In this blog post, we explore how to craft a compelling personal statement for the Public Administration Department based on essay writing activities and volunteer experience.
Writing About Academic Experience and Reflections
Essay preparation—the start is crucial.
I began studying essay writing in my first year of high school. While most students prioritize preparing for the CSAT, I considered preparing for the early admissions process from the start. This was because, for early admissions, factors like GPA, school records, and essay writing carry greater weight. Since I had stronger points in my school grades and essay writing than in mock exam scores, I made an effort to prepare for essay writing early on. At the time, I started essay writing peer review sessions with peers who had similar listening, writing, and reading abilities. Since acquiring basic background knowledge for essay writing was necessary, I formed a team with students of a similar level. Through essay writing loops, we formed a sense of community among peers. We shared information and helped each other with assignments while simultaneously feeling competitive, which fueled our desire to achieve and do better.
Our school provided specialized programs for essay writing looping. When four or more students formed a team, they could receive essay instruction from a teacher certified in reading education. Support was also available for English essay writing or philosophy essay classes. Through these programs, we sometimes received English essay classes taught by native English teachers, which helped us expand our knowledge of English writing and grammar. Furthermore, during the program, if needed, students could utilize a university student essay mentoring system for one-on-one progress checks. So, throughout the semester-long curriculum, I received confirmation from my university mentor teacher that I was properly attending the essay classes and that the editing process was progressing step-by-step. By taking essay classes through this team-teaching approach with multiple teachers, my foundational essay skills improved by leaps and bounds. As my writing and reading comprehension abilities improved, not only did my essay writing skills advance, but my understanding and reading comprehension in other subjects also increased, leading to an overall rise in my grades.
Major School Activities and Reflections
Serving as Leader of the Reading and Essay Writing Club
In my second year of high school, I expanded the essay writing club I started in my first year and joined the ‘Reading and Essay Writing Club’. In my first year, I mainly learned introductory content essential for essay writing, understanding terms related to philosophy essays, and reading comprehension of essay passages using past exam questions. Up until then, I had been introduced to entirely new concepts and terminology. Through multiple rounds of feedback, I learned how to structure paragraphs and develop arguments with supporting evidence. In my sophomore year, I applied these skills by starting to practice extracting essay passages directly from readings.
Some of the friends I had worked with in freshman year disbanded as our individual abilities grew and our college entrance goals shifted. Instead, I formed a team with new classmates from my second-year class, operating the group with a total of seven members. While the group had never exceeded five members in first year, the increase to seven necessitated a team leader. Since I had been a consistent member from the start, I naturally took on the role. Truthfully, I wasn’t accustomed to a leadership role and wasn’t entirely sure what specific duties it entailed. However, I approached the role of leader with the mindset that I was, to some extent, taking on the responsibilities of the university student mentor I had previously received.
First, I prepared a plan for the reading and essay writing group. Rather than creating it alone, I gathered everyone together to discuss and establish the foundation of the plan. Then, I finalized specific dates, meeting locations, and rules, compiling them into a report-like document. I printed out both a calendar and the report, clearly marking meeting dates, required reading progress, and book sections to cover by each session. I distributed these materials to group members to encourage their commitment to the meetings. During the meetings themselves, I meticulously tracked our reading progress, noting who had presented up to which point and how many rounds of feedback had been given. Through these efforts, the members followed my lead well. They praised my meticulous records and thoughtful approach, trusting and relying on me.
Understanding their perspective, I felt an even greater sense of responsibility and worked hard to lead the group effectively. I came to believe that leadership isn’t something you acquire separately; it grows when you genuinely feel a sense of responsibility. So, I checked in with each member individually, asking if they were facing any difficulties during the lessons. I also managed the group KakaoTalk chat to encourage active communication. As a result of these efforts, over the year I ran the group, no one left, and we were able to proceed exactly as we had planned from the start. Moreover, over half of our group members won awards in the provincial essay mock exam, and I also received an award in this competition, which filled me with pride.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation and My Reflections
Korean Language Volunteer Work for International Refugees
During my senior year of high school, I squeezed volunteer work into my busy schedule while preparing for early admissions. The activity I participated in was a Korean language education volunteer program for socially marginalized groups living near the school. Led by our Korean language teacher, our school provided free Korean language education to marriage immigrants, international refugees, and foreign workers. Having long utilized the school’s system to participate in essay writing education and reading/essay writing clubs, I applied what I learned to assist with the Korean language lectures. Specifically, I typed, produced, and distributed class materials, managed student lists, and guided participants to classrooms.
During classes, I also directly assisted with teaching. The classes I primarily participated in were for international refugees. Many struggled even with basic Hangul understanding, so I fielded their questions. While the instructor led the overall class, student volunteers like myself circulated to address individual questions. Given the wide range of skill levels, our role was crucial. Some asked about the difference between consonants and vowels, while others inquired about nuances in sentence meaning. To answer these questions thoroughly, I studied by reading Korean textbooks separately, preparing to handle diverse queries.
I also studied the specific characteristics of international refugees. Since we met weekly, I researched their circumstances and unique situations to avoid potential misunderstandings when interacting with them. Having grown up in a family receiving basic livelihood support, I felt compelled to give back to society’s vulnerable by practicing the same kindness I had received. The process of growing into a socially contributing individual who could genuinely help others was deeply rewarding. The very fact that my actions could enhance someone’s ability to adapt to society brought me immense pride.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation and Career Plans
Implementing Plans for Early Admission Applications
I began preparing for early admission starting in my first year of high school. While also considering the need to prepare for the regular admissions process, I fundamentally focused all my efforts on the early admissions preparation. The reason was that I had strengths in my academic grades, school activities, and essay writing skills, and I also qualified for the Equal Educational Opportunity Admissions system. My family is a recipient household under the National Basic Livelihood Security Act, making us eligible for social welfare support. Therefore, I applied through your university’s Equal Opportunity Admissions system for early admissions. For this system, document evaluation carries the greatest weight. Therefore, I worked diligently to reflect my suitability for the major, character, and the process of overcoming adversity within my school records.
To demonstrate suitability for the major, I managed my grades in key subjects, particularly focusing on maintaining good scores in performance-based assessments to show diligence. For character, I participated in Korean language volunteer teaching within my school to demonstrate a spirit of service through social activities. To show overcoming adversity, I documented my role as a group leader to develop my leadership skills. To cultivate leadership, I served as the head of a reading and essay writing group for over two years. I consistently maintained this group, and during my senior year of high school, I also prepared for interviews and oral exams ahead of the early admissions process. Through this group, I learned the importance of community spirit, leadership, and the synergy achievable through collective effort.
My career plan is to enroll in the Public Administration Department at ○○ University, then continue my studies in graduate school, majoring in Public Administration. During my master’s program, I will gather information on international administration and use this foundation to apply for a doctoral program, where I plan to major in International Public Administration. During my doctoral studies, I will develop concrete plans to grow as a global professional and work internationally. To achieve this, I need to begin researching the field early. International administration is currently a growing field, and with the increase in international cooperation organizations, it presents many new research opportunities. My ultimate goal is to work in this field and serve as an administrator within an international organization.
