Please limit your answers to 200 words for each of the following.
1. Why do you want to pursue a graduate degree?
I have found in construction management a few topics really fascinating that I am eager to dig deeper into. First of all, I am
enthusiastic about infrastructure system, which has become a critical topic of civilization in modern U.S. as a result of the long history
of most American civil infrastructures. In addition, I have great interest in the human factors of construction productivity, in which I
plan to analyze the functional interactions among the owners, A/Es, contractors and officials. Moreover, I am curious about the
cutting-edge CM techniques, such as Total Quality Management, Lean Construction, etc. All of the above reasons motivate me to
pursue a graduate degree. Most importantly, however, the VCEMP program in Virginia Tech matches my academic plan perfectly.
Academic focus of VCEMP has a wide range of emphasis in the assessment and monitoring of infrastructure; the course of
Construction Performance Improvement uniquely takes human factors into consideration. Above all, ranked as in the top 10 credited
civil engineering department, the CEE Department in VT has internationally honored faculty with advanced expertise and experience.
By working alongside them, I will get the advanced information to put me in a forward-moving construction enterprise with solid
performance and future projections, where I want to add value and continue to move into a leading position. (216 words)
2. Why in this particular area/field?
After the 2008 Olympics dream of Chinese was finally realized by the completion of Olympic Games in the magnificent stadiums in
Beijing, I felt profoundly the power of construction to realize human dreams. With solid mastery of undergraduate knowledge, I
participated in five project designs, three of which I received the highest marks. I applied both bar-chart schedules and Critical Path
Method to procure a comparison of these two approaches. Being cognizant of both features, I drew an Activity-on-Node network
diagram to follow the Critical Path and estimate activity durations and floats, and designed a Gantt chart as an illustration of the
construction scheduling. This summer, thanks to my intense curiosity of construction operation, the project manager in the Beijing
Lihua Real Estate Corporation offered me an internship as his assistant. Studying the considerate project control system, I stepped
further into the EV system and learned that combined with CPM analysis, it provides the means for tracking critical activities and
detecting overall trends in schedule. From the comparison of two methods of estimating EAC- Original Estimate Approach and
Revised Estimate Approach, I discovered that CI is more important than SI because it is a strong indicator of ongoing budgetary
requirements. Based on my knowledge and experiences, I think I am perfectly suitable for construction management. (215 words)
3. What are your career objectives?
Based on my previous jobsite experiences and professional interest in construction planning and assessing, as well as my personality
of accommodating, I plan to enter to the position of Project Planner, or Property Valuer of an international construction corporation in
five years, before I grow further both technically and managerially to be a successful Construction Manager.
The career of Project Planner calls for utilization of activities scheduling and resource allocation so as to monitor the project status,
which is precisely what makes it so attractive to me because of my strong interest in arrangement. In addition, what intrigues me in
Property Valuation is its spirit of analyzing and advising, which requires for good communication and comprehension to others that I
am good at and want to apply into my job.
In determining my career objectives, I have consulted carefully with the project manager of the No.1 Chinese construction enterpriseChina State Construction Engineering Corporation. I feel that my current knowledge and expertise are not yet up to the task that I have
set for myself. I therefore wish to pursue MS studies in Virginia Tech, which will not only help me achieve my professional goals but
also conform to my own ideals in management practices. (205 words)