*Explain, in detail, an experience you've had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you’ve taken, or through something else. (150w)* In my note-taking app, Obsidian, I built a plugin that gives an AI agent access to my notes—my beliefs, experiences, and aspirations—with the ability to synthesize ideas, reveal connections, and suggest next steps. When learning, I think alongside AI. I brainstorm while it excavates my notes, surfacing forgotten insights and unexpected links. It tracks my progress and adapts dynamically, forming a complete feedback loop. Just as tools like Cursor streamline software development, I’m creating a tool that streamlines learning. As data is vital in computer science, raw notes are crucial context for AI. Yet existing methods like vector spaces and RAG fall short. That’s the technological breakpoint I’m trying to solve with my app — a custom-designed context architecture for learning. At UIUC, I hope to empower other learners through the synergy of technology and learning in the Learning & Education Studies—EdTech program. --- *Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from UIUC and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them. (150w)* After graduation, I plan to work at an EdTech startup—or start my own. I am recently looking into Sana Labs, a really cool Swiss AI startup that seeks to advance human knowledge through technology. The Learning & Educaiton Studies Edtech program would defnitely help me strengthen my skills and knowledge in software engineering while giving me more opportunities to futher explore the intersection between technology and learning. I am especially excited the new **Center for Research and Innovation in Technology-Enhanced Learning (ITEL)** which I think perfectly aligns with my interets. I am also excited to connect with Prof. H. Chad Lane's, who works on using intelligent learning technologies to support learners. --- *You have selected a second-choice major. Please explain your interest in that major or your overall academic or career goals. (150w)* Education isn't just what happens in classrooms -- it's the intricate web of social structures, economic pressures, and power dynamics. I want to understand education not just as a pedagogical challenge but as a sociological phenomenon: how institutions reproduce inequality, how communities resist or adapt, and where interventions can catalyze real change. We live in an age of unprecedented abundance: free online courses, digital libraries, community organizations. Yet inequality persists. The issue isn't scarcity of educational resources but the concentration in gatekept institutions and the structural barriers preventing individuals from accessing what already exists. True educational equity requires both decentralizing resources and cultivating the capacity for self-directed learning. I'm pursuing sociology because technology alone cannot solve this. Technological solutions imposed without understanding social structures often reinforce existing inequalities. Sociology would help me to diagnose society’s structures before attempting to transform them through technology or other means.