Enjoyable Learning in a Research Seminar
Faculty of Policy Management
General Selection
Male
High School | University-affiliated high school in Tokyo |
|---|---|
Year | Faculty of Policy Management, 2nd year |
Primary Research Seminar | Ken Jimbo Seminar |
Research Seminar Major | National Security |
My Research Topic | India as part of the Global South, India-China relations |
Focus of Student Life | Research, part-time job, travel |
High School Club Activities | None |
Favorite Subjects | English, World History |
What I Focused on in High School | English, Knives Out (game) |
What I'm Proud of About My High School | We had a class taught by a former world No. 2 in judo |
When did you learn about SFC? | Summer of my third year of high school |
Did you attend an SFC Open Campus (including online)? | No |
Did you use a Juku or prep school? | Yes (only for short courses) |
Did you spend a year studying for exams after high school (ronin)? | Yes |
When did you decide to apply to SFC? | Summer of my third year of high school |
Which entrance examination did you pass to get into SFC? | General Selection |
What subjects did you take for the exam? | English, short essay |
What other entrance exams did you take besides the one you passed? | None |
How high was SFC on your list of choices? | First choice |
What other faculties did you apply to? | Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Faculty of Letters |
What other universities did you apply to? | Meiji University, Chuo University, Rikkyo University, Ritsumeikan University, Toyo University |
Why I Chose SFC and My Journey to University
Since everyone in my family went to university, I had assumed since I was young that I would go too. When I became a high school student and university entrance became a more immediate reality, I grew interested in the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Letters due to their connection with my favorite subjects. At the same time, because my father works in finance, I also became interested in the monetary policies of central banks and corporate management, and I was drawn to places like the Faculty of Economics' Department of Business Administration.
Meanwhile, as I learned about the modern era in world history and watched the daily news, I also developed an interest in the field of international politics. By my third year of high school, I was interested in both the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of Law, but I was struggling to decide which to make my first choice, as choosing one would make it difficult to study the other. That's when I learned about SFC. I found out that at SFC, I could take foundational courses in both fields during my first year without any scheduling constraints on earning credits, which led me to make it my first choice.
Furthermore, as English was my strong suit, SFC was also appealing in terms of its entrance exam subjects. For the same reason, I also decided to apply to Chuo University's Faculty of Policy Management. All the other schools I applied to were universities where I could take the exam with English, Japanese, and World History.
What are your recommended study methods?
The English section of the SFC exam often includes academic texts and articles about social experiments, so I strengthened my vocabulary by checking English-language news sites daily to gather information on social trends and current affairs. I think vocabulary books for Eiken Grade Pre-1, TOEFL, and IELTS also contributed greatly. Since it was hard to stay motivated with just that, I tried to enjoyably expose myself to English as much as possible by listening to English speeches and watching YouTube videos about my hobbies in English.
I thought I could write the short essay surprisingly well, but that idea was too naive, and my first graded essay came back covered in red ink. By taking an intensive course at a prep school during a long break and having my essays graded many times, I was able to achieve a passing score. The SFC short essay is a race against time, so I think building up a certain amount of knowledge by reading books regularly will help you save time during the actual exam.
The Connection Between My High School Studies and My Current Learning at SFC
I think the biggest thing is that I came to love English even more.
I had liked English since junior high school, but I think that was largely because it was a subject I could get good grades in. Since the high school I attended was affiliated with a university, it offered relatively flexible classes that weren't focused on entrance exams. In my high school English classes, conversation sessions with a teacher from the UK were added, and I began to study more practical English skills. Around this time, I also became interested in things like pronunciation and grew to love English as a language.
Additionally, in high school, we could choose a second foreign language, and I took Chinese. Although I sometimes struggled with the difficulty of Chinese pronunciation, it was one of my favorite classes because I was able to learn about a culture I didn't know. Thanks to that experience, I chose to take Chinese at SFC as well. Now, I have Chinese classes four times a week, living a life that feels like I'm in a faculty of foreign languages.
A Message for Prospective Students
At SFC, you can have a much more meaningful student life if you already have a clear idea of what you want to do. I joined a research seminar in my second year, but I regret that it was a bit too late. Every day I think, "If only I had joined earlier, I could have done so much more." That's how enjoyable I find learning in a research seminar. Even if you haven't decided yet, I think it's a good idea to consider two or three possibilities. The process of finding a field you love can also lead to discovering parts of yourself you never knew existed.
Studying for entrance exams is incredibly tough, both physically and mentally. I also remember despairing many times when my graded short essays came back covered in red ink. Even so, just imagining my life at SFC was enough to restore my flagging motivation.