Personal Statement I Am Writing

Personal Statement

I am writing to express my intent to pursue a major in Political Science. As I come from a politically involved family, the subject has always interested me. I have lived under three unique political systems and have seen many more on my travels. I have a strong interest in political theories like Marxism, because of the powerful way in which such theories have shaped our world and my life both.

I am a Chinese male who was born on the mainland and then emigrated to Hong Kong when I was five years old. My family's political involvement began during the Cultural Revolution when we struggled against the government. It was during this time when we left for British-run Hong Kong. I have been in the United States since I was 18 to attend community college. I wish to transfer to university to pursue a bachelor's degree in Political Science because I feel that this is the most valuable education I can receive here. Political Science is not a commonly-studied subject in Hong Kong and I feel it will benefit my country if I am able to return home with strong knowledge of such an uncommon subject.

My family's past and my interaction with various political systems has strongly influenced my desire to study Political Science. I have been exposed to communist China, Hong Kong in both the pre- and post-colonial eras, and now the most exciting example of American democracy in many years in the form of the latest election campaign. All of these systems interest me. I feel that it is important to understand how each of these systems has affected the populations of the different countries, and to compare that with my own experiences.

On a broader level, I am interested in the role of political systems in the modern world. For example, Marxism has had a profound influence on my family's history in China. Yet, Marxism itself has evolved into a number of different forms, and within each form the system takes a new life with every leader. The Cultural Revolution my family struggled against, for example, was a completely different reflection of the Marxist ideal than that which led to the founding of the communist party several decades earlier.

I have had extensive contact with the political system. My family's business frequently deals with various levels of government both in the U.S. And in Hong Kong. We have fought for policy change on the Chinese mainland as well in the course of our business endeavors. This has shown me how the policymakers can affect business, in contrast to the Cultural Revolution where we learned how policymakers can affect the people. The study of Political Science will help me to learn the systems that underlie the motives of the policymakers.

By understanding the political systems better, I can better understand the role of the policymakers. One day, I aspire to be a policymaker myself. It has been said that a good doctor can save 100 people but a bad policymaker can destroy the lives of thousands. Given that in my country, few study Political Science, I feel that my studies in the subject can help me to be the sort of good policymaker we need.

2. I feel that life is full of accomplishments which, when added up, can amount to a tremendous benefit to society. I am not able to work in the United States due to the terms of my student visa, but I am proud of my accomplishments in Hong Kong. I help my family business when I am at home. We are in the plastic recycling business and I have helped at all levels. Even based on my limited experience with Americans I have already been able to contribute to the company's business by gathering information. Many of our major business partners are American and I am proud that I have been able to contribute to the family business in this way.

Another accomplishment of which I am proud is my role as the Vice Chairman of the Geography club and Chinese Culture club at Hong Kong High School. These positions reflect some of my main interests. I am proud of my culture, something which my family has instilled in me. We almost lost our culture during the Cultural Revolution and my family has never let me forget the value of knowing who you are and where you come from.