This blog post examines how the ‘power of listening,’ a core element in the counseling process, strengthens major suitability and more persuasively reveals the applicant’s empathy and communication skills, using specific examples.
Writing about Academic Experience and Reflections
“Korean, which didn’t improve as much as I hoped—is it harder than English?”
My Korean grades were not as good as my English grades. I felt anxious that my Korean grades would affect my overall school performance, and as a Korean, I was also embarrassed by my poor Korean scores. Furthermore, as someone wanting to study psychological counseling, I believed I needed strong Korean grades. Good Korean scores meant strong comprehension of ‘sentences’ and ‘dialogue,’ which directly equated to listening well to people and grasping key points. This made me feel a heavy responsibility to improve my Korean grades, leading me to start a project dedicated to raising them.
To improve my scores, I first analyzed why I wasn’t performing well. Exam results showed my frequent mistakes were in the ‘reading comprehension’ section. When faced with long sentences, I often lost focus, skimmed carelessly, and got questions wrong. I realized that while improving reading comprehension was essential, I needed to build a fundamental ability to comprehend texts and understand sentences – not just through problem-solving – to truly benefit my future university studies. That’s when I turned to ‘reading’. I dedicated one hour daily to novels, philosophy, or humanities books. I abandoned speed-reading habits and consciously read each character, each sentence, meticulously, as if chewing food. Through this reading practice, I gradually developed the ability to accurately grasp reading comprehension questions. Now, reading comprehension is my strongest subject.
Truthfully, before analyzing my own issues to improve my Korean scores, I was at a loss about how to study. The subject was so broad that figuring out where and how to start felt overwhelming. But every problem has a core root cause. I believed there must be a fundamental reason for my poor Korean scores, and by analyzing the test questions I frequently got wrong, I could grasp the core issues. This approach isn’t limited to grades or the Korean section alone. While improving my Korean scores, I came to believe that if you can identify the core of any difficult problem, you can solve it.
Major School Activities and Reflections
“Social Welfare Club Activities”
I have been participating in a school club focused on social welfare activities in collaboration with university seniors. We engaged in volunteer work linked with social welfare organizations, collected items for donation to these institutions, and organized flea markets and various events to raise funds. The thought that my efforts were helping someone was immensely rewarding, motivating me to work even harder. Especially, simply meeting diverse people and talking with them allowed me to be a source of comfort for them, and I, too, received comfort. Meeting and talking with underprivileged children and elderly people living alone, I realized that regardless of wealth or lack thereof, the pure human heart, compassion, and the values people hold are truly diverse. Particularly when meeting underprivileged children, I initially viewed them with pity. But as I talked with them, I felt ashamed of myself for pitying them. They were overcoming their circumstances in their own way, dreaming with a positive mindset. In fact, by overcoming difficult situations, they possessed a more mature set of values than many adults. This made me resolve to volunteer not as someone helping them, but as an equal, simply striving to create an environment where they could overcome their hardships. Even after entering university, I actively sought out social welfare clubs and volunteer activities. I wanted to engage in work that could make society’s unjust inconveniences more equitable through my own efforts. As a student in the Department of Counseling Psychology, I also aspired to volunteer by utilizing my specialized knowledge to communicate effectively.
“The Practice of Communication: Learning to Listen”
Through campus social welfare club activities and mentoring programs, I had many opportunities to converse with people involved in social welfare, seniors, and juniors. Meeting many people and hearing diverse values allowed me to move beyond the notion that ‘someone is right and someone is wrong’ to thinking ‘that person is right, and this person is right too,’ broadening my perspective. Especially when listening to seniors who had gone before me, I sometimes thought, ‘This is right.’ However, when I followed in their footsteps a year or two later, I realized their advice didn’t always apply to me. Since then, I stopped believing only my own thoughts were correct and developed the capacity to listen to others’ opinions and ‘understand’ them. I also learned that communication skills aren’t just about accurately conveying my own opinions, but about listening well and giving appropriate feedback. Developing this mindset became a crucial foundation for my decision to apply to the Counseling Psychology program. I believe counseling doesn’t start with offering solutions, but with listening well and offering comfort. This led me to resolve to become someone who plays this vital role in human life as a ‘professional’ in society.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
“Acting as a Psychological Counselor for My Friends”
I was known as the friend who listened well to others. Through activities like social service clubs, I met many people and became accustomed to ‘listening,’ which also made me a good listener for my friends. The reason I received positive feedback from friends while acting as their psychological counselor was that I wasn’t someone who unconditionally offered solutions. I understood that when friends shared their worries with me, they weren’t asking me to solve their problems, but rather hoping for someone to understand and empathize with their ‘anxiety, hardship, and stress’. So, I listened carefully to what was troubling them, pinpointed the factors causing their anxiety, and empathized with their current situation, saying things like, “Ah, so that’s why you’ve been struggling so much,” or “So that’s why you acted that way.” My friends gave feedback that they felt comforted by my empathetic responses. They already knew the solutions themselves, and receiving feedback that contradicted their own solutions would actually make them more anxious. So I deliberately avoided offering solutions lightly. As I started listening to my friends like this, even friends I wasn’t close with, or even those I barely knew, began approaching me to ask for advice on their worries.
“Stepping forward where help is needed”
I am someone who steps forward to act where help is needed. When teachers needed help preparing for school events or lessons, or when friends wanted help with their studies, I volunteered to assist and took responsibility to see that help through to the end. I especially believe that offering help means not just half-heartedly lending a hand only to quit halfway through, as that can actually cause harm rather than help. Therefore, when offering help, I carefully assessed the situation and only stepped in when I could commit fully to seeing it through to the end and when I was certain I could fulfill my responsibilities. By proactively stepping up to help where needed, I earned the deep trust of my friends and teachers, which later led to my role as Student Council President.
Motivation for Application and Future Career Plans
“A Psychological Counselor Who Knows How to Comfort People’s Hearts”
Studying in the Department of Psychological Counseling and Therapy, I aspire to become a psychological counselor who can comfort people’s hearts. Modern people live wounded, troubled, and stressed by various societal factors. While it’s natural to seek immediate medical treatment for physical pain, people often hesitate to get examined or treated for mental pain or emotional suffering. I want to change this social perception and emphasize how crucial mental and emotional health are for functioning as members of society. As a psychological counselor who understands the human mind and cultivates professional knowledge in counseling, I will analyze where modern individuals in today’s society struggle and suffer emotionally. To move beyond simply listening and truly upgrade my practice, I believe it is essential to study professional knowledge in psychological counseling and develop the ability to analyze people’s psychology. Therefore, as a student in the Department of Counseling Psychology at Konyang University, I will study the specialized knowledge related to psychological counseling. I will also strive to create opportunities to meet various people personally, thereby developing my psychological analysis skills through experience. Furthermore, I am considering graduate studies for deeper learning and will continue studies beyond my major to refine my expertise as a professional. If possible, I also plan to study abroad to research international psychological counseling cases. Furthermore, I will consistently continue the social welfare club activities I started in high school, applying my abilities to benefit humanity and society. I aim to contribute to ensuring a better society and a happier life for all. I believe these activities are crucial for realizing the value of human compassion and represent areas where I can provide more professional assistance as a psychological counselor.
