In this blog post, I would like to share my study methods during my time at high school, my involvement in law-related activities within the school, examples of consideration and cooperation, and the process of preparing for my career based on these experiences.
Academic Experience and Reflections
I significantly improved my learning efficiency by systematising the use of an ‘errors notebook’ for my maths and social studies subjects. I decided that subjects with lengthy passages, such as Korean and English, were not suitable for organising via an errors notebook, so I focused on applying this method specifically to maths and social studies.
In mathematics, the method of compiling the error notebook was particularly crucial. Whilst many students simply copy the solution process from the answer key, I filled an entire page per question by rewriting the problem and detailing my own attempted solution process first. I then meticulously analysed where I had gone wrong at each stage and, for any concepts I had misunderstood, looked them up in reference books to organise my understanding more thoroughly. Finally, I would write the correct solution process below so that I could compare the two. By doing this, I could immediately identify where my train of thought had gone wrong, which concepts I had misunderstood, and what the correct solution was, and the frequency of repeating the same mistakes decreased significantly.
In Social Studies, training to identify the connection between the passage and the options was more important than focusing on individual questions. For example, in the Law and Politics section, when presented with Constitutional Court precedents or case-based passages, I had to carefully examine how each sentence in the passage connected to the options in order to select the correct answer. I cut out key passages and pasted them into my error notebook, marking the links between sentences and options with arrows. This allowed me to quickly grasp how similar types of options related to the passage during the actual exam, giving me an advantage.
Description of Key Extracurricular Activities and Reflections
To deepen my interest in a career in law and gain an understanding of the practical aspects of the profession, I joined the school’s law club. Club activities were diverse and included running a student court, organising and conducting mock trials, reading and discussing legal texts, and visiting the courts. As for external activities, I prepared for and participated in a daily life law competition as part of a group, and took part in a constitutional law contest, which allowed me to experience both practical and theoretical aspects of the field.
I placed particular emphasis on the student court activities. Our school’s student court was held twice a semester and, in collaboration with the Student Conduct Department, followed a procedure designed to address actual issues within the school. Rather than relying on simple mock scenarios, we assigned roles—including prosecutor, defence lawyer, judge and jury—based on cases submitted by the school, thereby recreating the actual legal process. To this end, we prepared thoroughly for our respective roles in advance and collected relevant materials to refine our arguments.
My role was that of the prosecutor. The prosecutor, alongside the judge, was in a position to advocate for strict disciplinary action, whilst the defence lawyer, representing the opposing view, argued for leniency and spoke on behalf of the defendant. I reviewed the list of students with excessive disciplinary points to check for a history of similar offences, and for students found to have committed repeated offences, I proposed punishments such as holding up placards or community service, rather than merely writing a letter of reflection. Through this process, I gained a real appreciation for the importance of gathering evidence and verifying facts, and I learnt how to make arguments based on objective evidence.
The student court was attended not only by club officers but also by external students serving as jurors. When external participants were present, the atmosphere in the courtroom became even more solemn, and we discussed the cases with greater seriousness. The proceedings followed a sequence of opening statements, cross-examination by the prosecutor and defence counsel, closing statements from each party, the jury’s verdict and the judge’s ruling; once the verdict was announced, the student in question would receive their sentence. Directly managing a procedure that called for positive punishment and behavioural improvement based on actual school regulations was of great help in understanding the structure and social function of court proceedings.
Examples of consideration, sharing and cooperation, and reflections
The National High School Moot Court Competition, which we prepared for through our court club activities, was an experience that allowed us to directly internalise the values of consideration and cooperation. When we first participated in our first year of high school, we devised a strategy to prepare well in advance without rushing. First, we decided on the composition of the team members for the trial, and I continued in the role of prosecutor, which I had played in the student court. The friends who took on the roles of defence counsel and judge also maintained the roles they usually played, and the team was formed naturally.
The fact that the competition category was a civil trial rather than a criminal one presented a new challenge. As representing the positions of both parties is crucial in civil trials, we had to select new team members capable of faithfully performing both roles. After selecting the appropriate people for each role, we worked together to draft the script. During the initial drafting stage, all team members freely shared their opinions and collaborated to refine the logic; we then developed the script further by taking on board advice from senior students and our supervising teacher.
Once the script was complete, we began intensive practice a month in advance with the aim of reaching the finals. By repeatedly practising the procedures we had learnt in the mock court, we refined the logic and delivery of the script, and as a result, we achieved our goal of qualifying for the finals. Whenever there were disagreements during our preparations, we listened to each other’s perspectives, adjusted our positions based on logic, and reached a consensus. Through this, I learnt the importance of cooperative teamwork and how to communicate while showing consideration for others.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
My interest in law and social issues naturally led to a desire to pursue a career in a related field. In particular, I had a clear goal of working as an administrator in the courts. To this end, I consistently endeavoured to cultivate legal thinking by gaining first-hand experience of court procedures through club activities and by reading legal books and case law.
Specifically, I developed my procedural management and case analysis skills by preparing for mock courts and mock trial competitions, whilst strengthening my ability to apply legal theory to real-world cases through participation in legal knowledge contests and competitions. Furthermore, through court visits, I observed the roles of court personnel and the atmosphere of the courtroom first-hand, broadening my practical understanding of my career path. These experiences form a solid foundation for my career plan, which is aimed at pursuing a role that bridges law and administration.
