Empowerly

Student profile

Explain your interest in the major you selected and describe how you have recently explored or developed this interest inside and/or outside the classroom. You may also explain how this major relates to your future career goals. If you're applying to the Division of General Studies, explain your academic interests and strengths or your future career goals. You may include any majors or areas of study you're currently considering. 

I was not very interested in Computer Science until the summer of my sophomore year.  Math problems enthralled me, as I experienced using the logic and skill required to solve them; however ,I thought that programmers just typed mindlessly into their screens. That summer, my dad bought me a book about programming in Java that completely changed my mind.

At first, I read the book half-heartedly, pretending to code whenever my father asked me about it.    During winter break of my junior year, however, I found a video tutorial about the basics of Java programing. I watched the programmer input a series of numbers and the computer added them and returned the value in a split second. The speed and accuracy hooked me. I decided to follow along with the tutorial, and I learned the basics of the language, such as the rules of syntax.

My interest in Computer Science increased this year when I took AP Computer Science.  I found the course fascinating, as we made interesting programs such as matrix multiplication.  The combination of solving math problems with programing made me recognize that my favorite type of academic work was a combination of math and computer science. I have taken math courses all four years throughout high school, gaining a greater appreciation for the breadth of the mathematical field, and the various ways to solve problems.

Outside the classroom, I watch various video tutorials  that utilize both math and computer science to solve problems.. For example, a video tutorial showed a programmer writing a program about how to determine someone’s grade point average after they inputted a percentage.  This programmer used a mathematical comparison within the program to determine what the inputted percentage would be in terms of a gpa.  Blending my math and computer science skills, I have started working on programming a calculator.

Studying Math and  Computer Science has made me a better problem solver, improved my skills at collaborating with others, and helped me change my thought processes and my approach to problems in life.  I used to rush into problems, but I’ve learned to solve them more methodically, step by step.