Undergraduate /
Barrier between me and my dream career; UT AUSTIN; SOP [10]
I added a paragraph that explains why I am applying to UT's liberal arts school instead of their school of engineering.
I woke up for the fifth time that morning. Each time I awoke, I anxiously checked the clock waiting for six o'clock to roll around. Finally, the desired hour approached. In a matter of minutes, I got up and attempted to prepare for my first day of classes at San Antonio's community college.
I made my way to the bus stop, hoping that everything would go well so that I may arrive on time to class. I was twenty years old, without a vehicle, nervous, but also determined to pursue my dreams. As I rode the bus downtown amongst crying children, single mothers, drunks, and the homeless, I made a promise to myself. I vowed to be successful that semester and every semester to follow. I vowed to arrive early, ask questions, give answers, and put everything I had towards my goal. I felt a surge of excitement as I realized I had a clean slate ahead of me. I had every opportunity available to me and I was committed to completing what I said I would do.
For the past year and a half, my life has been nothing but a revolving door between work and school and I could not possibly be any happier. I pay for my rent, bills, and school through the long work hours I invest at work each week. I have overcome the inconvenience of having to spend four hours each school day to get to and from campus in order to be successful. I have retained my thirst for knowledge and applied my curiosity towards subjects I never would have thought to be interesting in the past. I attribute my new interest in technology to my sociology professor who introduced me to ted.com, a technology and design website. I can thank my history professor for my critical approach to the world, my biology professor for my fascination with genetics, the human genome project in particular, and my French professor for my optimistic attitude towards my goals and acceptance of culture.
I am a walking composition of stitched ideas and influences, constantly adapting and adjusting, taking in my environment and choosing from it the aspects I relate to the most. Just as any other, my goal in life is to attain a sense of self actualization. Personally, that entails learning what I am and how I relate to the world. Thus, here lies the nucleus of my interest. I find it exciting that our perception of the environment is constantly changing and expanding, that what we know today is only the foundation for the discoveries tomorrow holds.
When listening, or should I say watching, Brian Cox's update on the progress of the CERN supercollider on ted.com, I was exposed to a quote by Humphry Davy that I enjoyed very much. He stated that "Nothing is so dangerous to the progress of the human mind than to assume that our views of science are ultimate, that there are no mysteries in nature, that our triumphs are complete and that there are no new worlds to conquer." It is for the preceding reason that I wish to realize my dream of becoming a patent attorney.
I have every intention to graduate with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering so that I may be eligible to practice patent law after attending law school. My attention to detail, strong interest in the world of science and technology, and love of hard work make me the ideal candidate for such a career. I will be using my personal skills to be actively involved in the latest discoveries in science and advances in technology. Unfortunately, we are not all blessed to be born with a knowing of where we want our lives to take us. For some, there is no question to what our life's work is. For others, like myself, a journey is involved in choosing a career.
I began my studies under the impression that I would be attending law school to practice corporate law, therefore I was in the pursuit of a liberal arts degree. I have taken courses that are transferable to the University of Texas's Liberal Arts program. It was during the course of writing this essay that I realized that I prefer for the subject matter of my work to deal with science and technology and satisfy my urge to constantly learn. I am aware that because not all of my classes are transferable to the University of Texas's Crockwell School of Engineering and I have not met the prerequisite of having completed the Calculus sequence I am not eligible for admission. Therefore, I have decided to still apply to the University of Texas in hopes that I may attend the Spring semester as having an undeclared major, take the Calculus sequence and Physics courses there, and apply to the Crockwell School of Engineering in Fall.
If given the opportunity, I have no doubt in my ability to fulfill whatever it is I set my mind to. I am aware that this goal will take years to complete, yet I am just the type of person to realize this dream. Now that I near my last semester before transferring to a four year university, I feel satisfied in my approach to my academic career and know that as long as I remain the ambitious individual that I have always been, I will be successful in any endeavor.
