"I came across a junction with two roads, one is trampled upon.

I chose the less beaten one", or so goes a famous adage. If there is one thing that the realm of Information Technology (IT) makes possible, it is entrepreneurship: the abillity to dream and the tools and means to convert those dreams into a reality. There was a time when one couldn't even imagine opening a business without first having to arrange a huge capital. Gone are those days. IT is fast changing that landscape. All that is needed now is a good business vision and a will to reach that vision. Hailing from an IT background, it is my desire to launch my own startup after I am done with my studies. The road to entrepreneurship is not without its risks and perils, but the rewards waiting at the destination are equally luscious. One one hand, there is the risk of losing it all, but on the other hand there is the possibility of becoming another Bill Gates or Larry Alison. These enterprising personas choose not to be a part of the existing system, but rather decided to undertake the perilous journey on the less beaten road. Where they stand today can be easily seen. A self-owned business offers one numerous opportunities to excel and surpass others. First of all, it gives one the creative space to follow ones vision and to carve out that vision in real life. Second, it provides an innate motivation to use one's potentials to the maximum. When one is working for another entity, one might observe a certain impersonal attitude prevailing in one's self. No matter how high you climb up the ladder in that company, a foreign company will never have that feeling of being something something personal. A self-owned business gives an individual that satisfaction. It is the search for this creative space and this feeling of possessiveness that compels me to choose this road. To boldly go where no one has gone before. It was this desire that originally led me to undertake a bachelors in computer engineering. It has been my motivating spirit throughout my undergraduate studies: to one day apply the knowledge I am acquiring in starting my own IT business. When I entered this field, my view of the field of IT was narrow, the horizons nebulous. But four years later, I feel that I have come a long way since that first fall semester. The experience has taught me how to take calculated risks, how to meet deadlines, and how to work in a team. All these skills would indeed prove valuable if I were to set up my own business. It will be still be a while before I embark upon my dream, but now I have the knowledge and confidence to undertake that journey. There is no end to learning and it is with this desire that I wish you pursue my graduate studies first. I believe that a solid technical base and good credentials would go a long way in helping me reach the ultimate goal that I have set for myself. There are people who would prefer to go the easy way: join a company, never having to worry again. Yet again, there are people who would dare to venture in unchartered waters. I believe that I belong to the latter category. I could never satisfy my passion for entrepreneurship by working for another company. It is to quelch this thirst that I would rather set up my own business. Hi I am giving TOEFL tomorrow morning. Wish me luck. Regards, Al