Posts by MEM4FP

MEM4FP

Jan 28, 2012

Undergraduate / 'passion for computers, video games, and media' - USC Supplemental 2 [2]

Hi everyone! Here is my USC supplemental essay (the main essay). I really do appreciate in you taking your time to read and edit this essay. Please do not hesitate if you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this paper. I really appreciate it! In return I will edit your essays too! Thanks!

Describe your academic interests and how you plan to pursue them at USC. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections.

I remember that my first encounter with a computer was when my father first bought me a Windows 98, when I was only seven years old. Since then, my fascination for computer technology has transformed, and amplified itself into a passion. With the combination of my interest for computers and the mathematics, I am confident that computer science will be the perfect major for me. Learning about codes can help me grasp the concept of how a computer can function. Using the Christian analogy of when God created the universe, I am hoping that my mentors and fellow students can help me "type" life into a computer.

I am confident that the Viterbi School of Engineering will offer me a specialized training with computers that other schools cannot. In fact, I am looking forward to joining in clubs that will engage in collaboration with other students that share the same passion as I do for computers. It will be an honor being part of the modernist vanguard for technology and calling them my friends. Stated earlier, the classes I look forward in taking at USC are cryptography and video game development. These two subjects that have piqued my interest after watching many television/movies related to computers, and spending time playing video games on my Xbox 360. Hopefully, by studying these courses, this can further enhance my passion for computers, and who knows, I can either be a video game designer or a cryptologist. Either way, it opens doors for me in my future, and I will be happy with whichever path I choose.

As for my second-choice major, I do not have one; I have selected to study television/movie production as my minor. Considering the fact that USC offers a class on media production right at the center of a city that values entertainment, I decided that I should take advantage of this. Producers today use computer technology create movies using computer-editing programs. I wish to gain more knowledge of the relationship between computer technology and media production. Not only do I admire computers and video games, I also value movies and television as a hobby. I have often been curious how media production worked, which is why I joined my church's media team. Being part of this group for some time, they have helped me grasp a basic idea of how to produce movies. But I need to gain more experience, which is why I choose to minor in this subject upon entering USC. Like computer science, I am going to join clubs pertaining to this minor, and upon graduation, I will have the skills necessary to go out into the world and live out the rest of my life as a connoisseur of computer technology and entertainment.

They say that your pursuit is your proof of desire. In pursuing USC to be my school of choice, I know that the result will yield a desire to study computer science as my major, and television/movie production as my minor. Looking at the impressive programs that USC has to offer their students, I know that I will truly belong. I want to be in a school along with my fellow students who share the same passion as I do for computers, video games, and media. Throughout the rest of my life, I will continue to learn through my own experiences, learn what life has given me, and I will also offer my own unique perspective to the world and the people around me.

MEM4FP

Jan 28, 2012

Student Talk / What is a good essay to practice a final for? [8]

Try looking at a specific prompt online and hopefully you will get the one that you want. practice that and you may and will do fine.

MEM4FP

Jan 28, 2012

Undergraduate / USC (The Experience of Geeks in the Future / Geeks and Nerds) [2]

Hi everyone! This is my USC supplemental essay and I would appreciate any feedback, opinions, comments, questions, or concerns regarding this matter. I really appreciate this, and I owe you. In return, I will read your essay! Thanks!

1) Engineering leaders do more than just solve technical problems. What kinds of experiences, inside and outside of the classroom, would you want to explore to enhance your studies?

Scientists today have the ability to collaborate with one another, be creative, and take risks together in a non-competitive and supportive way. This concept applies to students as well. I would like to partake in collaborating with the other computer science majors at USC. Since this school is dedicated to nurturing its students to become successful, the education that this school gives is something that I would like to learn.

In order to become successful like the other Viterbi alumnis, the inception of this feat will start inside the classroom. Looking at the courses that USC offers, cryptography and game development have aroused my interest. After watching numerous movies and television shows related to computer technology, I feel like that I should be involved in these courses that is tangential to past entertainment. Terms such as algorithms, shadow drives, encryption/decryption, have begun to sink into me. As for game development, my favorite gaming console is the Xbox 360, where I spend at least 3 hours per week playing games. I have often questioned myself how game designers can create a game that is built upon the majesty of its digital design. With these courses offering to me at USC, I can feel that questions of the unknown will finally be answered in due time.

As for experiences outside of the classroom, I have visualized and fantasized of what I would like to do in the future. I want to be involved in computer science related clubs, the Korean-American organization at USC, and possibly to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea. I know that by becoming involved in organizations that are related to my major is the best course of action. I know that people within these organizations carry the same passion, drive, and possibly the same ethnicity as I do. Hopefully, by becoming their friend, future obstacles will be overcome with teamwork and friendship. Since Seoul is considered to be on the rise of computer technology, studying abroad is the best way to open up my dreams, my aspirations, and my eyes for the future. Not only can I study in Korea, but while I am there, I can also learn more about my culture. This would give me a tremendous opportunity to reconnect lost roots that I had and learn from the best technological minds that are currently teaching in Korean top universities today. By "killing" two birds with one stone, that would be an accomplishment that I would like to achieve outside the classroom.

2) Engineers have sometimes been stereotyped as "nerds" or "geeks." Do you embrace or reject that stereotype? Why?

Although geeks and nerds are often seen as stereotypes because of the way they dress, I believe that engineers can be classified as the same echelon as them. Not because of the way they dress, but because they are intellectuals. The term of a "geek" has been used throughout many school campuses and labels students based on how they dress. But the true, deeper meaning of a geek defines them as a student with intellectual skills. I believe that every student is a geek, but some do not concede to that reality. The fact remains, that when a student receives a degree for their passionate field of study, that degree is proof that they are intellectuals in that field, in other words, a "geek". Why some people do not embrace this stereotype is beyond me. Applying to the Viterbi School of Engineering as a geek will help me interact with other "geeks" and together, we can achieve many through friendship and collaboration through future engineering projects that can benefit this world.

MEM4FP

Nov 24, 2011

Undergraduate / 'my entire life around computers' - UC Transfer (Prompt 1) [2]

Hey guys! I was wondering if you would take a moment of your time trying to help me edit this essay. Any comments, questions, comments are deeply appreciated. Thanks!

PROMPT: What is your intended major? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had in the field - such as volunteer work, internships and employment, participation in student organizations and activities - and what you have gained from your involvement.

A "magic box" was what I called a computer in my childhood. I was captivated by the "magic" every time I looked at the computer screen, but how does a computer work, I asked? The answer is in the coding, strings of characters and numbers that help make a software function. Computer science was born from this idea, and this is my intended major.

I have spent my entire life around computers, but never really grasped the concept of what makes a computer function. I figured I should start at the basics. To find my answer, I joined the media team provided at my church. They taught me everything there is to know about computers, such as Office, PhotoShop, and other media related programs. We also provided technological lyrics and other media aspects that helped our congregants visually and auditorily. Thanks to my mentors, my skills around a computer have continued to improve and my knowledge for technology have dramatically enhanced. Learning about computers is what keeps my passion fueled up and nothing can extinguish that. Everything I have learned so far, even to this day, I use them to teach others. At my place of my employment, some employees were technologically illiterate, and I was happy to educate them. When I teach computers to someone, I want them to experience the same joy and happiness that I experienced since the inception. That made me who I am today. The knowledge that I had gained is the wisdom in the future.

In college, my love for computers led me to opt Computer Science as my major. My participation has pushed me out of my comfort zone and had me collaborate with others about this intricate subject. Learning Python language is what we learned because it helped us grasp a rudimentary idea of what programming is about. I admit, creating a code is complicated for beginners, but with proper guidance, I have received a stellar grade. In my spare time, I continue to practice by writing codes, with the instructions from helpful YouTube videos and graduate-level textbooks. Learning about programming has been a challenge, but I know that but I know with perseverance, the journey will be all worth it in the end.

Engaging this intricate subject, I managed to solidify my passion for programming and I want to become involved in this field in the future, as a security consultant for Microsoft. Although I initially applied to many colleges in this major, I know that my experience or my academic work does not carry much weight in the long run. But, discovering a passion for computers will be no different for my passion for Computer Science; this is what I gained throughout all my years. To fulfill my goal in becoming a computer programmer, I will value the protocols and paths that are laid out for me at a top-notch school, and I look forward to using their tools in order to build my future. My enthusiasm and my willpower are contagious, and I believe that I can truly become a success.

MEM4FP

Nov 24, 2011

Undergraduate / 'K-Pop music is my favorite musical genre' - Transfer UC Prompt 2 [3]

Hey, guys! I was wondering if you guys can help me edit my essay for the UC application. Any opinions, comments, concerns is deeply appreciated. Thanks!

PROMPT: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

K-Pop music is my favorite musical genre of all time. The Korean language may be perplexing to me, but the style and rhythm of the music is what I adore. Usually I hum to a music that I like, and eventually that distorted sound converts into live singing, which is the talent that I am fond of. I have experienced this every time I listen to one of my favorite songs, and honestly, I sang horribly back then. What motivated me to start singing was that I wanted my voice to turn into something heavenly, like the other artists. Deep down, I knew that I can become like them, as a professional-amateur singer. But in order to classify myself at this rank, dedication, patience, and practice are needed. Like education, this talent has taught me the phrase "practice makes perfect" into a life lesson and to never give up.

I lacked vocal training, and the only tools that I relied on were my own ears and the method of trial-and-error. I watched numerous YouTube videos of professional singers performing their songs, and I tried to mimic their styles and voices. It was not an easy task. My voice was nowhere near theirs, had no rhythm, and it cracked every time I sang high notes. The past couple of years have been a challenge for me, and I honestly wanted to give up.

After years of playing piano, I remembered what my piano teacher said to me. "Keep practicing. Practice does make perfect," she said. Her training had drilled into me for years that I felt compelled to keep going. I kept practicing my voice rigorously until I finally sang my favorite song perfectly, at the cost of a sore throat. When I was practicing, I noticed that the nature of my voice began to change and it started to match up with the singer's tone. I sang my first song in perfect tune and it brought me joy every time I sing a song. That is when I realized that things have to get worse in order to get better, and practicing is the key.

My problem is that I never took dedication seriously and I gave up at the first sign of struggle. Practicing helped me in the long run. Sure, it took some time, but getting from square one to success is worth it. Even today, I look back at this experience that I should keep practicing and never give up, whether it is in academics or other talents that I wish to pursue. I learned the hard way that in order to succeed in life, is to have the dedication to a challenge when it is presented. Nothing is easy in this world, and we have to strive in order to succeed. Once I enter college, I know never to give up and to continue practicing, because practice does make perfect!

MEM4FP

Nov 23, 2011

Student Talk / How to improve English writing? Learning through reading. [130]

Try reading essays on this website and hopefully you grasp an idea of what to write about...

MEM4FP

Nov 22, 2011

Undergraduate / Passion Behind Computers (intended major) [5]

Behind the Computer

Hello! I was wondering if you can help me edit this essay for UC Transfer application. I have many concerns about this essay, because it does sound repetitive, and I don't think it barely answers the question. Also, do I answer the last part of the question?

Any opinions, comments, concerns are appreciatively welcome, I won't be offended. Thanks!

PROMPT: What is your intended major? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had in the field - such as volunteer work, internships and employment, participation in student organizations and activities - and what you have gained from your involvement.

A "magic box" was what I called a computer when I was a child. Every day after school, I played games on my computer as soon as I finished my homework. I was captivated by the "magic" every time I looked at the computer screen, but how does a computer work, I asked? The answer is in the coding, strings of characters and numbers that help make up a software and help a system function. Computer science was born from this idea, and this is my intended major.

I have spent my entire life around computers, but never really grasped the concept of what makes a computer function. I figured I should start at the basics of computers. To help me achieve this, I became active in my church, where I was part of their media team. There, they taught me everything there is to know about computers, such as PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and other media related programs. We also provided technological lyrics, audio/visual aid and other media aspects that helped our congregants visually and auditorily. Throughout the years, my skills around a computer have continued to improve and my knowledge for technology has been dramatically enhanced, thanks to my mentors. Learning about computers is what keeps my passion fueled up and nothing would ever extinguish that. With the teachings that I have learned, I continue to apply them, even to this day, and use them to teach others. At my place of my employment, some employees were technologically illiterate, and I was happy to teach them. Whenever I teach computers to someone, I want them to experience the same joy and happiness that I experienced when I first learned about computers. That made me who I am today. The knowledge that I had gained in the past is the wisdom in the future.

Because of my curiosity about computer science, in college, I began to study about this subject. My participation in this major has pushed me out of my comfort zone and had me collaborate with my professor and other students about this intricate subject. Learning about Python language is what we learned because it helped us grasp a rudimentary idea of what programming is about. I admit, creating a complex code is complicated for the first time, but with proper guidance, I have received an above average grade. I continue to practice by writing complex codes, with the instructions from helpful YouTube videos and reading graduate-level textbooks, in my spare time to help me prepare for the future. Learning about programming, like computers, has been a challenge, but I know that by pushing me to be my best, will convert me into a success, and eventually, the journey will be all worth it in the end.

Due to my engaging experience with this intricate subject, I managed to solidify my passion for computer programming and I want to become involved in this field of expertise in my future, either as an analyst for the NSA or a security consultant for Microsoft. Although I initially applied to many colleges as a Computer Science major, I know that my experience or my academic work does not carry much weight in the long run. But, discovering my passion for computers, will be no different for Computer Science; this is what I gained throughout all my years. To fulfill my goal in becoming a computer programmer, I will value the protocols and paths that are laid out for me at a top-notch school, and I look forward to using their tools in order to build my future. My enthusiasm and my willpower are contagious, and I believe that I can truly become a success.