From NTU Accounting to Purdue MSBA: His Study-Abroad Application Journey ft. Joe

Joe graduated from the Department of Accounting at National Taiwan University (NTU). He has interned at KPMG, worked as a project assistant for the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), and taught science at an elementary school, among other experiences. He's about to head to Purdue University for a master's in Business Analytics and Information Management. In this interview, Joe shares in detail his motivations, how he prepared, and what he went through in planning his future career during the study-abroad application process. We think his experience will be very rewarding for students who want to study business analytics, or who are exploring how to combine their interests with a career.

Hi everyone, I'm Joe (盧宗佑). I graduated from the Department of Accounting at NTU in 2022. In college I interned in the audit department at KPMG. After graduating I first did my military service, then taught at Huwei Elementary School. I'm currently an NSTC project assistant in NTU's Department of Accounting. This summer I'm heading to Purdue University for a master's in Business Analytics and Information Management. I'm glad to share my education, my school application process, and my career plans and takeaways with you today.

What studying abroad means, and what got me to apply

I think studying abroad isn't only a chance to learn and advance your education; it's also a process of broadening your horizons and improving yourself. Studying abroad exposes you to different cultures and widens your international perspective, while also improving your language skills and professional abilities. These experiences will lay a solid foundation for your future career.

I became interested in business analytics and information management back in college. I chose to major in accounting partly because I have relatives who work in accounting, so I knew a fair amount about the field and at first planned to go into it. But through my internship at KPMG, and from watching how alumni worked at accounting firms, I gradually realized that in business, besides accounting expertise, you need to master many other professional skills to have more options and an edge in your future career.

My love of baseball was also part of my motivation for studying abroad. I regularly use programming languages to analyze player performance, and I'm really interested in the field. American sports culture draws me in, and that's one of the main reasons I decided to study in the US. I also think NTU's College of Management exposed me to a lot of study-abroad information, and advice from professors and classmates helped my study-abroad plans a great deal.

Facing challenges, and what I went through

While preparing my applications, I also ran into some challenges. Especially during the pandemic, with many internship programs canceled, I had some trouble finding internships, so when preparing my application materials I couldn't really use internship experience to strengthen my profile. But that pushed me to work harder at learning programming and data analysis to make up for what I lacked.

In college, besides my department's courses, I took several programming courses outside my department, including C, Python and R, and these skills played an important role when I applied to grad school. Although I worked relatively hard in college, looking back I think I could have been more focused and worked harder to build more skills, which would make things easier for me in future work.

Why technical skills matter

When applying to business analytics and information management master's programs, "technical skills" are a very important part. Although these fields focus more on applied knowledge, some programming ability is essential. Because I took the initiative to take several programming-related courses in college, those skills played an important role in my applications.

In my master's admission interview, the interviewer asked in detail how well I knew programming languages and how I applied them. My everyday study and practice let me answer these questions confidently. I gave real examples to prove my abilities: I talked about how I use programming languages to analyze baseball data, which left a strong impression on the interviewer.

How I prepared, and where I got help

After deciding to apply to Purdue University and other schools, I started preparing for the relevant tests and application materials. I signed up for the GRE and the TOEFL.

• GRE: I took a GRE course at a prep school to better understand the test content and strategies, but I think the prep school's main role was providing study materials; the real learning still comes down to you.

• TOEFL: For the TOEFL I mostly studied on my own, and for speaking I found teachers on an online platform to practice with. I think these methods are more flexible and let you work on your own weak spots

I also used a study-abroad agency to help prepare my application documents. They helped me organize materials, write application letters and polish my writing, which is very helpful for people who tend to procrastinate. But many friends have also said that if you think you have enough time and resources, preparing on your own is an option that saves money, and many people have also gotten into their dream schools through self-study and online resources. So although prep schools and agencies help to some extent, what matters most is your own preparation and effort.

While preparing, I especially emphasized my career goals and how I'd prepared in my application documents. For example, I described my love of baseball in detail and gave examples of how I use programming languages to analyze baseball data. I believe these stories left a strong impression on the interviewers and made them more curious and interested.

What I went through

Looking back on my applications, I went through a lot of challenges and difficulties, but I also learned a lot. As I mentioned, many internship opportunities were canceled during the pandemic, which made me a bit anxious when applying. But that period also gave me more time to focus on studying and improving my skills.

I think the most important thing when facing challenges is to stay positive and keep up the determination to work hard. Even when things get tough, don't give up easily, because every challenge is a chance to grow. While preparing my applications, I learned how to plan my time better and how to use resources to improve my abilities, and these experiences will help me a lot in my future studies and work. Teaching experience and motivation

Advice for younger students

For younger students thinking about studying abroad, here's some advice.

• Start preparing early, especially for language tests and application materials. The earlier you prepare, the more calmly you can handle whatever comes up.

• Next, make full use of every resource, including your professors, alumni, peers and online resources. Their experience, advice and information are a big help in the application process.

• While preparing, balance studying with rest and keep yourself physically and mentally well. The application process can be busy and stressful, but staying positive and keeping healthy habits will help you handle the challenges better

Reflections and looking ahead

Looking back on the application process, I'm satisfied with what I achieved, but I also realize there's a lot I could improve. Going forward, I'll keep studying hard and building my skills and knowledge to reach my career goals, while staying positive and persistent. I believe there will be more opportunities and challenges ahead.

I hope my experience inspires younger students and helps you succeed in studying abroad and planning your careers.

Joe shared how he went from an NTU accounting graduate to a student about to continue his studies in the US. His story shows that a diverse set of professional skills, a solid business background and finding ways to combine your interests with what you study are all very important in a career!

His example also shows that when you face different challenges, you can always find new ways to learn and handle the changes and opportunities ahead.

Whether you're a student considering studying abroad or a working professional looking for a career breakthrough, Joe's experience can inspire and encourage you. We hope everyone draws strength from his story and keeps chasing their dreams~