Graduate / Mechanical Engineer Grad Admission Essay Masters of Engineering [4]

I need some feed back on my essay. Also I'm not sure how to cover some of the criteria. The school asks that I include current employment/research, but I will not be starting research until next semester and it is not final. I have not done under grad research in the past either. Also my current employment is in no way related to what I want to pursue in grad school, so I'm not sure how to incorporate it. Finally it asks to include what you would like to research in grad school, but the M.E. degree is only course work no thesis.

Since High School I have desired to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. I believe that studying at xxxx for my graduate degree is the best way for me to specialize in computational modeling and become a successful engineer.

I discovered my affinity for mechanical engineering when I took an introductory mechanical engineering design course in ninth grade. The most influential project that I completed in this class was the design of a vehicle to prevent an egg from breaking in the event of a collision. The building materials allotted me were rivets and metal strips. Although it was a rudimentary design, due to my then limited knowledge of physics, I was intrigued by the stresses and deformations suffered by the metal on impact. This experience drove me to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in mechanical engineering at xxxx.

As an undergrad the focus of my studies was on the design and analysis of components and systems. In my initial core engineering classes I learned to analyze the stresses and strains based on boundary conditions and applied mechanical or thermal loads. Additionally I developed a background in designing components from a failure perspective, incorporating factors of safety and other influencing factors. While taking these courses the question always nagging at the back of my mind was how applicable the equations used were to real world scenarios. While taking an introduction to finite element analysis (FEA) class I found the real world connection I had been yearning for, and knew I wanted to pursue computational modeling for my graduate study. This class has provided me with a background in the mathematics behind FEA. It introduced using quadrilateral and constant strain triangle elements, as well as using isoparametric mapping to account for complex geometry, and reduce computational load. Additionally during the class a partner and I completed a project in which we analyzed the stresses and strains in an iPhone's screen upon impact. I was able to successfully demonstrate convergence in the model by varying the element size of the mesh and comparing it to the total strain in the screen. While working on this project I became proficient with Abaqus 6.9, a program which is used by xxxx graduate students.

My ultimate goal is to design vehicles in the private sector. In industry finite element analysis is being used opposed to full scale models. Planes such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 were designed using 3D modeling and finite element analysis. I want to be a part of this industry, and I believe attaining a graduate degree in mechanical engineering is the best way to attain this. Having spoken with Professor xxx, and several computational modeling graduate students I feel that xxx's program is the best fit for myself.

I would really appreciate any feedback. Thanks!