Studying Abroad - Admission/Application Essay Example

Personal growth and academics are significant success aspects during school years. They help an individual to grow in all areas of life such as socially, mentally, spiritually, and physically. I believe that studying abroad will contribute to both aspects. My interest to learn Japanese language and culture commenced in high school. I have carried this interest on from my high school to college studies. Currently, I am majoring in Japanese Studies at Carnegie Mellon. Throughout high school and college, I have taken a rigorous curriculum; the classes were particularly challenging and thought provoking.

I am a hardworking and motivated student. This can be reflected by my performance in college in the past two years. I have maintained outstanding results in GPA for those two years.   During my high school years, I attended a Japanese study program at Princeton. The program hosts 80 Japanese students from Japan and promising US students. The program was a culturally enriching experience because I was able to learn much about Japanese culture. My parents hosted a Japanese student for a number of days, and I learned a lot about Japanese culture and Japan from him.

I founded the very first origami club at my high school and contributed towards Japanese funds during the Tsunami crisis. I have always had a passion to travel to distant places and learn about other people and their values. I volunteered in Kenya during 2010, and the event was life changing. I have volunteered extensively in my community and local hospitals, which earned me the award of “number one junior volunteer in Fairfax County.” At college, I have developed a strong command of the Japanese language.

My goal is to improve my language skills and increase my knowledge in the culture and people of Japan. The studying abroad experience will be immensely helpful to me, and it will help me in achieving my goals. I think that spending a semester in Japan will give me the opportunity to understand fully the Japanese way of life, which is the only way to understand fully and learn about the differences of a country from the rest of the world. In addition, I would like to gain knowledge and research on banking and financial systems in the current Japan.

This is because I am interested in pursuing a second major in operations research. Studying abroad was a thoughtful choice for me. I have reached a place in my life where I would like to explore the world beyond the walls of my day-to-day life. I believe that, as a global citizen of the 21st century, it is my responsibility to become more aware of different cultures and societies around the world. Diversity in culture and people is an asset to our universe, therefore, understanding and respecting them is our responsibility.

I believe that the studying abroad experience will contribute towards making me a better global citizen and an individual who is knowledgeable about the world and its people.