My College Entrance Exam
Yours for the taking
I drafted a college entrance exam for my kid — not that I expected him to use it, more as a writing sample to inspire him.
“Inspire” is too strong of a word. “Get him off his ass” is perhaps more appropriate.
He’s finished his essays (which bear no resemblance to what I wrote). I thought I’d share this with you, just in case you can make some use of it.
Enjoy.
People have been questioning my judgment. Since I started applying to universities, it’s happening more and more. As I’ve begun to work on my applications and Personal Statement specifically, it’s happening every day.
Specifically, they’re questioning whether my choice of a career in computer science and engineering still makes sense in a world shaped by artificial intelligence.
The question usually comes with a sly smile: “Is Computer Science even going to be a real career by the time you graduate?” “Aren’t the computers pretty much thinking for themselves already?”
After several years competing in a national-level robotics league, I’m convinced that this question comes from a misunderstanding of what engineering actually is. It’s only without the hands-on experience I’ve gained from working in the field that one can arrive at the belief that machines can replace human creativity.
As a freshman, I thought engineering was mostly about building mechanisms and writing code. Over time, I learned that the hardest problems were rarely technical alone. They were human.
The design meetings for our robotics team were never linear or automated. AI tools could generate CAD sketches or analyze performance, but they could not replicate the collaborative process of deciding which problems were worth solving.
On competition days, unexpected challenges arose and had to be solved without consulting the computer. Parts became unavailable days or hours before deadlines. Robots that labored in the lab suddenly failed on the field.
As I took on more leadership responsibility, I organized brainstorming sessions, mediated design disagreements, and worked to ensure every teammate felt ownership of the robot. I learned that leadership is not about having the answers. It is about creating space for others to ask the right questions.
So now, when people question whether computer science is a wise choice, I have feel pretty good about my answer: Technology does not replace the need for human thinking. It raises the bar for it.
Maybe the right question isn’t whether computers can think for themselves. The question is, “Can I?”