<p>Hi, guys. I'm here to spill my guts. Even though the deadline for Haas stuff passed on Wednesday night, and even though this might not be the most appropriate forum, I'd still like to get some feedback on my profile. I wasn't able to get very much before then, no matter how hard I tried. I definitely wish I'd found this site much sooner. Oh, well.</p>
<p>Attached are my relevant (prerequisite and breadth requirements) grades and my <em>sigh</em> personal statement. Most of all, I'd like to get responses from current Haas students and alums, but I'm open to anything.</p>
<p>Thank you very much in advance.</p>
<p>Current university: University of California at Riverside
Overall GPA (as of Fall 2005): 3.833
Honors & Awards: Dean's List (W05, S05, F05); University Honors Program (Offered to outstanding freshmen)
Community service: English Conversation Partner (01/05-Present); International Peer Advisor (August 2005)
Extracurricular Activities: Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity - Member since W05</p>
<p>Coursework:</p>
<p>BSAD 010 - Introduction to Business - PL (Spring 06)
MATH 009A - First-Year Calculus - A (Winter 05)
MATH 009B - First-Year Calculus - B (Fall 05)
ECON 003 - Introduction to Microeconomics - IP (Winter 06)
ECON 002 - Introduction to Macroeconomics - A (Fall 05)
STAT 048 - Statistics for Business - IP (Winter 06)
CS 008 - Introduction to Computing - IP (Winter 06)
AST 152J - Themes in Modern Japanese Literature: Classics & Canon - A (Fall 05)
ENGL 001A - Beginning Composition - A (Winter 05)
ENGL 001B - Intermediate Composition - B+ (Spring 06)
ENGL 001C - Applied Intermediate Composition - PL (Spring 06)</p>
<p>(Arts & Humanities breadth) JAPAN 5 - Second-Year Japanese - A (Summer 05 @ UC Santa Barbara)
(Arts & Humanities breadth) JAPAN 6 - Second-Year Japanese - A (Summer 05 @ UC Santa Barbara)
(Int'l Studies breadth) JPN 101A - Third-Year Japanese - A (Fall 05)
(Phys. Sci. breadth) AP Chemistry - 3
(Soc. & Behavioral Sci. breadth) RLST 005H - Honors Introduction to Asian Religions - A (Winter 05)
(Soc. & Behavioral Sci. breadth) RLST 142 - Chuang Tzu - A
(Soc. & Behavioral Sci. breadth) AP US History - 3</p>
<p>Personal Statement:
What makes you unique compared to other undergraduate applicants and how do you see those unique assets adding value to the Haas Community, both during your time at Haas and later during your professional career?</p>
<p>Since my sophomore year in high school I have had a strong interest in Asian culture--particularly that of Japan. I spent countless hours reading about Asian history and studying Japanese on my own before entering college. My original plan was to major in Asian Studies, with the aim of doing academic research. Observing the interactions between countries like the United States and Japan throughout history sparked my current interest in varying approaches to problem solving among people of different backgrounds. However, I have since decided that academia is not for me because it does not involve the same kind of dynamic, hands on work environment I always read about; I discovered that I prefer to learn about people by living with them, working with them and studying alongside them, rather than by reading and writing about them. However, I believe that the upper division coursework and foreign language study I engaged in before I decided to pursue a different discipline sharpened both my analytical and my communication skills in ways that probably would not have been possible if I had always been a pre-business student. I am glad I did some serious soul-searching before making this move.</p>
<p>For the past year, I have been a conversation partner for international students at UCR. Most of the people I have met have been business majors, and I consider several to be among the best friends I have made in college. All have been from countries in East Asia, and although many of them have been in the U.S. for months, I am the only American friend many have managed to make because of a language barrier that does not make communication as difficult as many people have led themselves to believe. All it takes is a little patience and empathy. Being a student of a foreign language myself has definitely lubricated these relationships.</p>
<p>Considering the demographics of the student body at Haas, my people skills will be a critical part of forming friendships among like-minded classmates that will last a lifetime, and likely transform into powerful networking opportunities and professional relationships upon graduation. Also, as a biracial American, I believe that my enthusiasm about pursuing a career in business in East Asia will enhance the social climate both at Haas and in the world of businessboth in the east and the westby showing the extent to which the world can profit from all kinds of exchanges between cultures.</p>
<p>Completing my education at UC Berkeley is definitely the key to unlocking the social and career opportunities I have always dreamed of. My academic and my ethnic backgrounds will definitely make the Haas community and the professional world more divers, and my contribution to the pool of ambition among students and alumni of Haas will be a considerable one.</p>