this essay wasnt all about comp eng. its about my world... and how it affected me, right?
but yeah i do go off...twas cut and edited from another prompt
here's an edit: more focused i hope
In elementary school, my parents encouraged me to work through math books. I thought arithmetic was a game, enjoyed it, and pushed myself to understand the concepts better. What else could be easier than working out math problems? Nothing, so I thought. Growing up in North Hills, in a community with attentive parents and strong academic programs, my education took a charitable path. It was not a breeze, but my family, teachers, and peers motivated me to study hard; they also kept me going.
Although I did not realize the importance of taking an HGM entrance exam in second grade, looking back, I know that this opportunity greatly affected my life. That test allowed me to enter the Highly Gifted Magnet Program offered at Portola Middle School, and North Hollywood High School. While family friends said that continuing the HGM program at North Hollywood was too difficult and stressful, I chose to go not only because the challenge was so intriguing, but also because it built a strong student community. Through this program, I also strengthened my interest in mathematics, and developed my fascination in the sciences.
With the rich academic experience I had at North Hollywood, it was with much frustration that I moved to another high school for tenth grade. This was a challenge; I could not and had no idea how to deal with the anger of moving away from my friends and school. Moreover, the atmosphere was extremely different; I followed along, kept pace with my teachers, and watched how others worked around me. I realized that if I wanted to keep ahead, I had to study more on my own.
I diligently kept up with my schoolwork, and made new friends through clubs, youth groups, and sports. I solidified relationships with some friends and balanced my time more efficiently. These activities helped me cope with the transition, and I began to think seriously about what I wanted to do with my life. Several sleepless nights, I stayed up pondering over my situation, among other problems. I wanted to be a better person and change my mindset; I wanted to use my smarts to help other people. Working as a receptionist at the local college and with delinquent teenagers at my job gave me the opportunity. Conversing with people from various backgrounds and helping them whenever I could really opened my eyes to the community.
Junior year proved much better. I entered classes that I enjoyed, I liked my new teachers, and I even had the time to take an additional programming class at the local college besides my normal classes. I wanted to become an engineer and use my hands profitably, but I was never sure what field to pursue. Taking that class, as well as another one in the summer, showed me that I had a real knack for computer science. Building Java applications was like solving math puzzles–pieces had to fit; otherwise, programs would not run and solutions would not appear. When the script ran smoothly, possibilities became endless.
In the course of these events, I discovered my passion to study computer engineering. I plan to delve deeper into this field and find greater insight in its application. Combining my strength in mathematics and desire for accuracy, I hope to pave creative avenues toward a meaningful life.
Jonathan Hsu
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