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David LiuAbout 4 min

Personal Statement for Application to CMU MSCS Program

Throughout my undergraduate studies, I have cultivated a strong academic background in software engineering at Northeast University, with an average score of 92.8 and a GPA of 3.955, ranking fifth out of 396 students in my major. This solid foundation has equipped me with the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue further studies in computer science.

In addition to my academic achievements, I have actively participated in various competitions, showcasing my leadership and teamwork abilities. One notable accomplishment was leading a team to develop an innovative mobile application, which won first place in the regional round of the Apple Mobile App Innovation Competition and achieved second place in the finals among 1690 participating teams. Furthermore, I received the first prize in the ByteDance Training Camp for my contribution to a social recommendation algorithm knowledge sharing platform. These experiences have not only honed my technical skills but also instilled in me a passion for pushing the boundaries of innovation.

During my internships, I had the opportunity to work as a backend development engineer at JD.comopen in new window and AI Growth Camp (AIGC). At JD.comopen in new window, I contributed to the reconstruction of the resource management service in the AI development computing platform. This experience allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of backend development and its role in supporting efficient AI systems. Similarly, at AIGC, I played a key role in revamping the AI page generation service in the marketing growth platform. These internships have provided me with hands-on experience in developing scalable and efficient solutions, further fueling my desire to excel in the field of computer science.

Looking ahead, my career goals are divided into short-term, medium-term, and long-term objectives. In the short term, I aim to deepen my knowledge in backend development and secure a position as a backend engineer at renowned companies like Apple. This will allow me to work on cutting-edge technologies and contribute to the development of innovative solutions. In the medium term, I aspire to enhance my system design skills and gain project management experience within large enterprises. My ultimate goal is to become an architect and a technical leader, driving technological advancements and leading teams to success. In the long term, I envision establishing an AI-driven marketing growth company and becoming a unicorn in the industry, leveraging the power of AI to revolutionize marketing strategies.

With its renowned faculty, cutting-edge research opportunities, and vibrant academic community, CMU's MSCS program aligns perfectly with my academic background, career aspirations, and passion for innovation. I am confident that pursuing my master's degree at CMU will provide me with the necessary skills, knowledge, and network to achieve my goals.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity of contributing to the CMU community and making a meaningful impact in the field of computer science.

Career Goal

My career goals after completing graduate school are to secure a software engineering role at a top technology company and quickly progress to an engineering leadership position. In the short term, I hope to gain hands-on software development experience at an innovative company like Google, Apple, or Microsoft, where I can apply my technical knowledge while rapidly advancing my skills. Within 5 years, my goal is to transition into an engineering management role where I can leverage my leadership experience from college to effectively guide and motivate teams in building cutting-edge products. In the long term, I aim to become a Director of Engineering at a Fortune 500 tech firm, managing multiple engineering teams and overseeing strategic technical initiatives and projects. My ultimate career vision is to draw on my business background and technical experience to found my own startup, creating technologies that have a meaningful positive impact on people's lives around the world. My graduate studies will equip me with advanced technical abilities combined with leadership, collaboration, and critical thinking skills to make this vision a reality.


Throughout my undergraduate studies, I have cultivated a strong academic background in software engineering at Northeast University, with an average score of 92.8 and a GPA of 3.955, ranking fifth out of 396 students in my major. This solid foundation has equipped me with the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue further studies in computer science.

In addition to my academic achievements, I have actively participated in various competitions, showcasing my leadership and teamwork abilities. One notable accomplishment was leading a team to develop an innovative mobile application, which won first place in the regional round of the Apple Mobile App Innovation Competition and achieved second place in the finals among 1690 participating teams. Furthermore, I received the first prize in the ByteDance Training Camp for my contribution to a social recommendation algorithm knowledge-sharing platform. These experiences have not only honed my technical skills but also instilled in me a passion for pushing the boundaries of innovation.

During my internships, I had the opportunity to work as a backend development engineer at JD.comopen in new window and AI Growth Camp (AIGC). At JD.comopen in new window, I contributed to the reconstruction of the resource management service in the AI development computing platform. This experience allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of backend development and its role in supporting efficient AI systems. Similarly, at AIGC, I played a key role in revamping the AI page generation service in the marketing growth platform. These internships have provided me with hands-on experience in developing scalable and efficient solutions, further fueling my desire to excel in the field of computer science.

Looking ahead, my career goals are divided into short-term, medium-term, and long-term objectives. In the short term, I aim to deepen my knowledge in backend development and secure a position as a backend engineer at renowned companies like Apple. This will allow me to work on cutting-edge technologies and contribute to the development of innovative solutions. In the medium term, I aspire to enhance my system design skills and gain project management experience within large enterprises. My ultimate goal is to become an architect and a technical leader, driving technological advancements and leading teams to success. In the long term, I envision establishing an AI-driven marketing growth company and becoming a unicorn in the industry, leveraging the power of AI to revolutionize marketing strategies.

With its renowned faculty, cutting-edge research opportunities, and vibrant academic community, CMU's MSCS program aligns perfectly with my academic background, career aspirations, and passion for innovation. I am confident that pursuing my master's degree at CMU will provide me with the necessary skills, knowledge, and network to achieve my goals.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the CMU community and make a meaningful impact in the field of computer science.