In this blog post, I’ll summarize my academic experiences, school activities, and examples of how I practiced consideration, sharing, and cooperation during high school, as well as my plans for my future career in college.
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 opera performances 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 enrolled in the vocal music department at an arts high school and even received an admission scholarship for my relatively high grades. However, my parents encouraged me to attend a general high school, believing I could pursue music as a hobby later in life. Contrary to their expectations, I began my high school journey determined to prove my academic worth, 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 unstable 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 addressed 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 detail, including parts of the teacher’s explanations that sounded like casual chatter, 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 study 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 skills assessment and admission scores, and that experience brought me the joy of being praised by my parents. However, as I entered my sophomore year, I felt embarrassed about continually 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 considered 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 major 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 within the top 10% of the student body, I had to rank within the top 20 in the entire school, and based on my grades in major 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 students in the vocal music program 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 3 in my major.
So, I decided to balance my studies with activities that contributed to the school by running for class officer, and I was elected vice president. As an officer, I played many practical roles, ranging from facilitating class meetings and submitting suggestions for the school lunch menu to advocating for the installation of air conditioning to improve classroom facilities—which actually led to those improvements. I also participated in activities that benefited the entire school, such as proposing solutions to school violence during school-wide student council meetings.
Although I initially began my role as a class 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 fellow students faced 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 Consideration, 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 institutional reforms. 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 focus expanded to exploring more concrete solutions for improvement. 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, several 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 on campus where victims could anonymously submit details of their experiences. I argued that, since it is often difficult for victims to reveal their identities, we should ensure they can simply write a brief description of the incident on a note and place it in the box. I proposed a step-by-step process: once a teacher in charge reviews the contents of the reporting box, they would first conduct a one-on-one counseling session with the homeroom teacher and the perpetrator, followed by an interview with the victim 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 fresh perspectives and the courage to implement them, and I deeply realized that cooperation rooted in 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 combination 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 double major in fields such as Cultural Welfare Content in the Department of Media and Information Studies, with the goal of cultivating 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 broadcast. 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 high school grades, college entrance exam preparation, school activities, or practical performance practice. As a scholarship recipient during high school, I managed my academics rigorously 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 the 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 create 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.
