Student profile
Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or
worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
My story begins with an administrative mistake. When a new admissions counselor wasn't aware that freshmen were restricted from taking AP Java, I jumped at the opportunity and enrolled. I arrived on the first day, eager to delve into the realm of computer science. I was unaware of what I got myself into. Late nights with Sal Khan and 2 AM bedtimes
became my new normal. The course's predominantly conceptual material represented a major departure from the rote memorization found in other classes. I had difficulty with some assignments, but I soon noticed a pattern that would put my struggles to rest.
Whether I simulated Langton's Ant Turing Machine or a point-of-sale cash register, I mostly used the concepts I learned in the first weeks of class, such as conditional statements and iterative loops. I soon understood that even the most sophisticated problems posed one simple question: can I apply the programming principles I learned early on in insightful and innovative ways? In time I answered yes and found power in simplicity. This ignited my love for computer science.
My newfound passion led me to establish a Vex robotics team from the depths of my basement. As the lead programmer, I had the freedom to innovate. Using C++, I would automate the simple tasks such as unloading cube stacks or scoring on towers to ensure consistent performance. However, I learned that solving a problem isn't enough; there's always room for iteration and improvement. Instead of relying on pre-programmed actions to hope my robot acts appropriately, I was able to utilize vision and gyro-sensors to allow our robot to adapt its decisions based on its surroundings. I also integrated calculus-driven PID loops to enhance the robot's driver-less functionality. To teach myself these skills, I relied on what I learned in AP Java - that complexity derives from basic logic.
As I pursue computer science beyond high school, I will remember even for the most convoluted coding conundrums, no solution is out of reach. I will pierce through the mirage of
complexity to reveal the simplicity hidden underneath.