Personal Statement
Personal Statement
A Personal Statement is required for our program. The personal statement should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at the Viterbi School of Engineering, your preparation for this field of study, study interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study. There is no required/recommended format or length for the personal statement.
In an era where technology is rapidly evolving, my passion lies at the intersection of AI and system development. I'm excited to dive deeper into this field with the Master of Science in Computer Science program at University of Southern California. The MSCS program aligns perfectly with my ambition to develop impactful AI-driven products.
My decision to pursue further education in AI comes from my strong academic background established during my undergraduate studies at Northeastern University. There, I achieved a GPA of 3.955 and ranked 5th out of 396 in the Software Engineering major. My efforts were recognized with awards like the National Scholarship, Merit Student Scholarship, and Outstanding Student Pacesetter. Among various courses I have completed, Big Data Technology, Introduction to Recommendation System, and Introduction to Artificial Intelligence were particularly influential for me. These classes sparked my interest in AI and its potential to enhance technology and solve complex problems.
During my internship at JD.com, one of the largest Fortune 500 technology giants in China, I contributed to the Yanxi AI Development and Computing Platform and the AI Pilot Marketing Platform. For the Yanxi platform, I refactored the resource management service to improve efficiency and scalability. By using the Observer Pattern and asynchronous computing, I enhanced the peak performance of resource recalculation speed by 20 times. Moreover, I refactored the activity page AI auto-generation service for the AI Pilot Marketing platform. I organized the functions with the Strategy Pattern to generate each content floor with AIGC and LLM services effectively. Collaborating with machine learning engineers, UI/UX designers, and marketers, I helped design service options and workflows, sharpening my AI software skills and deepening my grasp of user-centered design. These experience allows me to see the transformative impact of AIGC in the real technology industry.
Additionally, at the ByteDance Camp, I developed an intelligent knowledge sharing platform named 'Juejin', using the Trust SVD social recommendation system and was awarded the first prize. I also participated in the Mobile Application Innovation Contest, my AR social app 'Trace Note' received the second prize, ranking fourth in the AR track among 2,287 teams. These experiences allowed me to put my skills into practice, lead teams and see my innovative ideas come to life.
Looking ahead, I aim to start my career at a pioneering company like Google or Meta, renowned for their cutting-edge AI products. I want to be actively engaged in the lifecycle of AI-driven products and gain essential industry insights. In the long term, I aspire to establish my own AI-focused startup, dedicating to redefining daily workflows and improve life quality with innovative AI solutions.
USC's MSCS program is an ideal match for me, providing the perfect platform to realize these ambitions. With its distinguished faculty, advanced research, and comprehensive AI curriculum, it offers an unparalleled opportunity for me to expand my knowledge and contribute to the AI field. I am particularly excited about courses such as Deep Learning and its Applications and Applied Natural Language Processing, where I can gain insight in how AI technology can be applied to influencial applications.
In short, my AI experience, backed by solid academics and real-world practice, fits well with my plans. I'm eager to join the MSCS program at USC, where I can grow my passion for AI, work on innovative applications, and keep learning. I am confident that this program will play a pivotal role in helping me achieve my aspiration of making a meaningful impact through AI applications.