Discuss the career objectives you expect to achieve five years from graduation and how an MS degree, particularly one from SCU, will help prepare you for those objectives. (500-700 words)
After working as an accountant for more than 7 years, I started to think about my future again. Providing accurate financial data for the management to make decision is important, but to analyze the data and participate more directly into the decision making process is more appealing to me. Located in the Bay area, I see many opportunities for me to seek a mid-level manager position in a large company five years after getting my Master's degree in finance. I am especially interested in the field of corporate finance (treasury operations). I hope I will become a vice treasurer, senior financial analyst or a manager of a team with the finance or investment group.

Specifically, my interest lies in the capital management for a comparatively large company. I can see myself in a position where my past accounting knowledge becomes very useful asset, and based on that, I should have more decision making power. My goal is to help my future company to raise money wisely, spend money reasonably and invest money efficiently. I believe, 6 years later from today, I should have successfully turned my career path from accounting to finance.

I have a very solid base of knowledge to reach my goal. As a CPA with tremendous professional experience, I have a deep and thorough understanding of accounting, which is the fundamental language of finance. The CFA exams I have passed further enhanced my view of the finance and investment world. I am so close to the gate that I want to get into. I see the path I want to take, yet when I try to push the door open, I feel that I will need a little bit more strength. And here, is how the MSF program offered by SCU can help me out.

The MS program in finance is unique and it fits my needs well. As above stated, my goal is not to become a general manager, and I have very specific interest in finance; therefore, the focus on finance is exactly what I want. The program can help me in many ways: sharpen and refresh my knowledge, provide me with a new and stronger credential and help me to establish a network for my future career.

Firstly, I have been away from any really challenge work for some time for the family, and my knowledge base is largely accounting, while it is useful, it is certainly not enough. The breadth and depth in finance offered by this MS program will help me build up the new knowledge I need and bring me to a new level. Secondly, in my education background, my BA degree is in education, and that may not help me too much to reach my new career goal. A master's degree in finance is a strong addition to present myself in the future. And thirdly, I am pretty new in Bay area and in the financial world as well, I hope I can meet more people from the study. The professors, my fellow classmates and the alumni from SCU are all wonderful resources.

My goal is clear, and I am determined to follow my dream. I need some guide, and I see my opportunity with this new MSF program. Hope the new program can create a new me, and on the other side, my future success will benefit the program in the long run.
Discuss a current event or trend in the finance/economics field you believe may impact your intended career and how you might tailor your MS program at SCU to help prepare you for this. (500-700 words)
As any other field nowadays, the finance/economics field is changing quickly and dramatically. There are many trends that can affect my career, probably in the very near future. The globalization, the cries for new regulations, the rise of new technology and the increase in offshore services… just to name a few. While I believe the financial world will move towards a healthier environment overall, i.e. people will see more financial choices and get financial information more quickly, accurately and from more