Hi all, I'm a student from Taiwan and graduate schools require an autobiography and a SOP for consideration for admission. English is not my first language so I'm hoping if the people here can help me with my writing woes. Thank you so much :)
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Autobiography
Having spent my teenage years split between Taiwan and Canada, I have had the privilege to experience Taiwanese and Canadian cultures. Exposure to both cultures at a young age had given me a comprehensive worldview and helped me become a well-rounded person who can think outside the box and approach problems from various perspectives. Over the years, I have worked at taking the best parts of Taiwan and Canada and making them my own. For instance, the education system in Canada gave me the freedom to develop my skills in critical thinking and creativity while education in Taiwan taught me time management and organizational skills and perseverance. Another example is my proficiency in both English and Mandarin. Test scores from various standardized tests give a glimpse of my command of English, but my skills in communication goes far beyond these test results. I am well-versed in public speaking, presentation and interpersonal communication, and had a chance to demonstrate these skills through weekly research reports, oral presentation in class and duties performed as an executive member of an English Study club. Finally, the combination of self-motivation, diligence, curiosity, and communication skills helped me in placing first in my class, first in my concentration, and third in the Department of Electrical Engineering during my tenure as a student at [university].
In search of a deeper understanding of telecommunication systems, I joined [professor]'s lab in 2009 to work on the development of a cost effective testing system for RF front-end modules. The funding for this research project is supported by the National Science Council of Taiwan as a part of the scholarship program. I currently collaborate with graduate students from the lab and my contribution to the project include assisting in the design of the circuit board for the testing system, writing an automation program using LabVIEW, and measuring the effectiveness of our product. By working as team, I learned how to work professionally with others toward a common goal, bounce ideas off each other, and offer constructive criticism. I also improved my multitasking skills and self-discipline through working independently.
Before coming back to Taiwan, I was studying towards a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science at the [university]. I was enrolled in the co-op program which integrates academic studies with relevant work experience. Through this program, I worked at three different companies, but I began to doubt whether computer science was where my passion lied as I gained more experience as a programmer. I realized that computer science did not stimulate intellectual challenge in me, nor did it fulfill my ambitions in life. In order to make one of the most important decisions in my life, I took time off to consult with professionals and family members for advice. We discussed extensively to find the field of study that would again inspire me to strive for the best. At last, I realized that I was inspired when learning about the principles of communication systems and signal processing during my work terms even though programming no longer stimulated me intellectually. Ultimately, after many lengthy conversations and careful considerations, I decided to major in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in telecommunication and study closer to my family in Taiwan.
As a transfer student, I have to complete the four-year undergraduate program in three years. With my eagerness to learn and my dedication to excellence, however, I have managed to complete most of the requirements for graduation with an average of 91.87% and a cumulative GPA of 3.88. During my senior year at [university], I will complete any remaining course credits required for graduation in the first semester. In the second semester, I intend to take classes that are closely related to my research in order to further my knowledge and enrich my research experience in telecommunication. In addition, I wish to take advanced elective courses offered to both Master's and undergraduate students to prepare myself for graduate studies and give myself a head start to reach my goals.
Should I be accepted into your graduate program, my top priority will be to complete my thesis and the requirements for the Master's degree. It would be a great opportunity to expand my horizons and absorb knowledge from experts from other engineering disciplines, to allow me to be specialized and open-minded such that I can see the big picture while staying focused on the problem at hand. The resourcefulness of the university and faculty would aid me in building on my research and work experience and publications, and increase my competitiveness in this field. Subsequently, I wish to study abroad to obtain a Ph.D degree. Some say the world is changing faster than the speed of light and studying in the United States will again open my eyes to many cutting-edge theories and innovative ideas and open doors to the establishment of a strong network which will be immensely beneficial as I enter the job market. Ultimately, I plan to return to Taiwan, to the land and the people that I love, to develop my career as a professional.
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Statement of Purpose
Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by the principles and theories behind the way things work in the physical world. Now, I am a firm believer that everything can be explained by mathematics and physics. Of the many things I appreciate in life, I especially enjoy applying the concepts in mathematics and physics to solving everyday problems. I look at problems that many people deem impossible as just more complicated. Indeed, the thrill and gratification from solving a difficult problem is overwhelming, but more importantly, it is the process in search for truth that makes my clock tick. During my junior year at [university], I joined [professor]'s research lab and started to work toward designing a cost effective testing system for RF front-end modules at 2.4GHz. Through this experience, I not only developed skills in time management, organization and interpersonal communication, but also learned how to think critically and creatively when approaching a problem. My research project is supported by the National Science Council of Taiwan and I intend to conclude the project with positive results within 5 months. This project gave me an opportunity to be challenged with the type of problems that engineers face every day and, therefore, convinced me that this is the path that I want to take.
With a strong foundation in mathematics and physics, I am able to extend my interest to communication, another critical aspect in our life today during the era of globalization. Now, we are surrounded by devices that strengthen the connection between different people; everyone is exposed to some form of communication device every day: be it television, radio, telephone and mobile phone, or computer. These wonderful devices have become an essential part of the modern lifestyle and they are all designed by engineers through their creativity and ingenuity. Having witnessed the power and magnificence of the communication network, I am motivated to become an integral part of its evolution and the pioneer of the next generation of communication.
My passion in research on communication and network stemmed from my first experience as an intern at [company], where I was tasked to analyze specific packets using a network packet sniffer. It never ceased to amaze me how a group of zeros and ones in a packet can be translated to audio and video data once processed. It is easy to perceive information simply as text and graphics, but I am fascinated by the fundamental principles that enable the effortless exchange of information. As a participant in the co-op program at [university], I actively sought out work opportunities related to this field, specifically with VOIP products and mobile phones. Each time the work term ended, I was always eager for the next work term when I could learn more about wireless communication and signal processing and analysis. Although most of my time was spent writing program codes, the experience had helped me determine the direction of my research topics when I switched majors from Computer Science to Electrical Engineering.
On a personal level, communication is a key ingredient to success in addition to a solid knowledge base. As a method to improve my public speaking and presentation skills, I volunteered to be the translator and teaching assistant in an English Study club such that I would have the opportunity to speak on stage in front of a group of people. The experience helped me refine my communication and networking skills through meetings with executives from our club and other student clubs. In my spare time, in order to quench my thirst for in-depth knowledge, I often visit the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) OpenCourseWare where I have access to material taught to future engineers at one of the most prestigious engineering schools in the world. In the meantime, I read scientific journals to keep updated on the latest scientific achievements and current trends.
The world is undergoing globalization and as we begin to extend our reach beyond Earth itself, communication systems will become an integral part of our lives. As an engineer, I am always looking for ways to challenge myself and test my limits. I believe the graduate program at your university will give me the tools to achieve my dream to be at the forefront of technological breakthroughs and to contribute to a better world.
In the second semester, I intend to take classes that are closely related to my research in order to further my knowledge and enrich my research experience in telecommunication.
Give this sentence some examples (i.e. a list of class topics separated by commas).
With that bio, you nailed it. You did a great job, and I think any reader would be impressed.
This intro paragraph for the SOP is not so good, though, by my estimation:
Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by the principles and theories behind the way things work in the physical world. Now, I am a firm believer that everything can be explained by mathematics and physics. Of the many ...engineers face every day and, therefore, convinced me that this is the path that I want to take. ----- This paragraph is full of facts about you, but I think it needs to focus on ONE message that is the main idea... your PURPOSE. Can you express your purpose in a single sentence? That is hard to do, but try to express your purpose in a single sentence at the end of this SOP intro paragraph.
Try to move some of the other content around if possible, and revise it so that every sentence of the intro para supports its main idea.
One trick I would possibly use is to take that conclusion paragraph and extend it, and use it as your intro. That way, the current intro para would become paragraph 2, and you would need to write a new conclusion.
:-)
