5450 University Blvd
Vancouver, BC V6T1K4
September 17, 2020
ENGL 301 99A Classmates
The University of British Columbia
2329 West Mall
Vancouver, BC, V6T1Z4
Dear ENGL 301 Classmates,
My name is Aleem Tariq, and I am writing to express interest in joining your writing team for this semester.
I am currently enrolled in UBC’s BCS (Bachelor of Computer Science) program, which is a rigorous 20-month program that allows students with a previous bachelor’s degree the opportunity for a career transition. My prior degree is in Biology, from the University of British Columbia, with a focus on Neuroscience. My experiences in my own field, as well as in transitioning to an entirely new one, will make me an ideal writing partner.
Compelled by my desire to study the brain further than the introductory classes permitted, I specialized closer to the end of my degree. It was my intention to pursue graduate studies, and so I took several systems-level Neuroscience courses that were intended for such an audience. These courses ended with a research project, where my teammates and I pursued an open question in the field. This involved studying the necessary background material, designing a detailed experiment to test our hypotheses, and writing a grant proposal that would convey to the reader the value of our research. In this way, despite being relatively new to technical writing, I have written extensively in academic settings and offer a wealth of experience.
The open-ended nature of my projects exposed me to the wider realm of research in Neuroscience. This was where I realized my lack of computation-related background severely restricted the sorts of questions I could address in Neuroscience. The abrupt shift in not only content but also thinking styles and rigour was a difficult transition, but I rose to the occasion and maintained excellent grades. I acclimated myself to a novel learning environment despite the difficulty and thus can be a reliable writing partner.
My biggest weakness is my lack of experience in technical writing, and lack of confidence in my work, as I usually ask others to review my writing. However, I took the initiative to take this class and address those weaknesses. I am willing to work hard to overcome these obstacles, and so I can offer that proactivity and diligence to my writing team.
As far as learning philosophy goes, my past trials and tribulations have taught me that continuous exposure to material is key. That regularly seeing optimal examples, reviewing concepts, and addressing weaknesses is the best way to learn; it gives one’s brain the best chance to digest the material.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. Please do not hesitate to contact me at aleemtariq19@gmail.com if you have more questions or want to learn more about my background. I look forward to hearing from you.
Kindest Regards,
Aleem Tariq