Prepare a brief but carefully written statement regarding: 1.

) Reasons you want to do graduate work in

this field, 2.) Your specific interests and experiences in this field, 3.) any special skills or experiences that
may relate to an assistantship, and 4.) your career plans. If you use a separate page for this statement,
be sure to list your name, birth date, and desired program at the top of the page.

When I enrolled in college four years ago, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I loved
learning how things worked and to take things apart, I was good at science, excelled in math, was
interested in history and anthropology, and wanted to do everything possible in my four years as an
undergraduate at college. Come junior year, I figured out how to do that.

During the summer of 2008, a friend had given me an article to read which happened to be about
Professor Ian Grosse’s research. I found the article both interesting and stimulating, and decided I
would go talk to Professor Grosse to see if I could aid him in his research. After talking with Professor
Grosse, we decided I would start doing some research for him the following March, and that research
eventually turned into a summer REU. After completing several months of research under him, I came
to realize that this is something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life, and that is when I
decided I wanted to apply to the graduate school engineering program at the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst.

During this summer, I gained many valuable skills and learned how to use multiple useful programs
thanks to Professor Grosse. I was introduced to and learned how to use ANSYS Classic, I learned how to
use ANSYS and ProE to do more than just run simulations and build CAD models and I learned how to
research using scientific articles and how to teach myself to use new programs I have never seen before.

Upon earning my masters from UMass, Amherst’s Mechanical Engineering program, I have a few
different ideas as to what I want to do with my life. After graduating, I may want to go on and continue
my education at UMass and obtain my PhD in mechanical engineering, or I may want to go and get a job.
As of right now, I cannot say for sure what I am going to do. On the one hand I think it would be
fascinating to continue my education and do research on topics that interest me, but on the other hand I
may want to enter the work world in two years and become a professional. Another option I have been
thinking about is going on and to get a second masters in another field, such as anthropology or biology
after I get my first one in engineering. All I can say for sure though is that, whatever I do, I need to do
something that will challenge me every day, something that will give me a reason for getting up in the
morning and motivate me to do my work. If I can find that, I’ll be sure to stick with whatever I’m doing
for a very long time.