A fourth-year student grounded solidly in the basics of computer science, I am writing in pursuit of graduate studies that I hope can help me acquire cutting-edge expertise in software programming in general and parallel processing in particular. Intrigued by the power of the computer since high school, I have been trying to stay on top of the computer science by concentrating my undergraduate studies on those subjects that underpin the discipline, particularly mathematics and electronics. To build up my solid knowledge in these subjects, I have taken virtually all the related courses that the university has had to offer. These courses include Algorithm & Data Structure, Mathematical Modeling, Network Theory, Digital Circuit, Discrete Mathematics, and lectric Circuit. With a sophisticated understanding in these areas, I have been well positioned to appreciate the basic theories of computer science and their applications to software development. Aided by the firm command of the basics, I have found it not only easy but also exciting to study the various subjects covered by my major. As most of my classmates, I took a variety of courses ranging from AI to Computer Network, from AI Programming to Knowledge Engineering, from Pattern Recognition to Software Engineering, and from Database Design to Programming Language Design. But I distinguished myself by my academic record, which places me as one of the very top students in my class. My grades in these course never went below A or B. I have also stood out as one of the few who have taught themselves Real Time System and Computer Graphics. Armed with sound training in the basic theories and applied technologies, I have been able to move on into deeper and wider areas of computer science. Early in my university life, I began to understand that the modern computer's base, the Turing machine, was reaching its limits in AI. Gradually, I have narrowed down my research interest to parallel & distributive computing, which I understand can significantly boost the performance of personal computers by giving them some of the functions of mainframe computers. Of all the areas of computer science, parallel processing fascinates me the most. The term first came to me when I read the book Computer Organization & Design: the Hardware/software Interface as part of my Computer Architecture course. By teaching me how the performance of computers can be improved through pipelining and parallel processing, the book reshaped my thinking in computer science.