"My life has been active, full, and happy.  I attribute that result to several factors, tendencies, and preferences.  For example, I prefer to explore all my interests and the options available to me.  I prefer to be involved.  I set high standards for myself and as a result I’m often in the company of the best and brightest.  I make sure that while working hard, that I’m also taking the time to enjoy these years in my life.  I’ve have experienced fabulous successes and have overcome difficult setbacks.  My parents have taught me the value of family, integrity, character, and hard work.  I am now looking forward to a bright future starting in college where I can explore my inclination for high technology, learn the newest tools for engineering the computing tools of the next decades, and launch into a rewarding engineering career.

My philosophy for living life is simple: Get involved, stay busy, explore your opportunities and talents, and aim high in everything you do.  To keep my schedule reasonable, I have to keep my goals in sight so I can prioritize.  But I enjoy the pace, energy, and variety a philosophy like this gives me.

I made a choice back in middle school to be as involved as possible in my school and community.  I go into school early each day and arrive home late.  This is the only way to fit in jazz band rehearsals, concert band practice, the class and student council meetings, the National Honor Society meetings, the math team meets, the newspaper, and the yearbook.  Our school is relatively small, and the success of some of these organizations depends on members showing up at each and every meeting or competition.  Particularly as a senior, I feel especially responsible for setting an example of commitment to the underclassmen.  I use the early evening and portions of the weekend for the swim teams, community orchestra, and violin lessons.  I may end up finishing homework late into the evening or early morning but having all these activities going on at once, and being an important part of them, are great feelings.

For some, involvement is a sacrifice.  That hasn’t been the case for me.  In my Villanova application essay, I wrote about how I founded a swim team for my high school.  This has turned out to be the most rewarding example of my involvement in school and community.  It has been so satisfying to me to watch this team grow in size and closeness, and to see each member to gain the athletic respect of his or her classmates.

I hope to transfer this commitment to involvement to the college I attend and plan to continue the activities I started in high school.  I plan to participate in a swim team or swim club, in subject competitions, in student government, and in an orchestra or ensemble.  Music keeps me sharp and challenged and I have always felt at home with the mathematical relationships within music.  In addition, the teamwork and precision required of a symphony orchestra are satisfying to me.

I’ve been fortunate to have a healthy list of successes to point to.  One of most memorable successes was qualifying this past year for summer Nationals in swimming.  The satisfaction was indescribable because it was a goal I had for many years.  I wanted to prove to myself that I could compete at this level, despite the physical setbacks I had growing up.  I had practiced and competed hard for many years and yet breaking the qualifying time seemed to be a goal I just couldn't attain.  Each year I watched a good portion of my team "make Nationals", and then travel off together to what sounded like an extraordinary event.  The championship seemed to bring the team together in a special way.  It shared a special time and journey together, and those of us who stayed behind felt a little left out and a bit like failures.  Although this was difficult, I believe I handled this well and just kept trying.  My coach worked with me on the tiniest details of my stroke, and I worked hard on building upper body strength.  I still remember the day I qualified.  It was my last chance of the season.  I was so focused and pumped as I went to the platform.  I felt good in my stroke and turns but I wasn't sure if it was enough.  When I touched the pad, I flipped up my goggles and struggled to find my lane on the board and my time.  The time I had to beat was fixed in my head and I knew instantly I had!  I couldn't help pumping my fist in the air and I couldn't stop smiling.  It was an incredible feeling that lasted for days.  Competitive swimming has taught me that perseverance is necessary for achievement.  In no other activity have I had to work harder to achieve goals I’ve set for myself.  In no other single activity has making progress toward those goals, no matter how small, been so rewarding.  Swimming has also taught me how to handle setbacks and to manage the fear of failure.  It has taught me how easily progress can be lost if you don’t maintain your commitment and perseverance.

        I have had to contend with some setbacks in my life, but I think I am stronger in body and character as a result.  At age four I was diagnosed with a hip disease.  Dealing with the implications of disease, its surgery and rehabilitation strengthened my resolve and optimism in confronting challenges and disappointments.  From the start, it has demanded of me a stronger work ethic, a higher tolerance to pain, a tougher skin, a sense of humor, more patience, a more courageous approach to anything I encounter, and a positive outlook on life and the future.  It also forced me to apply more fully my intellectual talents, whether in class work, music, teaching, or leading.  In some ways I think that I appreciate more than most the gifts of opportunity, accomplishment, and a challenge met.  I do not take for granted the ability to walk, run, and swim.  Likewise, I do not take for granted the endless opportunities and challenges that lay ahead.  In fact, I look forward to them.

        Of all my interests, math and technology have been a common theme.  Even my talents and love of music I think are rooted in the interesting mathematical relationships and patterns within it and the technology available now to manipulate it.  Technology seems to be in my genetic code.  I’m definitely a technophile.  I have always loved complicated, high technology items.  As a kid, my parents nicknamed me "Mr. Gadget" because I was always carrying around some toy technological device.  Carefully preserved like museum pieces in my home’s attic are all of my Star Trek, Star Wars, and Ghostbusters gadgets.  Many are displayed around my desk area.  Later on, my favorite computer games were those with simulated complex technology, plenty of displays, and lots of options to select from.  Now I’ve graduated to technology and devices that improve the performance of my car, my sound system, and my computers.

I especially enjoy working with computers, not only as an everyday tool but also as a device to take apart, upgrade, and improve.  I’m always taking what I’ve read in PC World or on the internet to tweak the hardware, the software, and the networking.  My latest interest is in the parts of a computer one can not see or script.  For me the next step is to understand how the circuitry and chip designs really work, and to learn the design and manufacturing technologies responsible for making this incredible tool possible.

            I see computer technology as the best tool for improving the quality of life.  The best way to improve the quality of life is to improve productivity.  In that way, the economy continues to grow but people can have more free time.  This free time can be used to become healthier and happier by allowing people to pursue more exercise, more sleep, and more reading, music and art.  Computers are the best solution for improving productivity.  I hope I can help design computers to work faster, more intelligently, and more independently.  Unfortunately, it seems that some people still fear technology.  As an engineer, therefore, it is important to build products that people can trust and rely on and not fear.  One other challenge will be the urge to abuse improvements in productivity for competitive reasons.  Engineers will need to stay politically and socially active to make sure improvements in productivity also improve the quality of life, not worsen it.

            In conclusion, I consider myself lucky to have been able act on my philosophy for life and to investigate, participate in, and do well in so many of my interests.  I think this approach to life sometimes means a very busy schedule and some late nights.  But it has equipped me with a broad base of academic proficiencies, extracurricular activities, and character-building experiences.  I think it is also responsible for why I feel as comfortable as I do about the education and career choices I am making now."