Undergraduate / Personal Statement for UW admissions (I'm a female who loves computer science) [4]

Prompts
Academic History:

Here is my personal statement for the University of Washington. I didn't get very fancy with it. Please give advice. I would appreciate it!

To whom it may concern:

I want to start by thanking you for taking the time to consider my statement. My field of study is computer programming. I am inspired to go into the business of programming because it provides a way for me to demonstrate my creativity and my logical abilities. Furthermore, I am excited to take on the challenges of being female in a mostly male oriented field.

Growing up I did not fit into the typical girlish image. I played with dolls with other girls but I also appreciated video games which was commonly considered a boy's domain. My family was on limited income as we survived off of my father's social security disabilities check, but I was able to enjoy games and computers at my friends' houses. I have grown to appreciate the logical nature and artistic value technology has to offer. In my earlier years I taught myself how to type, surf the web, and use programs on the computer. In my later years I went to school and learned how to design simple programs. As a teenager I was given the opportunity to enjoy the more artistic side of computers. Using music programs, I assisted my father in entertaining mentally challenged people at the special dances that were put on for them. My sister who is mentally challenged was our inspiration. My father and I put on holiday dances and brought my sister along so she could meet new friends. The experience was more than merely a service to society. It was a pleasure to watch my sister mingle and dance with other people who were a part of her community.

My educational goal is to become a competent computer programmer by utilizing the tools that school will provide me for my future career. At this point in time I am significantly close to earning an Associate's degree. I plan to attend school full-time and graduate within a little more than two years. I will become certified in computer programming after completing a bachelor's degree and possibly dedicate myself to earn a master's degree. After I graduate and become certified, I will look for work at a smaller company and eventually strive to work for a larger corporation such as Microsoft. My educational history demonstrates that I have a strong desire to work in the computer industry though at times I have encountered serious obstacles.

In 2006 I completed the Fresh Start program for high school students offered at Tacoma Community College with 46 college credits and a "B" average.

My grades at Tacoma Community College reflect that I take college seriously and I have much promise in my educational career. After receiving my diploma, I attended Bates Technical College in 2006-2007 where I pursued a degree in Database Management. I did well in the beginning but after a while I struggled to maintain good attendance and decent grades. Unfortunately at that time I was beginning to struggle with alcohol addiction because I suffered from untreated social anxiety panic attacks. While attending Bates, my grades reflected both when I was not drinking as heavy and when I was drinking daily. In 2008 I transferred to Clover Park Technical College where I excelled for a while. I received "A" and "B" grades and was offered an internship. Using Microsoft Access, I assisted the Clover Park Technical College committee in designing a database that functioned to track articulation agreements between Clover Park and other colleges. The committee was pleased with my work. Again the alcohol problem began to take over and I ended up withdrawing from classes or failing classes, passing only some occasionally. My grades at Clover Park reflect the fact that I am a talented student who has struggled with alcohol addiction. I left Clover Park in Spring of 2009 to receive inpatient treatment.

Currently I am attending outpatient treatment and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. In the near future, I plan to become a volunteer for groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and the Tacoma Area Coalition for Individuals with Disabilities(TACID) so I can help others who suffer from addiction and also help people with mental disabilities. Having a mentally challenged sister and working with her community gave me natural compassion and sensitivity towards people who possess different backgrounds. As a college student who has suffered from alcoholism, I have also taken an interest in researching alcoholism and how it affects different groups of people. Studying Sherman Alexie's poems offered me a more mature understanding of the role of alcoholism on reservations. I firmly believe that I will fit in as a student at the University of Washington because this school will allow me to strengthen and build on what I have already learned about diverse groups of people. I appreciate your consideration for my application.

Undergraduate / Computer Science...Intership and volunteer work [3]

Prompts
Academic History:

Tell us about your college career to date, describing your performance, educational path and choices.

Educational Challenges / Personal Hardships:

I appreciate any suggestions.

To The Admissions Committee:

I never fit into the typical girlish image. As a youth I played with dolls and had tea parties with other girls, but I was unusually consumed by activities that were commonly considered a boy's domain. I muddied my clothes, climbed to nauseatingly high tree tops, played hours of video games, and tinkered with computers. Despite the generalized concept that girls were not as technically savvy as boys, I quickly grew passionate about the artistic value of video games and the logical nature of computers. My family survived off of my father's social security disabilities check, so we could not afford the high tech luxuries I craved in my earlier years. On my friends' computers, I taught myself how to type, surf the web, use programs, and repair simple technical problems. When I finally reached an employable age I worked to save up enough money to invest in a computer. As an adult my creativity, talents, and logical abilities were polished through hands on computer work for a college and volunteer work for a significantly special group of people.

At Clover Park Technical College my instructor gave me exciting news of an opportunity for me to work alongside the administrators of the school. The school committee was looking for someone to design a simple database using Microsoft Access and was offering an internship to someone who was qualified for the job. A year before I decided to study programming at Clover Park, I was enrolled in the Database Management program at Bates Technical College. My instructor at Clover Park told me that I was more qualified than my peers and encouraged me to take the opportunity. I was nervous about accepting the offer to say the least but the project offered me irresistible challenges and prestige. I designed a database that functioned to track articulation agreements between Clover Park and other colleges. It was a highly challenging project. I worked such long hours at the school they practically had to kick me out of the classroom on a nightly basis. I obsessively took notes at committee meetings. And the project followed me home every night as I could not stop thinking about it and working on it well into the late hours of the day. Balancing class time and homework was frustrating, but somehow I successfully managed my time. The work was hard, the hours were long, but I enjoyed taking ideas from people and using my talents to mold them into a successful creation. It was truly satisfying and the committee was pleased with my work.

Volunteer work allowed me to enjoy the more artistic side of computers. Using music programs, I assisted my father in entertaining mentally challenged people at the special dances that were put on for them. My sister who is mentally challenged was our inspiration. My father and I put on holiday dances and brought my sister along so she could meet new friends. It was a pleasure to watch my sister mingle and dance with other people who were a part of her community. Having a mentally challenged sister and working with her community gave me natural compassion and sensitivity towards people who possess different backgrounds. In the near future, I plan to become a volunteer for the Tacoma Area Coalition for Individuals with Disabilities(TACID) with their computer recourses department. This facility needs volunteers who have experience with computers to assist mentally disabled people with computer applications. The organization also needs skilled individuals who can rebuild computers for the mentally handicapped. In the distant future I may be qualified enough to offer this volunteer service to them.

My educational history demonstrates that I have what takes to succeed in computer science. But unfortunately at times I have encountered serious obstacles. I completed a rigorous high school program called Fresh Start offered at Tacoma Community College. My grades improved drastically in high school over a period of time. Unfortunately my grades became erratic in college because I started to suffer with alcohol addiction. Some grades do not reflect my true dedication to my field of study. I left school six months ago to receive treatment from SPARCS inpatient treatment and I am now ready to work hard to achieve my goals. As a student I can offer the University of Washington my dedication to making small but significant impacts on the community, and the school can offer me the intellectual means to achieve this goal. Thank you for your consideration for my application.