In this blog post, I’ll summarize my academic experiences, school activities, examples of how I practiced consideration, sharing, and cooperation during high school, and my plans for my college career.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
I’ve had a deep interest in music since middle school—I enjoyed listening to classical music and even made attending operas a hobby. My talent for vocal music was recognized early on, leading me to perform with a local music ensemble; building on this foundation, I was admitted to the vocal music department at an arts high school, where I received an entrance scholarship for my relatively high grades. However, my parents encouraged me to attend a general high school, believing I could always pursue music as a hobby later in life. Contrary to their expectations, I began my high school career determined to prove myself academically, given that I had been accepted into an arts high school.
While I was able to maintain relatively high grades in my core subjects, I consistently struggled with language-related subjects, including English. In particular, my weak foundation in vocabulary and grammar often resulted in grades of 3 or lower, and my performance fluctuated wildly—sometimes I would receive a grade of 1, only to suddenly drop to a 4. To address these inconsistent grades, I decided to actively take advantage of the after-school classes offered by the school.
The after-school classes, which focused primarily on language and English subjects and were held for one hour each day, were a program that helped reduce private tutoring costs and foster a solid learning environment. The English grammar review class offered in my freshman year and the classical literature class in my sophomore year covered exactly the areas I needed to improve, so I resolved to “make the most of them.” I prepared a university-style notebook specifically for these after-school classes and took detailed notes every day on what I learned in grammar class. I even wrote down every single detail—including parts of the teacher’s explanations that sounded like casual remarks—so that I could recall the full context later.
For the classical literature class, I typed up my notes to create personal study materials that I could print out. By repeatedly reviewing these notes and printouts whenever I had a moment, my foundational English skills gradually improved, and the fluctuations in my language course grades significantly decreased. Through this experience, I learned just how effective consistent review and systematic organization of materials are in addressing my weaknesses.
Major School Activities and Reflections
As a freshman in high school, I received a scholarship based on my practical exam scores and admission scores, and that experience brought me the joy of receiving praise from my parents. However, as I entered my sophomore year, I felt embarrassed about constantly asking my parents for tuition money, so I decided to manage my grades more rigorously in order to continue receiving the scholarship. Since our school’s scholarship system evaluated both academic performance and contributions to the school and department, I had to play a meaningful role not only in my grades but also in school activities.
Academically, I maintained a Grade 1 in my core subjects, and I improved my English—which had been a weak area—to a Grade 2 starting in the second semester of my freshman year through after-school classes. To qualify as a scholarship recipient among the top 10% of the student body, I had to rank within the top 20 in the school, and based on my grades in core subjects alone, I was able to rank within the top 10. However, competition within the vocal music department was fierce, making it difficult to secure a scholarship based on major grades alone. Since there were few vocal music students and it was hard to distinguish between them, I generally maintained 5th place; to be guaranteed a scholarship, I needed to rank in the top three in my major.
So, I decided to balance my studies with activities that contributed to the school as a class officer, and I ran for and was elected vice president. As an officer, I played many practical roles, ranging from facilitating class meetings and submitting suggestions for the cafeteria menu to advocating for the installation of air conditioning to improve classroom facilities—and actually seeing those improvements implemented. I also participated in activities that benefited the entire school, such as making proposals to address school violence at school-wide student council meetings.
Although I initially began my role as an officer simply as a means to secure a scholarship, my perspective changed the more I participated. As I saw my proposals accepted and the school actually change, I came to understand the problems my classmates were facing and felt a sense of responsibility to improve them. As a result, I became aware of my rights and responsibilities as a student, and I was selected as a scholarship recipient again in my sophomore year, allowing me to continue my school life with greater stability.
Examples of Compassion, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
While serving as class vice president, I participated in a school-wide student council meeting aimed at eradicating school violence. This meeting progressed step-by-step, from conducting a fact-finding survey to implementing systemic improvements. Initially, the meeting was intended solely for the survey, but after the results confirmed that at least one incident of school violence had been reported per class, the scope expanded to exploring more concrete solutions. At the second meeting, an “Anti-School Violence Task Force” was formed internally, and I participated as a member of this group.
At the third meeting, we discussed more practical institutional improvements. With the aim of enhancing existing systems, various proposals were put forward—such as revitalizing Wee Classes and assigning full-time school counselors—but I believed that fundamental change would be difficult to achieve through superficial measures alone. In fact, I judged that the most important thing was to establish a direct channel through which victims could safely report their situations.
Therefore, I proposed installing a reporting box in an inconspicuous location within the school where victims could anonymously submit details of their experiences. I argued that, since it is often difficult for victimized students to reveal their identities, we should ensure they can simply write a brief description of the incident on a note. I proposed a step-by-step process: once the teacher in charge reviews the note, they would first conduct a one-on-one counseling session with the homeroom teacher and the perpetrator, followed by an interview with the victimized student and subsequent school-wide procedures.
This proposal was accepted, and reporting boxes were installed in various locations throughout the school; as a result, many incidents were resolved early on. Through this experience, I learned that improving existing systems requires ideas from new perspectives and the courage to implement them, and I deeply felt that cooperation based on consideration and a sense of responsibility brings about tangible change.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
While in high school, I read the book ‘Convergence’ and came to deeply appreciate the importance of interdisciplinary integration. As our era demands the convergence of diverse fields, I developed the conviction that I must study other disciplines beyond my major in vocal music. Therefore, in college, I intend to strengthen my skills in vocal music while pursuing a dual major in a field such as Cultural Welfare Content in the School of Media and Information Studies, with the goal of developing the ability to bridge music and media.
The specific reason I plan to pursue a dual major in Cultural Content is that I aspire to become a professional producer for music broadcasts. Through my exposure to various genres—including classical music, musicals, and opera—I have developed a dream of personally conveying music to people through the medium of broadcasting. I would like to engage in the production and planning of music content, such as incorporating my performances or recordings into broadcast programs and hosting segments that showcase my classical albums.
To this end, even before applying to college, I made sure not to neglect my school grades, college entrance exam preparation, school activities, or practical performance practice. As a scholarship recipient during high school, I managed my academic work thoroughly and actively utilized the school’s college preparation programs and supplementary classes to improve in subjects where I was lacking. Additionally, I developed leadership and planning skills through my roles as a student officer, and by consistently practicing vocal performance, I maintained a top ranking in my department, building confidence for college-level practical training.
After entering college, I plan to diligently complete foundational courses such as Western Music History and Basic Harmony. In my sophomore and junior years, I intend to focus on practice-oriented classes—such as opera ensemble and concert choir—to strengthen my performance skills. At the same time, I intend to complete all required courses in the Cultural Content major to learn the theory and practical skills necessary for broadcasting and content production. In my senior year, I plan to specialize in music research and music pedagogy to complete a portfolio that integrates music and media. Ultimately, my goal is to utilize this interdisciplinary major to work as a professional producer specializing in music planning and production.
