In this blog post, I will summarise my academic experiences and school activities during my time at high school, along with examples of consideration, sharing and cooperation, as well as my motivation for applying and my career plans.

Academic Experience and Reflections

I was a student who had little interest in my studies during high school. Watching my friends struggle to find better study methods, I couldn’t understand why they had to do so, and with no one to help me, I naturally remained at the bottom of the class. Then, my form tutor praised me for being a bright student and recommended a free learning assessment programme.
At first, I didn’t feel that an online, personalised service was particularly professional, but my opinion changed after taking the assessment. The results showed that my academic level was at a secondary school standard compared to my current year group, and as my foundational learning had not been properly established, I was assessed as lacking motivation in terms of my learning style. Although I had expected this, receiving the results made me worry about my future; at the same time, it sparked a sense of determination within me, and I resolved to study properly.
Afterwards, I applied for a career exploration assessment and future career guidance service through the learning coaching programme. My plan was to identify my interests and aptitudes and then focus my studies in those areas. The assessment concluded that I was suited to teaching secondary school students and the education sector, and accordingly, I was recommended to study subjects within the teacher training faculty.
Although I had never seriously considered becoming a teacher before, I felt that by working on my own shortcomings, I could come to appreciate the importance of education. Consequently, whilst receiving one-to-one university admissions coaching, I devoted myself to my studies right up to my final year of sixth form, consistently utilising EBS learning assessments. With this ongoing support, my motivation to study grew naturally.

Description of key school activities and reflections

Towards the end of my first year of sixth form, a WEE Class facility was established at my school. This was a specialist counselling facility designed to resolve incidents of school violence and facilitate counselling referrals, with a counsellor on-site to provide necessary support. However, despite the availability of the facility and various programmes, few students actually made use of them.
I suggested to my close friends that we go to the WEE Class together to try out the counselling programmes or take an academic assessment, but they showed no interest, saying that even if they received counselling, nothing would change significantly. It was a pity to see friends who did not recognise the importance of counselling, and recalling my own experience of receiving help through the EBS career assessment, I decided to try the WEE Class counselling service myself.
At first, as there weren’t many students visiting the counselling room, the counsellor asked me if I was having any problems at school. I mainly spoke about my home environment and the learning difficulties it caused, and the counsellor suggested we try group counselling together, as there were a few other students experiencing similar issues. Initially, I felt anxious about opening up in front of students I didn’t know, but the counsellor reassured me, saying I could simply choose to share whatever I wanted to.
In the end, I joined the group counselling programme and took part in an eight-week course with four other students. The first three weeks or so were spent getting to know one another; we drew pictures of our lives and expressed our feelings about our families, as well as our thoughts on the future and career paths, in sketchbooks. In a relaxed atmosphere, much like art class in primary school, I was able to introduce myself naturally without feeling forced to talk.
Through the group counselling, I was able to talk about my parents’ divorce with relative composure, and as I listened to the family backgrounds of my peers, I came to realise that my own situation was not particularly different. Learning about the diverse circumstances of others—such as families living apart due to one parent working abroad, children living with grandparents following a divorce, or families receiving basic living support due to financial hardship—broadened my understanding and allowed me to reflect on my own life objectively.
Towards the end of the counselling sessions, I realised that my family background had significantly affected my motivation to study. My resentment towards my parents and the feeling that I was not receiving enough attention had caused me to avoid my studies. Once I became aware of these hidden emotions, I felt a stronger determination to study for my own future rather than focusing on external circumstances.

Examples of Consideration, Sharing and Cooperation, and My Reflections

The fact that I performed well in the CSAT and was able to apply to the Department of Education, which was my goal, was largely due to the support of those around me. I was able to regain my motivation to study thanks to the encouragement of my form tutor and the school’s counselling programme, which helped me reflect on myself through group counselling. Based on that experience, I wanted to create a positive environment where I could help those around me during my final year of high school.
During the exam period, many students are unable to properly relieve the pressure and stress of university entrance exams. This can lead to them becoming aggressive towards one another, causing conflicts, and getting easily annoyed over trivial matters. To prevent this negative spiral, I organised a ‘tea party’ with my close friends.
The tea party was a gathering where we would take a break for about 20 minutes a day to enjoy tea and biscuits together. As the university entrance exam drew nearer, it was easy to feel that even 20 minutes was a waste, but I decided that a short break would actually help secure the rest of the day and improve my study efficiency. So, in the afternoons, I held these tea parties with my friends, where we shared our worries and relieved our stress.
At first, I didn’t think of the tea parties as anything special, but their benefits gradually became apparent. When I studied non-stop, time would fly by, yet I often felt I hadn’t actually achieved anything. On the other hand, taking a brief break allowed me to approach my studies with a calm mind afterwards, and with that mental space, the material itself became easier to absorb.
Furthermore, through these tea parties, I began to actively share study information not out of a desire to win the competition, but with the hope that all my friends would do well. Although it was just a small gathering for a break, we created an atmosphere of mutual consideration and cooperation, exchanging positive energy.

Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans

During conversations with friends in my final year of high school, I developed a broad interest in the field of education. Whilst most people think of the profession of teaching, I often discussed my desire to study educational theory broadly rather than specialising in a specific subject, and to apply my skills as a counsellor or educational programme planner. My friends also mentioned my aptitude for becoming an educational programme planner, citing my interest in counselling programmes and my experience in this area.
Through an eight-week group counselling programme, I learnt how to understand both myself and others, and I became interested in the positive effects such programmes can have on individuals. The process of sharing concerns with others and gaining new perspectives made me realise the importance of educational programmes, leading to my goal of planning and developing such programmes myself.
Although developing educational programmes is closely related to educational technology, I applied to the Department of Education to lay a solid foundation by first studying comprehensive educational theory. Before finalising my career path, I wanted to cultivate a broad perspective by engaging with various educational theories and case studies.
I was particularly drawn to the Department of Education at Sungshin Women’s University because it offers opportunities to exercise leadership as a future female leader. Having experienced the importance of a leadership role whilst running a small club during my secondary school years, I intend to actively utilise Sungshin Women’s University’s leadership development programmes to enhance my own capabilities once I enter university.
Furthermore, by participating in various educational programmes, I intend to gain experience from both the participant’s and the developer’s perspectives, and use this to prepare myself to become an educational technologist. My goal is to diligently complete the relevant major courses and participate in practical training and projects to acquire the skills necessary to plan and develop educational curricula and programmes.