Why Georgia Tech

TLDR: I want to get an education from a top university like Georgia Tech so that I can be a better mentor, grow my technology knowledge, and hopefully have a big positive impact on my mentees’ lives, just like my mentor, Mr. Mike G., did for me.

Why Georgia Tech’s Master’s Program in Computer Science?

Technology and electronics have been my biggest interests for as long as I can remember. My first programming project was in artificial intelligence when I made several bot programs that played the huge online multiplayer game RuneScape. Through this project, I realized the awesome value that AI and robotics can bring to the world. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to build things that cut down on manual tasks by using computers and machines.

Career-wise, my goal is to work in a field where I can combine mechanics with code. To me, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics are some of the coolest fields out there. Georgia Tech’s master’s program in computer science covers all three of these cutting-edge areas, which is why I’m so interested in it. I mainly want to do this master’s program just for the pure enjoyment of learning. My aim is to broaden my perspectives and be able to look at challenges in different ways. The affordable courses will let me explore outside my main focus too.

While traditional in-person classes require spending at least 5 times longer on prep versus actual teaching, Georgia Tech keeps their high standards while giving more flexibility – a combo that really interests me. This master’s program will let me use my time efficiently while getting a top-notch education that I can afford. Georgia Tech’s program is truly one-of-a-kind, attracting students from all 50 U.S. states and 80 other countries worldwide. Having graduated from the very diverse George Mason University in Virginia, I really appreciate the value of diversity. Having diverse viewpoints is especially important in machine learning and technology, where solving problems from multiple angles is key. Frankly, I don’t think any other university offers such an awesome master’s package as Georgia Tech.

I’m passionate about always learning new things, positively influencing my peers, and mentoring others in technology. Early in my career, I was lucky to have an amazing mentor who really made me hungry to keep learning. Outside of work, I actively join meetup groups focused on Clojure, DevOps, GoLang, and Ethical Hacking. I’ve even learned Clojure well enough to create a plugin for quality checking Clojure code using open-source projects. I’m also part of a makerspace club where we build drones, 3D printers, and other single-board computer projects. At my job at Pragmatics, I’m a full-stack developer involved in the whole development and release process, while also mentoring interns during summer and winter. Inspired by meetup groups and my past mentor’s impact, I started “Brown Bag Meetings” for my current project, where we discuss different technologies over lunch to boost our productivity and mastery of programming.

I’ve shown my team the benefits and future potential of using better tools like IntelliJ, GitLab, Jenkins, and Mattermost (a Slack alternative) instead of worse options. Getting a master’s degree from the amazing Georgia Tech will definitely make me a better mentor, deepen my tech knowledge, and hopefully let me have a huge positive impact – just like Mr. Mike did for me.

I’m confident Georgia Tech is the perfect place for me to efficiently grow my knowledge in the areas I’m interested in. I plan to specialize in machine learning while also taking courses in robotics and artificial intelligence in this master’s program. My dream is to work for an innovative company like Tesla Inc., where I can combine my programming and engineering skills to make meaningful positive change in the world. Georgia Tech’s Master’s in Computer Science program will give me the ideal path to make this dream a reality.