The Verge just got me into Columbia

Posted by Upwad0n on March 29, 2012 05:30 pm 24

I wrote about The Verge for one of my college essays for Columbia, and I was just accepted. I wanted to post this as a personal thank you to Josh. I wrote about Josh, but I think that this really applies to all of the Verge's writers. It's all true.

Here is the essay:

Please tell us what you found meaningful about one of the above mentioned books, publications or cultural events. (1481/1500)

In my free time, I enjoy reading news and editorials published on The Verge, a technology-focused news website co-founded in September by Joshua Topolsky. I have followed Joshua’s work for four years as he migrated across three different websites and developed his own space on The Verge. I am engaged by Joshua’s writing because his reporting and analysis of the technology industry has helped to connect my computing hobbies and activities to the real world.

As I began to consider a future as a computer scientist, I realized that having both an understanding of the industry’s growth and experience as a consumer will be indispensable. I have tracked the development of the iPhone and Android alongside Joshua, and educating myself about these processes has lead me to form my own vision of what makes a successful product, and how technology should interface with everyday life. My future in technology field will be heavily influenced by my understanding of how advertising, supply and demand, and product ecosystems affect the development process.

Further, educating myself on challenging issues such as internet privacy, environmental costs of technology and copyright law has made me a more responsible consumer, and a more engaged student of computer science and engineering. I want to innovate and join an industry on the verge of groundbreaking developments in computer technologies, and Joshua Topolsky’s writing has allowed me to better understand this dream.

Thanks Josh.