Her
background:
Lily had a good academic record within a top ranking
university in Taiwan, having graduated within the top 15% of
her class. During her undergraduate studies, she also worked
as an engineering research assistant.
|
What
was our strategy? To identify the
schools that were best suited to her goals and
qualifications. The next step would be to plan a
personal statement that would distinguish Lily
from the other applicants and make her
personality come alive.
|
Putting
our Plan into Action:
Researching
the schools After extensive research, we
concluded that M.I.T., Standford, and UC Berkeley were the
best schools for Lily. We identified professors who shared
Lily's research interests.
Presenting
a clear thesis We carefully reviewed Lily's
prior coursework and research. I helped her to formulate a
thesis stating her research plans for the next two years
of her studies.
Creating
a powerful, effective essay After
much discussion, Lily chose to talk about her inspiration
for studying engineering: her father. I thought this was
an excellent idea, as it would show that her family
environment had fostered her passion for engineering.
Lily's
father had received a Ph.D. from an American university and
worked for a leading research institute in Hsinchu, the
Silicon Valley of Taiwan. We mentioned this at the
start of the essay to establish the topic and create a
well-focused essay. We also explained that Lily had attended
a specialized secondary school program geared to the
daughters and sons of engineers in Hsinchu.
Giving
solid evidence of your knowledge Good
recommendation letters from former professors and research
advisors will be provide concrete evidence, examples, and
third-party support, and can definitely strengthen your
application. Also, you can further describe your academic
field of interest with supporting
documents, such as your final research paper and
abstract.
What
were the results? Lily was admitted to her first
choice of schools!
