My passion for Linguistics; self introduction -

KGSP Graduate Program

rhs 1
Jan 29, 2014 #1
Hi everyone,

I'm going to apply for a scholarship in South Korea and I'm required to write a self introduction.
The self introduction should contain: your course of life, your view of life, study background,
your hopes & wishes, etc; your education and work experience, etc., in relation to the KGSP
program; your motivations for applying for this program; and reason for study in Korea.
I'd be grateful if someone could proofread my self introduction. I'll appreciate any feedback.

Thank you :)

To be honest, I do not remember exactly when I decided I wanted to pursue a career in academia,
a career path which combines teaching and researching. What I am sure is that I always love
school and being in a class. Reading books is also something that I definitely enjoy doing. When
I was in high school, I occupied myself with English books, dictionaries, and things to do to
improve my English language fluency as I always have an excitement and enthusiasm for the
language.

Before enrolling in university, I did not know I would enjoy and have passion for both teaching
and researching. I thought I would only be enthusiastic in studying the English language since
my main goal of studying English in college was to obtain an in-depth study about the language I
was so fascinated by, but after years studying in university, conducting academic researches both
under lecturers' supervision and independently, and teaching as an English tutor, I became aware
of my keen interest in the academic world.

During my undergraduate studies in the English Department at Universitas Gadjah Mada, I have
developed a strong passion for Linguistics, the science of language. The study of Linguistics is
very important because it helps us to become more aware of our use of language, and one of the
reasons for my interest in Linguistics is because it holds the answer to my questions and curiosity
about the English language: the structures, the use in social context, the history and the relation
between languages, the accents, the meaning, etc. This interest in Linguistics was gradually
shaped throughout my life by different ways in which I have experienced languages as a learner,
translator, writer, and as a tutor.

My first teaching experience was being an English tutor when I was in my third year in
university. After a year teaching English to middle school and high school students, I took
different part-time jobs as a freelance translator and an English content writer to gain work
experience. However, the foreign-language teaching program of my community service
reminded me of how vastly I enjoyed teaching foreign languages. The five-weeks community
service, which I did in Sudimara village in Tabanan, Bali, in my sixth semester, gave me another
great teaching experience besides the one I got from being an English tutor. I, together with two
of my friends, taught English and Korean in two elementary schools and one middle school
there, and also helped my friends from the Japanese Language Department teaching Japanese in
those schools.

Studying in the English Department at Universitas Gadjah Mada enabled me to study various
courses in the fields of both English Linguistics and English Literature, but the scientific study of
language seemed to be more appealing to me. What particularly captured my attention were how
sentences of a particular language are structured and how people acquire languages. Thus, I
would like to focus my research on two main areas: syntax and second language acquisition. My
undergraduate thesis, entitled The Classifications and Syntactic Structures of English Sentences
in K-Pop Song Lyrics, achieved a high score and I believe that the researching technique and
academic writing skills I gained during my undergraduate studies will be useful for my future
research in master course.

I believe that completing a course in Linguistics would give me a great advantage in realizing my
professional career as an academic, moreover it would also enable me to continue my studies to
the doctoral level. I am convinced that having the possibility to study in South Korea will propel
my future and benefit me not only academically but also spiritually and emotionally.

The opportunity to study in South Korea would not only provide me with one of the world's best
educations but also introduce me to the country's rich cultural heritage, natural beauties, and
great foods, and also allow me to experience living in a country with a highly competitive market
and advance technology. I decided to apply for the KGSP Graduate Program because I believe
that the knowledge and experience I will gain during the completion of this program would help
shape me into an intellectually competent person and be beneficial in pursuing my professional
career, as well as in the development of my intellect and personality.
In academia, a letter of intent is a formal letter, limiting to about a page, written by aspiring
students to the institute in which they intend to pursue further education. Simply put, it's a
personal essay written by a graduate school aspirant, giving an outline of his profile and
highlighting his intention of joining the said institute (along with reasons to do so.) While your
degrees and certificates give an overview of your academic records, the letter of intent gives an
insight into various facets of your life and helps the authorities judge you as a person.

You need to be thoroughly prepared when writing the letter of intent, as it is meant to help you
make a good first impression on the authorities. Considering the intense competition involved,
with hundreds of aspirants vying for the same spot as you are, the impact you leave on the
authorities becomes all the more important.

A Few Things to Consider

Before you begin writing the letter of intent, create a list of achievements you would like to
mention in it; this will help you format it properly.

You are ideally expected to mention your academic records, achievements, strengths,
weaknesses, and career plans in brief.

It should also have a mention of your long-term goal with reference to the particular course,
i.e., what you seek to achieve by pursuing graduate studies.

Your letter of intent should be free of grammatical errors, as your command on the language
will also be under scrutiny when it comes to first impression.

Avoid redundant statements or including too much details about specific classes you have
taken.

In some cases, the institute itself would provide clues about what it expects, by asking specific
questions. If so, you need to make sure that your answers are to the point.

Keeping your letter short and precise is of utmost importance; unnecessary flattery is not going
to take you anywhere.

It's important to be honest, not just with the particulars, but also with the reason(s) you provide.
If you are shortlisted and they decide to run a crosscheck, you might end up getting caught for
fabrication, and that may result in a blot on your career.

The whole motive of an intent letter is to convince the authorities that you are really passionate
about pursuing your studies in the said institute, without going overboard and trying to portray
something that is not true.

Letter of Intent for Graduate School Sample

Sender's Address
Date: January 21, 2013

Recipient's Name
Designation
Department
Name of the University
Address

Dear Sir/Madam:

I am writing to you to express my interest to take up graduate studies in your department. I have
been aspiring to pursue a Master's degree in Health Informatics at your esteemed university. I
have a rich four-year working experience in the health science/pharmaceutical field, and I have
soaked myself in measureless perception in the pharmaceutical area over the years. I believe that
pursuing the said course in your university will enhance my earlier skills and help me add to my
experience.

I completed my Bachelor's and Master's degree in Microbiology in 2009 and since then, have
been working at MediCrux, an online drug tracking and clinical analysis database, in various
positions. Over the last 2 years, I have been working as a team leader at the firm, and managing a
team has helped me enhance my communication skills and master time management. My
presentations and ability to deliver my points across the table have been praised by the
management and my colleagues alike.

My experience in totality has been extremely enriching and rewarding as I have put in a great
deal of efforts in all my endeavors. Sincerity and hard work were the virtues that were inculcated
in my character since the beginning, and as a result I never shied away from challenges. Learning
on my own and sharing my knowledge with others has been most worthwhile, which I believe
will work towards my advantage in the future.

I wish to pursue further education as I believe that learning should be a continuous process. I also
believe that my personal qualities and the skills that I have acquired will surely aid me in
fulfilling your requirements and hopefully increase my chances of securing a place in your
institution.

To conclude, I look to pursue a Master's degree in order refine my knowledge and skills in my
areas of interest, and graduate study at your university will be the most rational expansion of my
academic pursuits and a major footstep towards attaining my goal of a career as a research
professional at an acclaimed organization. I would be thankful if I am bestowed with an
opportunity to pursue my study in your institute, and am able to validate your faith in me.

Sincerely,
(your name)

Before you send the letter, you should make sure that it's free of any grammatical or factual
errors. For this, you can either proofread the letter yourself, or to be on the safer side, consult the
guidance counselor from your current institute and make the necessary changes.

As with any important document, it is wise to create a copy of your letter of intent and keep it
with yourself. In the worst-case scenario, if something goes wrong you should not have any
difficulty in resending it at the earliest. You need to treat this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
and give it your best shot. Some efforts at this point of time will not just ensure you a seat in a
prominent graduate school, but will also guarantee you a bright future.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/sample-letter-of-intent-for-graduate-
school.html