Personal statement
I am driven heavily by interest - I intentionally prioritize things that interest me, which is why I tend to do better at them. For instance, I spend my unrestricted electives exclusively on CS modules and unsurprisingly get better grades for them than CEG modules (software interests me far more than hardware).
I value experiences over knowledge. I believe knowledge can be gained from experience, but not the other way around. This is why I seek to gain experience and have been doing internships while schooling since year 1 - these experiences have helped me gain invaluable knowledge not taught in schools.
I also value unique experiences. I value unique experiences as they lead to forming more well-rounded opinions and insights. This is why I choose always to look for different roles and companies in my search for experience - in my time contributing to various renowned companies such as Binance, Coinbase, and TikTok, my opinions on engineering have evolved to be a lot more well-rounded.
I am interested in a unique experience in the United States, which is why I believe the SEP would be perfect for me.
Pick a word and describe your motivation to go for SEP
Growth.
I believe the SEP is perfect for my growth in many ways. In terms of personal growth, being exposed to unique experiences abroad will sharpen my mind and broaden my perspectives. In terms of career growth, the SEP provides opportunities such as Academic Training in the US, which allows me to look for internship opportunities in the US. More generally, unique experiences lead to growth, and the SEP provides the opportunity for many unique experiences.
Please share one reason on how you indicate your first, second and third choice of SEP destination
I only chose the University of Connecticut as it is the only available Partner University in the United States in Round 2.
As an aspiring software engineer, I believe that the best engineering and ideas are from the US which makes it a great place to be for learning and growth. This is why I am intent on starting a career in the United States, and am only applying for US Partner Universities.
What do you view as the most important aspect of SEP?
I believe the most important aspect of the SEP is gaining unique experiences. I believe that unique experiences lead to growth as they allow you to broaden your perspectives and form well-rounded opinions. More specifically, unique experiences abroad expand my global horizons and allow me to be a better global citizen in our increasingly connected world.
Describe one of your greatest strength and weakness
My greatest strength is navigating through ambiguity. Throughout my past experiences in internships or school, I’ve always been able to rise to the occasion even in challenging or uncertain times. This comes from a personal drive to continuously challenge myself with unique experiences and is one that will help me fare well in the SEP. One weakness I recognize is that I often push myself too hard and burn out - I’m learning to manage my expectations and workload more sustainably and am learning to appreciate my accomplishments.