Statement of Purpose Prewriting Questions

Before you write a single word, spend some time thinking about these questions.  If you need to, write in Chinese first and then think about how you would tell your story in English.  Pick one or two of these to start with, though it would be good to do more and then choose the two strongest ones.  In your personal statement you do not want to put too much - just focus on 2 or 3 core ideas (more later).

A lot of this information came from the Purdue University OWL web site

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

WHEN did you become interested in the field?

WHAT have you learned about it, and about yourself, that has further stimulated your interest in the field?

WHAT insights have you gained?

HOW have you learned about the field: classes, readings, seminars, work or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field?

WHAT are your career goals?

WHAT personal characteristics do you possess that would improve chances of success in the field or profession? Can you demonstrate these characteristics?

• Ex. Integrity, compassion, persistence

WHAT skills do you possess?

• Ex. Leadership, communicative, analytical

WHY might you be more successful than other candidates?

WHAT are the best reasons you can give for the admissions committee to be interested in you?

Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain?

• Ex. Great grades but mediocre TOEFL or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning

Have you overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example, economic, familial, or physical) in your life?

REMEMBER:  This is only one part of the application process but it does allow you to explain and describe yourself better and show them you're more than test scores and GPA.  Remember to communicate your ENTHUSIASM and MOTIVATION.