Personal Statement

One of the most important decisions that I have ever made was my decision to pursue higher education in the United Kingdom.  Although it was difficult at first to make the cultural and academic adjustments necessary for success, I found that I thrived in the challenging educational environment.  Working towards my BSc in Accounting and Finance, I have found the subject areas that I am truly interested in.  My greatest desire is to continue my studies by earning my MSc in Financial Economics from the xx School of Business at xx University, which will enable me to pursue both my Ph.D. and my research and teaching career over the next five years.

My long-term career goal is to become an outstanding and professional teacher of finance.  Both of my parents have been excellent teachers, and they have demonstrated to me the power of a teacher to positively influence students in a countless number of ways.  Beginning in 1998, I was a volunteer in China’s Hopeschool Programme at xx village middle school.  As the chairman of our high school union, I organized high school students to meet with these underprivileged children, and I was both shocked by their poor conditions and inspired by their hard work despite their desperate situations.  Even after I went abroad, I wrote to these students and mailed them some English books to inspire them to study.  During two summer vacations, I returned to xx and talked with groups of students about English learning skills and living abroad.  Through these experiences, I learned that I love teaching. Through earning my MSc and Ph.D. to become an expert in finance, I can combine my desire to teach and my fascination with finance into an inspiring and gratifying career.

My studies abroad have proven to me that learning is not only about earning good marks to make my family happy, rather it is about putting such knowledge to practical use.  This realization has inspired me to study even harder and clarified the direction for my future career path.  For example, in Computers in Accounting, the module involved 100% group course work with no lectures, just a weekly tutorial.  I learned the true value of teamwork as my group used spreadsheets for investment appraisal, stock price forecasting, making investment decisions and then giving a final presentation as a professional financial consultancy.  Our group received the second highest mark for our hard work, but even more importantly, the entire process really sparked my interest in this area and spurred my decision to continue my studies and career in Finance and Economics.

Finance, economics, math and accounting are interdependent - to be proficient in one requires a thorough knowledge of the others, which has motivated me to learn as much as possible in each area.  Because finance and economics cannot be separated, I have chosen the Financial Economics programme to best develop my knowledge in both areas.  Furthermore, I plan to continue to study accounting on my own during my MSc programme so that I may earn the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants certification after graduation.  Additional knowledge in accounting will definitely help me with my finance research and my later teaching career.  Although I have learned the basics, I realize that I need further systematic education through the MSc in Financial Economics programme to realize my dream of becoming an expert researcher and professor in the future.  My academic success, along with the fact that I enjoy using mathematics and quantitative skills to solve financial problems, has given me a strong motivation to continue my studies in the U.K., where I have become comfortable with the academic environment. 

To prepare for my future study at the Ph.D. level and as a future teacher and research professional, I am interested in the Corporate Finance, Financial Econometrics, Microeconomics modules to develop my knowledge, but I am particularly interested in the Asset Pricing course.  I have had a long-standing interest in Asset Pricing and this area is becoming increasingly important in China.  As more and more state-owned enterprises are becoming privately owned and an increasing number of Chinese companies are becoming listed on the various stock exchanges, a sound knowledge of asset pricing is essential in order to be considered an expert in finance.  My studies through both the MSc and Ph.D. programmes at xx can help me to become a leading finance professional with cutting-edge knowledge on asset pricing in China.  Furthermore, the xx Business School elective courses such as Applied Corporate Finance, International Financial Markets and Mathematical Finance can give me a broader perspective into these areas that I have observed in real-world situations (e.g., my summer job at the xx Bank of China) so that I will be better prepared for my future Ph.D. studies and my future career.  Over the next five years I wish to complete both the MSc and Ph.D. programmes at xx Business School to become a leading professional and teacher in the areas of finance and asset pricing.

I have studied in England for nearly three years, and I know that xx University offers the best chance for me to reach my full potential both as a student and as a professional teacher and researcher in the future.  The MSc in Financial Economics gives me the perfect opportunity to study in my combined areas of interest, which will provide me with an excellent springboard toward the Ph.D. and eventual professional excellence.  With its rapid economic growth and integration into the global economy, China will have a great demand for teaching and research professionals in these areas, which will become increasingly important for its developing economy and capital markets.  I have known of xx University since I was five years old – and I would sincerely appreciate the opportunity to study at such a world-renowned university.  A degree from xx would make my childhood dreams come true while allowing me to become a leading research professional and teacher of finance in my homeland of China.