In this blog post, I’ll share the growth story of an applicant to the College of Veterinary Medicine at Gyeongsang National University, focusing on their plans for college life, the values gained through academics and volunteer work, and their future direction.
Efforts Devoted to Academics and Learning Experiences
I believed there was no shortcut to studying. I knew that the place I was aiming for was where the top 1% go—a place that produces experts—and that it selects students with excellent grades. However, that didn’t mean I wanted to rely on cram school tutoring or use shortcuts like “tricks” to solve problems. Therefore, the effort I put in was to walk the “straight and narrow path.” First and foremost, I was fully committed to class. I prepared thoroughly before and reviewed thoroughly after each class, treating every moment in class as precious as gold and listening with maximum concentration and dedication. Even when I was sleepy, I never dozed off. In three years, I never once dozed off during class. I was always alert and engaged, looking forward to what I would learn and enjoying the experience. Naturally, I actively participated in class, always listening intently and answering questions. As a result, I could sense that my teachers were willing to give me more. They offered me tips on how to study effectively, how to plan my future career path, and which study methods suited my learning style. I absorbed these insights and grew as a result. Additionally, I always stuck to the basics when studying. Once a week, I set a specific time and date to take a practice exam. After taking the exam under timed conditions, I reviewed my mistakes and always pondered why I had gotten a particular question wrong. Through this reflection, I identified weak areas and reinforced my foundational knowledge. I spent my weekends productively: one day at the library taking a practice exam, and another day reviewing it and focusing on the sections I felt were weak. I always prioritized exams above all else and reviewed my mistakes more thoroughly than anyone else, striving never to get the same question wrong twice. In this way, rather than taking shortcuts, I returned to the basics and studied diligently.
Volunteering at an Animal Shelter and Participating in Campaigns
The area where I was most actively involved was volunteering at an animal shelter and participating in related campaigns. As a member of my school’s animal shelter club, I took part in various activities both on and off campus. Through this work, I felt a deep sense of mission. This is because the reason those cute, innocent animals are injured or sick stems from nothing other than human greed and fickleness. People bring them home because they’re cute at first, but as soon as they become a bit of a hassle or they can’t afford to care for them anymore, they abandon them. Because of such people, these dogs end up wandering the streets, starving, and becoming outcasts who are scolded by others. If they happen to fall into the hands of the wrong people, they are abused until there isn’t a single part of their body—from their eyes to their paws—that remains unharmed. These suffering animals are rescued and brought to animal shelters. But what’s remarkable is that if you treat them well again, they’ll follow you as if they love people. Even though it was humans who caused their wounds and abused them, seeing them follow and respond to people again often brought tears to my eyes without me even realizing it. That’s why I became even more determined to pursue my dream of becoming a veterinarian. I felt a strong desire to become a veterinarian so that I could rescue and treat these animals through a more professional system. Additionally, preparing and executing campaigns to change public perception was a valuable experience for me. It was an opportunity to understand people’s perceptions and to realize just how difficult it is to change them. First, we held many internal discussions to prepare for the campaign. After setting the campaign period, we brainstormed together about what to do within that timeframe. Over the course of three weeks of discussions, we started with people’s perceptions and debated what efforts we should make based on those perceptions. People’s views varied widely. The general consensus was that while animal lovers would easily agree with our views, those who didn’t care for animals would likely turn a blind eye. So, to approach people in a more accessible and fun way, we decided to kick off the campaign by taking the stray dogs we were fostering for walks while holding signs. We worked hard to prepare for the campaign we had planned over the course of a week. We started the first day with a march holding signs, held a photo exhibition on the second day, and by the fourth day, we had taken down the exhibition and began collecting signatures to establish a shelter for stray dogs. Through this, we met a wide variety of people and heard the opinions of many, ranging from those in favor to those opposed. While I recognized that both sides had valid points, I decided I needed to take a stand and act on behalf of these vulnerable animals. So, I worked even harder, and together with my juniors and seniors, we have continued to hold this campaign every six months and engage in ongoing volunteer work.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, Cooperation, and Conflict Management
Creating a Study Group for Friends Who Struggle with Math Personally, I enjoy math and am quite good at it. I noticed many friends found math difficult, so I wanted to help them. Therefore, I started a study group with friends who were struggling with math so we could study together. We typically spent two hours together on math, and I answered questions and helped solve problems for those who didn’t understand. For friends who were worried about how to study, I offered counseling and explained study methods in detail. As a result, although there were slight variations among them, some friends began to see their grades improve. What I felt at that time was the joy of helping and being together. I felt a great sense of pride in helping others, and I also received a significant amount of energy from studying together. It gave me a boost and motivated me. I felt the joy of being together.
Academic and Career Plans After Entering University
After entering university, I will completely shift my mindset from that of a student to that of a professional. I will make a decisive mental shift and approach my classes with the mindset that “I am thoroughly preparing to become a professional.” I will not take things lightly or study half-heartedly just because I am a student; instead, I will study thoroughly and strive with the belief that what I learn now will become the foundation of my future. Therefore, to lay the foundation for growing into a professional, I aim to study and work harder during my college years than at any other time in my life. However, I am aware that focusing solely on academics might cause me to neglect extracurricular activities, so I plan to join clubs and societies to ensure I am a well-rounded student who balances study with active participation on weekends. The Field. I consider the shelter to be my primary field of work. I believe that if I were to become detached from the field, I would inevitably lose my intuition, and I would struggle to stay motivated about what I need to do. That is why I aim to be a college student who studies hard and works part-time during the week, and on weekends, goes out into the field to volunteer more professionally and care for the animals based on the knowledge I have gained. I want to live my life with more intensity than anyone else.
As for my future career plans, I hope to major in both veterinary medicine and business administration so that I can become a veterinarian who also leads a shelter. First, I will become a veterinarian. My greater goal is to become someone who, as a veterinary graduate, can expand the necessary facilities and staff. The center will, of course, be dedicated to abandoned dogs. My ultimate dream is to establish and operate a place where animals abandoned by humans can live and heal—a center that is the most active in South Korea and provides a comfortable environment for their recovery.
