Discovering the Fun of Research
Faculty of Policy Management
General Screening
Female
High School | Kanagawa Prefectural Hiratsuka Konan High School |
|---|---|
Year | Faculty of Policy Management, 3rd year |
Primary Research Group | Takashi Iba Laboratory (since spring semester of 2nd year) |
Research Group's Major | Elucidating the principles underlying high-quality practices and providing practical support based on these discoveries |
My Research Theme | None |
What I focus on in my student life | Studying and project activities in my research group. Managing social media for my club. Community activities in my hometown. |
High school club activities | Student council activities |
How long were you in your high school club? | Until the spring of my third year of high school |
Favorite subjects | Japanese, Politics and Economics |
What you focused on in high school | Activities as a member of the school festival executive committee |
What I'm proud of about my high school | Our specialty is the costumed performance at the sports festival, where students come up with everything themselves, including the costumes, music, choreography, and formations! |
When did you learn about SFC? | In June of my third year of high school |
Did you attend an SFC Open Campus (including online)? | Yes (in the summer of my third year of high school). Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, I was very grateful that they introduced the university through video streaming and other means. |
Did you use a Juku or prep school? | Yes (I attended a Juku for both AO Admissions and General Screening from June of my third year of high school). |
Have you ever been a ronin (a student studying for an extra year to retake university entrance exams)? | No |
When did you decide to apply to SFC? | In June of my third year of high school |
Which entrance examination did you pass to get into SFC? | General Screening |
What subjects did you take for the exam? | English, Short Essay |
What other entrance examinations did you take besides the one you passed? | AO Admissions |
What was your preference ranking for SFC? | First choice |
What other faculties did you apply to concurrently? | Faculty of Environment and Information Studies |
What other universities did you apply to concurrently? | Waseda University, Sophia University, Chuo University, Aoyama Gakuin University, Rikkyo University, Hosei University |
Why I Chose SFC and My Journey to University
I went to a high school where most students go on to university, so from the time I enrolled, I assumed I would also attend a four-year university. However, I had a hard time choosing a faculty because I was interested in various fields like business administration, education, and community development.
While I was vaguely thinking about it, June of my third year of high school arrived. As I was ordering and looking through university brochures, I discovered SFC for the first time. I was drawn to the fact that I could study across multiple fields and that it was only about an hour's commute from my home. As I researched further, I learned that many students were engaged in interesting research and that the campus had a free and relaxed atmosphere. In June of my third year, I made SFC my first choice.
I also tried for AO Admissions but was not successful. Nevertheless, I studied tenaciously and was able to pass the General Screening. I was also considering a university where I had been accepted into the Faculty of Letters, but I ultimately chose to enroll at SFC because the appeal of being able to research multiple fields according to my own interests was too strong.
What Are Your Recommended Study Methods?
Since SFC was my first choice, I focused my studies on English and the short essay, which were required for the SFC exam. For other universities, I applied using the Common Test and short essay for General Screening, as well as AO Admissions. For both English and the short essay, the cumulative effort from daily quizzes, regular exams, and classwork really paid off.
For English, I focused on understanding prefixes and suffixes and always learning derivatives of words so that I could predict the meaning of unfamiliar words. Also, if you suddenly find yourself unable to read long English passages, it might be because you're trying too hard to speed-read. I recommend trying to solve the problem slowly once without timing yourself. Don't panic!
For the short essay, I recommend not just answering the questions but also trying to predict and analyze what key points the examiner is looking for. As you work through many problems, you might start to get a sense of which points will earn you extra credit and which omissions might lead to deductions.
The Connection Between My High School Studies and My Current Learning at SFC
Since high school, I've been interested in various fields such as business administration, education, and community development. I especially enjoyed reading and writing, and I wanted to learn about things related to "language."
After enrolling, my studies at SFC—and indeed the center of my life—revolve around my research group, where we conduct research on creating "Pattern Languages" to verbalize and share the implicit tips and essence of good practices. I am also taking full advantage of what SFC has to offer by taking courses in completely different fields from my main research, such as law, international politics, and medicine.
Looking back, I feel that I am able to pursue the kind of learning that allows me to achieve what I've wanted to do since high school: get involved in multiple fields, work with language, and support and encourage people.
A Message to Prospective Students
Since enrolling at SFC, I've discovered the fun of studying and research, encountered diverse people and ideas, and every day my conviction grows that "SFC was the only place for me." SFC has connected my vague interests and passions to academic research and my future! SFC is a place where you can experience change, challenges, and excitement, like participating in an international conference in Germany even though I had never been abroad!
I'm sure there are times when you feel anxious and impatient as you face your exams, but I encourage you to set aside thoughts about whether you're likely to pass, whether the enrollment capacity is large or small, or whether there are many or few exam subjects. Instead, please choose your prospective university based on what excites you! It's not just a place you'll attend for four years; it's a place where you will meet all kinds of people, broaden your ideas and perspectives, and shape your life!
When choosing a university, be sure to look through the syllabi, brochures, and websites thoroughly! In recent years, there are various methods not only for AO Admissions and admissions by recommendation but also for General Screening. The method combining the Common Test and a short essay is especially recommended for those whose first choice is SFC. I hope you all find a university that truly excites you!