Personal Statement
Applied Program: Horticulture

China claims a worldwide reputation of “Cradle of Gardens”, not only for her world-famous Summer Palace and gardens in xxxxx and other places, but also for her many specific garden plants. Unfortunately today, the flowers and fauna used during ceremonies are imported from abroad, while the abundance of indigenous wild vegetation remains unexploited. Even worse, our present day art of landscaping either imitates the traditional forms, or takes the assistance of foreigners whose designs are not in keeping with the national style. This has happened because of our lack of advanced technology and horticulture perceptions – the reason for my desire to learn the techniques by studying abroad.

I have been influenced by my family in my deep interest and love of flowers and fauna from an early age, which has made me a celebrity in the media. When I was nine - I organized a tree protection team, leading a host of primary school students in conducting activities that encouraged the love of this bounty of nature. Our activities received attention in the China Daily, Beijing Evening News, China Children‘s News, and Beijing Television Station. I compiled a book called the “Red Flower” based on my experiences, which was later published. For three consecutive years I was awarded the title of Afforestation Activist by the Beijing Afforestation Committee, and received the Beijing “Red Scarf” medal, and the “Top Ten Young Pioneer” award.

These activities made me appreciate the vital role that vegetation plays in the ecological cycle, understand China‘s incredible art of landscaping, and spurred my desire to devote my life to learning about horticulture. My high score of 560 in the collegiate entrance examination made me eligible for admission to China‘s top universities, like the Beijing University and the Tsinghua University. Yet I resolutely did not take the opportunity of attending these prestigious universities, selecting instead a specialty college, the xxxxx University . That year I was placed first among xxxx University freshmen in the entrance examination for colleges.

During the years before college, I was conferred the “Triple A” student award for 12 consecutive years. For two years, I received the third prize in Beijing English for Science and Technology Competition. No doubt, I was also excellent in college. My average scores in college were the highest, and I received the first, second, and third scholarships, “Triple A Model”, “Oriental Landscape” scholarship and many other awards.

The horticulture department of xxx is considered the best in China, with arduous and rigorous coursework. Each day we had to attend an average of more than ten specialty classes, but I still managed to pass the CET (College English test) band 6 examination with excellence, and obtained a Translator certificate from the Beijing Foreign Studies University. My fluent English coupled with my deep knowledge of the Latin and botanical names of plants attracted the attention of Professor xxxx, whom I helped in arranging and translating substantial foreign language materials. I was frequently called upon to serve as a Latin and English translator for visiting overseas professors and students in our university. My translations in the garden plant field were greatly commended.

Research into essences and the laws of plant vital movements is my passion and I am very interested in the field of “botany” “plant physiology” and “genetics of garden plant breeding” etc. Being of a theoretical nature these courses are difficult and no favorite at all to most students. I am very diligent and studious, and when I find that my innate comprehension and insight of the subject is different from that given in the textbooks, I refer extensively to advanced reference material in the BFU library and the Beijing Library, and debate vociferously with professors until I am convinced of the point of view. I realized early that my limitation lay in my lack of knowledge of fine arts, and with my tremendous willpower I studied to overcome this in my spare time. This effort bore fruit and my garden design received the “Oriental Landscape” scholarship. I understood then that “Nothing is impossible for a willing heart.”

It is not until the second semester of the four-year course can the undergraduate student conduct independent research. As my teacher Professor xxx trusted me fairly much, he engaged me with independent research under his guidance in the third-year. Once he gave me a comparatively boring assignment on plant classification, which I accepted with joy knowing fully well that I had no knowledge of the trees of the South. During the long holiday of Labor Day, I went to xxxx botanical garden to photograph the wealth of nature, and arranged these photos electronically with enriched texts and pictures, making in the process a special comparison of the typical kinds of plants. This work was highly appreciated by Professor xxx. Encouraged by this success, I decided then that I would conduct my graduation thesis on the comparison of planting techniques and the use of garden plants in China and foreign countries as well. I decided to investigate the different styles and preferred techniques in the plant application field, to give planting design more prominence in the wonderful combination of Chinese and foreign styles. xxxx’s course on horticulture is divided into the study of garden plants and garden design. My high grades and the honors conferred upon me reflect my solid foundation in the field. With this firm background, I apply to your esteemed university to further my knowledge of horticulture. In your acclaimed university, I plan to choose the most meaningful area for research. The study of wild plant resource exploitation, utilization and promotion is one such area. China is in the stage of importing F1 (First filial generation) seedlings, yet when F2 (Second filial generation) appears, gene segregation and independent assembly, seedling genetic information changes will make it impossible to use the earlier varieties. We need to import the next filial generation seedling. China needs people who can research and develop its own seedling. China has an abundance of plant resources, and has an enormous gene bank, so the potential is immense. Your esteemed university has valuable and advanced research and teaching experience, boasts of erudite professors, and has first class experimental equipment, which would ensure that I could make commendable research contributions, obtain advanced insights and develop into a top-ranking professional in this field, with your help.

I admire deeply Ms. xxx, who is the president of the “Oriental Landscape” and who awarded me the “Oriental Landscape” scholarship. With a stature of a mere 1.5 meters, this lady was once posted due to political reasons to the Northeast forestry center to labor. She was dauntless, and over a period of time fell deeply in love with each grass and each tree there, and when the Cultural Revolution came to an end, she founded the “Oriental Landscape Corporation”, which has now developed into the strongest corporation in China‘s park circle. Unlike her, my choice is self-directed in this golden era of horticultural development of my country and hence my efforts are more motivated. I would like to dedicate my lifetime to contributing to the academic and social horticulture undertaking, which surely would be a source of great joy and happiness for me.