QUESTIONNAIRE for Foreign University (InfoTech) Netherlands

Hello, my name is Dirk Jan Breeuwer, I come from Guatemala. I want to study information technology (IT) in the Netherlands. The University I want to apply to asked me to fill out this Questionnaire, and I would like if someone could give me his opinion and help me out.

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1. For which program are you applying: IT, TRM, LM or IBMS (FT) (PT) (FAST TRACK),?
I am applying for the Information Technology (IT) Program.



2. What has aroused your interest in applying for a place on this program? The Information Technology (IT) Program is the Bachelor degree I have always wanted to accomplish because I know a have the skills. Since very young age, I have had the ability and passion for technology. I have always been exposed and involved in technology, since my father is a Systems Engineer; I have worked and helped him. In school I have always exceeded others giving me the reputation and opportunity to work and help at the same time.
I have carefully read all the program’s features, paying special attention to the courses taught through the years and it thrills me just to imagine that I will be learning Cisco and Computer Architecture in a classroom (most of what I know of IT has been self-taught).





3. Do you have any experience in working in the field of Information Technology / International Business / International Leisure Industry/International Tourism? If yes:

· In which specific field of this program do you have experience or in what kind of projects have you taken part?
I have experience in the IT field. It all started when I first discovered that I could make my computer faster by changing the speed in the CPU clock, and that was at the age of eleven; from that time, everything computers where able to do fascinated me. To better explain the experience I have, I will divide my knowledge in fields.




Network Security field. Here I learned mostly about the basics of how Remote Access tools work, and to complement that, I studied a little coding in Visual Basic and C++ to create little utilities that would help me. I also learned about the different Operating Systems, for example how to install and compile Linux or how to use of Unix to command Shells.

After a while, my artistic side emerged. My interest turned to creating visually attractive things in the computer using Photoshop and Illustrator. Now I have a portfolio that includes about 30 original artworks. This takes me to the next stage Web Programming.

At school, I always felt that the computer class wasn’t enough challenge for me, so I decided to ask the teacher if I could do a special project in the last semester to get an excellent grade. We agreed that I should do a secure website in PHP and MySQL, so students would be able to vote for school council. It was a big success.

Now, after graduating, I am using my skills to earn some money. I have a permanent job, fixing computers and creating web programs for my local community.


· LM / IT: What kind of IT / Leisure products have you been involved with?
I have been involved with many types of computers. I have worked and successfully fixed many Desktops from several brands and hybrids, but I am mostly familiar with Intel processors. I have always been a PC fan, but last year I switched to Mac. I have experience working with iPhones.



4. What subjects did you study for your secondary school certificate / diploma, and what examination grades did you achieve in them?
In Secondary School I studied:



Calculus: 70

Algebra: 69

Trigonometry: 65

Spanish Literature: 72

Biology: 73

Social Studies: 74

English: 72

Philosophy: 72

Psychology: 83

Chemistry: 71

Computer Science (Last semester): 100

Applied Statistics: 71

Physics: 76

General Accountability: 72

Art: 82



Those results are final year averages.





5. Describe your use of English outside school.
English is my second language; we use it at home. Every day I spend at least 2 hours reading and on computer blogs and forums. I am also a moderator and administrator in a few forums, so I am used to having conversations and reading in English. The school I went to (Colegio Montessori de Guatemala) is fully bilingual (Spanish/English). Also, when I watch television, I do it in English.


6. How do you feel about your ability to follow classes delivered in English, e.g. listening to lectures, reading text books, writing up projects and communication material, asking specific questions and discussing issues?
Receiving classes in English will be no problem at all.



7. What other languages do you speak, and what (if any) academic qualifications do you have in those languages?
Spanish is my first language; I also speak Italian and I have a certificate of recognition that credits me in the last middle level (Cuarto Corso Livelo Mezzo) at the Dante Alighieri School in the Macerata Region in Italy.



8. Do you have other skills and interests that you consider relevant to your application?
I would consider myself mainly skilled in computers, but I also have leadership, great social skills, and I am a very flexible and versatile person.

I am also interested in water sports; I practice waterskiing, wakeboarding, and sailing.



Academic abilities



1. What attention was given to ‘Study Skills’ during your secondary education?




2. How ready are you to learn about your strengths and weaknesses as a student?
Learning more gives me strength and to find out that I am good at what I am doing and achieving new goals gives me self-confidence. I am ready to find new strengths and weaknesses which I know both will make me take other challenges. I do think that I will be able to manage learning new things about myself to improve the person I am.

3. How important do you think this self-knowledge is?
Self-Knowledge via Self-Exploration is very important. It helps you to become a better person by trying to overcome your weaknesses. A person that knows its emotions, reacts to whatever situation in the best possible way.


4. Describe the kind of student that you think you are.
I consider myself an excellent student, whenever I am motivated and when I love what I am doing. Computers are my life; they really passion me. I have bought many computer books and learned, for example, programming on my own. I am also an extremely independent student, and I learn by doing.

A very positive side of me is that I know my abilities and my learning methods, and whenever I set a goal, I reach it. Now my next goal is to be an excellent student, hopefully at the INHolland University.



5. How good are you at planning your own study time?
Planning my studying time is no problem. I also have no problem working under stress; the feeling of anxiety makes me concentrate and work harder. I plan my time by using technology. Most of the things I have to do are stored in the Calendar of my computer. I like to do things ahead of time.



6. Have you ever had to work independently, with your teacher available for guidance only? Describe how well you think you did.
Last year, on my last semester of high school, I asked my computer teacher if I could do a special project, since the normal classes didn’t challenge me enough. He asked me to create a website, designed in HTML, using PHP and MySQL so students could vote for School President. The specifications were: SQL Injection Proof, 128-bit encryption, an Administrative Control Panel, MD5 password encryption for the users, and the capability to upload the user-password tables in an Excel format. I had never used PHP or MySQL, so I had to learn by myself. It took me 2 weeks to finish the project. I got an excellent grade. My project is currently used in my school.



7. What experience do you have working in teams and projects?
In the last year of high school, students have to do a team project that would benefit the community; our project was one of the most successful ones of my grade. I must admit, that at the beginning, it was a very stressful and difficult project. We had many problems organizing the team. We were not able to succeed until we realized that it was a special group; we had three very competitive leaders (including myself), who didn’t like to receive orders. When we finally realized that, we decided to separate into three subgroups, each one in charge of different tasks. Since that moment, we began working with great success and achieved in helping a low resource suburban community to build a computer lab and instructed the teachers on a typing program for their students.



8. Why do you think it would be a good idea for us to accept you on this course?
Need help here too


International aspect



1. What international experience have you acquired so far, e.g. have you made trips abroad to visit, work, or study?
I have had the opportunity to travel to different countries. I visited many times the United States, including, when I was 13, an exchange program in Minnesota for three months, where I attended school and had the opportunity of living with an adopted family.

At age 15, I traveled, with my parents for the first time to Europe. First we went to France and then to the Netherlands, which for me was very important since its the country from which I descend. I promised myself, “I am going to live here one day”. I was impressed about everything; from the channels to its picturesque cities, to the Museums with Rembrandt and Van Gough expositions, to the flower and cheese markets; everything for me was perfect.

Two years later, I got a one-month language-learning scholarship to Italy. Italy taught me more about culture, and the way of life in Europe, that made me want to start my higher education here.

Some days after returning from Italy, I was invited to the Volvo Youth Sailing World Cup in Ontario, Canada. I have also visited El Salvador and Honduras in Central America

2. What interests do you have in other cultures, e.g. do you have friends in another country that you are in contact with, or have you been involved with multi-cultural groups in your own country?
Culture became one of my main interests after all my international trips. I have been able to keep in touch with friends in other countries; for example I have two vrienden in Rotterdam, 5 Mexican amigos, and I sometimes still keep in touch with the meninas I met from Brasil.
I have always been exposed to different cultures since my father is from the Netherlands and my mother from Guatemala. My country is a multicultural, multibilingual, multietnial country. We have people with European Roots as well as Natives; this enriches our way of life.



3. If you have had some experience of cultures other than your own, what effect has it had on you and your attitude to society?
Thinking of it, it is interesting, how getting to know different cultures makes it easy to get along with different people, of different strains, of different religions. You accept people and their way of thinking and living life. You stop seeing different colors and instead you look for the essence in the human being.

4. Is your background that of a culture with a strict class or caste system? If so, how do you think this will affect your ability to work in an egalitarian, multicultural group?
Not at all. Guatemala is a multicultural country. In my school, even though it is a private school, it has people from different cultures. I have friends with Arabic, European, and American ascendance.

5. How willing are you to question your own cultural values and the way you do things? If you have ever had to do this before, how did you deal with it?
I am not willing to loose my culture or my values, this are part of my being, but I do wish to gain more from other cultures.

6. The membership of an international course comprises students from many different countries. What do you think could be the advantages of studying in an international classroom?
I think this is a very enriching experience. The advantages of studying in an international classroom are many. Having friends from different countries and learning about their traditions is one of the things that made me want to study abroad.

7. Do you think that there might be aspects of such an international classroom setting that would need special consideration, and, if so, what do you think they might be?
I don’t think there is anything that would need any special consideration. Nothing comes to my mind that could befuddle the experience of getting to know people from different countries.
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