Our Purple Destiny has arrived!

According to US News and World Report (2010)

Top 10 Computer Science Programs in the United States

University of Washington, Seattle campus = # 8

Troy Schuring

Congratulations!

The Department of Computer Science & Engineering is
pleased to offer you admission for Spring 2011.

We hope that you will accept this offer and join our program.

We will answer all Spring quarter registration questions
at CSE orientation, next week.

Welcome to the CSE Department!

Professor Carl Ebeling

Undergraduate Admissions Committee Chair

http://www.cs.washington.edu/

A few stats to share:

UW averages 160 students accepted per year

Only 40% of applicants are accepted

Troy attempted admittance six months ago and was denied
The advisors said it was due to his ONE B grade in Physics, darn it!

Last Fall, 100/300 were accepted dropping the acceptance rate to 33%

64% of those transferring in have a GPA of 3.75 or higher

In 2009, no one below 3.25 was accepted

What a loving daughter!

  Even Roxy got a new collar. 

A family effort

Want the full story on Troy's schooling journey from 1993- 2011

Read his two essays submitted to UW

Short Answer: Describe how you could bring a broad perspective to the engineering classroom. Factors to discuss include, but are not limited to: multi-cultural awareness, activities, or accomplishments; educational background and goals; living experiences, such as growing up in a disadvantaged or unusual environment; and special interests or talents.

Am I really 16 years behind schedule or is this exactly where I should be?  I trust that life is about facing adversity, otherwise it would be a boring journey.  Once I realized that everyone grows at different rates, I was able to bury those concerns and trudge forward.  While my personal growth each year may have seemed small, the collective change is profound.  This Christmas is going to be very special to me.  After 28 seasons apart, my father and I have the opportunity to be together.  His character is admirable and it is a shame that life separated us many years ago.  Our hearts are healing and we find an urgency to make memories.  After leaving Iowa in 1983 with my mother, I experienced life in a small coastal town and later a few large cities.  Each of those areas had different cultures and demographics for me to learn from.  Appreciating those trials comes from years of reflection.  The majority of my growth has been in the past three years.  Getting married and dedicating our family to community involvement through our church organization has re-defined my life.  I bring these insights into the classroom.  Gaining confidence, setting goals, and tasting accomplishment led me to running.  Now, having completed two marathons, six ½ marathons, and a 186 mile 12-person relay, I can see that life offers endless views to aim for, whether it is running, career choices, or making a difference in the community.  I now live life with a purpose. 

Long Answer:  Please write one page on the topics below. We look for well-written essays and for applicants who express themselves creatively and effectively. We also look for breadth or depth in an applicant’s interests and activities. Please discuss any unusual experiences, activities, or interests you would bring to the CSE community. We are very interested in your future goals. Please discuss where your aspirations in computer science or computer engineering will enable you to go.  If you overcame any significant obstacles (such as medical, financial, cultural, or personal challenges), or have taken an interesting path to find computer science and engineering, please discuss that here.

"How many times should a man attempt to pursue his dream? My story is going to tell of five tries. It took me years to realize what exactly didn’t go right for me. In 1994 at the age of 18, I began my Computer Science degree at the University of Portland. I was not mature, independent, or dedicated enough to succeed. Everything prior to college had been easy for me including academic success so I was not at all prepared for that environment. I performed well in my first year, but my second year was very different. Later, I tried attending a much smaller school in Central Oregon, but again lacked the skills needed. As a new parent in 1998, I felt the duty of responsibility and began dreaming of returning to my education.

My life changing event came in 2001. With no warning, I found myself a single father raising not only my daughter, but also her older half-sister. Their mother willingly left behind her daughters forever and my parental instinct set in. With another round of courage, I returned to school at Portland Community College with a busy schedule. Doing well the first two quarters gave me hope, but once again I burned out. The routine of juggling classes, working a manual labor job, and parenting was overwhelming. Not yet defeated, I regrouped the next quarter for what I thought would be my final attempt. Finally, out of desperation, I realized I needed help from my sister and mother to raise two little girls, so I moved home in 2002 and put my dream to rest for seven years.

My success since beginning at Bellevue College (BC) in spring 2009, demonstrates the potential I always had. All through those challenging years, I never lost confidence in myself. I knew without doubt my brain thrived on math and science; I just needed the right environment. Combining the 62 credits from BC and 10 credits from Highline, I am pleased to share with you my 3.88 G.P.A. This was earned while mostly working full time and maintaining balance with my family. The reason this journey is different is because I am now well supported by my wife who has been through this process herself. She completed her BA at UW and an MBA at Seattle University on schedule, while working full time. My daughter is twelve years old and a self-guided homeschooler who understands the importance of my success and the consequences of my previous disappointments. We will take this journey together as a family and I will not let them down.

I was extremely disappointed to be denied acceptance into your CS program last fall. Immediately, the CS advisor let me know the main reason for the denial was my Physics 121 grade of 3.0 received in winter 2009. This is my lowest grade received during the past two years. The circumstances that effected my grade; I took this class in the 8PM – 10PM time slot while also taking two other classes, worked full time, instructor’s first Physics class, and the course material was compacted into just 9 weeks. With Physics meeting M,T,Th, we were shorted four classes due to holidays and administrative days. Without doubt, I lived and breathed physics that quarter, but still came up short. The UW CS advisor suggested I proceed forward with Physics 122 and get a 4.0. I did that last quarter along while taking Differential Equations and Web Development, proving my readiness for spring acceptance.

Back in 1982, my family owned an Apple IIC computer and so began my love for software development. I spent hours experimenting with BASIC programs. Researching possibilities and developing technology is where I want to be. Getting my BS and MS in Computer Science is the first step in accomplishing this goal.

Through the years, I supported my family by working in manufacturing, sales, bartending, and construction. Now, my family is able to lend me their support. We have adapted our lifestyle so I can be a full time student for three years and earn my Master’s degree at UW. This past summer, I was able to accept a full time internship and gain live programming experience. I worked for a private party building a website under his direction gaining experience in Asp.net, SQL, and C#. This again reassured my choice of this field.

Every experience in my life has shaped me into the person that I am today therefore, I don’t have any regrets. After going through the low points of my life, my appreciation is enormous. I hope that this committee will recognize my recent educational accomplishments and not let my past failures persuade you otherwise. Obtaining a degree in CS has been a goal of mine for 18 years. I will bring to your classroom; the ethics of a Christian, a devoted father setting an example, a tenacious man who has overcome hardship, and the competitiveness of an athlete. These characteristics did not accompany me when I began this journey, so please accept me for the person that I am today.

Click to see larger view of Troy's classes over the years,
talk about a man who didn't quit!

Congratulations Troy, I am so proud of you!