SAIF Freshmen| Nan Chen from MF18: From Harvard to SAIF
从哈佛到交大高金，我心动的理由
About Author
Nan CHEN
MF18 Student
Graduated from Applied Mathematics, Harvard College
陈南 （美籍华人）
MF18新生
毕业于哈佛大学应用数学专业
*中文译文请见文末
Hi! My name is Nan Chen, and I am a student studying under the master of finance program at SAIF. I’m writing to not only introduce myself but also to share how I came to choose SAIF as my home for the coming two years. I hope that by writing about my experiences, I can help guide like-minded people into paths that are exciting and meaningful.
About Me
Last
May, I graduated from Harvard College with a degree in Applied Mathematics. Like many of my classmates, I chose to continue my education instead of entering the bullish US job market. The reason was simple— four years of college learning sped by, and despite the all-nighters and the grueling pressure, I was craving more. I wanted to experience new things, meet new people, and confront new ideas. Graduate school offered all the above, so I packed my bags, diploma in hand, and headed to Shanghai for the next chapter of my life.
Before I can elaborate on how I came to this decision, I should briefly introduce myself: I am a Chinese American. I speak Mandarin. I studied at Harvard College concentrating in Applied Mathematics and Economics, and I have a deep passion for policy research and international affairs. I intend to pursue a career that is related to public policy. In the past few years, I had the incredible opportunity to work at a few of the world’s leading policy think tanks. I spent my junior summer researching the Council on Foreign Relations, an international policy institution that played an instrumental role in drafting US-China relations back in the 1960s. (My work involved studying China’s reserve and currency management policies) During the school year, I was a part-time researcher at the Center of International Development based at the Kennedy School, studying how developing countries could achieve sustainable growth. I was captain of the Harvard Billiards team, and I enjoy reading about history.
Why China?
So
why China?” This is the question most asked regarding post-graduate plans. If I were to tell my past self that I will be attending a top graduate program in China, I probably wouldn’t be surprised—at least for the China part. China, for years, has been a destination that I queued up for myself for the near future. I considered studying here as a crucial next step my for own growth: I am invested in China’s development and its integration into the world, and I understood that I had to immerse myself in China to truly appreciate its culture and its perspectives. The question was not merely which program or school happened to be the right choice, but what was the best way to position me for the future and help maximize my value. My reasons for studying in China are simple, yet at the same time, personal—1) I believe that the relationship between China and the US will be one of the most consequential in my lifetime, and 2) I think that by observing and being part of China’s development in the years to come, I can grow personally and prepare myself for a future where China is an essential part of my life.
Why SAIF MF?
Many
of my classmates have wondered how and why I chose SAIF as my next destination. The process goes back to last winter when I was researching and visiting potential graduate programs in China. SAIF was a compelling option for a few reasons.
First, I consider Finance a good fit for my graduate field of study. It naturally builds upon my undergraduate coursework in applied mathematics. I already have considerable experience in courses and research in international finance but lacked a more nuanced understanding of financial industries. I was drawn in by the importance of Finance in the realm of policy, as no industry has the potential to do quite as much good or harm as the finance industry. The devastating effects of the global financial crisis still loom large over the lives of millions, yet a bustling financial system is the backbone of the incredible growth of any economy.
More importantly, the school is situated at the heart of Shanghai, one of the most charming and vibrant financial centers in the world. I am no stranger to this city—flip through my passport, and you will find at least a dozen entry stamps from Pudong International. The Huangpu river nurtured my parents. My grandparents lived in this city weathering the toils and horrors of colonialism and war. And I experienced Shanghai through the lens of its breathtaking modernization. A microcosm of China’s transformation, Shanghai embodies the optimism, resilience, and unbounded energy of the entire country. Frank Sinatra’s famous line attributed to New York can be easily applied here: If I can make it here, I’ll make it anywhere.
The courses at SAIF are taught in English by excellent faculty, and hence require minimal adjustment for me. And since the program is two-years instead of one, I will have more time to both learn about China and contemplate my future. SAIF is host to a respected think tank heavily involved in research on China’s financial reforms. The list goes on.
I chose SAIF after considerable deliberation. I spoke with recent graduates of the program and asked for their impressions. I sought advice from professors who left tenured positions in western universities to pursue their calling in China. I enjoyed my correspondence with an incredibly warm and helpful SAIF admissions staff. In the end, I couldn’t let pass an opportunity to study at a stellar graduate program, in an exciting part of the world, among the brightest and most determined group of people China has to offer.
译文
* 请向上滑动
关于我
你好！我是陈南，目前就读于高金金融硕士项目。这封信不仅是为了自我介绍，还将分享我如何选择高金作为未来两年中勤奋苦读的所在。我希望通过写下我的经历，可以帮助和引导志同道合的莘莘学子走上意义深远的精彩求学道路。
去年五月，我从哈佛大学毕业，并获得了应用数学学位。像我的许多同学一样，我选择继续进修，而不是进入欣欣向荣的美国就业市场。其原因十分简单：四年的大学生活如白驹过隙，尽管在此期间全力以赴，承受了巨大压力，我依然渴望迎接更多挑战。我想体验新事物，结识新朋友，接触新思路。而高金满足以上所有条件，所以我兴奋地收拾行囊，手持着毕业证书，来到上海写下生命中的新篇章。
在详细阐述我是如何做出这个决定之前，我想先进行简要的自我介绍：我是一名美籍华人，会说普通话，曾在哈佛大学攻读应用数学和经济学专业，对政策研究和国际事务有着浓厚的兴趣。我打算从事与公共政策相关的职业。在过去的几年里，我有幸在一些世界领先的政策智库中工作。大三暑假期间，我在美国对外关系委员会中参与研究工作，这家国际政策机构曾在20世纪60年代的中美建交中发挥了重要作用。（我的工作涉及研究中国的储备和货币管理政策。）在大学期间，我曾是肯尼迪学院国际发展中心的兼职研究员，研究发展中国家如何实现可持续增长。我曾是哈佛台球队的队长，也喜欢阅读历史书籍。
为什么选择中国？
“为什么选择中国？”这是人们对于我的研究生计划提出最多的问题。如果我告诉过去的自己，我将会加入中国的顶尖研究生课程，或许过去的我并不会感到惊讶——至少对于求学中国的部分。多年来，中国一直是我为自己在不久的将来列出的目的地。我认为在这里学习是我自身成长的关键下一步：我投身于中国的蓬勃发展以及与世界接轨，我明白自己必须深入中国环境，才能真正欣赏中国的文化和视角。问题不仅仅是哪个项目或学校恰好是正确的选择，更在于如何才能让我更好地为未来定位，帮助我实现价值最大化。我之所以在中国求学，原因很简单，但同时也涉及十分个人化的原因：1）我坚信中美关系将对我的一生意义重大；2）我认为通过观察和参与中国在未来几年中的发展，我可以实现个人成长，为未来准备就绪，而中国也将成为我生命中不可或缺的一部分。
为什么选择高金金融硕士项目？
我的许多同学都想知道我是怎么选择高金作为下一个目的地，为什么会选择高金。这个过程可以追溯到去年冬天，当时我正在研究和参观中国的研究生项目。出于几个原因，高金成为极具说服力的选择之一。
首先，我认为金融学非常适合成为我的研究生专业，能够以我在应用数学专业中的本科学习为基础。我在国际金融课程和研究方面已经具备了相当丰富的经验，但对金融业缺乏更细致的了解。我深刻感受到金融在政策领域的重要性，因为金融业能够带来的积极或负面影响没有其他行业可以比拟。全球金融危机的破坏性影响仍然在数百万人的生活中肆虐，但繁荣的金融体系也是任何经济体实现飞速增长的支柱。
更重要的是，高金位于上海的中心地带，而上海又是全世界最具魅力和活力的金融中心之一。我对这座城市并不陌生——只要翻翻我的护照，就可以发现至少有十几个上海浦东国际机场的入境章。黄浦江曾养育了我的父母。我的祖父母曾居住过的这个城市曾经经历过殖民主义和战争时的惊心动魄。而我则体验了上海令人惊叹的现代化进程。上海是中国转型的缩影，体现了整个国家的乐观精神、坚韧毅力和无限活力。弗兰克·辛纳屈（Frank Sinatra）描述纽约的著名歌词也十分适合这片热土：如果我能在這里成功，全世界都将是我的天下。
高金的课程由优秀教授用英语授课，因此对我来说很容易适应。由于这个项目为期两年而不是一年，因此我将有更多的时间来了解中国，思考我的未来。高金拥有深受尊敬的智库，众多学者广泛参与对于中国金融改革的研究工作。此外高金还有更多优势。
经过深思熟虑，我最终选择了高金。我与这个项目的应届毕业生进行了交流，询问他们的印象。我向多位教授寻求建议，他们离开了欧美高等学府中的终身职位，来到中国履行使命。我非常喜欢与非常热情、乐于助人的高金招生团队进行沟通。最后，能够在全世界最精彩的城市中，与全中国最聪明、最坚定的人才并肩作战，共同聚焦于优秀研究生项目的紧张学习，这个机会怎容错过？
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