机器学习方向过于饱和，大部分研究者精力放在如何提高模型性能，但收效甚微灌水文章非常多。而真正生活中机器学习应用的障碍在于，数据分散在不同用户手中，例如不同银行拥有不同客户信息，不同医院拥有不同病患信息，由于隐私保护法或商业竞争而无法将数据聚合共同训练机器学习模型，造成众多数据孤岛现象，导致现实世界中大量的数据无法享受到机器学习的红利。将隐私保护技术与机器学习结合提供了解决数据孤岛问题的思路，也是现在最新最火的方向，可以从Gartner Hype Cycle和最近大热的Federated Learning联邦学习得到印证。 （BTW，申请角度来看，躲开AI热门专业降低申请难度，NTU也准备不断拓宽该领域。从就业角度来看，该方向人才更加稀缺，国家（中国）政策利好。可根据申请人兴趣及目标导师设计不同话术。）

I want to work as a social worker to serve low-income Asian American immigrants. My organization will use the data we collect from background, physical and mental health assessments to determine what services are in need, and what programs to provide. Methods and practice with proven results from empirical scientific researches will serve as valuable foundations for program development and grant writing to gain supports and funding from both internal and external resources. For example, if my organization plans to start a support group and organize workshops for Asian American families with schizophrenia patients, we will analyze existing studies on how racial identity, sociocultural needs, language capacity and societal perception affect the recruitment and intervention process. We can also use successful models from other empirical studies as a reference to design our curriculum, and having the proven results in advance will help gather internal management supports, improve staff confidence, and enhance external funds solicitation. Thus, utilizing data and scientific information provides guidance to both micro and macro practices.

1，对于某某研究方向，与我以前的研究方向非常吻合， 并且我已在此领域有一定的知识背景和成果发表，所以对于贵组的此研究领域的拓展会有积极的作用。2， 贵组在此领域依然做出了非常原创性和有意义的工作，我对此非常感兴趣，并且已经阅读了贵组最近的成果。3， 中国目前现在也有一些研究组在进行类似的工作，我希望可以通过在博士期间的学习在博士期间及之后的研究中，构建两边的合作关系。

I developed my strong interest in biomaterials based on proteins during my undergraduate research experience in Prof. XXX’s laboratory. I worked on the synthesis of X protein-mimic nanoparticles for drug delivery applications. I found that through drawing inspirations from nature can we find unexpected solutions to a large variety of real-world problems in the world of material science and engineering. Thus I want to continue this pursuit in my graduate research.

丰富的科研经历对于理工科研究生的申请无疑是大大的加分项。在我看来，本科期间的科研经历是申请所有北美top研究生院所必需的，也是申请人在简历和SOP中要重点书写的，更是获得一个有“说服力“的推荐信的不二法门。我本人在大三上就进入实验室在研究生师兄手下打杂。由于和师兄的关系处得比较好，师兄后来发表的一些文章都把我的名字带上了。在我申请期间，师兄和导师 (在相应科研领域还是小有名气的)都为我写了推荐信。这段本科科研经历和导师的推荐信为我能获得诸多名牌大学的offer起到了相当关键的作用。当然，那些没有那么‘幸运’ 没能在大二大三期间就能选定实验室并取得科研成果的同学也不用悲观，其实评审教授们也清楚本科期间的学术经历更多的是为了培养兴趣，熟悉科研过程并训练科学的思维方法。因此无论是通过大学生暑期研究项目，毕业设计，还是其他的方式，只要在本科期间有一定的科研经历，并且在文书中展现出自己对相应科研领域有见地的理解和展望，都会极大的增强申请的竞争力。我的很多同学虽然本科的科研经历没有特别突出，但是最后也都获得了非常好的学校的offer。关于推荐信，有大牛的推荐信固然好，没有的话也不必恐慌。其实，除了特别有名气的大牛的强力推荐，各大学的评审导师们更关心的还是推荐信的内容所展现的申请人的科研品质。

I want to learn accounting mainly because of interest, and this is affected by my mother, who is an accounting manager in a listed company. I heard some accounting terminology often from my mother when she spoke to her colleagues when I was young, and I was curious about them. Sometimes my mother also talked about her work with me, e.g. how to control risk, the importance of keeping receipts, and the logic of balance sheet, and so on. Furthermore, my family also support me to study accounting, and they gave me some suggestion on career development in the future, e.g. accountant, auditor, financier, and so on. With their suggestion, I also found that accounting is an essential and useful knowledge in the business world. Overall, interest is the best teacher in the world, and I think I am a lucky girl who exactly know what I want to learn.

商科申请时你会发现身边的小伙伴的实习标配一般都是四大、投行和证券， peer pressure 是真的很大。究其原因，一方面你的实习经历可以体现你目前掌握的职场能力，美国商科研究生培养的是应用能力，希望你通过研究生学习能够更快更好地融入工作。另一方面它们也可以很好体现你的求职规划，美国教授非常看重你是不是一个知道自己要什么的同学，将你的实习和申请 PS 结合起来会有不一样的化学反应。考出 TG 固然重要，但我还是很建议你在暑假的时候尽量找一份含金量较高的实习，这可能会比 GMAT 多考 10 分还有用的多。如果 TG 已经让你觉得生活不堪重负，那我建议可以先考试，等到考出理想成绩后，可以找一份远程 实习练一练。关于如何找商科实习，其实微博上、应届生 BBS 上等等很多平台都会有相关招聘信息，到时候你可以关注一下。