MBA: International Student

Personal Statement I grew up in a business-oriented family. While some children talk about what they did in school over dinner, from an early age I was involved in discussing my family's business every evening. Instead of how to throw a baseball, my father and grandparents taught me how to interpret the share index numbers that flashed across the television screen. I looked forward to opening up my own business when I grew up rather than the usual childish fantasies of becoming a superhero. To me, businessmen were superheroes.

I was determined to do all that was necessary to prepare me for a future in the new global marketplace. After graduating from high school I made the difficult but necessary decision to leave home and study in America to prepare me for my future career in finance. America was the logical choice: although the initial period of adjustment was challenging, I learned a great deal about cultural differences and coping with a new environment, as well as gained in-depth understanding of accounting, management, economics and marketing.

From my early background and my education I gained a strong sense of the ethical responsibilities of working in the finance industry. Financial professionals must intelligently manage the assets of an individual or organization and have a calculated view of risk to maximize profits and minimize losses. I sought out extracurricular experiences to supplement what I learned in the classroom. I worked as an assistant teller intern with the Bank of China and, as a member of the Student Finance Association I managed a $47,000 bond fund for the organization.

As an international student, I was not allowed to seek out paid employment but through my academic and volunteer experiences I was still able to ensure I had 'real world' experience to prepare me for entering graduate school in business. I also volunteered for a number of community service organizations which benefited both myself and others and helped me hone my leadership abilities.

I am also very grateful that my undergraduate institution took a case study approach in so many of its classes: I was able to undertake a number of major team-based research projects, including one on the current financial management of Dick's Sporting Goods and one which involved a complete financial analysis of Boeing 7E7. In graduate school, I hope to take advantage of the institution's smaller size and engage in more intensive projects, ideally working closely with faculty members when I embark upon future research projects to complete my degree.

As a graduate student, I intend to continue my studies in finance. A solid knowledge of finance is critical for all business professionals and I.