This blog post examines how to effectively integrate athletic skills, academic performance management, training processes, and volunteer experience into a well-rounded academic attitude and career plan when writing a physical education major’s academic plan.

Writing about academic experiences and reflections

“Balancing Physical Education and General Academic Performance”
I excelled in physical activities during high school. I practiced judo consistently since middle school and continued to demonstrate talent in physical activities while participating in the judo club during high school. To excel in judo, I needed to manage my weight and stamina, and for competitions, I also had to build muscle strength. Therefore, I consistently went to the gym after school to build my body and maintain appropriate weight and muscle mass. Through these efforts, I scored high not only in judo but also in basic physical fitness tests. I also excelled in general ball sports like soccer, basketball, and volleyball.
Ball sports require skill, but fundamentally, the stamina and strength to sustain the game are crucial. Soccer, for instance, is essentially a battle of endurance. In basketball, despite being relatively short, I had well-developed thigh and calf muscles, giving me talent for jumping. For volleyball, strong hands and arms are essential. Since I was accustomed to moving muscles from my arms, I was also good at volleyball. Consequently, in our school’s physical education classes, which were mostly composed of ball sports, I consistently earned high marks. Physical education was largely graded on practical skills, so theory only required memorization. Consequently, I consistently earned top grades. I also worked diligently in other core subjects and arts/physical education courses to avoid falling behind.
To counter the stereotype that athletes are poor students, I rigorously managed my other academic grades. I completed performance assessments on time and appropriately managed subjects often overlooked, like home economics or technical courses, aiming to maintain a steady overall average grade. As a result, by graduation, I achieved an average grade of around a 2. Balancing sports club activities with maintaining my academic performance was no easy feat. Juggling night self-study sessions with sports training often left me short on time and sleepy, but it was a period where I gave my all to college entrance preparation, even taking health supplements to stay energized.

Writing about major school activities and reflections

“Two Years in the Sports College Prep Class”
I was active in the sports college prep class for a total of two years, starting in my sophomore year until graduation. I first decided to prepare for college entrance exams at the beginning of my sophomore year. Most friends start preparing for sports college entrance exams around the end of their freshman year, going through winter break training camps. However, I chose to start in my second year. The reason was that I needed time until the end of my first year to consider my career path. While managing my school grades, I found my scores were better than expected. This made me think I might need to consider attending a general university or exploring other departments rather than focusing solely on sports.
Then, during my second year of high school, I concluded my career deliberations and finally decided to prepare for the physical education college entrance exam. After making that decision, I joined the entrance exam prep class, albeit late. Since I was about six months behind others in the program, I also received supplementary training to catch up on the missed progress. My friends who joined late with me added 30 minutes to morning training and came in one extra day on weekends to practice our major subjects. I diligently participated in the basic training program, vowing never to miss a session. I gave my all to my chosen major, judo practice, striving to build a solid foundation.
The physical education entrance exam prep class was divided into two groups. Each group had about twenty students, and I became the class leader in the group that started later. Compared to the existing class, ours had a shorter training period and relatively weaker performance and results. However, feeling the responsibility as class leader, I resolved to boost morale to improve this situation and achieve results in a short time. Especially as class leader, I created many opportunities for bonding so that the twenty members could cooperate and build camaraderie. Believing that building community bonds requires experiencing hardships together, I planned separate retreats and decided on endurance training and physical training involving long-distance travel.
One instance of physical training involved a training camp trip to Samcheok City in Gangwon Province. We combined strenuous training with hiking in the approaching winter weather and ate meals on the highway, spending difficult but meaningful time together. On the return trip, we resolved to walk rather than take a car, and everyone made an effort to stick to this decision, aiming to improve our basic physical fitness. The intensity of the training at that time felt akin to undertaking a national trek, and as this training was repeated multiple times, our class began consistently outperforming other classes academically. As a result of these strenuous efforts, the two years not only brought us closer but also forged relationships where we became each other’s strength. Ultimately, within the athletic entrance exam prep class, we all achieved excellent results, with over 80 percent succeeding in their entrance exams.

Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and Reflections

“Participation in Volunteer Activities for Promoting Community Sports”
I regularly volunteered with the Seoul Community Sports Association starting in my sophomore year of high school. This began as an activity to fulfill the mandatory volunteer hours required for graduation by my school. Since I was already active in the sports club and had many friends willing to volunteer, we gathered about ten people and applied as a group to join the volunteer corps. Our application was accepted, and our volunteer activities began. Over a six-month period, we committed to regular participation to accumulate over 80 hours of volunteer credit.
We typically volunteered every other week, dedicating 8 hours per session. Specifically, we assisted at various community sports events held by the city and district offices. Supporting the event operations wasn’t particularly difficult. Especially since our team members were numerous and individually quite fit, once we started dividing tasks, we tackled the volunteering without realizing our physical limitations. We were once deployed as personnel for a citizen marathon organized by Seoul City Hall. Our duties included distributing water mid-marathon, transporting injured citizens to ambulances, and setting up and dismantling overall facilities.
Beyond that, we participated in various sports tournaments for recreational athletes: foot volleyball, tennis, badminton, table tennis, and even baseball. When the game format was predetermined, we served as referees or assistant referees during the matches. For tournaments, we also managed the tournament brackets. While these were volunteer roles, watching and managing the games was enjoyable in itself. After officiating, I later participated in auxiliary matches to showcase my skills. I also provided operational information through match schedules and rule manuals to support event flow, finding fulfillment as a physical education college entrance exam candidate.

Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation and Career Plans

“The Child of a Firefighter, Dreaming of Becoming a Community Sports Enthusiast.”
My father is a firefighter, and I hold deep respect and affection for him. He took pride in his work and also showed great affection for his family and the members of our local community, serving as a firefighter with a spirit of altruism. Thanks to my father’s profession, I was able to prepare for admission to your university through the socially disadvantaged admissions track. I will strive to become an outstanding asset contributing to society, just like my father. Having consistently pursued the path of sports, I believe I meet the qualifications to be admitted to Kyonggi University’s Department of Physical Education.
This year, an admissions system has been introduced where admissions officers comprehensively evaluate a student’s educational background and potential. Recognizing the importance of extracurricular activities in the comprehensive student record review, I focused on both internal and external activities within the physical education department and managed my academic records accordingly. Having a clear career path in community sports, I joined the Seoul Metropolitan Community Sports Council’s volunteer corps starting in my sophomore year of high school. Specifically, I participated in various community sports events involving local residents, performing duties as a game manager or assistant. I aimed to support as many aspects as possible to invigorate the community sports activities of local residents. This experience particularly rekindled my interest in my clear career field.
Therefore, I decided to become a community sports practitioner, a manager overseeing community sports, and a sports instructor who provides and plans various sports programs for local residents. This is my motivation for applying to your university. After enrolling, I plan to obtain certifications such as the Sports Management Administrator, Level 1 Community Sports Instructor, and Youth Sports Instructor. I understand your university considers diverse evaluation metrics based on region, economic background, and high school type. As I am from Chungcheongnam-do and my high school had a strong sports department, I applied considering these factors comprehensively.