How to write an SOP/Get a Reco

Nope, I won't give tips, but here's something people from admission committee, and professors tell me. Basically, they don't really rely on recommendation from unknown professors. Also, most of the recommendations from South Asia are likely to be written by the applicants themselves, this is a known fact. Besides, it makes a recommender's credibility very low when every student s/he recommends is "My favorite student".

The best way to improve chances of admission is to write a great Statement of Purpose (SOP). Don't make it sound like you are bragging. The admission committee have no idea who you are ... grades don't reveal a lot about a person. So the Statement of Purpose is the best way of presenting/selling yourself ... you get to show off.

More on this in my personal website article that I'm working on now.....

My favorite Science Fiction Movies

I like Sci-Fi movies, and there are some which I like more than others. Here is a list of my favorites:

• 1. Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind
  
• 2. Artificial Intelligence
  
• 3. 2001: A Space Odyssey
  
• 4. Gattaca
  
• 5. Star Trek (most of the original series)
  
• 6. E.T.
  
• 7. Back to the Future
  
• 8. Total Recall
  

Well, there are some others, I just can't remember right now.

Photo from Matt Bishop's visit to UIUC

Ok, this is a photo from October 24, 2005, as I have mentioned in an earlier post. I've finally got off the procrastination mode and managed to get the photos dloaded from my camera.

Matt Bishop is at the center of the photo, with other people from our NCSA Security Research Group. I'm standing to the left of Bishop. 

Matt Bishop's visit

Matt Bishop from UCDavis came to UIUC yesterday. For those who doesn't know him, Bishop is the author of the book, "Computer Security: Art and Science". This is one of the encyclopedic works on computer security theory. Of course the book is highly mathematical, and not one on the practical implementations. Anyway, for any serious security researcher, this is a must-have book.

Prof. Bishop came to our NCSA security research lab last afternoon. He is one of those jolly, friendly professors ... was quite free with us, and affable. I had been studying for the Security midterm since the weekend ... I told him to wish me good luck as he signed my copy of his book. :D. I also have a picture taken at the lab...

By the way, the midterm was quite tough!!