Important Context:
These are my responses for the Waterloo AIF, I applied for admission to the 2024-2025 academic year for the programs Software Engineering (Computer Engineering alternate choice), Computer Science, Computer Science / Business Administration (double degree). I received an offer for Waterloo Software Engineering on April 1st, 2024 and was denied by other 2. I was a domestic applicant as I held a permanent residence status in Canada at the time of applying.
A “normal” admitted student to the University of Waterloo generally does not have as many extracurricular activities as I did. My admission average was an 88-89% making me (to my knowledge) the lowest average domestic applicant admit to the University of Waterloo Software Engineering Class of 2029 Cohort.
My one takeaway from university application process is to apply for the program I want to do regardless of my grades or extracurriculars. I’d rather go to a “worse” school for the program of my choice instead of going to a “better” school for a program I never wanted to do in the first place.
I share these responses in good faith, only to serve as inspiration to future applicants and nothing more. If you have any questions regarding my responses or would like to ask me any further questions feel free to reach out.
About You - Part A
Question 1: Reasons for choosing your program and Waterloo (*Required)
Please tell us about your educational goals, your interest in your chosen program(s), and your reasons for applying to the University of Waterloo. If you have applied to more than one program please discuss your interest in each program.
Wherever I go, my UW laptop sticker often leads to the question “Do you go to UW?” It’s a nod to UW’s outstanding reputation. I developed a passion for tech through my 10+ hackathon wins, participation in Berkeley ASAE, lab research at UofT, and being offered the sole high school internship at Cohere. I hope to contribute to UW’s innovative community. The theoretical knowledge provided by the CS curriculum, coupled with the co-op program, will sharpen my skills to succeed in tech. The CS/BBA program aligns with my tech and business innovation goals, inspired by experiences like touring Niantic’s HQ through my LosAltosHacks win, and by pitching my idea ‘ARLingo’ to investors. SE with its applied focus and my love for building ensures I will make the most of the collaborative cohort system and its unique courses. UW’s community and opportunities inspire me to grow beyond my comfort zone.
898 / 900 Characters
Question 2: Extracurricular Activities
Question 3: Extracurricular Activities - additional information (optional)
Berkeley ASAE: Learning CAD, MATLAB, Arduinos, and application of theoretical concepts such as Actuator Disk Theory. Collaborating with Berkeley students. Commuting 4 hours round trip for in-person meetings. Working on prototyping parts and helping with hands-on building.
JAMHacks: Mentored participants, worked on website & bot, & led a team of 18 organizers. 444 registrations, but only 150 accepted due to funding. Partnered with UWaterloo and held @ E7. Will be working with Logistics and Tech as Lead Org
I want to continue these activities by organizing Hack the North and joining WATonomous
600 / 600 characters
Question 4: Employment Background
Please list your most significant part-time or full-time employment in the past 2 years, beginning with the most recent.
Note: If you have been away from school or university for more than 2 years, in addition to completing this form please email a current résumé (include your Waterloo ID#) to the Registrar’s Office at myapplication@uwaterloo.ca.
Question 5: Special achievements, distinctions, and awards
If you have received any academic or non-academic awards or distinctions, please list them below. Please provide the Size of Competition if you know how many people participated.
About You - Part B
Question 1: Institution(s) Attended
Foothill High School (Pleasanton, CA)
Rick Hansen Secondary School (Mississauga, ON)
Question 2: Post-secondary Education
No
Question 3: Additional Information (900 Characters)
I was offered an opportunity to intern at Cohere as the role of Intern of Technical Staff selected in a pool of 10,000+ university student applicants making me Cohere’s only high school hire to date. At the time due to me not holding a Permanent Residency status in Canada I lacked work authorization unfortunately having to reject this opportunity. At the time of writing I am on the shortlist of applicants for Cohere’s Summer 2024 roles and will know more information soon.
Although I am unable to take AP Physics due to moving, I convinced the AP Physics C teacher to let me audit the course by becoming his Teacher Assistant instead of taking a spare period next semester. I will do my best to gather as much knowledge as I can and make the most of this opportunity.
At Foothill, the rigor of Honors Pre Calculus makes it the sole honors course that is weighted the same as an AP Course.
Courses
Question 1: Current 2023/2024 Courses (*Required)
Question 2: Courses Prior to Fall 2023
Question 3: Additional Courses Information
Question 4: Courses not taken at your regular day school
I had taken Grade 11 Chemistry at Rick Hansen Secondary School, and when I requested to take Chemistry at day school at Foothill High School, my counselor informed me that she would not be able to process my request because they had deemed Grade 11 Chemistry sufficient for graduation and would prioritize students taking the course for the first time. Since Chemistry is a popular course as it is a requirement for graduation, I took Chemistry over the summer.
Question 5: Repeated Courses
Engineering
Question 1: Engineering Interests and Goals (*Required) (900 Character limit)
Briefly explain why you are interested in engineering and particularly in the program to which you have applied. Comment, for example, on your interests and abilities; your career goals; exposure to engineering through school-related and other experiences; and discussions you have had with engineers, teachers, current or past Waterloo students. (900 character limit)
A stick of Balsa Wood is weak enough that a child could snap it in half. When assigned a project to construct a bridge that could hold 20 pounds with Balsa Wood and glue, it seemed impossible. This sparked my interest in engineering, specifically how to make the most of any situation given. With my interest in software and the will to make, I dove into hackathons, developing solutions for inconveniences I faced: a page-flipper for musicians, study tools, and a volleyball technique advisor. Additionally I collaborated with motivated peers such as Steven Gong (SE ‘26) with whom I worked on various effective solutions to problems, discovering new approaches. These experiences revealed the diverse ways people think and solve problems, deepening my love for engineering. Pursuing Software or Computer Engineering will allow me to continue to discuss and innovate with top minds in the field.
900 / 900 Characters
Question 2 More About Your Goals (*Required) (900 Character limit)
What sorts of things would you like to do or accomplish in Waterloo Engineering and why? (900 character limit)
At Waterloo Engineering in addition to continuing my efforts of gaining practical experience through co-op and partaking in leadership activities, I want to build a car. People’s aspiration to have the most reliable, efficient, and luxurious car has made cars lose their character over time. My goal is to hone and improve all of the modern luxuries of a car, without losing its persona. Courses such as SE 499 will provide me with practical experience by allowing me to make a project requiring substantial engineering design. Additionally, communities such as Formula Electric, WATonomous, and Waterloo Car Club ensure that my initiatives will be supported by the community. Waterloo’s rich hands-on learning environment and innovative community provide the ideal setting for me to pursue this unique engineering obstacle, to create a car that stands out in today’s homogenous automotive landscape
900 / 900 Characters
Question 3 Programming Knowledge
If you have applied to Software Engineering you are required to demonstrate that you have experience in developing well-structured, modular programs. However, all applicants should list their programming experience if applicable.
For every programming language in which you have at least four months of programming experience, list the language, number of months experience you have in using the language (not how long you have known it), and capacity in which you used the language (e.g., courses completed, work experience, self education). (600 character limit)
TypeScript - 4 yrs: Figgy Bot and ‘covidd’ NPM package which scrapes and returns COVID data (10k+ downloads)
Python - 3 yrs: Rubiks - CV application providing instructions to solve rubik’s cubes efficiently
Java - 3 yrs: AP Computer Science & developed speed card game incorporating multithreading and concepts taught in ICS3U
LaTex - 1.5 yrs: Taking notes on Obsidian
Swift - 2 yrs: Developed an app to experience the Christmas spirit through an immersive AR experience through your phone incorporating LIDAR sensor and music JavaScript/HTML/CSS - 4 yrs: ayushgarg.ca & etal.vicu.utoronto.ca
592 / 600 Characters
Math & Computer Science
Question 1: 2023 Mathematics Contests
