501 Ways to Achieve Success by Sang Heon

501 Ways to Achieve Success by Sang Heon - February 2017 Scholarship Essay

One of my biggest failures was when I took Algebra. I hated math and struggled with it in seventh grade. I would consistently get bad grades on tests and quizzes. I was so concerned about my math grade that I asked my parents to purchase a geometry book. I completed the book, 501 Geometry Questions over the summer after seventh grade. Initially, I was frustrated because I wanted to have fun during summer vacation like my classmates and not stay home and do endless of math problems. However, after doing every single question, that $17 book completely changed my perspective on math! I started to apply math to everyday, real world situations. For example, I would use math to calculate the sales price of retail objects, and it would help me discern a good deal from a scam. In eighth grade, I went on to get good grades regularly in Geometry. Math wasn’t as hard as it was before, and, as the years passed, I realized the fun and practicality of math. This is how I gained my passion for math, and now, ironically, it is my favorite subject.
In high school, I took honors and advanced placement math classes because I wanted challenge myself even more. Taking these classes was quite a test and pushed me to my limits. However, I was enlightened by the world of math and went beyond the classroom by participating in summer programs related to math and computer science offered by universities in Michigan. During one of the computer science summer programs at the University of Michigan, the instructor challenged me to create and present a final product based on what we learned during camp. I used quantitative reasoning to create my computer program and ensure that the program followed the right order without any unnecessary codes. Through these summer programs, I was able to learn skills such as logical/quantitative reasoning, math-based problem solving, efficiency, and critical thinking. My interest in math was the stepping stone to these summer programs, which has directly influenced me to pursue a career in computer engineering.