randy luong's
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future plans

academics

senior year

Going into my 12th grade year, I'm going to be taking the hardest courseload I've ever attempted. These classes can be seen below.


  • IB Math Analysis & Applications HL 2

  • IB Physics HL 2

  • AP Statistics (through the online campus)

  • IB Computer Science SL

  • IB Language & Literature HL 2

  • IB History of the Americas HL 2

  • Cyber: Oracle 1


I'll be taking IB Math Analysis HL and AP Stats to prepare myself for my future college courseload. Multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and lots of data science will be in my future so its necessary to take them. Additionally, I'm taking IB CS and Oracle to prepare myself for my major specific classes.

On the extracurricular side, I'm planning to be vice-president of Photography Club, a student leader of the Technology Student Association at Edison, and plan to compete in Future Business Leaders of America. I'm planning on continuing my Flight Commander role in Civil Air Patrol. In addition, I'm planning to be a aerospace, cyber, and leadership support officer.

college and beyond

I am planning to major in Computer Engineering in college. If I'm able to get fee waivers, I plan on applying to 20+ schools. My current list of schools can be found below.

Green = safety
yellow = target
red = reach

  • George Mason University

  • James Madison University

  • Virginia Tech

  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute

  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  • University of Virginia

  • Northeastern University

  • University of Michigan

  • Carnegie Mellon University

  • Georgia Tech

  • The University of Texas at Austin

  • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Cornell University

  • University of California, Berkeley

  • Yale University

  • Princeton University

  • Massachussetts Institute of Technology

  • Harvard University

  • Stanford University

  • University of Pennsylvania

As you can see, I'll be applying to many competitive and rigorous schools. Ideally, I would like to attend MIT for computer science and engineering (this is one major). For most of the schools listed, I plan on majoring in Computer Engineering with a minor in psychology or data science. For UPenn, I'll be applying to the Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology to obtain a business degree from the Wharton School and a computer engineering degree. After undergraduate, I plan on obtaining a master's degree from MIT.

career

high school & college

In terms of my career, I know for a fact that I want my career to relate to space and computer engineering. Currently, I would like to become an AI/ML Engineer specializing on spacecraft. Within my job, I want to integrate AI/ML into spacecraft systems such as navigation, propulsion, etc. In looking at what companies that I could see myself working for or what jobs interest me, these 4 companies stand out:

  1. NASA

  2. SpaceX

  3. Boeing

  4. Lockheed Martin


However, to get to these big 4 companies, I have to have the proper experience, skills, and know-how. That's why I want to take advantage of being in high school and find an a high school internship at one of these 4 companies. After having applied to NASA and Lockheed Martin, I got downright rejected, which just means 1: the applicant pool is competitive and 2: I'm just not prepared for it yet. I hope to obtain the Lockheed Martin High School Internship this upcoming application cycle so that I'm already 1 foot in the door for getting a co-op or internship in college.

In high school and college, my approach to getting a job/internship/co-op will be roughly the same. My current objective is to build my skills (e.g. programming, cloud computing, statistical analysis, data visualization) to be best prepared for opportunities as they appear.

post undergraduate / early career

After undergrad, I'd like to be ready for some of the 4 companies that I mentioned earlier. I'd like to start my career at NASA or SpaceX, move to Boeing or Lockheed Martin, and end my career at NASA or SpaceX again. Early in my career, I have more room to take risks in terms of jobs and I also have the time to build my experience. I don't expect to be working at my first job for more than 1-2 years. NASA, being a government agency, has a lot of paper pushing which I don't want to be doing my whole life. SpaceX (Elon Musk) is notorious for laying off mass amounts of people at once, but I don't expect much job security at my first position.

mid career

Working at Boeing and Lockheed Martin, I would have better job security and enjoy work. At Lockheed specifically, I'd like to work in their Skunkworks division developing future fighters, things that go fast, and everything that I wanted to do as a kid. It's also around this time that that I would found a space company centered around space travel. I predict that by the time I have the skills and expertise necessary to start a company, the space travel industry will be massive.

late career

At the end of my career, I want to end up back at NASA or SpaceX.In the backstretch of my career, I want to be at the forefront of astronautical advancement. As I mentioned earlier, I'd like to integrate AI/ML into spacecraft. Currently, the frontline of astronautics is focused on the Artemis mission and the Mars mission. When I get to the forefront of astronuatics, I predict humans will be focused on inter-solar-systemic travel.

retirement/post-retirement

After I retire, I would take a step back from the forefront and become a teacher at a university or a high school. If I end up teaching at a university, I would like to do research there also.