Passion for Game Development - Waterloo AIF Question 4 - Goals for Waterloo

4. What is your primary goal for attending the University of Waterloo? Have you explored, been exposed to, or have experience in the field you plan to pursue and if so, how? Did you turn to anyone for advice in exploring alternative options or backup plans for your goal and, if so, how did this person help you? (150-word limit)

I want to attend the University of Waterloo to build skills and connections that allow me to one day start my own game studio. After coding my first real game in basic JavaScript years ago, I was met with positive feedback and encouragement from everybody I showed it to, including friends, family, and teachers. I saw how video games could spark joy and connection between people, and was inspired to continue making games to bring people together. My dream is to foster more of that connection and joy through publishing my own video games, and will make that impact by starting my own game studio. I plan to use resources such as the Games Institute and the Velocity incubator program to develop and release my own games, as well as customizing my degree with the Game Design Specialization to gain the necessary skills to achieve this dream.

I reviewed your statement response several times and came to the same conclusion each time. The provided information responds only to the first question provided in the prompts. If you combine the first sentence and the first and fourth sentences of this version, you end up with the best response to the first question in relation to your goal for attending Waterloo. You have not shown any recent interest in gaming and coding that would justify this interest though. Additionally, you did not show your previous work to any professional or alumni of Waterloo who could have advised you regarding your career ambition. What if you do not get accepted into this course? Do you have an alternative course in line? That was not reflected in your statement which means your response is either incomplete or, incorrect. The way I see it, the response is incorrect when considering the basis of the questions in the writing guide.

Hi Holt,

Thank you for your response, and sorry for the late reply, I thought I responded to your message earlier but the post never went through. I made some revisions to my response, what do you think of it now? How can it be improved? (I redacted the game studio name for privacy reasons)

My goal for attending the University of Waterloo is to build skills and knowledge that allow me to achieve my dream of starting my own game studio. From a young age, I've noticed how video games brought me together with friends and family members. I want to have that same impact on others through my own video games. With an urge to start my journey, I started a development group called [NAME] with some friends to develop a rhythm-platformer game, posting devlogs online and actively leading development. At Waterloo, I will use resources like the Games Institute and the Velocity incubator program to help me publish my own games, as well as customize my degree with the Game Design Specialization. Knowing how plans can easily change, I spoke with family members to explore related fields like cybersecurity where I can still make a meaningful impact in a different way.