ME：Nice to meet you, Sir. How are you?
VO: Fine. And you?
ME: I am fine. Thank you.
VO: Why do you want to study in the US?
ME: （做感慨状）Well, I have been thinking about my further study in the future for a long time. There is a center for manufacturing in the University of Kentucky. It has 21 years history of conducting advanced research in manufacturing. It has state-of-art facilities as well as well-known professors. I think it is a very good place for me to carry out my further study in manufacturing.
(这个问题事先准备过，但是回答时候还是跟着自己思路来，没有想着背。看着ＶＯ眼睛，做真诚状）
VO: What specific area in manufacturing do you want to study?
ME: Probably machining. The school let us choose an advisor in the first term. There will be meetings with faculties there and visits to laboratories. But I have contacted a professor. He is in the machining program. He is very kind and said he would like to see me in Lexington and discuss the details about research programs.
VO: Do you have any work experience in China?
ME: No. I have joined the University of Geosciences from September, 2003. And I will graduated in the next month.
VO： Do you have any degrees in mechanical engineering?
ME: Yes, I will get my bachelor degree in mechanical engineering in the China University of Geosciences in the coming June.
VO: Give me your transcript.
ME: OK. Do you want me to open it for you?
VO: YES.
ME: Do you want to see my TOEFL and GRE score?
VO: NO
NO. 2
1． AD LETTER
2． OFFER LETTER
3． RESUME
4． 正式TOEFL，GRE成绩
5． PS
6． STUDY PLAN
7． 本科成绩单
8． 在读证明
9． WRITING SAMPLE
NO. 3
1. UK Center for Manufacturing介绍
2. Machining Program介绍
3. Dry-Near-dry项目介绍
4. 淬火油槽数控系统（自己参与过的项目）
5. Message from the chair
6. Facts and figures on the department
7. Prof介绍
8. Graduate Courses
9. 和系里联系的信件
Study Plan
I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kentucky concentrating in manufacturing. It is the delightfulness of my explorations in the last four years academic training in Mechanical Engineering and related part time jobs that leads me to this decision. From the study and work experiences, I have gained plenty of basic knowledge of this discipline as well as certain level of research ability. At the same time, these experiences lead me to a challenging career goal to become an excellent company leader to provide innovative solutions to manufacturing industry in China. The University of Kentucky provides me the best possible opportunity to get myself prepared for this challenge in the future.
Why I want to pursue a Ph.D. in manufacturing?
I have got direct contacts with manufacturing through my part time job in the factories since I graduated from high school. It is these contacts that spur my strong interests in manufacturing. I study the courses in Mechanical Engineering very diligently and get very good scores. However, this is far from enough to face the problems from my part time job, not to say achieving my career goal to become a leader of a research-focused company.
The leading knowledge and the research ability which I can acquire from the Ph.D. study will no doubt give me much solid foundation and also a broader vision. These two characters are what I consider as a must for a leader who wants to be succeeded in future fierce competitions.
Why I choose University of Kentucky?
There is a UK Center for Manufacturing, whose mission is to enhance the global competitiveness of Kentucky manufacturers through the conduct of quality academic research and the provision of technical assistance and education. The mission is really similar with the mission of my company in the future－to enhance the global competitiveness of China manufacturers through the conduct of quality research and the provision of technical assistance. The center has state-of-the-art facilities as well as outstanding professors. I have studied the websites of it carefully and read some of its publications. The center pays great attention to the application of its researches. I believe it is an excellent place for me to carry out a further study in manufacturing and get me prepared for my precise career goal.
What will I do after graduation?
My long time career goal is to be a leader of a company which provides technical assistance to Chinese manufacturers. After graduation, I will find a research opportunity in a Chinese company. Ideally, I will spend 5~8 years working in this company. This work experience will be of great importance to me for 3 causes:
1.) I will learn further how to solve practical manufacturing problems thorough innovative and systematic research;
2.) I will gain a much better understanding of Chinese manufacturers. What are they doing? What problems do they have? What do they want?
3.) I will learn how a sufficient company is operated. This will be done from what I see from my own work experience and also what I learn from books and seminars on management.
After I have done all of the above, I consider it the time to start my own business. There are 3 causes that I consider China as the best place to start the company:
1.) China is becoming one of the biggest manufacturing centers of the world. It ranks the fourth, after the US, Japan and German. However, because of its low technology level, China’s labor productivity is only 4% of the US and Japan, 5.5% of German. There is great space for technology advancement.
2.) China government pays great attention to the development of manufacturing. It is among the 4 areas which are supported by National Key Technology R&D Program. Special funds are given to relative projects associated with manufacturing.
3.) There are many profiting policies for those who come back and want to start their companies. Up to 60 science parks are designed especially for these companies. In Beijing, Wangjing Science Park is one of them. It will give companies which have a bright future as much as 100,000 special funds. High tech companies will be exempt of income tax, which can be as high as 33%, for the first 3 years; in the 4th~6th year, 7.5%; in the 7th year, 15%. 60 square meters office room is for free in the first year; the second year, 40% rent; the third year, 70% rent. There are even advantages for my kids. They can go to any famous schools belong to Chaoyang District.
In short, I believe my study and research experience in the University of Kentucky, together with the strong market demands and profiting policies in China, will help me greatly to start my own business successfully. I am looking forward to start this exciting journey to my long cherished career goal.
14) What is your plan? What will you do after graduation?
I will specialize in manufacturing and finish my Ph.D study in mechanical engineering in the University of Kentucky in 5 years. This is the first step of my long journey towards my career goal to be excellent leader of a company which devotes itself to enhance the global competitiveness of China manufacturers. With the knowledge and research experience I have gained from my PhD study, I will come back to China and find a research opportunity in a big company. I will work for about 5 years. This is the time I gain more research experience as well as getting to know Chinese market and management of a leading company. Then I will start my own business.
15) Give me three reasons that you will come back to China?
First of all, just as getting my PhD, coming back to China is a necessary step of my career plan. China is now one of the biggest countries in manufacturing, ranking the fourth, after the US, Japan and German. However, the China’s labor productivity is only 4% of the US and Japan, 5.5% of German. Rather than other countries, China manufacturing is in much more need of advanced technologies. What makes it more attracting is that the Chinese market is really very large. The company I have worked for is providing technical assistance to manufacturers around Shanghai. They never worry about have no business to do. Also, China government establishes many policies to encourage the research in manufacturing, for example, National Key Technology R&D Program. Especially, more attractive policies are available for those who want to come back to start their own business, like exempt of income tax for the first 3 years.
Second, I have thought about the value of life for a long time and I consider family to be one of the most valuable things for all my life. I have a big family in China. Every New Year, we have about 20 people around a table. I enjoy that time very much. My parents are really the best in the world. My mother gives me countless cares and my father is my good friend. (There is a very interesting photo here. I think you should see it.)
After getting my PhD, I believe there will be no problem for me to find a decent job in any big cities in China, like Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian, etc. And I will not have any problems about my Hukou. I plan to buy a big house and prepare a room especially for my parents. They may come to live with me at any time they want. I have talked about this with my parents. They can not agree with me more and they are really looking forward to that day. My mother cried for several times because I am living. I won’t be at the table when a family should be getting together. I am very sorry about this. I said to my mother this was only a short departure, which would bring us a much better reunion.
You see that Chinese parents are very different. When kids are young, they will save money for their education. When kids have their jobs, they continue to save money for their wedding, their houses and even cars. They are really too selfless. I told my parents at a very young age that I would like need any of their money to get married or buying a house. But you know, they do not listen to me. One day before the New Year, we went to shopping together. Many clothes had 70% discount. My mother seldom buys new clothes. That day she tried a suit and loved it very much. But when she knew that the suit had no discount, she dropped it and went away. I wish you know how sad I was at that time. I was crying inside my heart. She is my mother. She saves money for me.
Finally, China is really a charming country with too many mysteries. When I was young, I did not understand its beauty. As I am growing up, I gradually fall in love with her. When I was busy preparing for GRE, I read poems of Libai at the breaks. His poems are really excellent. I can feel his feeling through the characters: 举杯邀明月，对影成三人。How lonely he was! After studying late to the night in the classroom, I walked back alone. I looked up and saw a bright moon. Suddenly, I just had the same feeling as Libai.
Besides, I love Chinese philosophy very much, especially 庄子. The world today is somewhat too noisy. 庄子’s words often give me peace in mind. Some of them are very stimulating. For example, one day 庄子和惠子were walking near a pool and there were a lot of fish there. 庄子 said, “How happy those fish are swimming!” 惠子 said,”You were not fish, how do you know that fish are happy?”庄子 said, “You were not me, how do you do that I do not know that fish are happy?” It is really a very interesting conversation. It may have thousands of explanations. My understanding is that in daily life, we judge things on our side too often. Just as another Chinese saying goes “事出必有因”. People have their own reasons to do their things, which may not be understood by others. We should try to think on their side.
Chinese food is also world famous. I love 北京烤鸭 very much! There is thousands of other food that I have not tasted. Also China is a beautiful country with lots of places to go. I have a dream to drive my Jeep to Tibet. I love the film 黄河绝恋 very much and Tibet is one of the purest place in my heart. The blue sky there attracts me greatly.
17) Why do you choose this Univ.?
It is the UK Center for Manufacturing that attracts me greatly. It was born in the same year as I was and now has 21 years history of conducting advanced research in manufacturing. It has state-of-the-art facilities, including flexible manufacturing systems, various machine tools, CAD/CAM systems and so on, as well as outstanding professors. I believe it will be an excellent place for me to carry out further study in manufacturing.
19) Why do you want to study in USA?
Because I believe The UK Center for Manufacturing is very suitable for me to carry out a further study in manufacturing and the study and research experience there will help me greatly to achieve my career goal.