One of the most common questions that prospective students have asked me was that what brought me here to study in a US school, given that I told them I am an international student. So here, I want to share my thoughts with you in terms of going to Penn.
Actually, coming to US for higher education was not a rash decision. When I was a sophomore in high school, my father wanted to send me here for undergrad. Honestly, at that time, I was not determined if I truly wanted to go to a foreign country for college, not only because it was a big investment, financially speaking, but also because it meant four-year separation from my parents and friends. I was not sure if I was mentally prepared for that. The reason why my father wanted me to go the US was that he thought (it is what many Chinese parents believed) college education is US ranks high in the world, and considering I am good at liberal arts than math and science, the colleges in US might seem more suitable for me. ( Math is really important in Chinese education, especially when it comes to college entrance examination, which could be a determining measurement of what tier of school students could get in.) At first, I took my father's advice, shifting more focus on the application for US colleges instead of working hard to get into the top college in Shanghai. Being a bit afraid of the college entrance examination, I wanted to escape it by going abroad. However, a couple of months later, I realized that my idea was stupid; that going to the US for college was just an excuse to shun the exam sounded ridiculous for me. If I went to the school in a foreign not because I truly wanted to go but because of my cowardness , then I would not be very successful in college because I lacked self-motivation and determination. I always tell myself, " if I don't feel like doing it or if I ever have second thoughts about it, think before I act. " The thinking process would let me calm down, be reasonable and weigh in. Therefore, I gave up college application to US schools and plunged myself into the crazy studying for college exams in China, ending up a good college in Shanghai.
The time I decided to pursue master degree was again my sophomore year in college. ( Looks like the second year was the turning point in each education stage for me.) The reasons were 1). to finish my unfinished dream in high school, but with strong motivation and determination this time; 2). to increase the edge when it comes to job seeking and competition. 3). the focus of my program is one of my interests, and I kind of line up to my major and experiences. My motivation gained from two years of studying in college. My major was English, and I thought, "what was the point of learning English if you didn't go an English-speaking country for an education?" Apart from that, I always wanted to personally experience the differences of higher education systems between the two countries, not just stuck in one mode of learning. For the second reason, it is obvious that having an master degree from a well-known graduate school in US would definitely bring up my notch, comparing with someone who graduated from a local university. So that's pretty much explained why I decided to come here. If some one came up to me and ask, " I don't know if I should apply for a master degree." I'd probably reply, " Take a pause; consider your interests and career; think about what continuing studies would do for you; don't force yourself into doing something that you have doubts about it or simply you not sure; wait till you are fully convinced by your heart saying, "Yes, this is truly what I want." I took a lot thinking before making the decision, and I hope that going to graduate school was not an act on the spur of moment for the applicants.
By the way, Penn is the right place to go if you are sure and motivated. : )
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