Personal Statement Example #3

I was born and raised in Cameroon, a country in central Africa that owns several natural resources; but, still considered underdeveloped. The accessibility of all this wealth diminished my understanding of our economic turmoil. I needed to know why we couldn’t improve our standard of living. All these questions triggered my curiosity to study business. First of all, I took a commerce and economic class in high school. Not only did I learn why some countries are more flourishing than others economically, I also learned that Africa in general, and Cameroon in particular suffers from inefficient civil service, poor infrastructure, and endemic corruption, which marks it unfavorable for business enterprises. After graduating from high school, I decided to gain practical experience in the real world; hence, I did a summer internship in a financial law firm. In that firm, I acquired knowledge on banks and financial institutions, and I was principally intrigued by the way people study business and economic trends to generate proper investments; So, I decided that finance is what I desired to do.

Upon graduation, I hope to meet and exceed my goals by first finding a job as a financial consultant at J.P Morgan or Deloitte Consulting. To begin with, these companies offer an incredible network in a very diverse environment, and also propose many prospects for growth both at a national and international angle. While working there, I wish to gain exposure and learn other functions that would actually bring me to a team lead position. In about 20-30 years, I desire to have developed enough network and work with people who have the same goals as me; sharing their expertise and knowledge with underdeveloped countries about investments and banking. I remain certain that with the right maneuver, these countries can build lucrative businesses and ameliorate their conditions of living.

Although the US has very interesting business programs, I was mainly attracted to Kenan-Flagler Undergraduate Business program. After talking to one of my former professors, I discovered that they suggest a program that allows you to customize your degree with your area of interest. I was predominantly impressed by this factor, as this allows you to develop skills in different zones. Furthermore, I was attracted by their global learning emphasis, which gives their student opportunities to interact with people from different cultures. This would give me the chance to meet and match my objectives with different people in the same industry. I want to study at Kenan-Flagler because they shape their student for today's dynamic and competitive market. Not only would it provide me with the correct resources to be successful, it would also give me the empirical knowledge needed to be productive.