Since childhood, my dreams for the future rotated around two issues: building a successful career that would help me to bring out my potential and seeing the world. In coming to the US, I have partly fulfilled the second ambition. However, I still have to build my career path. In doing so, I want to start from solid foundation that hopefully will be the Bachelor’s program at … university.

Early in my life, I decided on the field in which I am going to develop my career, picking dentistry as a challenging and rewarding career path. Partially, this choice was inspired by the influence of my father who had always dreamt of such a job. Unfortunately for him, this dream was crashed when he was in junior high school with the death of his father. Since that time, he had to work hard in order to make a living for himself and other family members. He was finally quite successful in his field, but the need to put in long hours prevented him from obtaining the cherished education.

However, I do not simply intend to copycat my father’s wishes. Instead, I decided on my own that his dream would lead me to a meaningful, rewarding job that would secure me an outlet for my abilities and career ambitions. My long-standing interest in sciences has also helped me with making my choice as I have always been fascinated with the diversity and beauty of nature and intrigued by its phenomena.

Five years ago, I decided that I really need to fulfil my ambition to receive a competitive education. For this purpose, in February 2001 I came to the US, a country renowned for its strong academic system and in-depth research programs. I transferred to the US high school when I was in the seventh grade and since then found studying here extremely useful due to high academic standards. True, I faced great difficulties at first, coming from a different educational background and being used to different teaching methods. However, after some time here I realized that with good working skills and a solid knowledge base accumulated in my Korean school, I can successfully make the transition and fit into the American academic system.

Beginning my study here, I decided to concentrate on subjects that would lead me to the chosen career path, making my academic courses highly concentrated and targeted at a specific goal. Thus, in my junior year, I took AP chemistry and planned to take a course in biochemistry in order to become a dentist. I have decided on Biochemistry as my major because of my previous acquaintance with chemistry and deep interest in the chemical processes happening in human bodies.

At first thinking of a two-year college, I later changed my plans to certain extent, deciding to pursue a more ambitious goal of a four-year college education. My success in my previous academic courses has persuaded me that I do have the strength, intellect and will power to cope with intricacies of a Bachelor’s education. At the moment, I am a senior in high school who has firmly decided on a career course and is eager to receive an education that will help address this goal.

During my college studies, I plan to combine studies with internships that I consider to be an indispensable part of college experience. Bridging the gap between academic study and the professional world, internships will enable me to obtain first-hand experience and help me define my future professional path. To realize these goals, I hope to secure internships in different settings so that I could get a glimpse of different organisations and review various career opportunities.

I plan to apply the greatest possible effort to completing my Bachelor’s degree in order to gain more knowledge that will help receive an attractive graduate job offer after I am done with college. Choosing my first job, I will be mostly motivated by the desire to seek an occupation that will open up the greatest possibilities for professional growth, accumulation of knowledge and expertise, strengthening my professional and leadership skills. I am positive that in time this focus on professional development rather than monetary gain will justify itself, allowing me to make a greater contribution to the organisation where I will work.

Another professional interest I hope to realize during my graduate school studies is study of Psychology. My interest in this subject is certainly grounded in practical everyday interactions with people. By attending a serious, professional graduate course in this subject, I hope to take my skills to a new level and acquire the opportunity to influence people’s lives in a positive way.

In a few years, after gaining a substantial measure of experience, I hope to return to college, this time taking a graduate course. This desire is motivated by my deepest belief in knowledge as the main component of today’s business and the primary role of colleges and universities as disseminators of this knowledge. After spending some time in the organisational environment, I will be able to structure my course in such a way with the help of the electives that I receive the greatest benefit, choosing courses that will translate into practical work. I believe receiving a graduate degree will spearhead my career, as both increased level of knowledge and credentials will assist me in making a greater contribution to dentistry.

My most ambitious career plan involves building an independent business. At first I plan to gain experience by working in a dental office. At the moment, I have an option of working in a dental office belonging to my father’s friend. This would help me learn the secrets and details of the dental profession that are most easily transferred in a professional setting, from an experienced dentist to the inexperienced one. However, once I feel confident enough in the dental office, I plan to become independent and launch my own dental clinic. I am positive that I will be able to make it successful thanks to my determination and hard work that are bound to win me a reputation with patients in the locale where I will open my dental office.

Besides, this is where my working knowledge of psychology will come in helpful as I will realize the motives of the people, what they seek in the interactions with their doctor, and how to establish contact with a great variety of people. Looking back on my communication with classmates and occasional acquaintances, I can with all certainty say that my sociable and open character can help this business to be successful, and my commitment to doing quality work will help retain existing customers.

I hope to leverage the knowledge obtained at … university to create a foundation for a successful professional career. My interest in the natural sciences, solid academic background, diverse international experience – all this makes me a candidate who can contribute both to the success of the academic program and cultural diversity on campus. I have an intense interest in Biochemistry and Psychology that will undoubtedly help me to overcome difficulties in studying these challenging subjects. Besides, my well-articulated plans for the career will make it easier for me to achieve my goals since I know already at this point what I want to achieve and have a plan on how to do it. In addition, I am sure that my friendliness and helpfulness will make me a good team player and help me build a network of friends on campus.