In this blog post, I will focus on my academic experiences and extracurricular activities during high school, as well as examples of my consideration and cooperation with others, and my career preparation process.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
Even though I attended a general high school, I had the opportunity to take a special math class. A program was launched for science track students, modeled after foreign language high schools, where classes were conducted in English. I chose the math course and was required to participate for one semester. The program had a rule that accumulated penalty points for dropping out or frequent tardiness, which would result in being barred from continuing the class, so I had to approach it with a sense of responsibility from the very beginning.
The classes were conducted by inviting external instructors to lecture on math topics in English. At first, I could hardly understand the lectures, which was very frustrating, so I relied on solving problems by looking at numbers and diagrams rather than listening to the English explanations. Fortunately, since the material covered concepts I was already familiar with from my textbook, I could solve problems without major issues even if I didn’t fully understand the English; however, I realized that to truly benefit from the program, I needed to improve my listening skills.
Around the third class, I tried a new strategy. Instead of focusing solely on the English textbook, I began attending class with my existing Korean textbook open beside me. First, I summarized the key concepts in Korean, and then, as I listened to the English explanation, words that had previously gone unnoticed began to appear one by one, and their meanings started to connect naturally.
I wrote down the words I heard and understood in a separate vocabulary notebook, repeatedly reviewing their spellings and meanings. As my vocabulary grew, I was able to follow the flow of the teacher’s speech by connecting the words in my mind. I also learned sentence structure through context and intonation, and later combined listening practice with taking dictation of the lesson content. By the end of the semester, I had achieved the goal of understanding more than half of the class material.
Major School Activities and Reflections
While in high school, I was active in “Jihwibong,” a math education volunteer club dedicated to serving the local community. Jihwibong was a small group of students interested in educational volunteering; we primarily served by visiting nearby middle schools to provide one-on-one mentoring. Club members were divided among two middle schools, with each member taking responsibility for one middle school student, meeting regularly to provide both academic instruction and counseling.
A distinctive feature of our club was that we operated through individual mentoring rather than group classes. Each volunteer was assigned to one student, providing personalized lessons tailored to their individual needs, much like private tutoring. We built trust by listening not only to their academic concerns but also to the worries they faced in school life. By going beyond mere academic guidance to offer emotional support through conversation, we were able to maintain a comfortable relationship between mentors and mentees.
The mentee I was assigned to was an eighth-grader who was struggling with various issues, including peer relationships, family problems, and academic performance. Rather than diving straight into lessons, our club ran a program called “The Bond Between You and Me,” which focused on taking time to get to know one another. This helped the student open up quickly, and we only began academic instruction after we had gained an understanding of their personality and needs. This process was very helpful in reducing the time spent on icebreakers and increasing the efficiency of our lessons.
We began by administering a prepared diagnostic test to assess the student’s current level and then focused on strengthening the subjects where they were struggling. Our club created our own textbooks covering all subjects for middle school students in collaboration with team members to ensure we never ran out of materials during lessons. I was specifically in charge of math tutoring, where I helped students by explaining various problem-solving methods concisely and actively encouraging them to ask questions. After the tutoring program ended, I maintained close relationships with my mentees by participating in group volunteer activities with them, such as delivering coal briquettes, and these experiences left me with a deep sense of fulfillment.
Writing About Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
Our school held a monthly school-wide cleanup, and each class was assigned a specific area. My class was responsible for the common restrooms located in the hallway, and I happened to be assigned to clean the restrooms due to the random number assignment. Many students complained about having to clean the restrooms, especially since, unlike other areas, this task was often assigned on a fixed basis, leading to significant dissatisfaction.
To address these complaints, instead of just complaining myself, I encouraged my classmates to work together and systematically divided up the tasks. We broke the work down into specific roles—such as mopping the floor, emptying the trash cans in each stall, and scrubbing the partitions and toilets with a brush—and each of us took responsibility for our part. Although I wasn’t the cleaning leader, I led my classmates with a positive and proactive attitude and set the tone with the goal of making the space we used cleaner.
My classmates carried out their assigned tasks with great dedication: they emptied the trash cans, lined them with fresh plastic bags, and cleaned every nook and cranny with brushes and mops. They also eliminated odors using antibacterial products and sprays, and tackled stubborn stains by scrubbing them with water. This diligent effort garnered positive reactions from my classmates and teachers, and by the end of the semester, it led to our class receiving an award for excellence in cleaning.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
Looking back on my three years of high school, my math grades were the strongest. My school grades consistently remained in the top tier, and I was able to solve basic mock exam and College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)-style problems without significant difficulty. These achievements naturally led me to set my sights on a career in mathematics and higher education. Of course, high-difficulty Olympiad-level problems remained a challenge, but my confidence in my strong grasp of the fundamentals served as a crucial foundation for my career choice.
The decisive factor that led me to dream of becoming a professor in college was the sense of fulfillment I gained through educational volunteer work during high school. While teaching middle school students one-on-one, I saw how grateful they were, and through the process of preparing lessons and developing teaching materials, I experienced not only the satisfaction of teaching itself but also the sense of accomplishment that comes from research. The profession of a professor, which combines teaching and research, aligns well with the direction I wish to pursue.
My specific plan is to enter college, build a solid foundation during my undergraduate studies, major in mathematical statistics, and prepare for graduate school. I plan to diligently take introductory courses in mathematical statistics as an undergraduate and gain relevant research experience, so that during my master’s program, I can pursue in-depth study by combining mathematical statistics with mathematics education. Subsequently, in the doctoral program, my goal is to grow into a researcher who can contribute to academia by conducting specialized research in mathematical statistics and carrying out research projects.
After admission, I plan to steadily expand my experience through teaching assistant positions, participation in undergraduate research, and educational volunteer work to develop both my teaching and research capabilities simultaneously. Furthermore, I intend to prepare step by step for my graduate studies and future academic career by thoroughly reading papers and academic materials from my undergraduate years onward and by developing practical skills through research with my advisor. I hope to achieve these goals in the Department of Mathematics at Soongsil University and grow as a researcher and educator in the field of mathematical statistics.
