Personal Statement

In x x x x, the then vice president of the United States AL-Gore arrived at the Experimental Middle School Attached to Beijing Normal University to inspect how the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment), an international environmental and educational program launched by Mr. Al-Gore himself on the Earth Day of x x x x, was being implemented. As chairperson of the Student Union, member of the GLOBE program (restricted to only 4 best middle schools in China), and the student of merit with good English proficiency, I reported to Mr. Al-Gore on the progress of the program in our school. Then, in x x x x , I went on an exchange program with an Australian high school where I directly experienced the education and culture of an English-speaking country. Finally, in x x x x, at a celebration to mark the 30th anniversary of Sino-American ping-pong diplomacy, I was appointed to put on an exhibition match for Dr. Henry Kissinger, the former U.S. Secretary of State.

Those three highlights of my school life have been defining because they are very special to me as a Chinese student. I found myself being exposed to international experiences and the cultivation of an international sensibility has enabled me to have a broader vision and horizon. I tend to look at things from a balanced point of view, taking into consideration both the Chinese and western cultural factors. I have also developed much broader concerns. I not only focused on my own personal and scholastic development, but also committed myself to serving the needs of the larger society. I became a “Rainbow” volunteer for the 21st Universiade in Beijing and a volunteer for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Compared with most of my Chinese peers, I have made earlier endeavors to develop my international perspectives. I have done so under the belief that, as China becomes more and more integrated into the international community, members of the present younger generation should not be confined to their national experiences. This is because within less than two decades, they will be the leaders of their society, which will be much more closely blended with the rest of the world. The earlier they develop their international perspectives, the better they can interact with the international community. The “conflicts of civilizations” which plague the modern world according to Huntington will be reduced if people from different cultural backgrounds can rally around some universal values and international perspectives.

This determination to develop international perspectives has led me to pursue an international education. Having completed my high school education cum laude, with special aptitudes in mathematics and English and with distinguished performance in extracurricular activities as monitor of class and lead singer of the student chorus, I entered Columbia College, Canada, in 20xx. After receiving a few months’ advanced training in integrated English skills, I transferred to Langara College where I majored in Commerce and Business Administration. My education in China has provided me with a sound foundation for international education, as I scored straight A’s in all the courses I took—Economics (covering both microeconomics and macroeconomics), Mathematics I and II (Calculus I and II for business and social sciences, in which I achieved the highest score in the class). In September 20x x, I switched back to Columbia College where I am taking three courses—Microeconomics, English and Sociology. As a member of the Student Activity Committee in charge of organizing events, I have launched two major campus activities this November—International Day and the Food Bank. For more than a year in Canada, I have been president of the Scientific Group at Columbia College, a Sunday church volunteer, AIDS social worker, volunteer of CNIB (the Canadian National Institute for the Blind) and World Weightlifting Championship, pianist in Fellburn Care Center, Vancouver Art Gallery assistant, etc.

Considering my mathematics aptitudes and my Canadian education in economics and commerce, I would like to concentrate on economics and business/marketing in my proposed program. My motivation comes from my belief that international business and marketing is the best way to realize the optimum allocation of resources on a global scale, most effectively and directly contributing to the welfare of people in various countries. As preparations for your program, I have two tentative practical experiences—doing a survey study on consumer credit of Beijing citizens in high school and an internship this summer at KPMG Huazhen Certified Public Accountants (CHINA) where I was exposed to audit principles and procedures.

Founded 140 years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Harvard University is an institution with honored traditions. Boasting the ethnic diversity of its students and its long-held commitment to fine teaching and pioneering research, Harvard University is devoted to the mission “to advance new ideas and promote enduring knowledge,” a mission that I most readily identify with. What is most exciting about Harvard University’s academic environment is that students will be continually challenged and inspired to do their best possible work. Your program’s interdisciplinary nature that “learning has no boundaries” will allow me to develop broad backgrounds in diverse fields. I am fascinated by the excellence of Harvard University’s undergraduate program in economics and business/marketing education and am determined to enrich your student community with my unique background as well as academic excellence.

                                     个 人 陈 述

        x x x x年，时任美国副总统的艾尔?戈尔先生莅临北京师范大学附属中学，前来检查由戈尔先生本人于xxxx年地球日在全球范围内发起的环境与教育合作项目GLOBE （Global Learning & Observation to Benefit the Environment，即“有益于环境的全球性学习与观察计划”）在我校的执行情况。作为校学生会主席，该GLOBE项目（在中国仅限于四所最好的中学）的成员，有着良好英语能力的校优秀学生，我向戈尔先生汇报了该项目在我校的进展。然后，于xxxx年，我前往澳大利亚一所中学参加一项交流项目，直接体验到了一个英语国家的教育与文化。最后，于20xx年，在庆祝中美乒乓外交30周年的一次活动中，我被委派为美国前国务卿基辛格博士举行了乒乓球表演赛。

        我中学生活中的这三个重要片断具有决定性的意义，因为它们对我作为一个中国学生来说殊为特别。我发现自己正在接触到国际经验，而一种国际感受力的培养令我形成了较为宽广的眼界和认识面。我往往能从一个平衡的角度来看待事物，在考虑问题时能将东西方文化因素融合起来。此外，我所关注的焦点也变得更为广泛。我不仅仅注重个人的和学业的发展，也致力于去服务于大社会的需要。于是，我成为了在北京举办的第21届大学生运动会的“彩虹”志愿者，以及联合国难民署的志愿者。

        与我大多数中国同龄人相比，我较早地行动起来，努力去培养我的国际视野。我之所以这样做，是出于这样一种信仰，即随着中国越来越融入到国际社会中，目前这一代青年不应该局限于其本国经验。这是因为在不到二十年的时间内，他（她）们将成为其社会的未来领袖，而届时，他（她）们的社会与世界之间将更加密不可分。他（她）们越早培养这种国际视野，他（她）们就越能更好地与国际社会进行良性互动。这样，亨廷顿所认为的侵扰着现代社会的那些“文明的冲突”将会极大地减少，只要来自不同文化背景的人们能汇聚在某些普通价值观和国际视野的周围。

        这种培养国际视野的决心促使我去追求一种国际性的教育。在我以优等生的成绩完成了我的高中学业，在英语和数学上发展出了特别的禀赋，并在课外活动中作出了出色表现（担任班长和校合唱团领唱）之后，我于20xx年进入加拿大的哥伦比亚学院。在接受了为期4个月的英语综合技能的高级培训之后，我转学至Langara学院，从事商务和工商管理的专业学习。我在中国所接受的教育为我的国际教育提供了一个坚实的基础，因为在我所上的所有课程——经济学（涵盖微观经济学与宏观经济学），数学I和数学II（为商科和社会科学而设的微积分I和II）——中取得了全A的成绩，数学成绩为全班最高。20xx年9月，我返回哥伦比亚学院，目前正攻读三门课——微观经济学，英语，及社会学。作为学生活动委员会负责文艺的委员，我在今年11月已组织发起了两项重大的校园活动，即国际日及与食物银行。前者旨在促进来自不同文化背景的学生在哥伦比亚学院获得相互了解，后者则是帮助无家可归者获得食物。在加拿大的过去一年中，我担任了哥伦比亚学院科学小组的负责人，礼拜日教堂志愿者，爱滋病社会义工，CNIB(加拿大国家盲人学院)和世界举重锦标赛志愿者，Fellburn关爱中心的钢琴演奏者，以及温哥华艺术馆的助手等。

        考虑到我的数学禀赋及在加拿大的商科教育，我希望在我所申请的本科学习中以商科和市场营销为专业。我申请这一专业的动机在于，我相信国际贸易与营销是实现全球范围内资源最佳配置的绝佳途径，能最有效最直接地促进不同国家中民众的福祉。作为攻读贵校课程的准备，我拥有两项初步的实际经验，其一是高中期间对北京居民的消费信贷进行过调研，其二是今年暑期在毕玛威注册会计师公司实习，初步了解了审计的各种原则和程序。

        在《美国独立宣言》签署之前的140年就创立的哈佛大学，是一所拥有令人敬仰的学术传统的高等学府。它引以为傲的是其学生的多样性，以及始终如一地致力于优质的教学和先驱性的研究。哈佛大学所坚持的，是这样一个使命，即“倡导创新的思想，促进持久的知识”。对于这一使命，我深深予以认同并愿与之产生共鸣。哈佛大学的学术氛围，最激动人心的一点是，学生将持续地受到挑战与启迪，以将其潜能发挥至极致。贵校学位课程的交叉学科性质—即“学识无界域”，将使我在不同的领域中培养起宽广的背景。我为哈佛大学经济学与商科/市场营销专业优异的本科教学所吸引，并决心以我自身独特的背景和学业上的优异来为贵校的学生群体增光添彩。