Engineering Dreams: College Admission Essay Sample

When I was just five months old, my father was transferred to the USA to represent Bangladesh as a diplomat. My cousin came along with us, and in the first three years of my life, I became extremely attached to him. When my father was transferred again to Saudi Arabia, my cousin stayed behind in the United States. Fearing that I would miss him too much, my father bought me my first video game system, a Nintendo Entertainment System, to keep me occupied. My interest in technology and all things electronic began then.

Even when I was young, I wondered how videos of real people could be displayed on television screens. As I grew older, my interest in electronics deepened. I started to tinker around with my computer by the age of 10. By the time I was 12, I had made my own website, which received numerous hits every week. After my Playstation 2 died on me, I figured out that its lens was not operating fast enough to decipher the data on the disks. I proceeded to open up the system, and found that I could raise the voltage of the laser to make it run faster. Sure enough, my games ran fine after that.

What interests me most in the field of electronics is the fact that great things can be created through the simple act of manipulating circuits and radio waves. This is what drew me to robotics. After joining the Science Olympiad team at our high school, I began working on the robot event. It required us to pick up various objects in a playing field and place them in a box in as little time as possible. This challenge of building a robot that could perform such a task made me even more interested in robotics.

I wish to pursue Electrical Engineering so that I can further my knowledge of circuitry, computers, and robotics. One day, I also hope to solve the energy shortage problem that is currently present in Bangladesh. An alternative energy source should be environmentally friendly and renewable. In addition, I would like to raise the standard of living for mankind by creating robots that will allow us to have more leisure time and increase productivity.

Cornell University will allow me to pursue all of these dreams. Courses on Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering will enable me to research energy production and fuel cells. And, of course, I plan to join the Cornell Robocup team, firstly because it offers a great opportunity to build autonomous robots, and secondly because soccer is one of my favorite sports. After studying robotics and energy production at Cornell, I can go on to aid mankind.