The statement of purpose and any other writing submissions are critical pieces to your application to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center (HNC). Your response to the writing prompt(s) not only demonstrates your writing ability, but also allows the admissions committee to get to know you as more than just your test scores, transcripts, and resume. Below are just a few tips to keep in mind as you respond to the writing prompts for your program of interest.
Statement of
Purpose
The statement of purpose is an application requirement for all Hopkins-Nanjing
Center programs. Each applicant is required to answer one of the following
prompts, depending on the intended program of study:
MAIS applicants and HNC Certificate applicants (including
Certificate + MAIA)
Tell us why you want to study at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center and how studying at the HNC would contribute to your academic and professional goals. Please submit your essay in English only. Chinese characters do not display correctly. (600-800 words).
HNC Certificate + Johns Hopkins SAIS MAIR
applicants
Discuss how the HNC Certificate/Johns Hopkins SAIS MAIR will contribute to your academic and professional goals. What experiences have most contributed to your desire to study international relations? (600-800 words).
Answer the prompt. It may seem obvious, but some applicants submit essays that do not fully answer the statement of purpose prompt. Review your essay and make sure that you are clearly answering all parts of the prompt. The admissions committee is looking to see that you have thought out why you want to study at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center and how the program will support your academic and professional goals. It is okay if you do not have a five-year career plan.
Offer clarifications. If you plan on utilizing the summer before starting at the HNC to improve your Chinese language proficiency, the statement of purpose is a good place to briefly address these plans. For clarifications regarding academic performance you may wish to include, feel free to do so in the Additional Questions section of the application under "Academic History".
Be specific. Applicants with the best essays give concrete
examples of what motivated them to continue studying China, Chinese, and why
they want to study in Nanjing. The Hopkins-Nanjing Center is a unique program,
so we are interested in learning specifically why you are applying and how it
will benefit your future career goals. Avoid just telling us why you want to
attend graduate school; instead, tailor your essay to highlight why you want to
attend the Hopkins-Nanjing Center specifically.
Be memorable. The essay should not simply restate information
already provided in your resume, but should instead provide additional
information to give the admissions committee a fuller picture of your
motivations for studying at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. For example, one past
applicant wrote about lessons he learned from his friendship with a Chinese
classmate. Another explained her interest in public health through her
interactions volunteering at a clinic. Other applicants highlight how their
work or internship experiences exposed them to a certain issue that they want
to explore at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. Not everything is learned in
the classroom!
Avoid clichés. As an example, one of the most common clichés we
encounter involves applicants writing that they hope to become a
"bridge" between China and the US. It may be true, and it is a noble
cause, but this statement does not let the admissions committee know what and why you want to study at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. Get specific
and write from your own experiences.
Be concise. The word count for the statement of purpose is 600-800
words. However, do not feel like you need to meet the maximum requirement if it
does not add anything new. If you can answer the prompt completely in 600
words, you can stop there. It is better to be concise than to repeat similar
ideas or phrases in order to increase the word count.
Thesis Essay (MAIS Applicants Only)
In addition to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center statement of purpose, MAIS applicants are also required to submit a thesis essay in support of their application:
MAIS applicants
Please discuss in detail your proposed thesis topic. (Approximately 600 words. Please note your proposed thesis topic may be altered once studying at the HNC).
Please rest assured that the topic you select for your thesis essay and the thesis you may ultimately write as a MAIS student can be different! You are not locked into the topic selected for your application. The thesis essay is an opportunity for the admissions committee to see that you have a particular area of interest related to China, and that you have put thought into a potential research topic and the process for developing it while a student at the HNC.
Write about a single thesis topic. You will notice that we ask you to write about only one area of interest for your thesis topic. While it may be tempting to discuss multiple ideas to show you have a variety of interests, you should commit to only one topic. Discussing a multitude of research ideas can show a lack of focus to the admissions committee, so it is better to use this essay to demonstrate your analytic skills and go into depth with one particular area of interest.
Additional Writing Prompts
If you are applying for either the HNC Certificate + SAIS MAIR Program or the HNC Certificate + SAIS Europe MAIA program, please be prepared to submit additional essays specific to that particular program. Keep in mind that while there is a single application for the HNC Certificate + SAIS MAIR program, the HNC Certificate + SAIS Europe MAIA program requires two separate applications.
HNC Certificate + Johns Hopkins SAIS MAIR
applicants
Essay: Analyze an important national or international challenge and recommend a policy to address it. Please keep your answer to no more than 600 words.
(Click here for tips from the DC admissions team for the MAIR analytical essay).
HNC Certificate + SAIS Europe MAIA applicants
Statement of Purpose: Discuss your goals for graduate study and for your
professional career. What experiences have most contributed to your desire to
study international relations? What topic will your research thesis focus on
and how will Johns Hopkins SAIS serve to meet your academic and professional
goals? This essay should be no more than 600 words.
Essay: Analyze an important national or international
challenge and recommend a policy to address it. Please keep your answer to no
more than 600 words.
While the analytical essay should be related to international relations or economics, it does not need to be related to China specifically. We also encourage you to select a topic you are excited to write about, whether it be a well-addressed topic you analyze in a unique approach, or one that is specific to your interests or experiences.
