CHOICE OF CURRICULUM：
Personal Statement
With admiration for her high quality teaching and multicultural campus environment, and out of deep consideration, I send you this document in support of my application to The University of Hong Kong.
Besides time-honored history of HKU, the Business School of HKU is quite prominent among its counterparts. I am particularly attracted by the School's resources, vibrant atmosphere and a comprehensive curriculum. I plan to apply for a degree program in Economics or Business Administration.
My idea of success is being a creative person who can create value and make positive changes to the society by his innovative ideas. I believe the best way to do so is to know about the structure and evolvement of the society, especially the economy and industries.
Therefore, I found the Economics is the major that intensely attracts me. Economics is at the heart of the contemporary world and at the core of the production and distribution of wealth in societies. Systematic learning of economics will provide me with insights that are necessary to comprehend a wide range of issues in reality, and prepare me for further exploration of the subject.
In the second place, my major goes to Business Administration & Finance. With the knowledge of business operation and finance, I would be able to analyze the performance of businesses and estimate their value. A good knowledge of business administration would enable me to deal with different business situations, and definitely support my possible future career in banking or consulting.
As for my motive in selecting Education and Social Science as another possible specialization in my degree program, it is my interest in studying issues of contemporary life and discussing the concerns and problems of our society. With the knowledge of these subjects, I hope I would be able to make positive changes in others’ lives.
Personally, I am cheerful, independent and friendly to others. I like music and sports, and have good curiosity about new things. I attended Chinese traditional orchestra and became a leader of the Model United Nations society of the high school. I feel the important things I learnt from these experiences, are firstly everyone is biased to some extent and a leader should be a good listener and a good communicator, secondly, there is always space for improvement, you could get a better result if you work harder, and thirdly, the key to solve a problem is to break it down into parts and solve them one by one.
After viewing several universities and campuses I have come to the conclusion that HKU is the best option for me, and I hope that you will look favorably upon my application.
(Judy)
2014/1/8
第二篇：personal statement
个人陈述
即Personal Statement或者Statement of Intent,是必不可少并且极其重要的申请材料
有时也称Statement of Objectives/Statement of Purpose 或Study Plan（学习计划，侧重点略有不同）。主要用于描述个人的背景、申请目的、研究方向等信息，是留学申请材料中较重要却也比较难把握的部分。当申请者苦恼于GRE、TOEFL等标准化考试的成绩，一份得体的个人陈述却有可能让你力挽狂澜，从众多申请者中脱颖而出。在某些学校，个人陈述已经代替了面试，作为评价学生的一个重要依据。因此，个人陈述在整个申请材料的准备中占据了举足轻重的地位，也有必要赢得众位申请者的重视。
个人陈述应回答：
* 为什么要选择这个学校和专业；
* 有什么优势、潜力或业绩使你符合对方录取标准；
* 出国后打算、计划和目标。
个人陈述是每个人个性和独特经历的体现，并没有统一的语言要求和写作格式。但是在留学文书的准备中，个人陈述属于正规的书面文体，用语最好符合书面语的规定。版面的安排应该整洁有序。同时在个人陈述的准备过程中应该仔细阅读申请学校的网页，寻找学校是否对于语言和格式有明确的要求。 在个人陈述的写作中切忌不要堆砌辞藻，不要过多使用长句和难懂的单词。否则会使阅读者头疼，可读性降低。写作要真实、诚恳、具体，语言要流畅，逻辑要清晰，内容要有血有肉，富有感染力和说服力。一般以1-2页600-800字为佳，太长则令人没有耐心仔细读完。另外，不要把文章写成炫耀你词汇量和句法的“GRE阅读文章”。
写个人陈述是一件见仁见智的事，并没有明确而统一的写法。书写个人陈述首先要做的是搜集素材，认识自己，挖掘出自身的特点，寻找自己的闪光点。认识自己，这是一件说起来容易，做起来难的事。要知道，申请的过程其实是你向学校推销自己的过程。读者可以到留学文书原创写作栏目的第三栏下载相关的素材表格，看看我们通过哪些信息来深入挖掘您申请专业所需的特质与您个人潜力的关联 。
Writing the Personal Statement
Summary: This handout provides information about writing personal statements for academic and other positions.
Contributors:Jo Doran, Allen Brizee
Last Edited: 2010-09-07 04:40:49
The personal statement, your opportunity to sell yourself in the application process, generally falls into one of two categories:
1. The general, comprehensive personal statement:
This allows you maximum freedom in terms of what you write and is the type of statement often prepared for standard medical or law school application forms.
2. The response to very specific questions:
Often, business and graduate school applications ask specific questions, and your statement should respond specifically to the question being asked. Some business school applications favor multiple essays, typically asking for responses to three or more questions.
Questions to ask yourself before you write:
What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life story?
What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants?
When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned about it (and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and reinforced your conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights have you gained?
How have you learned about this field—through classes, readings, seminars, work or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field?
If you have worked a lot during your college years, what have you learned (leadership or managerial skills, for example), and how has that work contributed to your growth?
What are your career goals?
Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that
you should explain (great grades but mediocre LSAT or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning)?
Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example, economic, familial, or physical) in your life?
What personal characteristics (for example, integrity, compassion, and/or persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics?
What skills (for example, leadership, communicative, analytical) do you possess?
Why might you be a stronger candidate for graduate school—and more successful and effective in the profession or field than other applicants?
What are the most compelling reasons you can give for the admissions committee to be interested in you?
General advice
Answer the questions that are asked
If you are applying to several schools, you may find questions in each application that are somewhat similar.
Don't be tempted to use the same statement for all applications. It is important to answer each question being asked, and if slightly different answers are needed, you should write separate statements. In every case, be sure your answer fits the question being asked. Tell a story
Think in terms of showing or demonstrating through concrete experience. One of the worst things you can do is to bore the admissions committee. If your statement is fresh, lively, and different, you'll be putting yourself ahead of the pack. If you distinguish yourself through your story, you will make yourself memorable.
Be specific
Don't, for example, state that you would make an excellent doctor unless you can back it up with specific reasons. Your desire to become a lawyer, engineer, or whatever should be logical, the result of specific experience that is described in your statement. Your application should emerge as the logical conclusion to your story. Find an angle
If you're like most people, your life story lacks drama, so figuring
out a way to make it interesting becomes the big challenge. Finding an angle or a "hook" is vital.
Concentrate on your opening paragraph
The lead or opening paragraph is generally the most important. It is here that you grab the reader's attention or lose it. This paragraph becomes the framework for the rest of the statement.
Tell what you know
The middle section of your essay might detail your interest and experience in your particular field, as well as some of your knowledge of the field. Too many people graduate with little or no knowledge of the nuts and bolts of the profession or field they hope to enter. Be as specific as you can in relating what you know about the field and use the language professionals use in conveying this information. Refer to experiences (work, research, etc.), classes, conversations with people in the field, books you've read, seminars you've attended, or any other source of specific information about the career you want and why you're suited to it. Since you will have to select what you include in your statement, the choices you make are often an indication of your judgment.
Don't include some subjects
There are certain things best left out of personal statements. For example, references to experiences or accomplishments in high school or earlier are generally not a good idea. Don't mention potentially controversial subjects (for example, controversial religious or political issues).
Do some research, if needed
If a school wants to know why you're applying to it rather than another school, do some research to find out what sets your choice apart from other universities or programs. If the school setting would provide an important geographical or cultural change for you, this might be a factor to mention.
Write well and correctly
Be meticulous. Type and proofread your essay very carefully. Many admissions officers say that good written skills and command of correct use of language are important to them as they read these statements. Express yourself clearly and concisely. Adhere to stated word limits.
Avoid clichés
A medical school applicant who writes that he is good at science and wants to help other people is not exactly expressing an original thought. Stay away from often-repeated or tired statements.
Below are samples of personal statements. You may also select "Sample Statement" in the Media Box above for a PDF sample.
Statement #1
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.
Statement #2
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 relation ship 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.
example 3
Brought up in a shabby and cramped small apartment, I was fascinated in my childhood by the exquisite houses and condominiums I watched on TV in images that had been shot in the developed countries. It has since been my dream to build up in China the same kind of quality human habitat. I believe that this dream can come true if I get to undertake advanced studies in architecture at your university.
I am now erecting fundamental building blocks towards the realization of my dream at the Harbin Institute of Technology (known as HIT), from which I am scheduled to graduate next year. This elite institution accepted me in 1995 in recognition of my strong performance in the National University Entrance Examinations, held once every year nationwide to screen high school graduates for higher education. Here, I have received vigorous training in structure engineering, an area of study that is essential to the country's frenzied construction industry.
Deeply in love with my chosen area of studies, I have turned my mind into an engine of creativity during three years of disciplined learning. Courses of my major, particularly structure mechanics, architecture material, and survey of engineering, fascinate me so much that I am sometimes completely enthralled in studying them. Looking now at the reinforced concrete structures around me, I not only detect the configuration inside easily but also arrive at some preliminary assessment of its strengths and weaknesses quickly. Everything that comes into my sight presents itself in the
framework of some form of structure. Carefully groomed as the only child in my family, I cannot stand being the second best in any group and situation, especially when it comes to a contest of intellectual caliber. At HIT, I beat the odds and excelled all most of my fellow students in academic studies, making myself the undisputed academic leader of the class. Students and faculty alike are so accustomed to my academic excellence that everybody would be surprised in class if I happen not to be able to answer a question better than others even once. My motto is : one either comes out the first, or he is a failure. The university has awarded me a string of scholarships and other accolades in praise of my academic achievements.
But I am no bookworm. In fact, I am constantly engaged in a host of extracurricular activities, for which I have been conferred a Special Commendation for Participation in Social Activities. I have run and won the position of monitor in my class during my first semester, which made me a natural student leader. Active on campus, I was then appointed the recreation officer of the Student Association, in charge of organizing entertainment and other recreational events for the benefit of the students. I now also serve as the president of the Society of Student Architects and Engineers. Such involvement in the student affairs has tempered my skills in leadership, organization and communication. But more importantly, it has broadened my horizon and deepened my insights in terms of what constitutes beauty, grace and strength, which I believe will always help me in my engineering designs.
I would like to mention here my passion for a uniquely oriental sport called weiqi, known as the go in the English parlance. An intricate chess game, it is challenging to even the best and brightest minds. One usually has to be a full-time player to play it well. Not to be daunted, I not only joined the Weiqi Club on campus but also taken part in a national contest, in which I won the 12th place and the HIT team I led won the 3rd place. My achievement in the weiqi sport testifies to my superior mental power and intellectual resourcefulness.
To tap fully into my intellectual resources, I would like to take up the greater challenges of helping to design my country's skylines in the 21st century. For that, I need better training that what I have received. An American education will expose mw to new perspectives and endow me with new inspirations. When I get to combine my Chinese perspectives with those of the West, I should
have no trouble fulfilling my ambition of cutting one of the best structure engineers in the world. With that, I want to design and build the most beautiful structures in China.
To ensure both my future and that of my country's construction industry, I sincerely hope that I could be admitted into your university. I am confident that, if I can be lucky enough to study under your seasoned guidance and with your kind financial assistance, many people in China will never have to endure the kind of shabby and inconvenient apartments that I endured as a child.
教育学 personal statement
In China as in the US, one can easily give up the career of a language teacher to become a lawyer or a businessman. I, however, gave up a promising legal and business career to become a language teacher, but I have never regretted it. In fact, the more I teach, the more committed I am to teaching. But not just teaching. Having battled with China’s traditional mode of teaching for several years, I now would like to help improve teaching in China by introducing new and more effective instructional technology and media into the country. For that, I would like to pursue an advanced degree in education in your country.
Now an English teacher at the training center of the China National Container Corporation, I graduated in 1995 from the Capital University of Economics and Business in Beijing, where I majored in business law. At this highly respected higher-learning institution, I received broad training that was both rigorous and vigorous. After four years of undergraduate studies, the strong logic inherent in law translated into strong logic in my thinking. With the knowledge and skills I attained in the law program, I boast the kind of intellectual maturity that would help me whatever I do. But law was never my first choice for a profession.
Starting from my high school days, I always dreamed of becoming a teacher. In the second year of high school, we once had to write an essay on the topic “what do you want to do when you grow up”. I proudly wrote, “I want to be a teacher!” But my parents shattered my dream by insisting that I pursue another profession. My father, an engineer with a Ph. D. degree, and my mother, a university teacher of English, had their reasons. Chinese teachers,
particularly those teaching at the primary and secondary levels, are poorly paid and begrudgingly respected. Being young and inexperienced in the world, I acceded to their wishes when I was choosing my major for the university.
But my passion for teaching was not to be stifled forever. Giver any opportunity, it would burst out. Upon graduation with an LL. B. Degree, I first took up the position of a supervisor with the China National Container Corporation in charge of its Overseas Sales Department. As the job entailed frequent translation and interpretation between Chinese and English, I persisted in improving my English proficiency by attending various training courses and learning it on my own. My command of the foreign tongue became so good that, after about one year, I began to teach it to my colleagues on a full-time basis at the company’s training center. After a huge detour, my career finally got back on track.
What makes teaching so enjoyable to me is that it is a learning experience. I enjoy it the most when my students ask difficult questions, particularly questions that I have to think long and hard to answer. I also enjoy posing questions to students, but my questions are never intended to intimidate the students or even test their knowledge but rather designed to stimulate their minds. In the constant exchange of questions and answers, students and teachers improve themselves alike to the credit of the old Chinese saying: To teach is to learn. In my three years of teaching, I really have learned a great deal.
One of the things I have learned is the ability to not only deal with but also strike an accord with people of different backgrounds. My students at the training center are all adults accomplished in a variety of roles and professions. In most cases, they are older than I am. While I stand as their equals, I have served as their mentors and role models the same way as most teachers do their students. By so doing, I have won their trust and confidence in what I teach, which has helped to make my teaching powerful and effective.
To take full advantage of my teaching skills, I started in October 1996 to teach English and other subjects at the primary school I attended when I was a child. As the children I teach are at the age when I studied here, I am particularly sensitive to their needs and appreciative of their potential. Together with other teachers, I designed various training programs in calligraphy, art, writing, mental calculation, and English, programs that combine learning
with entertainment. The kids n my class are now learning more and faster thanks to the fun they find everyday in my programs.
Entertainment is, however, by no means just a ploy I use to sweeten the bitter pill of learning for the children, but rather has its own intrinsic value. While kids can hardly learn well without being able to have fun, the lack of fun hurts more than the kids’ ability to learn. It can impair the kids’ emotional and psychological health to an extent that no amount of knowledge and skills drab teaching force-feeds into them can make up. Entertainment is therefore part and parcel of what we teachers have to provide to children if we are to help them grow up into productive members of the society. The way I see entertainment, it should be considered an end in education.
As China’s education is oriented overwhelmingly towards helping kids pass exams, entertainment is about the least on the mind of an average teacher or principal. In the rush to produce super kids as measured by the grades out of exams, the purpose of education is lost all too often. The curriculum is limited to subjects covered by mandatory exams. Students are seldom encouraged to come up with original ideas. Interaction between teachers and students is kept at a minimum in the classroom. The teachers compete to heap homework on the students, as do the parents. While everybody is tired to death, few kids get armed with the ability to take initiatives or solve real-world problems. It is high time that fresh approaches were brought in.
One of the ways to make a change to the Chinese classroom is to utilize new technologies and media of teaching. School authorities in China, as those elsewhere, increasingly realize the importance of computerization, and many of the better-off schools in China are already stacked with state-of-the-art computers. But reports say only a tiny fraction of those computers are adequately utilized. The situation with other educational technologies and media is no better. They are either absent from the school sitting or vastly under-used. Few Chinese teachers have acquired the know-how or the drive to make use of these modern facilities.
I therefore would like to pursue first a master’s degree and then a Ph. D. degree in instructional technology and media in the United States, where the use of modern educational facilities is undoubtedly the most advanced in the world. Judging by the information I have culled from your, website I think your
institution is an American leader in the research and studies of this field. I am anxious to study under the seasoned guidance of your distinguished faculty. I hope that, after I complete my advanced training in your program, I can be a much more effective teacher in China, one that sets an example for all other Chinese teachers.
Economic Personal Statement Sample经济
A graduate from a management program who has worked in sales and promotion for four years, I now would like to pick up my academic career as an economist. By so doing, I hope that I can eventually play a leadership role in China’s ongoing economic reforms.
I did my undergraduate studies at the Beijing-based Northern University, one of the country’s top institutions of higher learning. I entered into this university in 1990 on the strength of my performance in the National University Entrance Examinations, held once every year to screen high school graduates for post-secondary education. My scores in these exams were so great that they constituted the highest total in my county, which made me something of a celebrity in my whole province.
With my education at the Northern, I was solidly grounded in the fundamentals. Studying industriously, I had an overall GPA of 3.3, the fifth highest in our department. My GPA in the courses of my major was even higher, standing at 3.7. I was granted the “Excellent Studies Prize” in 1991 and the “Outstanding Undergraduate Student Scholarship” by the Dept. Of Management in 1992 and 1993.
I did not limit myself to academic studies at the university. Campus life was colorful, an I made full use of all the opportunities to enrich myself. As a freshman, I worked for the Information Department of the university’s Student Union. My performance was such that I was appointed the head of the department for a term of two years between 1991 and 1993. The position gave me a platform from which I founded two periodicals, the “Management Brief” and the “Future Entrepreneur”. In these periodicals, I wrote profusely about topics relating to the economic reforms and general business management. To fund these publications, I led a group of students in offering computer training programs to the
unskilled, which was unique on our campus then. All this not only enriched my student life but also helped me to improve my ability in many ways. One of the benefits is that I became an effective writer. In a 1992 composition contest, I was awarded the first-class prize for my essay.
Thanks to my reputation as both a distinguished student and a student organizer, I was offered a job at the university in 1994 after obtaining my bachelor’s degree. I first worked at the Sales Department, responsible for product sales and advertisements. Now , I am the director’s assistant, responsible for wage management, bonus management, drafting regulation and so on. Four years of working experience has taught me how to put textbook skills and knowledge into practice. All the while, I have been improving my academic qualifications. I now wish to study abroad to further my academic career.
Knowing that computers are essential for doing sophisticated research, I made special efforts in mastering computer technologies. I trained myself in a host of programming languages, including the BASIC, Pascal and FoxBASE. Using my programming skills, I have designed a “Personnel Management Information System” and a “Sales Management Information System”, which have markedly improved efficiency in my office. Building on the computer skills I learned as a student, I have in recent years made myself versed in FoxPro, Access, and Visual Basic. Mow I am planning to design a comprehensive management system for my institute to improve management efficiency.
Taking part in various academic activities to hone my ability to do research is an indispensable part of my strategy to improve myself. In the past four years, I have taken part in a number of research projects, including the “External Economics for Research and Technology (R&E) Development” project at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the “International Business Management Bibliography” at the Tsinghua University and the “Washing Machine and Refrigerator Market Research” project for the International Consulting Ltd. The more I take part in these activities, the more I feel I need to study further.
My interest in economics was first ignited in my undergraduate years, when I was listening to a lecture “Planned Economy ad Market Economy” by the preeminent Chinese economist Li Yining ,a professor of the Beijing University, a few blocks away from
my university. The thinking he displayed in that lecture on the Chinese economy was so sharp and intriguing that I have focused my academic interest on economics ever since. To pursue my this interest, I took a number of economics-related courses, such as Political Economics, Industrial Economics, Technological Economics, Management Economics, Economic Law, Marketing and Market Research Finance. I also took the care to train myself in mathematics fundamentals, such as Liner Algebra, Probability and Statistics, Industrial Statistics. Books like “Western Economics” and “Comparative Economics” have been my favorite reading materials. By taking these courses, I learned new economic concepts and theories, and thus broadened my perspectives and sharpened my insights.
New perspectives and insights are what China needs as it continues its reforms and modernization drive. Unlike developed countries in the West, which have practiced market economics for several hundred years, Chin has been trying to adopt market principles for only twenty years. The problems waiting to be solved are so many and so complex that even the bravest of the brightest can feel daunted. As the country tries to restructure and rejuvenate its larger, state-owned enterprises, a host of challenges, not the least of which are financial crisis, unemployment, inflation and so on, are rattling the nation. Nobody seems to be sure what China will face a few years down the road. Can China keep growing? Or will it suffer irreversible setbacks? On top its domestic problems, how will China cope with the international competition?
To help answer these questions, I need to further refine my expertise in economics. I hope to become one of the country’s own economists armed with a sophisticated understanding of both the complex reality in China and the general market principles and theories that apply throughout the world, like it or mot. Your institution, with a highly qualified faculty, is the university I have long admired. I am confident that, under your seasoned guidance, I can give full play to my potential and realize my career goal.
literary studies语言类
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 relation ship 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.
英文系PS语言类
On September 1st, 1996, I found myself totally helpless in a totally strange city and faced with a new phase of my life-the university life.
Suddenly self-reliance became an essential part of my life, since with loving parents around and desirable living conditions, the concept of total independence had never occurred to me in the first eighteen carefree years of my life. All the decisions were up to myself then. The crisis of establishing a personal identity confronted me. However, as an independent way of living is inevitable, why not embrace it with a positive attitude?
The conviction prompted me to throw myself whole-heartedly into college life.
In retrospection, being a student star on campus due to my outstanding academic perFORMance, I shall confidently say that academically, my life in XXXU was fairly successful. Devoted and hardworking, I was far ahead of all other 62 fellow students in the Faculty of Law and Business, from which I got my BA degree, boasting a GPA of over 85 for core courses. In both the national Band 4 and Band 8 Tests, the first prizes went to me, as had never happened before in this university. My results in GRE (V: 800, Q: 800, A:790) and TOEFL ( total:660) also prove my excellence in study.
However in no way was I the so-called “machine for examinations.” I displayed an all-around proficiency in practical use of English. As a strong proof, I was drafted to translate some significant documents for the Transportation Bureau of XXXXXX (the 4th municipality of China).
Nevertheless, my interest was not confined to English. I took up many electives as well and scored high in them, so the University Excellent Scholarships, an honor conferred to only the top 5% students, have been awarded to me in acknowledgement of my achievement.
My mother used to tell me, “University is the bridge to outside world”, in which I hold a firm belief. To be a bookworm was never my way of spending the undergraduate years. Besides study, I gained a lot of hands-on experience from part-time tutoring. In the second year, I taught children at preschool stage. Unlike adults, small children need guidance to nurture their interest in study, so I designed a series of games to “integrate entertainment into education.” The orientation turned out to be quite effective. After three months’ tutoring, all the children learned faster and with intensive interest.
From my junior year, I have been working as a teacher on a regular basis in the adult-education department in the university, which was quite a challenge, as the students were about the same age as me. Always they would put forward questions that required a lot of mental work. On those occasions, I turned to a large number of reference books for answers, thus adding to my existing scope of knowledge. While making great efforts to meet their needs in study, I strove to treat them as equals and in this way established a friend-teacher relationship among us, which greatly helped make my teaching easy and effective.
Through the experience as a teacher, I have realised that in China, there is much to be desired for education, as traditional education puts much emphasis on textbooks, producing many students with high scores but rarely any practical ability. But with the nation’s development, especially with China’s entry into WTO, old systems and old ways must be redesigned to meet present and future needs in our society. That is, an educational system that can help prepare talents with creativity for China’s future should be adopted. After all, students’ originality comes not from mechanical memorising but from a flexible way of learning. Unless a comprehensive reFORM is carried out regarding curriculum and way of teaching, it is hard to achieve this ultimate goal of education.
As a matter of fact, a graduate from XXXXU, the only foreign language institute in XXXXX China, I could easily land on a well-paid job and enjoy a comfortable life. Nevertheless, I choose to continue my study in education in your country, whose higher education ranks the first throughout the world.
It is not easy to decide which school to attend. After careful
consideration, I set my eyes on your famed university. What interests me most is the quality of your programs, your faculty and your facilities which enables the college of Education to retain its high national standing in the US News and World Report Rankings despite more competitive criteria.
There I will have access to a precious opportunity to work closely with prominent professors. All are conducive to enhancing my professional competence by a large degree. Another reason I choose University of Texas at Austin is your beautiful campus located in the capital city of the state of Texas, lending itself to both ease and high efficiency in learning. And if I am accepted, I plan to pursue a Ph.D. degree in the program of Curriculum Studies.
Upon the completion of study in your university, the first thing for me to do is return to my country, whether to find a job in higher education, or to try to set up a school of my own. Anyway, my ultimate goal is to help introduce advanced ideas in education to China and to train more young talents for China’s further development.
Linguistics personal statement语言类
Language is common to all people. By its nature, it is something that links us all together, yet our use of language is a major factor in defining us all as individuals. For something that comes so naturally to all of us, language can hold great power and influence. Even this personal statement is a perfect example of how language can be constructed in order to influence the opinion of others. My decision to study English Language is based on my desire to further my understanding of the language that I and the people around me use and encounter on a daily basis, and through this, understand our society a little better. The study of Linguistics will complement this, giving me the chance to apply precise analysis to language data. As something I have never directly studied before, I see this area as a new way for me to look at language, with a more precise and scientific approach.
Within school, I am part of the editorial team for the school magazine. I really enjoy the chance this gives me to write for an audience, and it has greatly improved the confidence I have in my own work. It has been a learning experience in other ways too, as I
have gained valuable experience in working both as part of a team and as an individual in order to produce the finished piece. Due to my role in the presentation of the magazine, my ICT skills have also improved. Last year, I volunteered as a library assistant within the school library. Again, this was something I greatly enjoyed, as I was able learn more about how a small library is run, as well as working closely with students of all years.
Outside of school, I have a part time job as a sales assistant for a busy branch of Claire’s Accessories. Through this, I have gained more confidence in myself and more independence. This has also given me a working knowledge of money management, albeit on a very small scale, which can be built on to help me during university and in later life. In my spare time, I listen to music to help me relax, and I attend concerts wherever possible. Reading a wide variety of newspapers helps me keep up with current affairs and politics, something important to me, as the everyday lives of all people are directly affected by this. It also gives me an insight into how different news institutions can use language to present a different viewpoint on the same event. I am also interested in film, particularly British cinema and the work of Tarantino.
I feel that university is the perfect environment for me to develop as a person. The choices open to me will be increased, and the level of independence that I will enjoy will be much greater. I feel that this, as well as the chance to meet new people and experience new environments, will be something that I will gain something from and enjoy. English Language will give me an excellent platform for a career in journalism, something that I am very interested in pursuing after my studies. However, the knowledge and skills that I gain from my degree will be of great benefit to me in any career path that I choose to follow. I look forward to experiencing university life and the chance to explore language in much greater detail.