This blog post explores how diverse tax knowledge from daily life can be expanded into compelling academic planning, while also covering the importance of analytical perspective and practical understanding required for tax accounting applicants.
Writing about Academic Experience and Reflections
From my first year, I developed an interest in the business and economics field, reading related books to gain information and knowledge about the major. As I became interested in ‘finance and banking,’ the foundation of capitalist society, I realized the importance of the mathematics associated with it. However, I lost interest due to increasingly difficult mathematical concepts and formulas, leading to a sharp decline in my grades. I slowly reflected on my study habits to identify the problem. Up until then, I had viewed math as merely solving problems, memorizing formulas to apply to questions. I had overlooked how closely math is intertwined with and influences daily life. To correct this flawed learning approach, I developed the habit of drawing graphs and diagrams separately in my notebook to accurately understand and think through concepts.
In my sophomore year, the calculus course sparked my interest in predicting changes and possibilities in daily life. Studying ‘Applications of Derivatives’—analyzing the Mean Value Theorem, tangent equations, and inferring various phenomena—made math enjoyable. As my confidence in math grew, understanding related physics concepts became easier. Through calculus, I learned to calculate speed and acceleration, mastering how to apply calculus to changes in position and velocity. I consistently reviewed by writing down methods and principles in my notebook. As a result, I won the Physics Academic Excellence Award, feeling a great sense of accomplishment. The Probability and Statistics unit made me realize anew how closely mathematics is connected to daily life.
By joining the ‘World Through Statistics’ club, I encountered corporate financial statements, which showed me how mathematics is deeply intertwined with our lives. Not knowing how to read financial statements, I searched online myself to verify information step by step, enabling me to understand statistics in detail and with precision. This further solidified my dream of pursuing a career in accounting and taxation. By not giving up on math, which had always felt difficult, and instead maintaining my interest and persevering, I gained the valuable realization that with passion and effort, anything is achievable.
Major School Activities and Reflections
I frequently read articles and developed an interest in writing, which led me to join the school newspaper editorial board. Initially, writing articles felt overwhelming and difficult, but I reduced the burden by finding well-written articles, copying them multiple times, and researching diverse information on the topics. I wrote an article on ‘Taxes Related to Foreign Worker Inflow’ within the economics section, covering the positive and negative effects foreign worker inflow brings to the domestic economy. I learned that while the influx of foreign workers positively impacted the Korean economy by supplying labor, it also brought negative effects like an increase in illegal residents and rising worker wages. Writing the article taught me new facts I hadn’t known and made me realize the importance of viewing situations from diverse perspectives to maintain objectivity. Furthermore, studying the circumstances of foreign workers residing in Korea and related systems made me strongly feel that improving the awareness of Korean citizens is essential.
Writing articles for the school newspaper significantly improved my writing skills and taught me to view social issues with a comprehensive and objective eye. It also helped me develop an attitude of understanding events by considering the circumstances and variables involved, rather than viewing social problems solely from a specific perspective. After deciding on a career path in business and economics, I became very interested in companies and management. Then, upon hearing about the ‘School Marketing Competition,’ I participated alongside a friend also aspiring to study business. The theme required us to design a product that would appear in the future. Initially, my friend and I enthusiastically pondered products to launch in the future, but we struggled as no creative ideas came to mind.
Rather than chasing groundbreaking ideas, I focused on practical, rational products that could solve everyday inconveniences. I believed products closely tied to daily life would achieve high sales and, furthermore, could enrich people’s lives. After much deliberation, we conceived a ‘Bluetooth Bulb Speaker’ by integrating Bluetooth into a standard light bulb. We judged it would be useful as a remote-controlled app allows users to manage the LED bulb’s various colors and music. To define the target market, we focused on conducting preliminary surveys through friends and explaining the potential for targeting both domestic and overseas markets. We centered our efforts on differentiating the product by reflecting the psychology of modern consumers who express their individuality within their living spaces. For the sales strategy, I researched day and night by reviewing internet searches and marketing books, devising marketing methods through new media and video platforms. During this process, I felt the amazing power of collaboration not just by blindly asserting opinions, but by deriving and coordinating ideas with my friend. As a result, I created a presentation based on the plan, delivered it, and achieved a good outcome by winning an award.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation and Reflections
“The Challenge of Store Management: Create a Hit Product!”
One day while walking, I happened to see an innovative bag made from eco-friendly materials. This bag was crafted using items like car tires and recycled materials. Unlike any bag I’d seen before, this eco-friendly bag was a product that enhanced both environmental sustainability and practicality through recycling. Seeing this sparked my interest in the economic benefits and positive impact of recycling. After entering high school, I volunteered as an ‘Eco Helper,’ responsible for waste separation to keep the reading room and classroom clean. Although I volunteered for classroom and library cleaning, many students did not properly sort or dispose of waste. The mixed trash caused environmental problems like foul odors and unsanitary conditions. I decided to plan a campaign to help students recognize the importance of waste separation and proper disposal. First, to improve the environmental issues, during a class meeting, I explained to my friends the energy-saving effects, reduced environmental pollution, and economic benefits that recycling brings. I also provided a specific sorting chart for waste separation. I actively encouraged the students to take the lead in protecting the environment by practicing proper waste separation together. As a result, even students who had been reluctant began to participate in waste separation one by one. As time passed and waste separation ran smoothly, we received praise from the administrative office staff. This gave us a greater sense of responsibility and motivated us to participate more earnestly in our eco-helper activities. At school, participating in environmental protection activities with friends helped us realize the importance of cooperation. We filmed a UCC video about environmental protection, planned and executed a campaign to reduce our carbon footprint, and promoted the importance of environmental protection with our friends. Rather than thinking ‘it doesn’t matter if it’s just me,’ I gained the courage to act first with the mindset of ‘starting with myself.’ I realized that when we pool our efforts together, small changes can spark big transformations. Through this process, I learned that sharing a common purpose and cooperating together yields greater synergy than acting alone.
