In this blog post, I’ll summarize my academic experiences and efforts during high school, my school activities, examples of my acts of kindness and generosity, and the preparation process leading up to my application to POSTECH.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
During high school, I strove not to neglect either the “studies I had to do” or the “studies I wanted to do.” While I did not neglect managing my grades for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) and my school records, I also pursued knowledge in the field of advanced materials—an area I’d always been interested in—to maintain my genuine passion for learning. When people around me asked if doing both at the same time was a waste of time or too difficult, I replied as follows: “The very process of exploring knowledge while discovering what I want to study serves as motivation for my college entrance exam preparation.” In fact, the more I set a clear goal of developing new materials and researched the latest related technologies and trends, the more confident I became in that goal, and this gave me the drive to focus even more on my college entrance exam studies.
My personal secret to managing my grades was simple: staying focused throughout class and meticulously taking notes based on the textbook. All my friends who maintained excellent grades understood the importance of class time, and I approached each class with the mindset that even a single moment of dozing off could lead to a mistake. To ensure I didn’t miss anything covered in class, I made a point of taking notes on everything and committing it to memory; to that end, I also considered maintaining a regular daily routine to be crucial. By maintaining a consistent exercise routine and sleep schedule to manage my physical condition, I was able to sustain my concentration and learned how to manage my grades efficiently without investing an excessive amount of time.
Regarding materials science and engineering—a field I was passionate about—I consistently gathered and read relevant information and trends within my capabilities. Believing that foundational knowledge was necessary to immediately understand professors’ lectures in college, I searched for materials as if preparing in advance; this made learning feel enjoyable rather than burdensome. This self-directed exploration had a positive impact on my overall academic performance and played a crucial role in sustaining my interest in the subject.
Description of Major School Activities and Reflections
Upon entering high school, I naturally began participating in science-related activities, and the most meaningful of these was joining the chemistry lab club. The chemistry lab club was very popular at my school, so getting in wasn’t easy; although selection was based on an interview, I applied driven by my genuine passion for science and my belief that chemical research can improve people’s quality of life. I believe that my honest and candid answers, in which I expressed my convictions, helped me get accepted.
Through my club activities, I gained experience designing and conducting chemistry experiments outside the regular curriculum. As I prepared experiments alongside seniors, juniors, and peers, I developed a deeper understanding of the value of science and the significance of pursuing pure scientific research. As I realized that advances in pure science lead to the development of new technologies, and that these technologies in turn improve people’s quality of life, I developed even greater pride and passion for my club activities. In particular, during the school festival, I worked hard to highlight the importance and necessity of science by preparing experiments so fascinating that even friends who usually had no interest in science were drawn to them. These activities helped me envision my future and dreams more concretely and led to a deeper motivation to learn.
Another significant activity was my experience writing a research paper on topics related to new drug candidates and advanced materials. Due to my family background, I recognized the importance of new drug candidates at an early age, and that interest evolved into academic inquiry. I compiled an overview of the current state of the field and a list of candidate compounds, and I even contacted relevant institutions directly to request interviews in order to gather information on ongoing research. After securing interview materials with the cooperation of various institutions, I wrote a research paper based on this information and submitted it to the school’s research paper competition, where I was awarded the Grand Prize.
This research paper was not merely a project for the sake of competition but a synthesis of my personal exploration. Through the process of gathering and analyzing information, I was able to confirm my analytical skills and aptitude for the field of new materials, and these experiences led to my confidence in my chosen major.
Examples of Compassion, Sharing, and Collaboration, and My Reflections
I have been conducting science experiment volunteer programs for children from multicultural families and those in environments with limited educational opportunities. In this volunteer activity, which took the form of donating my skills, I personally planned and prepared science experiment programs and conducted the experiments with the children. Through these experiments, the children nurtured their scientific curiosity, and some even told me that they had discovered their career paths and dreams. Every time I heard such feedback, I felt deeply moved and a great sense of fulfillment.
When I first met the children, I was at a loss as to how to engage them, but as I gained more volunteer experience, I developed my own teaching methods. I structured the lessons to foster a positive classroom atmosphere and maintain their focus by communicating at their level, and as a result, I was able to create programs that everyone found interesting and could participate in.
Science experiments are, by their nature, activities that require cooperation and sharing. I was worried that the children might hoard materials or act competitively, but in reality, they voluntarily shared materials and cooperated by comparing and discussing each other’s results. Witnessing this made me reflect on how I had sometimes reacted sensitively out of my own eagerness to conduct the experiments. Through this volunteer work, I not only taught the children the value of consideration and cooperation but also had the opportunity to learn those values myself.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
Influenced by my family environment from a young age, I developed an interest in new drug materials, and that interest naturally expanded into materials science and engineering. Since entering high school, I have clearly set my career path toward materials science and engineering and have focused on both my academics and extracurricular activities to achieve that goal. Interviews with relevant institutions, data analysis, club activities, and participation in school competitions were all part of my preparation toward that goal. My teachers also recognized my commitment to this career path and my preparation process, which resulted in numerous awards and achievements.
Of course, my current level is still basic compared to that of experts, but I am confident that my passion for studying new materials is second to none. In particular, I have a deep interest in new drug development. I believe that identifying the causes of diseases with unknown origins and developing treatments for them is a critical task linked to social responsibility. Developing new drugs capable of curing diseases that are difficult to treat with existing therapies holds great value in that it can bring positive changes to patients’ lives.
In the future, I aspire to become a researcher who creates new value by integrating interdisciplinary approaches. My goal is to utilize my abilities in the fields of Materials Science and Engineering and new drug development to become a professional whose research contributes to society and humanity. I will do my best to achieve this goal at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at POSTECH.
