申请专业：计算机

Computers have held a life-long fascination for me. What started as an interest in just using them developed into a growing desire to understand how a collection of simple ideas and components can interact to produce an entity as complex and adaptable as a computer. Computers are becoming increasingly important in our everyday lives and I am excited by the fact that I could be at the forefront of the next generation of computer technologies. I like to keep up to date with science and technology news and I am a regular reader of ‘The New Scientist’. The fact that computers are currently used to replicate even complex biological processes such as evolution shows the versatility of Computer Science. My particular interests lie in computer programming as it integrates the two main aspects of Computer Science that I enjoy most, namely problem solving and the application of logical thought.

My enthusiasm for the subject has motivated me to venture outside the scope of my course. I have developed a number of small VB games, including my own versions of ‘Pong’ and ‘Space Invaders’. Then, as an introduction to network programming and firewalls, I created a game whereby two players can play competitively over a network or via the Internet. I am also furthering my knowledge of Internet programming by learning HTML in my spare time using online resources. I look forward to studying other programming languages at degree level, particularly fully object oriented languages, and I have already started to explore this area by teaching myself VB.Net.

My choice of A-levels further support and complement my intended degree. Further Maths has given me the ability to think logically about problems, a core skill in studying Computer Science. Furthermore, there is a large overlap between Maths and Computer Science; Discrete Maths being particularly closely linked as they both rely heavily on algorithms and problem-solving techniques. Computer Science has also made an effective contribution to my study of Mechanics. To help with a recent piece of coursework into children’s slides, I pre-tested my designs using a computer simulation that I developed. My enthusiasm and aptitude for maths also led me to be selected to participate in ‘Maths Masterclasses’, where we explored advanced topics such as a fifth dimension and imaginary numbers.

In addition to my academic studies, I have many interests and I have involved myself fully with school and college life. I was very pleased to be appointed a prefect at school, which involved being responsible for the supervision of younger pupils. Apart from computers, my other great passion is music. I have played the piano and the cello but my favourite instruments are the electric and acoustic guitars. In order to pursue my love of composing and performing music, I formed a band with a few friends and have appeared in several charity concerts at school and in the local community. Recently, I combined my interests in technology and music when I bought a multi-track recorder, which allows me to experiment with looping and electronically altering samples of music. Drama is also an interest of mine. What I find exciting about Drama is the way differing performances of a part can drastically change the audience’s perception of the work. Through my involvement in various school productions, I got the opportunity to increase my confidence performing in front of an audience, which I have found invaluable.

I am a very determined and self-motivated person, and once I have set myself a goal, I will strive to achieve it. I’m very much looking forward to meeting like-minded people at university and having the opportunity to get involved in the wide range of activities and societies that are on offer. Looking to the future, I am very keen to pursue a career in the Computer Science industry as I believe it to be an extremely dynamic and versatile area of work, with many exciting opportunities.