A student of the Peking University’s inaugural program of advertising, I am writing in support of my application for acceptance into your graduate program of communication studies. With my solid education and my professional experience that is as colorful as it is rare, I believe that, with your seasoned guidance, I can build upon my strong background, for a pioneering career in China’s booming advertising industry.
At Peking University, dubbed the Harvard of China by President Clinton on his recent trip to Chins, I have been a student star on campus due to my outstanding academic performances. When I entered into this university in 1995, I already stood out among my crop of freshmen, having won a total of scores in the 1995 National College Entrance Examinations that was the fifth highest in Beijing. A fervent fan of my chosen subject of studies, I have proved myself as much of an intellectual wizard in higher learning as I was in grade school, as demonstrated by my grades, which placed me at the very top in my class of 23. My GPA in the first three years is 89.5, a rarely seen high grade in PKU. My GPA for core courses is over 90, far higher than that of my fellow students. I was the only one who received 100, the full mark, in two theoretical courses, the advanced mathematics and appreciation of fine arts. In practical courses like computer design, my grades were also high, sometimes as high as 96. In recognition of such stellar performances, I have been named the top student of the department and granted Academic Excellence Scholarships for three consecutive years. I was elected the Student Representative for Academic Affairs.
But I was no bookworm. To broaden my vision and enrich my knowledge, I also chose electives in such fields as Russian Literature and Chinese History. I have spent considerably more time in the library than my classmates. The more I learnt on campus, the more I hoped to see the real world outside the ivory tower. So in the first summer recess, I applied for a temporary job at the Yaxing Advertising Agency, affiliated with the China Sports Daily, when most of my friends and classmates were enjoying themselves at home or travelling around. Appointed as the accounting executive assistant, I helped organize a promotional event for the Atlantic Olympic Games. This job gave me a picture of China’s advertising industry.
In the first semester of the academic year 1996-1997, I worked part-time with the PKU TV Net, where I was offered a splendid opportunity to improve my ability in journalism. Being a Weekly News broadcaster, I regularly faced tens of thousands of audience, which greatly increased my confidence. I learnt to think independently and cooperate wit others when doing the series reports “PKU students’ life”, a program which was mainly about student recipients of prizes in national and international contests. Conducted with creativity and diligence, the program was placed among the best programs in the PKU TV Net.
Unlike most other students, I have never stopped working while in school. From September 1997 on, I have been working as a research assistant in CCTV’ s Qiantu Advertising Company, the sixth biggest in China. My responsibility is to establish a market database. Difficult as it was, I have handled it without a glitch. I have also done part-time work helping to promote the President Food Corporation and served as a research assistant in the S & D Research Agency, a consulting firm specialized in conducting market surveys for multinationals in China.
With special skills in Chinese calligraphy, I taught calligraphy in the China Children’s Center, the best of its kind in China. My students, mostly six to twelve years old, had difficulties in understanding the aesthetics inherent Chinese calligraphy. To help them, I taught them Chinese poems and ancient characters instead of confining myself to only calligraphy. The approach turned out to be very effective, and their skills improved dramatically. In these and other similar experiences, I gained skills of interpersonal communication, particularly in terms of how to understand other people’s problems and how to help them out.
It is in my working experience that I first developed the desire to pursue advanced studies in a quality graduate program in the United States. As an intern with the Dentsu Young & Rubicam Advertising Corporation, one of the world’s largest communications groups, I now witness firsthand the dramatic social and economic changes engenderd by the proliferation of digital technologies and increasing corporate globalization. These changes have created the highly sophisticated information society. Trying daily to develop wordings that could catch people’s attention in this complex society, I have acquired a heightened sense of urgency about improving attention in this complex society, I have acquired a heightened sense of urgency about improving China’s advertising industry at both theoretical and practical levels. I believe that advertising expertise from such advanced countries as the U. S. and Japan would certainly help China. In order to command such expertise and then introduce it to my country, I am making this application so that I can have a firm grasp of the advanced theories and practices your country has developed in communication field, particularly in respect of advertising.
I believe that my English proficiency is more than sufficient for me to undertake the kind of studies that I am seeking through this application. I have scored well in such English language tests as TIEFL and GRE. As a better indicator of my practical language skills, I just finished translating an English book “The History of Graphic Design” into Chinese together with four other translators, including a professor. My writing, listening and oral English are as good as my reading.
This application is being made with a sense of mission. As an undergraduate, I have learned the basics of advertising, and I would be promising in China as a graduate from one of the country’s best universities. With a booming advertising industry in China, I will surely secure a well-paying job. But I cannot be satisfied unless I can help my country as much I help myself. For that, I wish to enhance my capabilities by pursuing graduate studies in such fields as mass communication, communication studies or media studies at a university in North America, where these genres of studies are much more developed than in China. Whatever program I get in, I would like my studies to be focused on the theories of and practices in advertising. If you find me qualified for advanced studies in areas other than those I have mentioned, I would greatly appreciate it if you could let me know any suggestions that you may have.
The University of Hawaii is well known for its unique position as a bridge between east and west. It is well known for its excellence in the communication field, complete with an accomplished faculty and modern research resources. With students from various nations, it provides its students with a good chance to learn from different cultures. It is an ideal place for communication studies. If I am accepted, I believe I can make quick progress in communication studies in general, and in advertising in particular.
I plan to return to China after the completion of my graduate studies either to teach at one of the larger Chinese universities or to lead a Chinese advertising company. In either case, I will bring back what I will have learned. I hope that, when the history of modern advertising in China is written, I will be remembered as one of those who have played a pioneering role in the development of the industry.
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