A conversation with Minerva Student Carl Kho
Meet Carl, a student in the Class of 2026.
Quick Facts:
Name
Carl Kho
Country
Philippines
Class
2026
Intended Major
Computational Sciences
Conversation:
How did you discover Minerva?
Prior to discovering Minerva, I launched my own college preparation program, Padayun.Ko. There, I listed all the ongoing scholarships for which Filipino students are eligible. My initiative stemmed from the fact that the Philippines did not have any scholarship database. It was a part of my giving back to the community because 4 million students were outplaced by the pandemic and could not continue education. One day, somebody on the page messaged us: “There is a really cool program in San Francisco. It is called Minerva University, and its curriculum is really interesting. You don’t have to worry about finances because they have financial aid. Check it out.” So, I checked it out.
What made you apply to Minerva?
Back then, I really wanted to study abroad. I developed a website, and I placed all my strengths and weaknesses. After that, I created a video: “Hey, everyone, I am looking for sponsors. Here is my roadmap, the things I want to happen in my life. If you are willing to sponsor me, please let me know.” The reason I wanted to study abroad was that I knew that people there have good mental models that could train somebody’s mind. Here comes Minerva, dedicating the first year to critical thinking and habits of mind — that just blew me away. That is why I decided to apply to Minerva.
What was your favorite accomplishment that you submitted in your Minerva application?
My favorite accomplishment was when I represented the Philippines as the team captain and algorithm engineer in the World Robotics Olympiad 2019 in Győr, Hungary, under the category of robot soccer. We implemented the PID (automatic tracking system that uses advanced calculus concepts) to our robot and landed third place. It was all about competition, delight, and challenges. I think that was also the first glimpse of global immersion because we competed with people from Saudi Arabia, Germany, and many other countries. It was an enriching experience, and I am really proud of it.
What excites you the most about attending Minerva?
I am really excited to immerse myself, go to another country, learn about its culture, and look at things with an added perspective. It can help me with my goal of becoming a research scientist in brain engineering. Moreover, I am looking forward to trying new food in each rotation city.
What major are you the most interested in pursuing?
I am interested in taking up Computational Sciences. Since I will spend my first year in San Francisco, Minerva gives me the chance to connect, meet up, get mentors, and learn from professionals in Silicon Valley. It is a dreamland for tech people: the headquarters of Google, Meta, and many other big tech companies and start-ups. I wish to be a neural engineer, so I am excited to take up Computational Sciences at Minerva. I cannot wait to actually get my hands dirty with code.
What kind of person do you think should be applying to Minerva?
The people who I think should be applying to Minerva are those that have initiative, who do stuff without being told, the type who are autonomous and independent, who help out, who make an effort just because they saw a person struggling, those kinds of people who you look at and think: “Wow. I want to be that type of person.”
If you connected with Carl’s story and are seeking to learn creatively and inquisitively around the world, begin your application to join Minerva now.
