- *** NEED Computer Science Background Editor *** - Please give one round of critical, substantial, constructive comment on the content and make it convincing and impressive - Direct edit is preferred. Few open questions is appreciated - Need to go deep i

Please read requirement of this Online Master of Computer and Information Technology of University of Pennsylvania from https://onlinelearning.seas.upenn.edu/mcit/

Prompt:

Personal statement (500-1000 word essay) [Trim down to 1,000 words max]

- What makes you interested in the MCIT program? - How will you benefit from the program? - Why will you succeed in the program? - How will you contribute to the MCIT community? - Please describe your career goals and how MCIT Online will help to achieve them.

To reviewer:

· Please give one round of critical, substantial, constructive comment on the content and make it convincing and impressive

· Direct edit is preferred. Few open questions is appreciated

· Need to go deep in editing the personal statement and CV

Personal Statement

The opening bell on the day of the US$4 billion Initial Public Offering of Meituan woke me up from my 10-year-long investment banking career. After advising tech companies on successfully raising over US$39 billion of funding and on investing in various tech start-ups, I decided to follow my heart to make a career change to go deep into the tech industry. Inspired by the positive impacts on people’s lives achieved by the genius founders and brilliant software engineers of my tech clients, I realized that instead of just facilitating the changes, my vocational calling to be more hands-on in building things that have wide and positive impacts on quality of life. To this end, I need the technical knowledge and skills to realize my ideas and get into the core of the tech industry. The obvious first step is to master the skills to be a software engineer. [Q: Any suggestion on how to put the following points? a) Strengthening the sparks of the switch to finance to tech, b) Experienced what I can do with coding / enjoy building things, c) What to make immediate career change now, d) It’s an online degree – Ivy league quality, fully online and flexible, tailored for students without CS background – perfect program for me, e] Empower myself to do ABC]

My long-term career goal is to start my own tech company, developing systems that enable everyone to invest like fund manager with access to information and tools. Before building my company, I want to accumulate adequate experience and knowledge in programming and product management and search for my A-team by developing my network in the community of software engineers and product managers. After the MCIT program, I intend to work as a software engineering or a technical product manager in a tech giant to deepen my understanding of software development and to build up my product management skills. I will benefit from the MCIT program by the skills and experience developed by the systematic and rigorous curriculum, the career resources, and prestigious alumni network. The six core courses will prepare me for the switch into the tech industry, and the electives such as “Applied Machine Learning” and “Software Engineering” will empower me to solve larger-scale problems and develop better software products. The Ivy League alumni network and resources of UPenn will help me a lot down the road on my start up journey. Leveraging my previous fundraising experience, understanding of the capital markets, my background as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Financial Risk Manager (FRM), and experiences in algorithmic trading strategies development, combined with the skills and knowledge that I will obtain from the MCIT program, I aim to advance my career by working as a software engineer or technical product manager following the MCIT program with giants such as Bloomberg, FactSet, Google, Alibaba, Tencent, or other large fintech players like Betterment, M1, or Wealthfront. [Q: a) Another other points adding to course/career resources/brand+alumni?]

To better prepare myself for this rigorous program, I have taken various online courses, despite my busy professional schedule. [Q: Re the GPA point, I didn’t do well in the undergrad but not during the professional work period – average score around 77/100, GPA of around 2.7 -> any way to address? ]“Computational Thinking for Problem Solving” by Prof. Susan Davidson and Prof. Chris Murphy to develop a software engineer mindset and have been learning Python by taking the “Python for Everyone” specialization by University of Michigan[any better way to say this sentence?]. To refresh my math, I have completed the “Introduction to Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science” specialization by University of California San Diego and National Research University Higher School of Economics and “Mathematics for Machine Learning” specialization by Imperial College London. As a quick and active learner, I can focus and learn quickly even by self-teaching, from using Hashtable to crack Wifi passwords in 12th grade to building the VBA tools for data sorting and automated report generation to raise my team’s work efficiency. I believe I can do well in the MCIT program. Furthermore, the MCIT adopts an approach that blends computer science theory and applied, project-based learning using real-world tools and environments appeals me. Given my previous analytical training and project-based working style in investment banking, this teaching methodology fits my style perfectly. Especially, I am familiar with the online learning format and I have found it effective In the many courses I have taken and am taking (see my CV for full details).[Q: a) Strengthen on determination, drive and commitment, b) Problem solving and collaboration skills]

I have done my research on the MCIT program and it is definitely my first choice. The “Computational Thinking for Problem Solving” course is by far the best online program I have ever taken in terms of the videos and presentations preparation, interaction among students, the teaching quality, and the real-life case studies. In July 2019, I travelled to Philadelphia and interacted with Penn Engineering staff in the Levine Hall and Towne Building and talked with some of the Penn Engineering students at the Starbucks on Walnut Street. I participated in the webinar and information sessions hosted by Prof. Chris Murphy and Olivia [surname] to understand more about the program. I had the chance to talk over phone with the [xxx team] to gain insights on this program. I also talked to alumni [A] [B] and [C]. All of this has culminated in my certainty that this program is my ideal option.

MCIT community will be my home, and I am eager actively contribute to and participate in it. I believe that people both bond and grow mutually through discussion and interaction. Accordingly, I will be actively sharing in the online discussion and going the extra mile when it comes to group project and sharing sessions. Given my background in tech investment banking and the pleasure I take in working with others, I look forward to bringing different perspectives to the community. Leveraging my connections to the senior management of the Chinese tech giants, I plan to organize some career-sharing sessions on insights into the latest developments in the China tech industry and set up an internship program between leading technology players and MCIT program. I will actively offer help and contribute, and believe that this is the way that I could help the community grow. [Q: any other points to add in the contribution?]

I believe the MCIT program will be life-changing and rewarding both personally and professionally. The systematic and rigorous curriculum of computer science at the MCIT program will gear me up to take the leap into the tech industry. The real-world skills and prestigious alumni network I develop at Penn Engineering will prepare me to pursue my career ambitions, and I am excited to begin.

[Joseph]

[address]

[email protected]

Education

Bachelor of Economics – Insurance, Peking University, Beijing, China

Professional qualification

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), chartered in 2013

Financial Risk Manager (FRM),certified in 2012

Professional Experience [Q: not sure if you could help on spinning the below to a more CS related skills/experiences? If not, trim down?]

Director, Technology Media and Telecom (TMT) Investment Banking, Sep 2018 – present, [B], Hong Kong

· Head the China TMT Investment Banking business of the bank

· Manage a team of seven junior bankers to work on active investment banking transactions and originations

· Lead internal, joint-department efforts to deliver one-stop solutions of the bank to the clients

· Execute cross-border merger and acquisitions transactions for the clients

· Actively develop client networks in China TMT space

· Provide strategic advice to China TMT clients on growth, market, investment ideas

· Set up and maintain database of sector knowledge and industry trends

Senior Vice President, TMT Investment Banking, Oct 2012 – Aug 2018, [C], Hong Kong

· Managed an average of 3-4 active transactions simultaneously as the execution leader on various aspects, including driving the whole execution process, leading key issues discussions, conducting due diligence, identifying key risks, coordinating preparation of transaction documents and internal memos, building financial models, preparing marketing materials, and managing project admin

· Led preparation of pitchbooks, RFP materials, information memorandum, and company presentations

· Assisted sector head to cover key clients/financial sponsors and keep track of business opportunities in the China TMT space

· Actively developed client base in the China TMT space

· Provided financing/restructuring solutions to clients together with Structured Finance/Private Equity group and external investors

Senior Analyst, Corporate Finance, Investment Banking, Jul 2011 – Jul 2012, [C], Hong Kong

· Involved in various execution aspects of IPOs and financial advisory transactions in TMT, healthcare, consumer, and financial sectors

· Conducted financial and business due diligence, built financial models, and performed premium/discount analysis for several deals

Officer, Strategic Investment, Jul 2009 – Jul 2011, [B], Shanghai, China

· Executed the Bank’s investment and financing initiatives, directly report to the deputy chief executive and the division head

Assurance Trainee, Jan 2009 – May 2009, [G], Beijing China

· Engaged in 2008 annual audit for four clients: audited capital assets, operating expenses, inventory, and revenue accounting cycles

Other activities [Same for this]

Part-time Researcher, Algorithmic Trading Strategy Research, Sep 2019 – present, [W] Capital, Hong Kong

· Work with a team of 10 led by economists and computer scientists from reputable institutions to develop algorithms employing equity-market-neutral strategies within the China TMT sectors

· Actively contributed trading ideas and was exposed to the building of the execution version of the trading strategy. Backtested result of the formed strategy is 15% annualized return with a Sharpe ratio of 3.2

Advisor, Jun 2018 – present, [N] Science and Technology, Hong Kong

· Advised [N]’s strategies on start-up growth, fund raising, and team building aspects. Helped it secure Series-A financing of US$5 million

Other Academic Experience

Courses taken at University of Pennsylvania (via Coursera)

· Computational Thinking for Problem Solving (RGL7XQGMN4LL)

Courses taken at University of Michigan (via Coursera), in the “Python for Everybody” specialization

· Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) (W8T5EDZQJBQF)

· Python Data Structures (5FFTLMTXRNGZ)

· Using Python to Access Web Data (ASMF66XUE5SH)

· Using Databases with Python - expected Oct 2019

· Capstone: Retrieving, Processing, and Visualizing Data with Python - expected Oct 2019

Courses taken at Imperial College London (via Coursera), in the “Mathematics for Machine Learning” specialization (specialization/MVLW7A899JJE)

· Mathematics for Machine Learning: Linear Algebra (X8T4DTHXB3AF)

· Mathematics for Machine Learning: Multivariate Calculus (CF5J82NVL2LS)

· Mathematics for Machine Learning: PCA (7KQHDWW9C8NH)

Courses taken at Said Business School, University of Oxford (via Getsmarter)

· Oxford Algorithmic Trading Programme - expected Oct 2019

Awards and Other Membership

PKU Full Tuition Scholarship, Peking University

China Resources Scholarship, China Resources Group. Granted to students in Peking University for academic excellence for 4 years

The Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Student Scholarship, Peking University. Granted to Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan students with good academic performance

Securities Practitioner of Securities Association of China (SAC), Securities practitioner qualification

Hong Kong Securities Institute (HKSI), Securities practitioner qualification