In this blog post, I’ll summarize my experiences, focusing on my academic journey and school activities during high school, examples of my consideration and collaboration, as well as my motivation for applying and my career preparation.

Academic Experiences and Reflections

Early in my freshman year of high school, I gathered classmates interested in economics to form a study group. Since several students already had relatively clear career paths right after enrollment, we were able to organize the group. We started with a total of seven members, including three from our class and students from other classes. Recognizing that starting early is advantageous given the intense competition for college admissions these days, we moved quickly.
Through the group, we proposed a project: every member would summarize three economics-related newspaper articles per week. We decided to create personal portfolios by clipping articles, and since we believed that with the entire study group’s participation, we could accumulate a significant volume of material over the long term, we set a goal of “a portfolio of 1,000 articles.” Doing the math, with three articles per person, we could summarize more than 20 articles per week; 100 in five weeks and 1,000 in 50 weeks—making it a realistic plan.
With this goal in mind, we established a routine of meeting weekly for discussions while continuing our individual studies. We conducted discussions by having each member present the topic they found most meaningful from their three summaries, and then selecting one of the seven presented topics for in-depth critique. Through this process, we were able to go beyond simple article summaries and cultivate critical thinking by comparing each other’s perspectives and evidence.
The project progressed faster than initially anticipated. As we consistently continued our activities even during school breaks, we were able to nearly achieve our goal by the time we entered our sophomore year. Through this activity, our ability to analyze economic articles matured, and by repeatedly giving presentations and engaging in discussions, our ability to logically organize and convey our opinions also improved significantly. Above all, the ongoing interaction with my study group friends helped me maintain my motivation to learn.

Writing about Major School Activities and Reflections

Building on my study group experience from my freshman year, I applied to join the school’s economics newspaper club during my sophomore year. Membership in this club was open to sophomores and above, and it was a well-established organization that selected members through a two-stage process: an initial application review followed by an interview. Since the club prioritized students with clear career goals who enjoyed debate and actively expressed their opinions, I was quite nervous during the preparation process, but my study group experience proved to be a great help.
The club’s three core values were a spirit of challenge, a spirit of initiative, and a spirit of creativity, and I took the lead in activities that aligned with these values. As a result, I was selected for the Academic Department and served as its head during my sophomore year. The Academic Department was responsible for conducting interviews and writing articles directly, making it a department that required extensive preparation, organization, and reporting. The Discussion Department managed the overall flow of discussions and served as the moderator, while the Editorial Department was responsible for the final publication of the newspaper.
Article writing took three main forms. First, we documented and summarized the club’s regular internal debates; second, we produced in-depth economic articles based on data collection and analysis from our economic study group; and third, we covered external economic events by participating directly and reporting from the scene. As head of the Academic Department, I gained experience in all three types of reporting, which allowed me to gradually improve my writing skills and frequently experience the sense of fulfillment that comes with being a reporter.
Discussion topics covered economic issues closely tied to daily life, such as the relaxation of regulations in the Seoul metropolitan area, the issuance of high-denomination banknotes, and regulations on small-scale supermarkets (SSMs). Through 3-on-3 debates, we compared and summarized the arguments from both sides. The articles I wrote covered topics such as the European economic crisis, the economic impact of the World Cup, and the reasons Samsung was able to become a global corporation—examples that dealt with corporate research and international issues.

A monthly award system for well-written articles fostered healthy competition and motivation, and I even received an award for my coverage of an economics camp for elementary school students.
During my reporting, I captured the on-site atmosphere and the educators’ efforts through photographs, striving to convey the lesson content and preparation process realistically. Through my club activities, I strongly felt the joy of creating something together with others and a deep sense of belonging.

Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections

Our school had a system where each class operated its own online community. While these communities were useful for sharing learning materials and assignments, some bulletin boards had problems with pornographic content, commercial advertisements, materials with unclear sources, and posts containing profanity and personal attacks. I felt that this situation could damage the class atmosphere and that improvements were necessary.
I decided to start by cleaning up our class bulletin board and proposed a “Clean Campaign” to rally support within the class. After receiving partial delegation of bulletin board management authority from our homeroom teacher, I began deleting inappropriate posts and removing content that did not align with the board’s purpose or raised copyright concerns. Once we established clear guidelines for our board, the percentage of students posting in accordance with the rules gradually increased.
As word of this effort spread, other classes began joining the campaign. Class presidents in each class took on the role of bulletin board managers, correcting or deleting inappropriate posts while also showing consideration by first issuing warnings to the authors to give them a chance to correct their posts themselves. Within a single semester, the bulletin boards in many classes were transformed into well-organized spaces. The school press corps covered this story, featuring it in the school newspaper and on the school website, which helped raise awareness beyond our school. Through this experience, I learned that sustainable change is only possible when solving problems by not only establishing and enforcing rules but also maintaining an attitude of consideration for others.

Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans

I lost my father at a young age and was raised in a single-parent household. My mother’s poor health prevented her from holding down a job for long, and at one point, our family even received basic livelihood support. These circumstances gave me a strong motivation to “change my life through education.” From an early age, I set the goal of achieving a stable and self-reliant life by developing expertise in the fields of economics and finance.
I applied to the Department of Financial Economics at Sangmyung University through the Opportunity Equality Admission Track because my academic interests align with my practical needs. If admitted, I plan not only to fully commit to my coursework but also to join the university’s economics research club and stock investment society to develop practical skills. I aim to go beyond mere theoretical study and gain hands-on experience to enhance my competitiveness in the job market.
Given the intense competition in the financial sector these days, I believe that simply preparing like everyone else is not enough. Therefore, if internship opportunities arise, I will actively apply to gain hands-on experience and expand my professional network. Additionally, I plan to serve as a teaching assistant during my undergraduate studies to gain research and teaching experience, and I intend to prepare for a master’s program with the goal of pursuing graduate studies. My long-term goal is to broaden my horizons by studying abroad during graduate school and to secure a position at my desired company based on my expertise.
Even if I face practical constraints such as tuition costs, I plan to actively utilize institutional support, such as the Equal Opportunity Admissions Program, to continue my studies. Through economic research, I aim to discover my own area of expertise, and by steadily building my skills and experience through internships, teaching assistant roles, and graduate research, I aspire to become an “innovative talent who inspires others.”