In this blog post, I will provide sample answers to the common questions in the personal statement for the Department of Systems Engineering at Korea University of Transportation, based on my academic experiences, campus activities, and examples of empathy and conflict resolution from my time in the Electrical Control Department at a technical high school.
Academic Efforts and Learning Experiences During High School
I grew up watching my father work in the railway and transportation fields, and I enrolled in the Electrical Control Department at a technical high school to follow in his footsteps. At first, since it was a career path I had chosen somewhat vaguely under my father’s influence, I was highly motivated to learn; however, as I studied my major, I occasionally felt discouraged due to the difficulty of the theory and the demands of preparing for certifications. In particular, there was a period when I wondered whether the field of railway electrical engineering suited my aptitude or if computer engineering might be a better fit. It was during a hands-on, practice-oriented class that my perspective changed. While theory-based classes—such as electronic circuits, technical drafting, and CAD—could be somewhat tedious at times, I found it fascinating to actually build and bring to life the designs I had created. As I repeatedly practiced connecting electronic circuits to electrical equipment to earn my Electronic Component Assembly certification, studying itself became enjoyable, and my dedication to these hands-on exercises led to strong grades in the Power Systems course as well. As I gained practical experience, my academic performance improved significantly, and by consistently participating in hands-on training, I also earned certifications in electric railways and railway signaling. While most of my peers typically earned only one certification, I earned three, which drew envy from those around me. I received a commendation from the school, and my father was very pleased. Through these experiences, I firmly established my career path: to grow into an engineer who designs and controls systems in the railway field.
Meaningful Extracurricular Activities During High School (Up to 3)
In my sophomore year, I was elected head of the Electrical Control Department and served as a member of the student council executive board. Since I had no prior experience in leadership roles, the responsibilities felt unfamiliar at first, but I carried out my duties with the determination to do my best to improve student rights and convey our opinions. In order to attend the general student council meetings and represent our department’s voice, we first needed to gather input from within the department; however, at the time, departmental meetings were rarely held. Together with the vice president, I reinstated weekly departmental meetings and encouraged students from other grades to participate. In particular, to revitalize the meetings, I focused on first-year students—since third-year students were often too busy—and organized them to meet at the end of each week to compile suggestions, which we then submitted to the student council. In the early stages of revitalizing the meetings, very few opinions were voiced; however, once we broke down the discussion topics into specific areas—such as improvements to campus facilities, enhancements to admissions programs, and school meals and after-school programs—students began offering substantive suggestions. For example, there were requests to expand athletic facilities or establish new preparatory classes for specific exams. Together with the vice president, I organized these suggestions and submitted them to the Student Council, focusing on items that overlapped with those proposed by the first-year students. When making proposals, rather than simply listing requests, we supported them with data on the percentage and number of students who agreed, thereby increasing their credibility. As a result, the Student Council paid closer attention to our suggestions, and seeing some of them implemented made me feel a sense of fulfillment.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, Cooperation, and Conflict Management During School Life
As the section head in charge of selecting and organizing the school trip destination, my biggest challenge was mediating conflicts among students. When we gathered candidate locations, 13 options emerged, including Gangwon Province, Chuncheon, and Ganghwa Island. We first narrowed them down to the top three through a vote, then created detailed itineraries for each location and conducted a survey.
The survey included key attractions, local cuisine, and estimated costs to help students make realistic decisions. However, about 10% still responded that “none of the options appealed to them,” and since the rankings were so close, making a final decision was difficult. I narrowed the options down to the top two destinations, drew up detailed itineraries for a two-night, three-day trip, and circulated the survey again. Once specific itineraries were presented, the students’ preferences became clear, allowing us to decide on the final destination. Through this process, I gained firsthand experience of the challenges faced by those who manage democratic procedures, and I learned that when conflicts arise, it is important to record all opinions, present supporting evidence, and persuade others. I also came to appreciate the value of cooperation and consideration while gathering and reconciling diverse opinions.
