Qualification and Motivation in seeking Advanced Degree

QUALIFICATION

Even as a child, I have always been fascinated by everything related to science and technology. I

can still remember how I always asked questions about almost everything just to satisfy my

curiosity. This, I believed have helped me focus on what I really want in life.

I have always marveled at great breakthroughs of science and technology. My love for science

and technology paved the way for my dream to become a successful Systems & Information

Engineer. I enrolled at the University of Virginia (UVA), School of Engineering and Applied

Science with a fervent hope that I would be able to use all the knowledge that I will learn to help

society through my research, studies and professional contacts.

Despite having ADHD since childhood, I was not diagnosed and treated with medication to

control ADHD until the second half of my undergraduate studies at UVA. I have maintained a

GPA of 3.6 in my major of Systems & Information Engineering, and a GPA of 3.4 overall.

My GPA before and after my diagnosis and medication treatment for ADHD

GPA Number of Credits Average Rate of

Credits/Semester

Before ADHD diagnosis 3.07 58 11.6

After ADHD diagnosis 3.78 73 14.6

My GRE Score

Scaled Score Percentile

Quantitative Reasoning 162 83

Verbal Reasoning 155 67

My years at UVA have helped me appreciate the beauty of science and technology even more. It

made me realize that with proper education and research, we can really change the world for the

better. This made me more optimistic and hopeful that anything is possible if we only have the

desire and the right tools to put it to fruition.

MOTIVATION TO PURSUE ADVANCED DEGREE

The most essential factor is persistence the determination never to allow your energy or

enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come.

~ James Whitcomb Riley

Six years ago, I was diagnosed with Friedreichs Ataxia (FA), a neuromuscular disorder with a

very low incidence rate of 1 in every 50,000 people in US. The condition causes symptoms

including loss of coordination in the arms and legs, fatigue, vision impairment, heart condition

and diabetes mellitus. Unfortunately, there is still no cure for FA, only symptom management.

Giving up seems to be the easier way out in any tight and difficult situation. However, this is not

my principle in life. In my heart, I truly believe that we should never be discouraged, no matter

how many problems and trials come our way. Moreover, I think that with hard work,

determination and persistence, anything is possible.

I have not let this debilitating and life-shortening disease affect how I live my life, and more

importantly, how I push myself to reach my dreams. My mind is set. I have not and will not let

my condition become a hindrance to achieve the dreams I have, especially when it comes to my

education and research career. I told myself that I would study harder to prove not just to the

people around me, but more importantly to myself, that the flame of determination cannot be put

out by an illness. With this fervor, I started to work on one dream at a time.

I have always been a firm believer that education is one of the most vital keys to success. This is

the main reason why I want to further my studies by pursuing an advance degree in Systems

Engineering. It is with great enthusiasm that I have come to realize that education should be a

continuous process. I believe that there is always something to learn. Education is one thing that

nobody can take away from me. It is something that I will carry all my life. The prospect of

pursuing an advanced degree in the field that I love would truly be a dream come true.