This blog post explores why business school study plans should emphasize a balance between practical experience and theory. True business expertise is formed only when a field-based problem awareness meets academic inquiry.
Reason for Applying (Why I Chose This Major)
I am currently a working professional employed at a financial institution. However, my motivation for applying to business school as a mature student is to overcome the limitations I’ve felt while working on the front lines. In other words, I want to study business systematically. If I enter business school, I intend to diligently complete my undergraduate studies and then proceed to graduate school to earn both a master’s and a doctorate. Through this process, I aim to achieve academic accomplishments in business studies and eventually serve as a professor who combines both theory and practice.
Working at a financial institution in my early twenties, the most intellectually active period, allowed me to experience the flow of finance and the front lines of the industry. Acquiring an academic framework through university would enable me to simultaneously realize both field experience and scholarly achievements. In fact, throughout my practical experience at financial institutions, I have repeatedly encountered situations where “theory lacked practical application” or “practice lacked theoretical grounding.” Therefore, I am confident that if I enter a business school, my existing field experience will be immensely valuable and will truly make the studies come alive. The business school at ○○ University, which emphasizes this kind of practical education, will be the best teacher for me.
Intellectual Activities
Since I entered the workforce immediately after high school graduation, I haven’t been able to engage in any notable intellectual activities. However, I take pride in proactively seeking out and diligently studying topics essential to my banking role. Since joining the bank, I have completed its financial training program, covering financial economics, negotiable instruments law, civil and commercial law, credit analysis, and loan screening. Furthermore, as customers increasingly prioritize asset management and wealth planning over basic banking services, I recently began studying asset management and real estate to meet these needs.
Finally, to adapt to the rapidly globalizing financial environment, I am also studying English and Japanese whenever possible. While my intellectual pursuits thus far have been almost entirely practical and work-related, which I find somewhat embarrassing to highlight, I am confident that entering university will provide me with the opportunity for broader intellectual activities—that is, the chance to pursue both my major and liberal arts studies.
Academic Plan
Upon entering university, I first intend to dedicate myself to my major studies. This is because, having encountered theoretical limitations while handling practical work on the front lines of finance, I keenly understand the importance of foundational knowledge better than most.
Additionally, during my first and second years, alongside my major studies, I will diligently study English, aiming to achieve a TOEIC score of 900 or higher within two years. Given that business administration is particularly closely tied to the global environment symbolized by FTAs, the importance of English cannot be overstated. I also plan to actively participate in study groups focused on finance or securities, studying and debating with seniors and peers to build broad and diverse relationships.
By my third and fourth years, I will concurrently prepare for graduate school based on the foundation I have built. To this end, I wish to pursue more advanced major studies. Beyond this, to become a business student well-versed in both theory and practice, I also hope to study towards obtaining relevant certifications if possible. Finally, I believe business administration is a discipline that pursues human welfare. To grow into a proper business student, I will never neglect cultivating my character alongside my academic exploration of the major.
Post-Graduation Plans
After graduating from university, I plan to pursue graduate studies. Undergraduate studies alone will be insufficient to become a professional business student equipped with both practical experience and theory. Especially since my goal is to become an expert who provides theoretical guidance for better practical work to financial professionals working on the front lines, I must study further. Therefore, I wish to enter graduate school to complete my theoretical foundation by earning a master’s and doctoral degree.
Currently, I am an ordinary bank employee whose dream is to become a proper business student equipped with both theory and practice. However, I possess the firm resolve and perseverance to turn my dream into reality. If ○○ University grants me the opportunity to realize my potential, I will study diligently. Through this, I aspire to transform into someone who offers hope and guidance to practitioners lacking theory and newcomers lacking practical skills within Korea’s industrial and financial sectors.
