Ms Xiangqing Shens Choice of Economics - Personal Statement Example

There is a good reason for choosing to major in economics. I come from a business family in China that lays a high emphasis on education, family and social ties, respect for tradition, and hard work to become a good citizen in the community in which one lives. Family background influences the career choice of one, especially in traditional societies like China. My father runs a factory-supported business enterprise, and it was natural for me to pursue education and training courses, which would help me in the future to participate in managing the family business. Quite honestly, I am as much responsible for this decision as my parents have been since that is how it is in my country – the elders exert considerable influence in matters of education. Fortunately, my positive inclination toward economics as the major subject sealed the issue.

Our factory in China employing nearly 600 persons produces a wide variety of stainless steel cookware items. This is a fairly large business and it inevitably creeps into our everyday lives, all time. Family discussions or little talks around the dining table or even while on holidays always end up in business matters, and I was thus exposed to the affairs of our business since childhood. This has kindled an interest in me – first in general factory affairs, and later as I grew up, in the nitty-gritty of running a profitable business venture. I was often to be seen at my father’s office and factory, observing firsthand how he handled his routine work, how he interacted with his staff and workers, and how he dealt with his clients. It is an invaluable experience for me to become aware of the practical world of business, and for my father’s staff and workmen to recognize me as one among them. This was my informal internship and background to my choosing economics as the academic option.

Since completing high school studies, I have been attending working in my father’s office and factory more formally. I do this even now, whenever I travel home on vacation. I have been assigned work in different departments, under the guidance of senior staff. I have worked in the factory assisting the manager and learning the production processes, staff deployment, order processing, and dispatches; in office duties, I have done document preparation and presentation, raising bills and follow up for collecting payments; in the human resource department, I have come to know of staff management, salary administration, and training; in the finance department, I was exposed to the different aspects of the relationship between a business and the banks like capital investments, working capital and stock/bills hypothecation, cash flow issues, etc.

All in all, I should say that I have just begun to appreciate the intricacies of business management and felt the need for a proper professional qualification for a fuller understanding of the processes, especially relating to the economics and financing of a running business. As a first step in this direction, I have selected the subjects of macro and microeconomics, statistics,
social sciences, and business for my major at the SBCC. I have begun to enjoy solving problems in economics subject.


After completing my graduation/post-graduation at the University of California, I wish to return to China and play an important role in the development of our enterprise.
2. What character or attitude makes me a proud person?
I love accepting challenges in life with confidence and working hard to overcome such challenges. Being of Chinese origin, it was not easy for me to learn and master the English language when I first arrived in the US. I have persevered and succeeded in this effort, and today I am quite confident to write and converse in English.
Another instance in this regard is my love for playing instrumental music. The language barrier made this all the more difficult in the beginning when I joined guitar classes in my first year of college. But again, I have overcome this challenge, secured a good grade and today I am a reasonably good guitar player.

I love playing table tennis too – a game that requires very fast reflexes, mobility, and importantly, tactical play. To sum up, as the famous Napoleon quote goes, “Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools” this has become my motto and I strive to live up to challenges.
It will be the same determination with which I will pursue my academic program at the University of California. Later in life, one day I wish to return to this august institution as the Head of our family business and proudly proclaim myself as its alumnus. I must earn that pride by being top-notch in my student life and applying the theoretical knowledge/wise guidance that I receive here to fuel the growth of my family business. Read More