Personal Statement

For as long as it could be possibly recalled, I always felt different in a sense. Adults who took notice of me have observed my behavior, and have noticed this as well. Being able to read and pronounce words on at least a
rd

!"th grade level at the early age of

years old

consistently stunned people around me, and to be honest, it made me feel good to have a #uality that made me somewhat the center of attention when I was younger. $ithout making implications of arrogance, or a portrayal of being pompous, I feel as though I was gifted with such an ability. %his won&t be multiple pages of me stroking my own ego, detailing how sharp I perceive myself to be, as whomever reads this will most likely think otherwise about my proficiency. $hat this I' about is the trials and tribulations I&ve faced through the past high school, and how I&ve overcame them, while trying to pave a future for myself. %ransitioning in from (th grade to %echnology )igh 'chool, a magnet school to where I applied for acceptance, I had a rough start. *ot only did I become easily tired traveling back and forth to school on a bus, but I would sometimes fall asleep and there would be times when I&d miss my stops. I refuse to put any blame for a low +,A on my teachers- it was my ad.ustment to the flow of things that was a ma.or cause. In my sophomore year, additionally, I suffered a ma.or loss. %hough it does not make me any different than anybody else who e/periences tragic losses, it does, however, e/plain the #uite noticeable plummet in my grades. In late 0ecember, my grandmother&s passing had a detrimental effect on my focus towards performing well, along with the drive I possessed to at least try to succeed. 1oney was tight at home, so I had to make use of the little resources I had left once the cable, phone, and internet service were cut off from my house. years in

In the end, I did manage to avoid e/pulsion by passing the

classes I ran the risk of

failing, but it felt2bittersweet, a hollow victory, depending on the perspective. Although I won, I still let my emotions get the best of me, in a place where I needed as little amount of distractions as possible. )owever, this aspect shortly became cast aside in my mind, due to the fact it was now known to me what happens when a person of introverted cognition such as myself, is thrown into discord by other thoughts, and I knew the worst part about my loss had ended. Although sophomore year had its fair share of mourning and disappointments, it also had benefits. 3n a lighter note, sophomore year of high school was one full of new e/periences. It had my introduction my cluster class, A4 5omputer 6epair, widening my intermediate level of computers with its robust knowledge, and 5isco, a company with the *etwork Academy program, that I got much e/perience and opportunities out of. 'easoned from mistakes made in sophomore year, I placed my best effort .unior year. I intend to bring the same initiative to my classes for senior year. %hough, in retrospect, I&m glad that I took the opportunity of applying to a cluster class tied with the 5isco *etwork Academy, mainly because of the knowledge I gained from it, and the opportunities one can gain from the certifications awarded at the end of each course. %he benefits of passing the courses vary from scholarships and grants from companies to help the continuation of a student&s education, to even paid internships. In terms of future plans and my current skill set, I want to take 5omputer 'cience, and if I have the choice of a double ma.or, 5omputer 7ngineering courses in college. I&ve always had a love for computers, and intrigued with how much creativity you can construct from .ust

dedicated time and application of knowledge. I want to primarily ma.or in 5omputer 'cience so I can gain e/pertise on coding, from utili8ing things like )%19 and 5'' on websites, to programming software like 1icrosoft :isual Basic and :isual 544. 'eeing the world of computing evolve before my very eyes is a beautiful, and yet, alarming thing- I want to pursue a .ob as a ;ava 0eveloper or a 'oftware 7ngineer, but I&d have to always study up on changes as they come around. 6egardless of having to be studious, in today&s world, where everybody relies of technology2 who&s to say it isn&t worth it<