When Li moved from China to the United States to attend college, he was originally at the University of Utah as a Medical Laboratory Science major with a Computer Science minor. During his studies in Salt Lake City, a Utah Global advisor mentioned the 2024 Applied AI in Engineering Summer Institute at the University of California, Berkeley.
“I was hooked by the program because while I was thinking of computer science as my minor, I was not so sure,” Li said.
The UC Berkeley summer program helped him make up his mind, and not just about his major. It also made him realize that his dream school was within reach.
A Life-Changing Artificial Intelligence Program
Focused on pursuing a medical degree, Li wondered how artificial intelligence could be applied to health and medical fields. He started to see some of the possibilities during the UC Berkeley summer program.
“A lot of innovations start at the school before being used commercially,” he explained. “I saw new things I had never heard about.”
The AI Summer Institute at UC Berkeley gave Li a glimpse into cutting-edge technology. It also allowed him to see bigger opportunities and new career paths.
The program went beyond lectures, taking students to visit several technology companies in the Bay Area. One visit brought them to the Tesla factory where several car models were being assembled.
“We learned a lot from the tour,” Li began. “There is a lot of applied AI with scanners, sensors, and cameras doing a lot of assembly work.”
During one lecture, a professor brought the class outside to see a self-driving car. “It was wild — just right there in front of us,” Li said.
The program also gave Li and his classmates hands-on experience creating prototypes, including one assignment where groups were tasked with creating gadgets. Li and his team came up with a robot that could assemble products faster via an algorithm programmed into the robot’s arm.
The program allowed him to meet professors, experience the campus, and interact with the community, solidifying that this was where he belonged.
“I did not want to leave when it was finished,” said Li about the two-week program. “I learned a lot, not only about what I want to learn, like how AI applies to the medical field, but it also helped me confirm that I want to pursue computer science as a minor.”
Finding the Right Cultural Fit at UC Berkeley
Not only did the summer program help Li solidify his professional path, it also made him realize that California was a better backdrop for his studies.
“I visited Berkeley when I was around nine years old,” Li shared, recalling a family trip. “It found a little seat in my heart.”
He is excited about the UC Berkeley pre-med program. “During the summer, I had a campus tour led by a pre-med student,” he said, noting that her advice made him even more determined to transfer schools.
But while program quality is important, just as important is feeling at home wherever you choose to go to school.
For Li, California is closer to home in many ways. On weekends, he will be able to visit his family.
“My mom and sisters are living in San Jose, so transferring to Berkeley will allow me to stay connected with them better,” he said.
Plus, the Bay Area has a lot of Chinese food options. “I have a huge Chinese stomach,” Li said, laughing. “There are a lot of Chinese restaurants around Berkeley that made me feel like coming home.”
He met a lot of Chinese students in the summer program, too. This sense of community is essential for easing the transition between the United States and home.
Transferring Colleges: “Nothing is Impossible”
Li says the transfer process was a little easier than submitting first-year applications. “There is a little higher chance [of getting in as a transfer] if you could not get into your dream school on the first try,” he said.
He also credits the Writing Center at the University of Utah for helping him with his personal essay. “They not only helped with my grammar, but [in finding] better ways to write to the prompt,” he said.
With his acceptance to UC Berkeley, Li is excited for what comes next. Medical school is his ultimate goal, at least at the moment.
“I might want to be a doctor in the future,” he said. “But I am always thinking about entrepreneurship in biotech.”
This interest in biotech is another reason he is excited to be close to all the startups in California.
“I want to do something entrepreneurial in my life,” he explained, nothing that may mean coming up with a new invention or exploring new fields in science.
Neurology is of particular interest too. “If my career can put me on the cutting edge of technology, I would be really satisfied,” he said.
“UC Berkeley was my dream school, but sometimes I wondered, ‘Am I good enough?’” Li shared. “But it is always worth a try. Sometimes we are just not that confident, so we underestimate ourselves.”
Li cites his improving English language skills as an example. “I did not know if I could make friends in the US,” he said. “I was not sure if I could get used to the culture or the food.”
Despite these hesitations, Li kept moving toward his goals. “Language is never the barrier,” he emphasized. “It is more like a tool to help you instead of stopping you. My English is not good, but I can still achieve a lot of things that I did not always expect to achieve.”
He credits the University of Utah with helping him gain a lot of confidence, using resources like the Career Center, Writing Center, and tutoring services to help him improve not only his language skills but his resume, LinkedIn profile, and more.
“Do not be afraid to use all the resources,” he advised other international students.
Ultimately, his advice is simple: apply to your dream schools.
“It is always worth a try. Nothing is impossible!”
