Yina Guo

Statement of Purpose

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had a strong interest in mathematics which has only grown with time with my ever-growing exposure to it as well as the events that had shaped my life. At the same time, I also pay close attention to financial events like the infamous Global Financial Crisis of 2008. With these interests as my foundation, I chose Financial Mathematics as my major in my undergraduate school as I believe this is the ideal field where I can exploit my potential and passion to its fullest extent.

I have spent 4 years studying Mathematics, Statistics and Economics in my undergraduate school, and this had given me a solid theoretical base. But I have always felt that all my prior learning has only scratched the surface of the subject and has been lacking in conveying the practical applications of the theory. However, in my junior year, the experience of internship in Fangbao (Beijing) Investment Fund Co. Ltd. Showed me the power of Mathematics when I apply it in real life and the deep connection between Statistics and Finance. What else, I also took part in Student Research Training program (SRT), which was used our mathematic and statistic knowledge to analyze the domestic oil price and international oil price. Through the internship and study during my undergraduate, I realized that I have more interest in statistics which is also important in any field. Fortunately, I am good at some statistical software, such as R, SPSS and MAPLE when I construct a model. This will help me learning new statistical software like SAS.

With my interest and passion in statistic field, I hope I can have an opportunity to learn more deep knowledge in the future. It’s so exciting but surely difficult, and I know I really need to continuing absorb knowledge so that I could apply them in practical. Nowadays, as an INTO Mason Pathways Program student whose major is statistical science, I not only have the chance to improve my English skill but also can expand my knowledge in statistic field. I have three professional courses, Applied Statistics I, Applied Probability and Applied Statistics II. These courses help me to consolidate the knowledge I have learned and also give me a lot of new perspectives of statistics. Based on these, my short-term goal is being a formal student in GMU, and in the future I hope I can find a job like financial corporation or investment bank where I can accumulate experience from the real world.

I know it is till need advanced academic knowledge and research experience, since the challenges and tasks I’ve met during these years have made me realize my own limitations and that there are still many things I can improve upon. That is why I choose to enter a graduate school. When I heard about George Mason University about 3 years ago I was surprised at its strong research capability and excellent teaching ability, especially for such a young university. After a deep exploration to the university, I found I was truly attracted by this school and learning atmosphere. So I believe here is the perfect place for me to give full play to my potential and would surely helps me to my ultimate goal. It will be a great honor for me if I can be a member of yours.