2021년 연세대 합격자 자소서(Personal statements)

[페낭 징검다리]

연세대의 경우 서류준비 중 가장 어려운 부분이  아래에 있는  4가지 질문에 어떻게 대답을 하는가? 이다.

 그리고 처음 질문은 어느 대학이라도 비슷하다.

특별히 아래의 1번 질문은 코로나 위기 속에서 어떤 자세로 공부 했는가를 묻는 내용일 수도 있다.

사실, 이 자소서  준비는 누구에게나  어렵기에 강남에서는 이것을 대신해 주고 300만원까지 챙기는 도둑들이 있다.

 그런  자소서에는 진실이 담겨야 하는데 거의 소설을 만들어 버리는 경우가 많다.

입시사정관들이 과연 그런 종류의 소설을 못 찾을까?

  그 글을 만드는 자들도  아르바이트로 고용한 대학생들이 쓰는 것이라니?  더욱 어처구니가 없다.

자소서를 쓸때는 문법적인 정확성, 마침표까지도 중요하고, 단어 수도 허용한 범위 내에서 마치는 것을 도와 주고

어떻게 작성해야 하는지를 설명 하는 것은 문제가 없지만 어린 학생들에게  자기의 글이여야 할 내용을 

소설로 만들어 버리고 일단 합격만 하자는 식으로 교육을 시킨다면 그 학생의 앞날에 어려움이 닥치면 매번  돈을 주고 모든 것을 해결 할수 있겠는가?

  아래 글은 연세대에 형제들 중 3번째로 합격한  필자의 자녀중 막내의 자소서이다.

아빠인 필자의 내용이 있어 읽을때 조금은 어색했지만  몇년 전  나의 훈계에 아이의 반응을 기억하게 되어

내 아이를 잘 이해할 수 있는 글이었다.

 일단  공부하는 자세에 있어  그 형들과 누나( 모두 공대생으로 3명 다 수학에는 일가견이 있다)에 스스로 비교되어 눌린 것을  푸는 교훈적인 내용이 있고, 아빠의 훈계를

잔소리로 받는 정직함도 있고, 또 하나의  9학년 때 한번의 시험에서 받은 B학점인 수학을

어떤 자세로 풀어 나가야 겠다는  깨우친 자세도 나온다.

 이제 임박한 2022년 3월에 원서를 넣는 학생들에게 조금의 도움이 되었으면 좋겠다.

 Daum 앤드류네 미국일본유학

카톡 strongman66

Describe what you have learned based on your academic and learning experiences during your high school career. (300 words or less)

As grades became more important in middle school, teachers encouraged academic performance, but also emphasized personal growth. My traditional father, however, shoved me into the path of academic success to follow the steps of my older siblings. After years of parental influence, my views on academics became heavily skewed towards perfect performance. Eventually, a single unsatisfactory test score became the worst of my worries. In high school, I took a Calculus exam, almost receiving a failing grade; my world crumbled before that one result. I felt inferior in front of my friends who had no issues, and I knew with every academic failure such as this, I strayed farther from reaching my siblings. Despite constant reassurance from my friends and teachers that one failure is insignificant in the long run, the expectations my father engraved into my skull barricaded my mindset from changing. However, I didn’t want to give up and throw away everything. Instead, I considered my only option: listen to my friends and teachers and truly let go of my old, achievement-centered mindset. I would risk my grades for a fulfilling school experience. At first, viewing failure from a positive light was challenging, but I kept reminding myself that things could be worse. Eventually, I took the advice to heart and finally began to see failure as a chance to learn and grow. Now, I consider every assessment as a step forward no matter how rough. As I near the end of high school and prepare for education in a prestigious institution, I won’t be afraid of the inevitable mistakes that await me. Rather, I will accept them and utilize the experience to ensure growth and success.

Describe what you have learned through participation in meaningful extracurricular activities (up to 3) in school during your high school career. Non-school activities may be included only if you participated by receiving your principal’s permission. (600 words or less)

Service, the act of sacrificing something for someone else’s benefit, is a major part of my school’s curriculum. One ongoing service project I joined was the SKTT group. The group’s main purpose was to teach English to young Malaysian students in a local school called SKTT through fun, interactive activities. For example, we played soccer and taught words such as “pass,” “dribble,” and “shoot.” Everybody had fun and was panting for air by the end of the day. Although interacting with strangers was outside my comfort bubble, I was satisfied to contribute to the children’s happiness. These experiences inspired me to continue using my talents and blessings to help the less fortunate. With more visits to the school, it became easier to inch out of the bubble. Soon, I learned that my appearance was not important; instead, my behavior and priorities in people were.

        With more of an understanding of service, I joined an Impact team. The primary goal of the team was to learn about the ways of service and practice service in different parts of Southeast Asia. In 9th grade, I went to West Java, Indonesia with other students, and we were given the opportunity to live like the locals, eat what they ate, and pass time as they did. For service, we painted a volleyball court for them. A simple act like that required a lot of work in the blazing heat, but it was worth the effort. We played volleyball with the locals and had an amazing time. Although there was a massive language barrier, using hand gestures and simple words such as bagus (good) was enough for me to show enthusiasm and stay engaged. Our team learned to look past the differences in culture between us and the locals and learned from them. The locals taught us how to braid leaves into decorative little boxes and cook lamb stew; surprisingly, our team was being served. A common idea of service includes teaching, but what is less often recognized is that service can also come from learning, becoming a humble student to those you reach out to.

        In 10th grade, I went on another Impact trip to Central Java, Indonesia. The goal of this trip was to serve underprivileged children and juvenile male prisoners—only the males on the team were allowed to interact with them. We were informed of the crimes some of them had committed to earn a spot in that prison, so our team entered the prison with unease. After storing our belongings, we were asked to mingle with the prisoners. At first, my team and I exchanged awkward glances and gestures, but we quickly began conversing with some of them as we had a fluent Indonesian translator to aid us. The expectations we had entering the place were instantly disregarded.  In fact, during the free time, I eagerly joined some prisoners in their volleyball activity, despite unknowingly entering a restricted area. Seeing them as peers rather than criminals made it possible to play football and volleyball together , have normal conversations with them, and even receive haircuts from them. Service teaches many lessons for both the giver and receiver in the act. One lesson I learned was that perspective is the most important practice. Stepping into someone’s shoes and seeing what they see and making changes from there is true service. Without seeing different perspectives, people cannot effectively and honestly serve.

Describe and discuss what you have learned through practices of consideration, sharing, cooperation, conflict management, etc. during your high school career. (300 words or less)

One of the most valuable skills when working with people is vulnerability—exposing yourself. As hard as it may be to share personal information and opinions, vulnerability shows humility, willingness to cooperate, and growth. Oftentimes, conflicts are resolved when someone breaks down their walls and shares opinions, admits mistakes, and shows empathy. In the past, I had a heated argument with a friend over a game which caused a lot of tension. I questioned his actions and criticized his opinions, which slowly deteriorated our friendship. Not long after the argument, I realized my immaturity over the small mobile game and, despite the shame, explained to my friend why I felt angry. He then told me why he felt the way he did. We came to an understanding and continued as closer friends.

In group settings, cooperation is necessary, but the inability to put your true character out in front indicates a lack of workmanship. The more the group knows about each others’ true behaviors and emotions, the better the cooperation. As I have been on many sports teams, school group projects, and service groups, I have learned how important even just a little bit of exposure to my teammates and classmates is to my individual and group relationships. In my first year on the school volleyball team, I buried my pride as one of the top players and invited more experienced teammates to help me improve. In-class projects, I asked questions despite looking like “the dumb one.” At school service projects at underdeveloped local Malaysian schools, I stepped out of my comfort zone and taught English to strangers. Though I felt uncomfortable in all of these situations, the exposure was necessary for my growth as a cooperative individual.

Please describe in detail how a study abroad experience may affect the pursuit of your chosen major. (600 words or less).

As a Korean overseas student attending an international school in Penang, Malaysia, I have gained valuable experiences through opportunities that are uncommon in most Korean schools. Korea is known for its advanced academic culture; in contrast, the melting-pot culture I grew up in—a mix of Western and Malaysian—equally emphasized traditional academics and community. Throughout my school career, I learned about different cultures, practiced respectful behavior through extracurricular activities, and developed effective communication skills.

        A major benefit of attending a Westernized international school overseas is the emphasis on liberal arts classes in the school curriculum. Varieties of both required and elective subjects such as music, art, theatre, and journalism provided an environment where experience was prioritized over competition. In other words, I was able to focus on developing essential skills that are scarcely taught in traditional academia. For instance, my school required students to take band class in middle school, so I chose to learn the alto saxophone. Apart from learning how to read notes and having a general musical background, performing in a band also taught me a new form of teamwork. It required unconventional communication skills using body language and eye contact; accordingly, leadership roles were usually appointed to those who communicated well regardless of musical aptitude. My chosen major, HASS, includes various liberal arts subjects that oftentimes involve expression‎‎ and communication in forms other than speech. Although I am unsure of my specific career, my ability to communicate with others, not only with words but also with expression‎‎, is an advantage as I consider my options.

        In my senior year of high school, I chose a class called “Leadership Development.” As the name suggests, I learned the characteristics of different types of leaders—especially the servant leader. A servant leader is humble and uses his or her influence to benefit others. I consider this class the most important out of any provided by my school because I could immediately apply what I learned. I was a captain in a volleyball intramurals team, and I led players of all skills and sizes: male and female, beginner and skilled, enthusiastic and quiet, tall and short. Not only did I lead my teammates by giving constructive criticism, but I also encouraged them with empathy, sharing weaknesses and opinions. Even with six years of volleyball experience, I would not have considered humility as an essential characteristic of a team captain if I had not taken the leadership class. Since HASS embraces discussion and social interaction, identifying abilities and personalities is crucial when associating yourself with others. Being able to distinguish between leaders and followers, arrogant and humble, will guide my decisions when forming relationships, resolving conflicts, leading projects, and learning from the right people.

        The servant leaders whom I have followed were my school teachers. In order to encourage healthy relationships, accountability, and vulnerability, my school initiated a mentorship program for all age groups. A Bible teacher mentored me, and we talked about anything ranging from personal stories, beliefs, success, and even romantic relationships. I was able to share my personal struggles that I was too embarrassed to mention to my parents or siblings. Exposure to conversations without fearing judgment eventually created a passion for deep discussions; furthermore, these conversations allowed me to question ideologies. I have grown to welcome another’s company and opinions. More importantly, I have realized the significance of finding my own truths and ethics through these open conversations with others. Although I am oblivious to the college culture, I can confidently say that I am well-prepared to encounter situations requiring independence.