UC App PS

PS1:
My intended major is computer engineering. My interest first developed in high school during my junior year when I took a
Computer Management class that aimed to teach students about computer software and hardware. I learned a little about
programming and it interested me enough to get me to enroll in a robotics class the following year. When I learned how to
build computers I found that I enjoyed learning about hardware which further encouraged me to take robotics. In my senior
year with the school's robotics program, I learned how to code basic games, and later how to create our own gamepad to
control it. Using breadboards, my group and I learned how to wire electronics for example adding joysticks, and speakers
from other electronics onto our board. Nearing the end of the school year my group and I undertook our final project to
create an Android application that would help parents stay informed about school activities, and help them navigate the
campus. The last project was my most programming intensive project, and my first experience with JavaScript, and HTML.
This experience in programming showed me how developing an application would be a real possibility. Coupled with the
breadboard project I found that I enjoyed both aspects of computers software, and hardware. It further solidified my goals to
become a computer engineer.
My early experience in Robotics, and Computer Management class was fun, enough to persuade me to join the school's
technology clubs, and programs. I became a part of the Pioneers club, the MESA program, and the Vex program. In MESA I
learned how to work with hardware to build a windmill. The group I worked in was so interested in the project that instead of
just creating a windmill that drags a car, we made one with a motor so we could covert wind power to electricity, to power a
motor vehicle that we made. Through this process we learned about torque vs. speed, and how to balance it. This was my
first major project with hardware, and it helped me greatly in planning my Vex project the following year. In Vex I built robots
and learned how to program them. Our group objective was to build a robot that could drive itself autonomously, and then
be taken control of by a human operator. From my experience in I learned the importance of collaboration; the ability for us
to focus our work on one portion, and then work together to integrate it together. By constantly adding modifications to the
robot, and then subsequently repairing it, I learned the importance of building a device that allows for disassembly.

PS2:
I have heard I would need impressive grades to get into college, but it was not until my junior year that I understood. I was
late, but it was not a reason to not try and make the best of it. The 2.4 GPA I received in my sophomore year served as my
wake-up call. Reflecting on my sophomore year I saw that if I wanted to succeed I had to challenge myself, so I enrolled in
a Calculus class at community college during the second semester of my junior year.
With a weak understanding of math to begin with, Calculus seemed insurmountable. Basic concepts such as simplifying
polynomials were a challenge. The knowledge that I lacked was a fundamental part of past math courses that were
absolutely essential in Calculus. Simple properties such as radicals equating to powers were alien to me. Because of that, I
received an F on my first test, a pit I had to get out of quickly.
It was clear that I needed more help. I spent time after class with my professor at the community college for clarification on
lessons. I sought additional help from my teachers at school in order to quickly catch up with my classmates' level of
understanding. Furthermore, I joined a small study group to discuss homework problems and study for tests. Although it
required a lot of time and effort, and I was sometimes frustrated by my inability to understand, I eventually finished the class
with a B,a grade I felt was hard earned.
Ultimately, my grade in Calculus benefited me more personally than academically. The long nights in the math lab prepared
me for the more rigorous classes I am taking this year. The weekends spent on assignments have exposed me to a new
way of solving problems. The sense of team-work, an often overlooked component in addressing problems, took meaning as
I had to dedicate myself to a team to overcome obstacles. The calculus class was more than a semester long exercise in
math, but a life lesson that has rewarded me with a new mindset. Success comes from hard work and collaboration.