This blog post introduces methods to enhance the persuasiveness of your academic plan by leveraging the unique characteristics of the East Asian History major. It provides detailed writing strategies to effectively convey your motivation for applying and your research goals.
Reasons for Pursuing the Major
During elementary school, I briefly lived at my grandmother’s house in the countryside. Near the house was a traditional private academy (seodang). My parents believed I could learn much there and enrolled me. For about two years, I studied calligraphy, the Thousand Character Classic, the Mirror for the Mind, and the Analects. However, what benefited me most was not the knowledge itself, but the etiquette I learned.
The strict yet righteous teachings of the seodang instructor helped me develop proper posture and mindset. Furthermore, when the instructor praised and encouraged me, I gained confidence in everything I did without becoming arrogant, and I also learned to adopt a sincere attitude towards life.
This interest in history, sparked then, continued and grew into a desire to study East Asian history more deeply. It led to my dream of becoming a professor of East Asian history and teaching children. History is the discipline that studies the past to understand today’s society and reality. Some might question the relevance of ancient tales in our busy modern lives, while others may believe only the approaching future matters, dismissing the past as meaningless.
However, I believe history is an ongoing dialogue between the past and the present, constantly revealing its truths. Upon enrolling at your esteemed university, I wish to study Asian history, including Chinese, Indian, and Korean history. Through this research, I aim to understand the characteristics and significance of cultures while cultivating the ability to grasp history independently.
Academic Plan and Goals
First, as a university student, I plan to broaden my horizons by traveling not only within Korea but also to various countries overseas to deepen my understanding of our culture. I intend to utilize vacations for overseas volunteer activities through organizations like the Red Cross and Habibah, practicing sharing while also traveling extensively to expand my knowledge and cultivate an open mind. Additionally, I will focus on maintaining a healthy body to sustain my studies by learning kendo as a hobby.
Furthermore, I recognize that focusing too narrowly on one field can lead to stubbornness and a loss of broad perspective. Therefore, I will actively meet people from diverse fields to cultivate a wider outlook. I understand your university offers an overseas field study program as part of its curriculum. I plan to participate in this program whenever possible to directly experience and study the trends abroad, including the relevant language. Studying history is an expression of my will to live a life rooted in history. It is by no means easy, but I wish to achieve that meaningful life at your esteemed institution—a life where I can spread my wings straight and true.
Post-Graduation Plans
My dream is to major in history in graduate school and eventually become a professor of history. When I shared this dream with a friend, they reacted with surprise, asking how I could study such an old-fashioned discipline for so long. However, history is a discipline that forms the foundation of our national culture and underpins many fields. Therefore, I aspire to become an educator who can show students with preconceived notions about history how fascinating this seemingly dry field truly is.
Furthermore, I intend to conduct consistent research in history to create opportunities for historical studies to emerge from the ivory tower and engage with reality. Through a broad education spanning the entire field of history, I will cultivate the discernment to examine contemporary Korean society and global affairs from multiple angles and critically envision the future world. I will become a leader capable of exercising leadership across all sectors of society.
Self-Introduction (Life Philosophy, Values)
Reading Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist led me to reflect deeply on how to find one’s dream and how to reach it. The most significant lesson I learned was about choice. Sometimes, I feel fear—wondering if the time I’m investing now will truly lay the groundwork for the dream I wish to achieve, or if the plans I’m setting and striving to accomplish might fail, wasting considerable time and effort.
However, I came to understand that there’s no need to over-predict the future for the choices I make now; living faithfully in the present is the best I can do. I’ve come to realize that even the seemingly insignificant things I do now can be individual milestones leading toward my dream, and that I must stay positive and committed to the present. Like Santiago, the protagonist of this book who finally achieved his dream, I too am striving to overcome my fears about the future by acting without hesitation on what I want to do.
