Undergraduate / "family of three people" is the world I came from - Computer Science - UVA [4]

Hi, everyone! This is my UVA supplement essay. Could you please give me any suggestions about the content, grammar, structure, etc? Thanks a lot.

Prompt: Describe the world you come from and how that world shaped who you are.

I live in a family of three people. Among them, my father has extremely significant influence on me, which makes me decide to choose Computer Science as my major at university. He is an expert in computing. When I was about 5 or 6 years old, I always stood beside my father, watching him work with his computer, which gradually cultivated my interest in computer. Actually, my father never taught me anything; instead, I developed my skills just by watching and of course practicing. When my father was outside, I often turned on the computer, imagining myself as my father, and imitated his using the computer, such as reinstalling the operation system, or entering the UNIX System instead of DOS or Windows System which is much easier for me. Sometimes I would like to dismantle the main board into sections and then join them together in order to see how they were arranged and worked.

My father once sent me to a scientific and technological school during summer holiday when I was 12 years old. This was the first time I gained the professional education on computer. To my pride, I was the youngest and one of the most excellent students, while all the others were adults who had already got jobs; when they had problems in class, I could always help them. Because of this, I gained a lot of praise from others, including the teacher. Of course I got the Certificate of Primary and Secondary Level in computer later. When my friends and neighbors had problems with their computers, they always asked me for help and I always succeeded to solve their problems. Since then, they always called me "a little engineer".

My interest in computer was then highly promoted. At weekends, I often go to the library to read books on Computer Science, where I taught myself one of the computer languages, Visual Basic. Long ago, I found the calculator, an accessory in windows systems, lacked on some functions, such us the display of complex numbers. For instance, when I type in the square root of -1, it shows 'error'. Therefore, I used VB to make a program of calculator which can display complex numbers. This was my first design of computer program and I really enjoyed myself thinking how to design the program.

My family and surrounding circumstance have shaped my dreams and aspirations; however, my story is just beginning. I am still on the way through my splendid future.

Undergraduate / UIUC essay#1 (Information Technology) [3]

Hi, everyone! This is my UIUC essay. Could you please give me any suggestions about the content, grammar, structure, etc? Thanks a lot.

Prompt: In an essay of 300 words or less, write about how your personal or academic interests relate to your intellectual or professional goals.

Mathematics and Computer Technology

Information Technology provides us with an opportunity to make the world a better connected and smaller place, which attracts me to Computer Science. Even before I was old enough to go to school, I had the opportunity for contact with computers, which affected my choice of career and gradually developed my knowledge of the world of computers.

I enjoy studying mathematics and physics at school, which will benefit my study of computing at university. Studying mathematics cultivates my ability to think over and to solve problems. I find it very useful and significant. For instance, programming requires mathematical thinking, because programming makes strong use of logical analysis, a skill that is mainly cultivated through mathematics.

Instead of playing computer games, I am more interested in operation and installation. I like to dismantle some machines into sections and then join them together in order to see how they work. I achieved the certificate of primary and secondary level in computers when I was in Grade 6th and the certificate of Visual Basic when I was in Grade 8th. Because of this, when my neighbors had trouble with their computers, they asked me to help and called me "a little engineer".

During university, I wish to have an opportunity of practical training in a company based on computer technology, such as Microsoft or Google. I hope to improve myself further through my studies and practical experience, so that I will become more competitive when applying for graduate education and future positions. Through my studies, I want to cultivate my ability to handle both practical issues and the demands of research as well as the ability of leadership, so that I can create my own company in the future.

Undergraduate / There are many reasons for me to choose Rice University... How is my "why Rice" essay? [5]

This is my "why Rice?" essay. I think it still needs improving. Could you please give me some suggestions? Thanks in advance.

reasons for rice

There are many reasons for me to choose Rice University, among which the most important ones are as follows. First of all, Rice has a different point of view on undergraduate education from other universities. Its high undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and median class size ensure personal teaching and learning, in that each student can join the discussion and get the opportunity of face-to-face talking with professors in class. In addition, campus life in Rice is very joyful. As Rice does not prefer elitism, organizations such as sorority and fraternity are forbidden. Students keep intimate relationship with each other and recreational activities are usually held in the campus all the year round so that I can enjoy myself learning and living in Rice. High level of accommodation can make me very comfortable. Moreover, Rice owns a great geographical position-Houston. As a faithful fan of Houston Rockets, I could not help imagining myself watching Rockets' performance in the Toyota Center.

Undergraduate / Contribute to life at Rice [4]

Any suggestions on content, structure, grammar, etc. are welcome. Thanks in advance

Prompt: The quality of Rice's academic life and the Residential College System is heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What perspective do you feel that you will contribute to life at Rice?

We had the honor of getting the opportunity to give presentation on electromagnetic induction to our A Level classmates. Consequently, we discussed the division of labor in order to do our job more efficiently; finally, we decided that let my friends collect the information, such as concepts, related experiments and equipment, and so on, while I, as an expert on computer among my classmates, combine all the information provided to make a PowerPoint.

As my friends and I felt exhausted after several hours' work, we have prepared ourselves to give a forty-five minute presentation on electromagnetic induction to our A Level physics class. Though we had already cooperated to rehearse for several days, we still made last minute scans over our PowerPoint, checked the materials needed for the experiment, and thought about our teacher's advice on teaching. As I finished my presentation, I was surprised that most of my classmates achieved a strong grasp of the concept. We took our teachers advice and presented the material in a concise and easy to understand format so that all the students would understand the difficult concepts. As our teacher congratulated us on our exceptional job, I thanked him for his helpful suggestions and realized the unforgettable lesson I learned regarding cooperation. I learned that not everyone works or learns the same way I do; it is cooperation that can enhance our work efficiency. Because of the experiences I had, I have achieved a greater appreciation of cooperation and will therefore be a vital member at Rice University. Through my former experiences, I am able to cooperate with all kinds of people and also become a good friend.

Undergraduate / Visual Basic - Notre Dame supplement (difference) [3]

Any suggestion on content and grammar is welcome and thanks in advance.

Prompt: The Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., President of the University of Notre Dame, said in his Inaugural Address that, "If we are afraid to be different from the world, how can we make a difference in the world?" In what way do you feel you are different from your peers, and how will this shape your contribution to the Notre Dame community?

There are many ways I feel different from my peers; however, among them the most important, I believe, is that I am more curious and imaginative.

When I was in Grade 10th, my friends and I discovered that there is a big defect in the calculator as an accessory in the computer. For instance, when I typed in the square root of -1, it displayed "error". Therefore, I wanted to make a computer program so that the calculator can display complex numbers. When being told this "story", my friends immediately laughed at me because they thought my idea was very naïve and unable to come true. Hence, instead of cooperation, I had to do the whole project independently.

After searching for the information about the calculator on the Internet, I got to know its working principle and thus decided to use Visual Basic to make the program. Firstly, I created a control array, which is used for the numbers. Secondly, I add the operators to the program and a simple calculator is completed. Consequently, I need to consider the two different conditions as the square root is involved. On one hand, when the number typed in is greater than or equal to zero, then I can simply make the calculator calculate the square root of that number. On the other hand, when the number typed in is smaller than zero, the imaginary number "i" is necessary to be involved; therefore, I will make the calculator calculate the square root of the absolute value of that number and multiply the result by "i"; then the exact result will be displayed on the screen as a complex number rather than "error".

Because of the experiences I had, I believe that I will be a student of great curiosity and imagination at University of Notre Dame, and University of Notre Dame will definitely be the place where I can bring my skills into full play.