Mechanical engineering is the foundation of industry. It plays a key role in the national economy. It’s broad field including general engineering, aeronautical, chemical and nuclear engineering, etc. Provides a sufficient room of choices for me to realize the dream of becoming a scientist or a mechanical engineer. It was with this fact in mind that I decided to choose mechanical engineering as the major field of study for both undergraduate and graduate career at Tsinghua University.

　　During nearly eight years of study at Tsinghua University, I completed a total of 47 courses in undergraduate study, 14 courses in graduate study. The major courses that interested me most included: Theoretical Mechanics, Strength of Materials, Elasticity and Plasticity Mechanical Analysis of Plastic Deformation Processes, Theory of Metal Forming, Computer Language and Programming, Mechanical Design, etc… After graduation, I entered the First Heaby Machinery Works (in northeast of China). During this period, I became familiar with the design and manufacturing of some heavy machines, thus furthering my interest in mechanical engineering. At the same time, I found that many good ideas of design could not be put into existence because of the backwardness in raw material quality and processing techniques. This fact impelled the related areas and me to concentrate my research interest on materials science and processing. Through careful survey, I selected a subject about the quality control of heavy disc forging and took it as my research subject for master degree. After over tow years of investigation, I finally made a great innovation in the forging process, making the end product rate increase from 50% to 90%. In the course of investigation and my later working after graduate study, I also found some problems that are common in mechanical industry. For example, how do cracks in products during hot metal working generate and develop? How to avoid cracks? How do non-metallic inclusions affect the properties of materials? How to control the content, shape and distribution of inclusions in final products? Solution to these problems will improve the quality of many kinds of products. But they are often difficult to be solved because they include knowledge of many disciplines and require many new research methods. I feel that what I have learned is far from sufficient to tackle all the problems. Thus I have decided to continue my education by pursuing a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering in a highly industrialized country like the United States.

　　I plan to complete my degree objective I 3 to 5 year and hope that I will be able to further my knowledge I areas including Solid Mechanics, Materials Science and Processes, CAD/CAM, etc… After completing my graduate study, I will return to contribute my learning to my country. I plan to work as a researcher of a teacher at an institute or a university.

　　范文2：

　　An experienced engineer of security printing with China’s Central Bank, I now would like to scale higher intellectual heights by pursuing Ph. D. studies in mechanical engineering at your university. I believe that my strong background in CAD has adequately prepared me to embark on this endeavor.

　　I have been working since 1996 for the People’s Bank of China, a Chinese version of the Federal Reserve, at its unique research institute of security printing, with the responsibility of designing the Chinese currency and the machinery to produce it. By engaging me in a variety of projects, the job afforded me ample exposure to cutting-edge developments in computer technologies, particularly in CAD software. I have, for example, recently redeveloped a purchased CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to make it more suitable for our own purposes. By adding our own part/subassembly to the database and make our own drawing criteria, we have achieved dramatically better efficiency.

　　My job performance, which has won me professional respect from all of my colleagues, was achieved thanks to the strong background I acquired as a student in computer science. My undergraduate GPA ranked first among the 63 students of classmates in mechanical department, for which I was awarded first-class and second-class prizes many times. My graduate GPA ranked among the top 4% of the 105 students in my year, which won me the “San Hao” scholarship every year during the three years of my graduate studies.

　　Unlike many other Chinese students, who are content with performing well in exams, I made a point of learning through my own hands-on experiences. In the Master’s program at the Beijing Institute of Printing, I gained an in-depth understanding of artificial intelligence, including expert system and genetic algorithm, especially in neural network. For my thesis, I programmed a multi-level BP neural network with C language to analyze my mathematical model, and applied much of my knowledge in optimization. I thus became able to program with a host of different computer languages, especially C++, with which I helped my graduate advisor to design a paper-cutting machine. To analyze the mechanism statically and dynamically, I programmed a software system to analyze and emulate it on screen. In undergraduate studies, I had often programmed with Fortran77 and the Basic language.

　　Upon the completion of my Master’s studies, I easily passed the doctoral record examination in CAD/CAM of Beijing University, one f the top universities in China. But I gave up the opportunity in order to gain more practical experience in the industry. The decision proved to be right, as it guaranteed me better access to sophisticated facilities, such as state-of-the-art personal computers. With the People’s Bank of China, I have thus accumulated solid expertise in many kinds of operating and application software systems, particularly in CAD. I now have a firm grip on the latest developments in computer science in China.

　　The challenges I met and the successes I achieved at the People’s Bank have not only endowed me with confidence but also fired off my desire to further improve myself. I have enjoyed high-quality and efficient production with the use of a kind of PC-based CAD software, MDT, developed by Autodesk Corporation. I now have a dream: some day, every person can design his favorite product with some sort of CAD software, and then search for an ideal factory over high-speed internet its production; and the factory will put specifications of the product, as it has received them via the high-speed internet into its CIMS, and out pops the product, as designed, at the end of the factory’s production line. It is a beautiful dream for every engineer, but many difficulties the speed of data-transfer and how to manage the product data among CAD, CAM, CAPP and CAE systems. These questions are fascinating, and I would like to come up with my own answers to them.

　　To prepare myself for advanced studies in your country, I have persisted in improving my English proficiency. As demonstrated by my score of 700 (96%) in the verbal section of GRE, I now have an adequate command of English for undertaking graduate studies in your program.

　　After carefully comparing the strengths of many universities, I find Mercy University particularly suited for my purpose. It has got the best combination of quality faculty, many state-of-the-art facilities, and an intriguing academic environment. Currently, China still lags significantly behind Western countries in mechanical engineering. I hope that, with a few years of graduate studies under your seasoned guidance, I will be able to return to my motherland and help bring mechanical engineering in my country to international standards.

　　Although my ultimate objective is a Ph. D. degree, I am willing to do a Master’s degree if necessary. In either case, I would like to concentrate my studies in one or a combination of the following areas: CAD, CAM, CIMS, Computer graphics, Mechanical design, Mechanical manufacturing, Optimization, Artificial intelligence, and Robotics. Your favorable evaluation of my application will be highly appreciated.

　　范文3：

　　The heights by great men reached and kept, were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.

　　--My Motto

　　While I was still as freshman in 1991, I took part in a project in which a milling machine design done by Germans with CAD technology twenty years before was closely duplicated. Staring at the German blueprints, I was struck dumbfounded by the technological gap between the world's leading industrial countries and my motherland. That experience has been goading me to delve deeper and deeper into research of Mechanical Engineering ever since. I felt then that it was my responsibility to help close the gap. Over seven years has passed, and I am glad to say that I have done my share to my country's technological progress in my field. But to actually help put my country at a technological par with that of the West, I must receiver advanced education in a Western university. For that, I am now applying for Ph. D. studies in your distinguished program.

　　Born into a family of academics, I was regarded as a gifted boy in my childhood, as I kept bugging my parents for books of history, nature and science to read when my friends were still engrossed in cartoons and bedtime stories. Watching my intellectual growth closely, my parents always obliged my request.

　　On the strength of my performance in the National University Entrance Examinations, I gained acceptance in 1990 into the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Huadong Institute of Technology (HDIT), a significant cradle of engineering talents based in Shanghai, the country's economic capital. But I did not confine myself to taking courses in my department. In order to satisfy my curiosity in modern science and science and enrich my knowledge, I learned not only the fundamentals of Mechanical Science such as mechanics, metals, process and materials, but also some other courses like Discrete Mathematics. Advanced Algebra, Group Theory etc by auditing them in other departments. My overall GPA was consistently among the top 5% and I received consecutive scholarships for all four years, including Excellent Undergraduate Scholarship of HDIT, the highest honor conferred only to the most distinguished and promising student in an overall evaluation.

　　Thanks to my strong academic record in my undergraduate studies, I won admission into the Maser's Program of Mechanical Engineering at the Zhejiang University (ZJU), currently the country's largest higher-learning institution. I was waived the normally mandatory Admission Test. Focusing my research on Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing, I achieved an overall GPA that was undisputably the best in my class of 30 students. In recognition of my achievements, I was awarded the Guanghua Scholarship, the highest scholarship at ZJU, in two consecutive academic years (1995,1996).

　　Shortly after my enrollment at ZJU, I was assigned as a research assistant to Professor XXX, Vice President of ZJU in the university's CAD Center. Because of my apparent academic strengths, I was encouraged to independently engage in solving the two-dimension irregular shape layout problem in terms of the application of mathematical model of optimization. Through nearly one year hardworking, I came up with three kinds of two-phase heuristic algorithms and a new geometrically-based algorithm.

　　In October, 1995, our research team began to take part in a project Integrated CAD/CAM System for Sheet Metal, part of the country's strategic high-tech development program, dubbed the 863 Program. I first developed the Flat Parts Layout Tool on the basis of my layout algorithms. I then developed a 3D Parts Unfolding Tool, which can convert the part initial 3-D model to 2-D pattern automatically by focusing on the research of anti-process of unfolding: bending process and creating a library of parametric typical shapes. Finally, we developed a software package Inte-SheetMetal, using AutoCAD as the graphic interface and C++ as the main programming language.

　　While I was doing the above project, I finished my Master's thesis: "Research and Implementation of Sheet Metal Part Unfolding and Optimal Layout", which proposed a new approach of obtaining 2-D pattern from 3-D design model and generating certain layout schemes for process planning and manufacturing.

　　Since my graduation in July1997, I have been working as a Research Engineer by the Engineering Design Research Laboratory, CERIS. The primary goal of research conducted in this lab is to develop Engineering Design methodologies and techniques to permit rapid, accurate, conservative design and fabrication of present-day mechanical products.

　　As a member of the lab's staff, I have participated in the GaoHua-601 Project, a large project supported by the China National Ministry of Machine Building Industry. Its goal is to develop many rapid-prototyping systems that will produce prototype parts from concept models as soon as possible. Perhaps because I was familiar with the fatal drawback of conventional CAD/CAM systems, I witched my interest to emphasizing "How to improve the information exchange between design and manufacturing processes?" and thus chose the subproject: "Feature Based Technology in Injection Molding Design."

　　Based on the RPDS (Rapid Product Design System ) other researchers have developed within the Pro/Engineer software environment, I modified the basic data structure of part model and proposed a novel Unified Structure Model (USM). Characterized by its geometric feature parameters and non-geometric feature parameters such as material, process etc., this model provides an efficient framework to maintain the whole product development process. Currently, I am developing a special feature "Definition & Recognition" based on the USM with the help of two members of our research team. In general, I have been developing most of the core models and responsible for integrating all the models into a prototype system. Through these experiences, I have learned the most valuable lessons in my study and work: diligence, team spirit and creativity are the three necessities for successful research work, and I am now confident that I can embark on research work in a new field.

　　As the world awaits the onset of the 21st century, mechanical engineering is playing an ever-increasing role in serving global needs. As mechanical engineers, we should be able to conceive, plan, design, and direct the manufacture, distribution, and operation of a wide variety of devices, machines and systems for energy conversion, aerospace applications, environmental control, and many other applications. In doing all or any of this, we are necessarily involved in computer-aided design and manufacturing, product development, theoretical and applied research.

　　The Mechanical Engineering Department of University of XXX, known for its meticulous work ethics and stimulating academic atmosphere, is the place I have long admired. I am sure that my enterprising spirit, under the seasoned guidance of your distinguished faculty, will translate into knowledge and expertise beneficial to both United States and China.

　　My degree objective is Ph. D, and my major academic interest lies in the following areas: 1) CAD/CAM/CAPP, 2) Computer Graphics & Simulation, 3) Feature-based Design, 4) Design Optimization, 5) Sheet Metal Production, 6) Die and mould Design & Manufacturing. There are several reasons I am confident that I can do well in the courses and research work relating to these areas. Firstly, I have been involved in Mechanical Engineering for about eight years and gained a lot of tremendous experiences in such diverse such as automation and computer. Furthermore, through the "work and study" experiences, I have accumulated lots of practical and theoretical knowledge, not only from books but also from actual work in my interested fields. Finally, I know that I am a quicker learner, and I tend to assimilate new materials in relative ease and speed. This will equip me well to meet the rigorous academic challenge posed in your curriculum.

　　If I am lucky enough to be admitted and financially supported by your esteemed university, I would like to spend three to four years pursuing my Ph.D. in the above areas. After completion of the studies, I will return to my motherland and contribute my learning to improving my country's mechanical industry.

　　范文4：

　　I was born into a poor family in a remote mountainous village in Shandong Province. The untimely death of my uncle, who was very close to me, because of illness and poverty shocked me to such an extent that I once decided to drop out of the school and to help support the family. But my parents did not allow me to do so. Illiterate as they were, they nonetheless understood that "Education is the key," and were anxious to put this key in my pocket, in spite of all their difficulties. With the growth of age, I now have a much clearer sense of purpose for my life, which is not just to help one family, but to lift many more out of poverty and ignorance.

　　I remember that I proved to be a fast learner as early as at elementary school. For instance, I was the only one student in the entire school who could solve linear equations with two variables. At high school, my favorite subjects of learning were Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. Every year, I participated in national or provincial contests in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry for high school students, and won either a first or a second prize. With this kind of training, I gradually developed a confidence in my ability to compete effectively in any academic circumstance. In 1996, I entered the famed Tsinghua University as a student majoring in Precision Instruments and Mechanics, with scores at the National University Entrance Examinations ranking the first in the region and the fifth in the province.

　　In Tsinghua University I found the gateway to the beautiful garden of Mechanics. What I saw in its Micron and Nanotechnology Center, such as electric generators only a few microns large, and various laser devices in precision measurement, carried me away completely. When I learned that in near the future, Nano-electronics could produce pocket-sized giant computers, and make fragile porcelain ware exceedingly robust, and, especially, that Nanotechnology will play a central role in the development of Information Technologies, more than Computer does, my mind was made up to pursue a career in this exciting area, for the rest of my life.

　　During my undergraduate years, I built a solid foundation in the Basics of Precision Measurement, Material Science, Precision Equipment Engineering, and other related areas, earning excellent academic records. In addition, I made concentrated effort in developing a strong ability in lab research, especially during my undergraduate senior studies and during my Master's Program. I once designed a piezoelectrically driven micro-jet, following the idea of the spray mechanism of the ink jet printer with certain micro-mechanical processing. On the basis of this research, I invented a new model of micro-jet for lung treatment. During the several months of lab research and the writing of my graduation thesis "Experimental Research on Micro-jets," I learned a great deal about power electronics, microelectromechanic systems, silicon processing, and engineering mechanics, and significantly enriched my lab experience through dozens of lab testing projects in precision measurement, in areas such as the sugar thickness sensor, designs of precision mechanics, the appliances of microcomputer, the applications of multimedia technologies, and the use of the single-chip computer.

　　Besides lab research, I also did part-time work with three companies, involved in the research and development of products of micro-mechanic systems, database, and the GIS. With these work experiences, I developed an ability to conduct research work in corporal environments, and also attained a keen insight into the practical and commercial sides of micro-mechanics. I applied my knowledge of MEMS to the preparation process of the micro-flow sensor produced by the company. For this project I looked up a large amount of technical literature, which also involved much translation for those who could not read in English. My English improved considerably, after many hours spent in the library reading IEEE publications. In this environment, I remain a fast learner, because I have learned how to learn, not just what to learn. I in fact learned some of the computer programming software, such as Visual Basic, Visual C++, and Delphi, on my own.

　　It was also during the lab experiments that I notice that most of the key equipments I used in the lab were foreign imports. Since the manuals that came with them often did not cover all the technical details of their internal structures, it made them rather difficult to operate. With this experience I began to realize that China is still way behind Western countries in the development of precision engineering. I wish to pursue a higher degree abroad, with a focus on MEMS, and especially on micro-mechanical systems. To my great surprise, I found that Arizona State University has a highly advanced graduate program in Mechanical Engineering, which will meet my needs perfectly. I have visited the web page of the university several times, and have some contact with Professor Ampere Tseng, whose research areas seem very attractive to me. Professor Tseng has in fact encouraged me to apply to its graduate program.

　　There remain some problems in the lab experimentation that cannot be solved with all the knowledge I presently have. For instance, how can we produce orifices smaller than those already produced with more refined precision technology so that we can observe their dynamic characteristics? To realize this, all the technical details of the system have to be taken into consideration. The system not only consists of the objects to be processed and the processing devices, but also consists of the working environment, mechanical and environmental control, training of the operating personnel, specifics of operation, and the fundamental understanding of the entire process. All those procedures must be properly handled in order to ensure the successful production of the smallest orifices possible, with perfect accuracy under the help of the most sophisticated precision instruments. I look forward to finding answers to this and many other problems during my graduate study at ASU.

　　In my future program at your prestigious graduate school, I intend to concentrate on the following areas of study: (1) MEMS; (2) CAD/CAM/CIMS; (3) Micro-Mechanical System; (4) Micro-Flow; and (5) System Control. In accordance with this, I would like to divide my studies into three distinctive stages. First, I will continue with my studies of the foundational courses in MEMS to construct a firmer theoretical basis to expand the related knowledge in electro-mechanical integration. In the second stage, I plan to undertake some research projects that can demonstrate leading technology and creativity, especially in the field of MEMS technology and its application, so that I may develop myself into a specialist in this field. Finally, since the 21st Century is bound to be a century of nanotechnology and since China's accession into WTO has created many technical challenges and opportunities, I believe that nanotechnology, especially MEMS, will become the prevalent technology in the new millennium. This will be a rare opportunity for the maturation and the development of nanotechnology and its products. By that time I can contribute my professional expertise to this important process as a leading scientist in China.