A Personal Narrative About Making an Effort To Succeed in College
Information technology has always been a large part of my life. Even as a young adult, I knew that technology and computer information systems would be the future of business and the world at large. As I grew older, I began to understand that not only is computer information and the transfer of that information important, but also protecting that information. This became abundantly clear when viruses started becoming rampant throughout the computer world. I remember one specific instance when this greatly affected me.
My mother had been working extensively on a biography of her grandfather, a great man who had survived many hardships throughout his life. She was nearing the end, having poured hundreds of hours of work into the writing, when she opened a single e-mail and it irreparably wiped her hard drive clean, causing her to lose everything. Seeing my mother in tears over the fact that she had lost so much of her hard work and effort caused me sadness, and I wished at that moment that I could’ve done something to remedy her pain.
That is when I first knew that I wanted to pursue computer security as a career path. Taking college level courses only solidified my drive. Learning all of the intricacies and technicalities of computer operations was highly interesting. Even more intriguing, though, was becoming educated on ways that people try to hack into these systems and methods to stop them.
From this program, I hope to build on the knowledge I already have obtained about information technology and how to protect it. I understand how vital computer security is to businesses and I hope to gain the correct knowhow in order to protect any virtual system from harm. Nowadays, many large companies run almost entirely through computer and internet processes. Thus, if computer security is compromised, it can jeopardize both the short and long- term success of the company as they try to recover. I hope to become an asset to these companies looking to never experience a breach of security through my education at the University of Liverpool.
I also hope to learn how the industry itself works so I can successfully procure myself a job. I know that many different industries operate in different ways and I’d imagine this industry in particular has very unique operations, so I would definitely focus a great deal of my study on this aspect.
I personally believe that being a good student is key to one’s success in life. Besides the obvious correlation between getting good grades and learning the material, having diligent study habits fosters a great work ethic later in life. As a student in the past, I have been able to see the direct impact that studying the material has on my grades. That is, hard work translates to measurable success. However, being a good student is not only marked by the grades one receives, or the time spent on learning the material, but also the commitment to the program and the faculty at large.
In my past schooling, I always made sure to value the opinion not only of my teachers, but also of my peers in the school. Everyone is entitled to respect, and this does not stop in the classroom. Going into further secondary education, I will make a concerted effort to treat both the teachers and students with respect. It is a privilege, not a right, to be a part of a higher education program, and I will treat the experience as such.
The program will certainly help me progress in my career in three specific ways. First of all, numerous studies have shown that those with a master’s degree will earn considerably more money over the course of their life than those with lesser education. However, this increased pay grade is only the result of an assumption that those who hold a master’s degree possess more knowledge on the subject. This is the second way that this program will help me in my career path. With a fuller understanding of computer security and all of its technicalities I can not only perform my job in a better and more efficient way, but I will also be able to accept and successfully complete more advanced positions with more complicated job responsibilities.
Finally, it is my dream to eventually receive a PhD in this field later in life. This advanced level of study cannot be achieved without a few stepping stones along the way. Just as you cannot enter a master’s program with simply a high school diploma, it is not feasible to go into a doctorate study with only a bachelor’s or associate’s degree. This program will allow me to complete further education and prepare me for what is to come in my future PhD course of study.
The aspects of this specific program that appeal to me most center around its customizability. The six core modules seem to encompass the entirety of computer security and I find each one of the elective modules to be extremely interesting. If I get accepted into this program, it will certainly be a tough and exciting decision concluding which elective modules I’ll study. Another thing that greatly appeals to me is the fact that students are expected to work closely with their Personal Dissertation Advisor. Writing a dissertation is a lifelong dream of mine, however the task in and of itself seems daunting. Having an advisor there to help me along each step of the way takes a lot of the pressure off and I’m sure will benefit me greatly in the long run.
I hope that I successfully construed how extremely excited I am about this opportunity. I know that I will get the most from this program by giving it my all of my concentrated time and effort. I hope that you will consider me carefully and know that I take this very seriously. I will strive to successfully represent the University in all my futures should I be accepted. I look forward to hearing from back from the board and hopefully continuing my computer security studies at the University of Liverpool.
