Your personal statement might be the make-break of this sucker in some ways. If you can lead in with something really strong, about how you basically left the world of STEM behind in High School because of a bad teacher (no need to mention how bad), went to humanities and did well, then didn't know what to do for a while, tried writing, moved into programming, got pretty good at that, founded a financial technology company and fought for five years tooth and nail to keep it afloat (I mean, that's not nothing) and only in the past two years went from having precious little mathematical/physical knowledge to having a working knowledge of mechanics, calculus, linear algebra, and some elements of modern physics... as long as it tells a good story that depicts you as you are - indefatigably curious and, though circuitous in route, always steering back toward academia and the sciences, where I belong.
Should include:
Your personal statement might be the make-break of this sucker in some ways. If you can lead in with something really strong, about how you basically left the world of STEM behind in High School because of a bad teacher (no need to mention how bad), went to humanities and did well, then didn't know what to do for a while, tried writing, moved into programming, got pretty good at that, founded a financial technology company and fought for five years tooth and nail to keep it afloat (I mean, that's not nothing) and only in the past two years went from having precious little mathematical/physical knowledge to having a working knowledge of mechanics, calculus, linear algebra, and some elements of modern physics... as long as it tells a good story that depicts you as you are - indefatigably curious and, though circuitous in route, always steering back toward academia and the sciences, where I belong.