academic foundation is consolidated and my business potential is strengthened.
It was in XX Technology and Business School that I completed my undergraduate education, majoring in marketing. As an academic discipline, marketing fascinated me for its increasingly important strategic role in modern management and for its interdisciplinary character, as it encompasses management science, psychology, sociology, statistics, etc. From the very outset of my undergraduate program, I realized the importance of seeking a comprehensive development, on both academic and personal levels, in order to become a senior management professional in the future. Therefore, throughout my undergraduate program, I endeavored to make full exploitation of all the available educational resources of my university to improve my academic performance. An examination of my academic transcript will indicate that I have maintained a year-by-year ascendance in my study. Apart from that, I have also been very active in extracurricular activities and learned German and XX languages besides English. My ability to perform independent research was cultivated and improved through writing my internship treatise and graduation thesis, both of which were given a 95-point score, the highest score in my class. In particular, my thesis On the Marketing of Hi-Tech Products, by focusing on the major business risks involved in the marketing of hi-tech products and on the short and uncertain life cycle of those products, was rated “Excellent” for detailed analyses and novel perspectives that I offered in it.
The most important part of my undergraduate graduate program is definitely my short but memorable stay in XX. As a junior, I was selected through a competitive screening test to embark on a 4-month exchange program with XX’s XX Polytechnic on the strengths of my distinguished academic performance, English proficiency and computer skills. This exciting and memorable experience proved extremely beneficial to me?I gained marked improvement in my English, was exposed to a totally different life style and educational system, and achieved new understanding of the concept of marketing. Plunged into a new academic environment, I demonstrated a creative and a critical spirit rare in Chinese students, and won appreciation from my XX professors. In attending the course High Tech Marketing, my team members and I spent the entire semester verifying the plausibility of a business proposal that I raised but was rejected by my XX advisor. Under my insistence and through my continued refinement, my business proposal achieved eventual success and has been incorporated into the overall business plan of XX Company. In another course International Business Plan, my fruitful collaboration with my XX classmates led to our team’s winning of the unprecedented full mark in the final evaluation of our course project. I also accumulated important experience of performing group research in the eAcademy project headed by Dr. XX, in which I was responsible for the marketing planning of the enterprise.
Upon completing my undergraduate program, with the support of my friends and family members, I launched my own XX Trade Company that deals in medical equipment and provides hospital management consulting service. In doing this, I became one of the few Chinese graduates who established their own business. My business impulse originated from two sources. The first is my participation in the XX for University Students in which my team won Excellence Award (my responsibility was to formulate marketing plans for our “Optimum” Company and to conduct market surveys). Another is my internship as a senior student at an e-commerce company during which I planned and organized market investigations in preparation for the marketing of the company’s latest product?Hospital Management Information System. I saw myself as possessing necessary business management skills and marketing potential.
Managing my own company, making real business plans and designing real marketing strategies, all those have allowed me to apply my knowledge and to tap my business potential. In making this bold move, I wish to develop a clear understanding of what I am good at and to chart the course of my future career development. My present application for a Master’s program at your esteemed university is motivated by my need to receive further academic input that will enable me to develop my company into a major enterprise.
According to modern management theories, successful enterprises must be highly customer-oriented and marketing is no longer the job of a particular functional department of an enterprise. As a developing country with a planned economy for many decades, China lacks a well-developed science of management and marketing, and the current marketing practices are far from mature as marketing as a standard academic discipline is only of recent origin. Yet this may prove a blessing in disguise for me as I am located at the crucial point of China’s development in marketing theory and practice and I will enjoy greater chances of success. In my proposed degree program, I would like to focus on the marketing of Hi-tech products and on the marketing of multinational companies under cultural pluralism. The relationship between marketing and cultural pluralism has long been my major research concern and during my study in XX I have already paid special attention to the impact of cultural differences between East and West on marketing. In my future studies, I will be exposed a greater cultural diversity, which I believe will further facilitate my study and research. It is an art to deal with the subtle relationship between culture and marketing and I need to gain more understanding and experience in this regard.
Young as I am, I am fully aware of the transitory nature of life and all that I can do is to race against time to maximize knowledge and expertise and to enrich the value of my life within the limited span of my life. Through my future study, I wish to develop myself into a marketing specialist. This is an objective, and I am in possession of the necessary foundation, academic and professional, and the potential for realizing this objective.
Personal Statement
(Electrical Engineering)
My interest in science dates back to my years in high school, where I excelled in physics, chemistry, and math. When I was a senior, I took a first-year calculus course at a local college (such an advanced-level class was not available in high school) and earned an A. It seemed only logical that I pursue a career in electrical engineering.
When I began my undergraduate career, I had the opportunity to be exposed to the full range of engineering courses, all of which tended to reinforce and solidify my intense interest in engineering. I've also had the opportunity to study a number of subjects in the humanities and they have been both enjoyable and enlightening, providing me with a new and different perspective on the world in which we live.
In the realm of engineering, I have developed a special interest in the field of laser technology and have even been taking a graduate course in quantum electronics. Among the 25 or so students in the course, I am the sole undergraduate. Another particular interest of mine is electromagnetics, and last summer, when I was a technical assistant at a world-famous local lab, I learned about its many practical applications, especially in relation to microstrip and antenna design. Management at this lab was sufficiently impressed with my work to ask that I return when I graduate. Of course, my plans following completion of my current studies are to move directly into graduate work toward my master's in science. After I earn my master's degree, I intend to start work on my Ph.D. in electrical engineering. Later I would like to work in the area of research and development for private industry. It is in R & D that I believe I can make the greatest contribution, utilizing my theoretical background and creativity as a scientist.
I am highly aware of the superb reputation of your school, and my conversations with several of your alumni have served to deepen my interest in attending. I know that, in addition to your excellent faculty, your computer facilities are among the best in the state. I hope you will give me the privilege of continuing my studies at your fine institution.
Personal Statement
（Journalism）
It’s all about the headline. It’s about getting your point across in the most direct way you can. These personal statements are very good example of this, in just a few lines I have to get my message of why I want do a degree in Journalism across to my prospective universities. That is one of the reasons why I love to write, the challenge of putting over a complex thought or concept to a large audience of people and convey it in such a way everybody will understand it. As the great writer Hemingway once said, “My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way.”
My own personal experience of journalism started young, my dad used to write for a magazine and take me with him when he went to interview people, since then I have been fascinated with the industry. When I was 14 I was lucky enough to get a work experience placement at “News International” in Wapping. I got to work on the websites of “FiredUp.com”, “Revolver.com” and “Page3.com” as well as have a tour of the offices of “The Sun”, “News Of The World” and “The Times”, I have also recently been offered a day’s work experience at my local paper and I am currently waiting for news of work experience at the BBC.
I pride myself on being well organised and thorough in my research. I have also developed many skills such as interview techniques and being able to see things from another perspective, a skill I have acquired through Sociology and Communication Studies, analytical skills through Film Studies and Media Studies and I have learnt about analysing and collating numerical data and factual evidence in Psychology. Although I have already completed three A-Levels and two AS Levels, I have taken a year out to study AS French, Sociology and Spanish. I did this in order to improve my grades and to give me a wider choice of qualifications as my previous subjects are all very similar with their syllabus as well the fact multiple languages would be an invaluable advantage to have when working in the area of communication.
Some of my outside interests are music, politics, the Internet and reading. Music in particular is a great love of mine, I regularly attend “gigs” and concerts and have been an active member of the “Sum 41 Street Team” for over a year, this involves spreading publicity through flyers and posters to promote the band, I find it very fulfilling and enjoyable. Another one of my interests is the Internet, I contribute articles to a site dealing with issues such as “top-up fees” and other important student matters, which I enjoy greatly and is helping to improve my knowledge of university for the future. I have a part time job waitressing at a local hotel which I do a few nights a week. It gives me a sense of my own independence and responsibility, I also help my mother at the local Red Cross during half terms and holidays cooking for the elderly and have also recently volunteered to sell Poppies for Remembrance Sunday throughout my town. Another activity of mine is being my tutor group representative for our college’s student council and regularly attend meetings to deal with concerns of the student body.
I am thoughtful, organised and handle pressure well, I love to write and it is my ambition to do so, I believe I can bring many things to the courses I have selected and in turn can get a lot out of them as well.
Personal Statement
（literature）
Having majored in literary studies (world literature) as an undergraduate, I would now like to concentrate on English and American literature.
I am especially interested in nineteenth-century literature, women's literature, Anglo-Saxon poetry, and folklore and folk literature. My personal literary projects have involved some combination of these subjects. For the oral section of my comprehensive exams, I specialized in nineteenth century novels by and about women. The relationship between "high" and folk literature became the subject for my honors essay, which examined Toni Morrison's use of classical, biblical, African, and Afro-American folk tradition in her novel. I plan to work further on this essay, treating Morrison's other novels and perhaps preparing a paper suitable for publication.
In my studies toward a doctoral degree, I hope to examine more closely the relationship between high and folk literature. My junior year and private studies of Anglo-Saxon language and literature have caused me to consider the question of where the divisions between folklore, folk literature, and high literature lie. Should I attend your school, I would like to resume my studies of Anglo-Saxon poetry, with special attention to its folk elements.
Writing poetry also figures prominently in my academic and professional goals. I have just begun submitting to the smaller journals with some success and am gradually building a working manuscript for a collection. The dominant theme of this collection relies on poems that draw from classical, biblical, and folk traditions, as well as everyday experience, in order to celebrate the process of giving and taking life, whether literal or figurative. My poetry draws from and influences my academic studies. Much of what I read and study finds a place in my creative work as subject. At the same time, I study the art of literature by taking part in the creative process, experimenting with the tools used by other authors in the past.
In terms of a career, I see myself teaching literature, writing criticism, and going into editing or publishing poetry. Doctoral studies would be valuable to me in several ways. First, your teaching assistant ship program would provide me with the practical teaching experience I am eager to acquire. Further, earning a Ph.D. in English and American literature would advance my other two career goals by adding to my skills, both critical and creative, in working with language. Ultimately, however, I see the Ph.D. as an end in itself, as well as a professional stepping stone; I enjoy studying literature for its own sake and would like to continue my studies on the level demanded by the Ph.D. program.
Personal Statement
（Engineering）
A simple bridge truss was the first structure I ever analyzed. The simple combination of beams that could hold cars, trains, and trucks over long spans of water fascinated me. Having the tools to analyze the loads on the truss further increased my interest in structures. I encountered the bridge in a textbook for my first engineering class.
Knowing that the professor, Mr. John Doe, was a tough teacher, I asked him for the textbook so I could study and get ready for the class over the summer. Just arrived from Belize, I was determined to succeed. In class we learned about forces on simple members and then we put the members together to form a simple truss. At this point I had almost decided that structural engineering was the career for me. From there the class just took off: We went on to frames, distributed loads, considered friction; basically we were incorporating real world considerations into structural members. I loved the practical, problem solving aspects of the field.
At UC my classes were even more advanced. In my analysis and design classes, I especially enjoyed studying steel design because we not only learned the use of the load resistance factor design but also applied that knowledge — I designed a four-story building. The professor was a practicing engineer, and he always related the subject to real life steel structures he had engineered, for example, the SB Medical Center, an all steel building with a base isolated campus. This is the kind of project on which I would like to work, designing the structure and considering how the building will respond to ground motion. After two quarters of structural analysis, I had come as close as possible to analyzing real world structures. Looking back I realize, I had learned great tools for structural analysis, but my "tool box" was still inadequate. I lacked a very important tool: finite element analysis. According to my professor, finite element analysis has revolutionized structural analysis.
Although I liked my classes, my internship experiences really confirmed my interest in structural engineering. While working at Caltrans as a student volunteer, I reviewed computer grading output for streets under construction. The computer suggested numbers for the road grading, and I had to plot the numbers and make sure there were no abrupt grade changes so the water can drain off easily to the sides of the road. It was exciting to know that I was the last checkpoint before the whole project went for approval. It was enjoyable working on something real — Main Street — but I was somewhat disappointed I did not have the chance to work on any structures.
At UC I volunteered through the Student Research Program to work in the geotechnical library. I worked directly with a doctoral student and helped him to develop a geotechnical data base for the local area. I interpreted the data Caltrans had collected and recorded it in a form accessible to the computer and easy to read. It took hours to finish the job, but I enjoyed the precision involved so I did not mind putting in the time. My supervisor liked my work so much, he hired me to continue the project during the summer. Working on this project also showed me the importance of soils in determining buildings’ responses to earthquakes and awakened my interest in the response of skyscrapers to seismic stress and movement.
At First Choice U, I plan to enroll in the structural engineering and geomechanics program. In this program I hope to draw on my structural analysis and geotechnical research background as a foundation for studying more advanced concepts. I am particularly interested in researching the ties between the structural engineering, geomechanics, and applied mechanics. I believe research is necessary to acquire data and formulate theories, but it is just as important to know how to apply those theories and use that data in the real world. I hope to be involved in some structurally related research at First Choice U. I am particularly interested in two research facilities: The Structures and Composites Laboratory and the Earthquake Engineering Center.
After completing my degree in engineering and working on engineering projects, I know I want to design structures. That is what has fascinated me since I took Mr. Doe’s class. I also know, however, that designing structures of a complexity that appeals to me requires "more tools in my toolbox." Those I can acquire only by continuing my education. To be competent and competitive I will need a masters degree. After completing my degree, I would like to work for an American engineering consulting firm and engineer complex structures and tall buildings, perhaps focusing on the problems surrounding designing for earthquakes. My long-term goals are to return to Belize and found my own engineering consulting firm there.
Structural engineering will allow me to pursue a career where I can be creatively involved in problem-solving and design functional structures, like the simple truss bridge that initially captivated me in Mr. Doe’s class. My classes, work at Caltrans, and internship in geotechnical engineering have increased my knowledge of and interest in structural engineering since I first looked at the textbook shortly after my arrival in the U.S. A masters degree will give me the up-to-date tools and knowledge to be competitive and competent.
（Education）
It is my conviction that the meaning of life does not dwell in the length of time that one can live or the material abundance that one can acquire, but in the richness and the wonderfulness of life itself. With the increase of my age, many things in my life have changed. But one thing remains constant, that is, I will consistently insist on doing what I like to do and hope that my endeavors can be valuable to the life of others. I see this as the only way whereby I can realize the value of my life.
My undergraduate study focused on economics and I achieved remarkable scholastic performance in this field. My GPA is 3.44 (my GRE score is 2020 and TOEFL---- ). For four consecutive years of my undergraduate study, I received scholarships for my distinguished academic performance. Due to my equally prominent performance in extracurricular activities I was conferred on the Outstanding Student in Campus Activities. However, honestly speaking, my real interest lies not in economics, but in education. Ever since I was a primary school student, I had cherished a strong desire for a teaching career exemplified by my teachers. In the actual teaching career that I embarked on upon my graduating from university, I have become increasingly aware that the existing educational conditions in China are far from satisfactory. The backward teaching methodology and the prevailing pedagogical ideology have rendered Chinese education out of place with the modern international development in education. On the macro level, the current education theory and practice in China lag significantly behind advanced countries in the West. For instance, though education via the internet has achieved considerable development in past two years, in practical operation such education has more often than not deteriorated into an extended form of the conventional examination-oriented education instead of a really interactive process. In my personal experience, despite the fact that some of the problems that I have encountered in my teaching career can be solved by consulting relevant technical literature, I have found that the more serious flaws inherent in China's current educational system cannot be worked out easily. Under such circumstances, an advanced program in education becomes necessary.
In this age of information, traditional education, both in its ideology and methodology, has met unprecedented challenge like many other aspects of human existence. Meanwhile, the pursuit for higher levels of educational development and of the quality of life has largely transformed the educational value orientation of the general public. The educational model that is centered around the cognitive and intellectual instruction has been seriously questioned. Greater attention has been devoted to the cultivation of well-developed personality and to the ontological status of the individual in education. Such issues as the internal studies of education science, scientific decision-making in education, and meta-education have also been increasingly emphasized upon. There have also been innovations in educational research methodology. The tendency has been to combine modern technology with humanistic research categories and with naturalistic research categories, and to organically integrate qualitative descriptions with quantitative descriptions. It is also important to carry out educational experimentations in which educational predictions are complemented by educational feedbacks. Both the complexity of education and the complexity of human individuals have made the comprehensive application of diverse educational approaches necessary. Those new horizons are what fascinate me.
In view of the following qualifications that I have acquired, I believe that I will acquit myself satisfactorily in the prospective Ph.D. program in education that I am currently endeavoring to apply for. First and foremost, as is often claimed, one's interest is one's best director. I believe that I will do well what I am really interested in doing. Secondly, though I majored in economics as an undergraduate, my trainings during that stage helped develop effective modes of thinking and research approaches. In addition, I conscientiously self-studied many works related to education, including A Developmental History of Educational Science in the West, which enabled me to construct a solid groundwork for more advanced studies in this field. Next, it can be safely asserted that education and economics are not entirely separated. For example, it is necessary to apply many statistical methods in educational psychology and my academic record indicates that statistics is the subject that I am most good at. Last but not the least, my current teaching career and my teaching experience will play a positive role in facilitating my target degree program.
The reason why I apply for the University of -- is that it is the first state university with a time-honored history. The School of Education in this university is quite prominent among its counterparts in the field. I am particularly attracted by the School's powerful pedagogical resource, vibrant intellectual atmosphere and a comprehensive curriculum. I plan to apply for a degree program in Instructional Technology or Educational Psychology, both of which enjoy unparalleled academic reputation in the world. My application for Instructional Technology is motivated by my strong interest in the application of modern science and technology, especially the information technology represented by the Internet, in the field of education and in the nature of a series of revolutionary changes resulting thereof. Instructional Technology is a new discipline that has emerged as a result of the rapid development of modern communication technology since the late 20th century. It has tremendous potential for development and commercial application. As for my motive in selecting Educational Psychology as another possible area of specialization in my degree program, it is my long-cherished interest that primarily counts. On the other hand, all the accomplished educators since the 1960's have been well-versed in psychology. Almost every important new educational theory is derived psychological findings in one way or another so that educational psychology has subsequently developed into a fundamental subject for the science of education. The tendency in the 21st century is to emphasize on the micro research of educational activities and against this backdrop educational psychology will be attached greater importance. In Instructional Technology, I would like to focus on the following studies: how to improve educational efficiency by applying research results from natural sciences and engineering technology; how to explore the combination and coordination of pedagogical contents and to improve teaching methodology by exploiting the theoretical findings from psychology and educational science concerning the process of teaching and learning. In Educational Psychology, I will concentrate on applied cognition and development, gifted and creative education, genetics and children development, personality structure and individual differences and other related subjects.
For me, to shift from economics to education and to pursue an advanced degree in the United States is not so much a challenge as an opportunity. At present, major reforms are being introduced into virtually every important aspect of Chinese society. The field of education especially calls for comprehensive reforms. The United States occupies an absolutely leading position in the present-day world in education. It is my conviction that, in the United States, advanced educational theories, technologies and information will facilitate me immensely in the achievement of remarkable academic progress, fulfilling my aspiration to become an accomplished professional in the field of education. This will not only bring my patriotic fervor into reality but also make my life more meaningful and rewarding.
Personal Statement
（Business）
Mystified by people who reached the zenith of their career at a young age, I have longed to become one of them since my childhood. After eighteen years of cherishing this never-withering dream, I have often pondered what kind of qualities and beliefs contributed to their success. Even though there are answers in books, I would very much like to find out the truth by my own experience. I believe wit once bought is worth twice taught; and I can bootstrap my way up to the pinnacle of my profession. At that moment, fortune smiled on me.
In my sophomore year, as soon as I heard the University planned to select three students from a pool of more than twenty thousand candidates for an exchange program with Western Kentucky University, America, I realized it would be a perfect opportunity for me to widen my horizon and to enrich my knowledge. Even though the selection criteria were very stringent and demanded students not only to have outstanding academic performance and to speak fluent English, it also required the candidate to have independence and abilities to organize, dispose and coordinate complex affairs, and to be able to overcome all kinds of difficulties. I was opted for attending the final interview after a series of selective trials.
Then I was ruled out for I didn't have the English Certificate stipulated. When I heard that, I was very disappointed. Should I allow the stereotype to ruin the opportunity around the corner? At that moment, my high school headmaster's words came to me: “opportunity knocks on the door softly”. For my dreams, I must fight hard and prove my strength to the appraisal panel. Because of my persistent requests, I finally gained an opportunity, persuaded the examiners by my idiomatic and fluent English, and became one of the three winners.
In retrospect, I have learned that even though extraordinary personal qualities are key factors contributing to my abilities to organize various large scale activities at the University and Western Kentucky University, keen perception and clear vision to asses the potential for opportunities are also very important in life. Even though I can declare confidently that I have acquired many of these fundamental capacities, the study of merchant princes' success stories has taught me that I must cultivate an attitude promoting research independence, leadership and a team spirit. With the aid of the world-class program offered by your Business School, I can not fail.
I have deeply engraved in my memory the historic moment when the famous American President, Franklin Roosevelt, announced America's participation in World War II. I am overwhelmed by his brilliant decision and pine for becoming a person of consequence who can control not only his own fate but also inspire many others to fulfill their own destiny. The reason that I have chosen Business Planning Management is that I am fond of giving counsel and enjoy the challenge of devising strategies within a command objective.
Besides my efforts to solidify my skills in my chosen field, I have also found many sources of learning and improvement in books, lectures and symposiums. I have attempted to integrate theory with practice during several of my internships. Among the examples I could site would be my experiences at DTZ Debenham Tie Leung. This international real estate advisor with offices in forty six countries allowed me to practice my skills and to incorporate my knowledge in many areas toward the discipline of market research and analysis. During this experience, when compiling questionnaires, I had to design and develop mechanisms that allowed the surveys to be not only comprehensible to the respondent, but a pleasant experience as well. I had to make sure that the wording of the questions was straightforward and unambiguous.
As to the content of the questionnaires, I employed my professional knowledge and wide-ranging experience skillfully and strategically in order for the surveys to be congruent with the purpose of the investigation. In addition, I exploited the methodologies I had learnt flexibly and adopted suitable ways and means when dealing with individual questions. For example, I chose Likert scale method to measure consumers' attitude toward a particular building and to measure their personal preferences.
Furthermore, when working on the layout of the questionnaires, I considered whether or not the whole content was substantive and straightforward. Further, I considered whether or not the format was clearly written and finely divided; whether or not the manner of the question was appropriate, and whether or not the questions fit the psychological profile of the interviewee. Finally, I addressed the issue of executive charisma. I needed to be able to identify potential interviewees quickly and accurately, interact with them effectively and efficiently, adapt quickly to different types of individuals, persuade the interviewee of the efficacy of my research, and insure that the responses would have statistical validity.
During this process, I learnt to incarnate and concretize abstract knowledge and concepts, and to adapt my way of thinking to accommodate the situation and individuals with whom I was dealing. By so doing, my communication skills, adaptive faculties, and psychological make-up were improved and tempered greatly. Most importantly, it reinforced my positive views about the society, the country and its people.
In China, there are still many important questions to answer. Such questions as how to solve logistics costs in circulation enterprises, how to develop corporate culture, how small and medium-size enterprises compete with big business and foreign enterprises in terminal markets, how domestic companies consolidate resources and work out correct strategies after China's accession into WTO, need to be answered. All of these questions will be the focus of my future research interests.
I believe an overseas education can help me broaden my outlook, acquaint myself with approaches that advanced countries adopt to treat real issues in enterprises, and will help me acquire knowledge on how to discover, analyze and solve problems. I intend to plunge into the pioneering work of discriminating methodologies beneficial to Chinese companies' development. In an excellent foreign environment, I can also get in touch with a variety of people, distinct cultures and different means of disposing matter, which, in turn, will spur me to become a well-informed and comprehensive person, and an elite talent as well.
Moreover, I have also learnt from personal experience that America has ultramodern experimental equipments. It has a democratic, united, dynamic, stable and harmonious academic atmosphere, and direct human relations. All of these elements will help me deploy my talent in full, contact on the cutting edge of sciences, and learn the best practice trends in the world. These elements will further help me to develop into a professional who can truly accustom himself to various environments and societies.
Unequivocally I can state that self-confidence, self-reliance and self-learning abilities are three of my virtues. With them, I easily succeeded in Western Kentucky University. I believe there is still vast scope for me to tap my potential in my chosen field. Now, at this turning point in my life, I am full of eagerness, optimism and passion. I am confident while the path to success is often scattered with obstacles and hindrances, with great effort, motivation and commitment, academic accomplishment will be well within my reach. Therefore, I aspire to catch this precious opportunity of pursuing a PhD degree at your world-famed university just as before and to realize my dream of becoming a first-class business leader so as to contribute to the company's, the nation's, and even the world's harmony and progress.
Personal Statement
（International Marketing）
As a 23-year-old aspiring student who has grown up and received his education in pace with the evolution of China’s market economy over the past two decades, I deem myself in possession of many professional qualities for undertaking a career in advanced marketing and business management. I believe that I have demonstrated more creativity, management skills, English language proficiency, and the courage to accept challenges than most of my peers on a number of important occasions?being selected from a large number of competitors to study at XX University of XX on an exchange program, winning prize in the XX for University Students, launching my own company upon completing my undergraduate program. My interest and my demonstrated abilities show me unmistakably that to take up a lifelong career in high-level marketing management will be very appropriate for me because that is where my potential lies. In order to scale new heights academically and to lay a solid foundation for my later-day career development, I would like to apply for a Master’s program in international marketing at the prestigious Business School in XX University. For me, this is a self-conscious attempt to face challenge and to transcend my former self. I expect to be initiated into a first-rate academic environment in which my academic foundation is consolidated and my business potential is strengthened.
It was in XX Technology and Business School that I completed my undergraduate education, majoring in marketing. As an academic discipline, marketing fascinated me for its increasingly important strategic role in modern management and for its interdisciplinary character, as it encompasses management science, psychology, sociology, statistics, etc. From the very outset of my undergraduate program, I realized the importance of seeking a comprehensive development, on both academic and personal levels, in order to become a senior management professional in the future. Therefore, throughout my undergraduate program, I endeavored to make full exploitation of all the available educational resources of my university to improve my academic performance. An examination of my academic transcript will indicate that I have maintained a year-by-year ascendance in my study. Apart from that, I have also been very active in extracurricular activities and learned German and XX languages besides English. My ability to perform independent research was cultivated and improved through writing my internship treatise and graduation thesis, both of which were given a 95-point score, the highest score in my class. In particular, my thesis On the Marketing of Hi-Tech Products, by focusing on the major business risks involved in the marketing of hi-tech products and on the short and uncertain life cycle of those products, was rated “Excellent” for detailed analyses and novel perspectives that I offered in it.
The most important part of my undergraduate graduate program is definitely my short but memorable stay in XX. As a junior, I was selected through a competitive screening test to embark on a 4-month exchange program with XX’s XX Polytechnic on the strengths of my distinguished academic performance, English proficiency and computer skills. This exciting and memorable experience proved extremely beneficial to me?I gained marked improvement in my English, was exposed to a totally different life style and educational system, and achieved new understanding of the concept of marketing. Plunged into a new academic environment, I demonstrated a creative and a critical spirit rare in Chinese students, and won appreciation from my XX professors. In attending the course High Tech Marketing, my team members and I spent the entire semester verifying the plausibility of a business proposal that I raised but was rejected by my XX advisor. Under my insistence and through my continued refinement, my business proposal achieved eventual success and has been incorporated into the overall business plan of XX Company. In another course International Business Plan, my fruitful collaboration with my XX classmates led to our team’s winning of the unprecedented full mark in the final evaluation of our course project. I also accumulated important experience of performing group research in the eAcademy project headed by Dr. XX, in which I was responsible for the marketing planning of the enterprise.
Upon completing my undergraduate program, with the support of my friends and family members, I launched my own XX Trade Company that deals in medical equipment and provides hospital management consulting service. In doing this, I became one of the few Chinese graduates who established their own business. My business impulse originated from two sources. The first is my participation in the XX for University Students in which my team won Excellence Award (my responsibility was to formulate marketing plans for our “Optimum” Company and to conduct market surveys). Another is my internship as a senior student at an e-commerce company during which I planned and organized market investigations in preparation for the marketing of the company’s latest product?Hospital Management Information System. I saw myself as possessing necessary business management skills and marketing potential.
Managing my own company, making real business plans and designing real marketing strategies, all those have allowed me to apply my knowledge and to tap my business potential. In making this bold move, I wish to develop a clear understanding of what I am good at and to chart the course of my future career development. My present application for a Master’s program at your esteemed university is motivated by my need to receive further academic input that will enable me to develop my company into a major enterprise.
According to modern management theories, successful enterprises must be highly customer-oriented and marketing is no longer the job of a particular functional department of an enterprise. As a developing country with a planned economy for many decades, China lacks a well-developed science of management and marketing, and the current marketing practices are far from mature as marketing as a standard academic discipline is only of recent origin. Yet this may prove a blessing in disguise for me as I am located at the crucial point of China’s development in marketing theory and practice and I will enjoy greater chances of success. In my proposed degree program, I would like to focus on the marketing of Hi-tech products and on the marketing of multinational companies under cultural pluralism. The relationship between marketing and cultural pluralism has long been my major research concern and during my study in XX I have already paid special attention to the impact of cultural differences between East and West on marketing. In my future studies, I will be exposed a greater cultural diversity, which I believe will further facilitate my study and research. It is an art to deal with the subtle relationship between culture and marketing and I need to gain more understanding and experience in this regard.
Young as I am, I am fully aware of the transitory nature of life and all that I can do is to race against time to maximize knowledge and expertise and to enrich the value of my life within the limited span of my life. Through my future study, I wish to develop myself into a marketing specialist. This is an objective, and I am in possession of the necessary foundation, academic and professional, and the potential for realizing this objective.
Personal Statement
(Electrical Engineering)
My interest in science dates back to my years in high school, where I excelled in physics, chemistry, and math. When I was a senior, I took a first-year calculus course at a local college (such an advanced-level class was not available in high school) and earned an A. It seemed only logical that I pursue a career in electrical engineering.
When I began my undergraduate career, I had the opportunity to be exposed to the full range of engineering courses, all of which tended to reinforce and solidify my intense interest in engineering. I've also had the opportunity to study a number of subjects in the humanities and they have been both enjoyable and enlightening, providing me with a new and different perspective on the world in which we live.
In the realm of engineering, I have developed a special interest in the field of laser technology and have even been taking a graduate course in quantum electronics. Among the 25 or so students in the course, I am the sole undergraduate. Another particular interest of mine is electromagnetics, and last summer, when I was a technical assistant at a world-famous local lab, I learned about its many practical applications, especially in relation to microstrip and antenna design. Management at this lab was sufficiently impressed with my work to ask that I return when I graduate. Of course, my plans following completion of my current studies are to move directly into graduate work toward my master's in science. After I earn my master's degree, I intend to start work on my Ph.D. in electrical engineering. Later I would like to work in the area of research and development for private industry. It is in R & D that I believe I can make the greatest contribution, utilizing my theoretical background and creativity as a scientist.
I am highly aware of the superb reputation of your school, and my conversations with several of your alumni have served to deepen my interest in attending. I know that, in addition to your excellent faculty, your computer facilities are among the best in the state. I hope you will give me the privilege of continuing my studies at your fine institution.
Personal Statement
（Journalism）
It’s all about the headline. It’s about getting your point across in the most direct way you can. These personal statements are very good example of this, in just a few lines I have to get my message of why I want do a degree in Journalism across to my prospective universities. That is one of the reasons why I love to write, the challenge of putting over a complex thought or concept to a large audience of people and convey it in such a way everybody will understand it. As the great writer Hemingway once said, “My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way.”
My own personal experience of journalism started young, my dad used to write for a magazine and take me with him when he went to interview people, since then I have been fascinated with the industry. When I was 14 I was lucky enough to get a work experience placement at “News International” in Wapping. I got to work on the websites of “FiredUp.com”, “Revolver.com” and “Page3.com” as well as have a tour of the offices of “The Sun”, “News Of The World” and “The Times”, I have also recently been offered a day’s work experience at my local paper and I am currently waiting for news of work experience at the BBC.
I pride myself on being well organised and thorough in my research. I have also developed many skills such as interview techniques and being able to see things from another perspective, a skill I have acquired through Sociology and Communication Studies, analytical skills through Film Studies and Media Studies and I have learnt about analysing and collating numerical data and factual evidence in Psychology. Although I have already completed three A-Levels and two AS Levels, I have taken a year out to study AS French, Sociology and Spanish. I did this in order to improve my grades and to give me a wider choice of qualifications as my previous subjects are all very similar with their syllabus as well the fact multiple languages would be an invaluable advantage to have when working in the area of communication.
Some of my outside interests are music, politics, the Internet and reading. Music in particular is a great love of mine, I regularly attend “gigs” and concerts and have been an active member of the “Sum 41 Street Team” for over a year, this involves spreading publicity through flyers and posters to promote the band, I find it very fulfilling and enjoyable. Another one of my interests is the Internet, I contribute articles to a site dealing with issues such as “top-up fees” and other important student matters, which I enjoy greatly and is helping to improve my knowledge of university for the future. I have a part time job waitressing at a local hotel which I do a few nights a week. It gives me a sense of my own independence and responsibility, I also help my mother at the local Red Cross during half terms and holidays cooking for the elderly and have also recently volunteered to sell Poppies for Remembrance Sunday throughout my town. Another activity of mine is being my tutor group representative for our college’s student council and regularly attend meetings to deal with concerns of the student body.
I am thoughtful, organised and handle pressure well, I love to write and it is my ambition to do so, I believe I can bring many things to the courses I have selected and in turn can get a lot out of them as well.
Personal Statement
（literature）
Having majored in literary studies (world literature) as an undergraduate, I would now like to concentrate on English and American literature.
I am especially interested in nineteenth-century literature, women's literature, Anglo-Saxon poetry, and folklore and folk literature. My personal literary projects have involved some combination of these subjects. For the oral section of my comprehensive exams, I specialized in nineteenth century novels by and about women. The relationship between "high" and folk literature became the subject for my honors essay, which examined Toni Morrison's use of classical, biblical, African, and Afro-American folk tradition in her novel. I plan to work further on this essay, treating Morrison's other novels and perhaps preparing a paper suitable for publication.
In my studies toward a doctoral degree, I hope to examine more closely the relationship between high and folk literature. My junior year and private studies of Anglo-Saxon language and literature have caused me to consider the question of where the divisions between folklore, folk literature, and high literature lie. Should I attend your school, I would like to resume my studies of Anglo-Saxon poetry, with special attention to its folk elements.
Writing poetry also figures prominently in my academic and professional goals. I have just begun submitting to the smaller journals with some success and am gradually building a working manuscript for a collection. The dominant theme of this collection relies on poems that draw from classical, biblical, and folk traditions, as well as everyday experience, in order to celebrate the process of giving and taking life, whether literal or figurative. My poetry draws from and influences my academic studies. Much of what I read and study finds a place in my creative work as subject. At the same time, I study the art of literature by taking part in the creative process, experimenting with the tools used by other authors in the past.
In terms of a career, I see myself teaching literature, writing criticism, and going into editing or publishing poetry. Doctoral studies would be valuable to me in several ways. First, your teaching assistant ship program would provide me with the practical teaching experience I am eager to acquire. Further, earning a Ph.D. in English and American literature would advance my other two career goals by adding to my skills, both critical and creative, in working with language. Ultimately, however, I see the Ph.D. as an end in itself, as well as a professional stepping stone; I enjoy studying literature for its own sake and would like to continue my studies on the level demanded by the Ph.D. program.
Personal Statement
（Engineering）
A simple bridge truss was the first structure I ever analyzed. The simple combination of beams that could hold cars, trains, and trucks over long spans of water fascinated me. Having the tools to analyze the loads on the truss further increased my interest in structures. I encountered the bridge in a textbook for my first engineering class.
Knowing that the professor, Mr. John Doe, was a tough teacher, I asked him for the textbook so I could study and get ready for the class over the summer. Just arrived from Belize, I was determined to succeed. In class we learned about forces on simple members and then we put the members together to form a simple truss. At this point I had almost decided that structural engineering was the career for me. From there the class just took off: We went on to frames, distributed loads, considered friction; basically we were incorporating real world considerations into structural members. I loved the practical, problem solving aspects of the field.
At UC my classes were even more advanced. In my analysis and design classes, I especially enjoyed studying steel design because we not only learned the use of the load resistance factor design but also applied that knowledge — I designed a four-story building. The professor was a practicing engineer, and he always related the subject to real life steel structures he had engineered, for example, the SB Medical Center, an all steel building with a base isolated campus. This is the kind of project on which I would like to work, designing the structure and considering how the building will respond to ground motion. After two quarters of structural analysis, I had come as close as possible to analyzing real world structures. Looking back I realize, I had learned great tools for structural analysis, but my "tool box" was still inadequate. I lacked a very important tool: finite element analysis. According to my professor, finite element analysis has revolutionized structural analysis.
Although I liked my classes, my internship experiences really confirmed my interest in structural engineering. While working at Caltrans as a student volunteer, I reviewed computer grading output for streets under construction. The computer suggested numbers for the road grading, and I had to plot the numbers and make sure there were no abrupt grade changes so the water can drain off easily to the sides of the road. It was exciting to know that I was the last checkpoint before the whole project went for approval. It was enjoyable working on something real — Main Street — but I was somewhat disappointed I did not have the chance to work on any structures.
At UC I volunteered through the Student Research Program to work in the geotechnical library. I worked directly with a doctoral student and helped him to develop a geotechnical data base for the local area. I interpreted the data Caltrans had collected and recorded it in a form accessible to the computer and easy to read. It took hours to finish the job, but I enjoyed the precision involved so I did not mind putting in the time. My supervisor liked my work so much, he hired me to continue the project during the summer. Working on this project also showed me the importance of soils in determining buildings’ responses to earthquakes and awakened my interest in the response of skyscrapers to seismic stress and movement.
At First Choice U, I plan to enroll in the structural engineering and geomechanics program. In this program I hope to draw on my structural analysis and geotechnical research background as a foundation for studying more advanced concepts. I am particularly interested in researching the ties between the structural engineering, geomechanics, and applied mechanics. I believe research is necessary to acquire data and formulate theories, but it is just as important to know how to apply those theories and use that data in the real world. I hope to be involved in some structurally related research at First Choice U. I am particularly interested in two research facilities: The Structures and Composites Laboratory and the Earthquake Engineering Center.
After completing my degree in engineering and working on engineering projects, I know I want to design structures. That is what has fascinated me since I took Mr. Doe’s class. I also know, however, that designing structures of a complexity that appeals to me requires "more tools in my toolbox." Those I can acquire only by continuing my education. To be competent and competitive I will need a masters degree. After completing my degree, I would like to work for an American engineering consulting firm and engineer complex structures and tall buildings, perhaps focusing on the problems surrounding designing for earthquakes. My long-term goals are to return to Belize and found my own engineering consulting firm there.
Structural engineering will allow me to pursue a career where I can be creatively involved in problem-solving and design functional structures, like the simple truss bridge that initially captivated me in Mr. Doe’s class. My classes, work at Caltrans, and internship in geotechnical engineering have increased my knowledge of and interest in structural engineering since I first looked at the textbook shortly after my arrival in the U.S. A masters degree will give me the up-to-date tools and knowledge to be competitive and competent.
