The Path I Found Through Entrance Exams

I found it fascinating to communicate with people from other countries in English, and from a young age, I had always hoped to study abroad someday. During junior high school, the COVID-19 pandemic made that difficult, but in the third term of my second year of high school, I was finally able to fulfill that long-held goal by joining a language study program in the Philippines.
In addition to studying English at a local language school, I spent time with students from a variety of countries and explored the city on weekends, making the experience both enjoyable and fulfilling. While expressing my thoughts and feelings in English was sometimes challenging, I felt that the atmosphere and way of communication—so different from Japanese—suited me well.
Through this study abroad experience, my interest in English and global environments grew even stronger.

I first learned about APU when a teacher at my cram school introduced it to me during my first year of high school. At that time, I did not have a clear image of what university life would be like, so what remained in my mind was simply that APU had a global environment with many international students.
Later, when I started seriously thinking about which university to apply to and researching universities across Japan, I began to feel that I wanted to improve my English skills while enjoying life in a new environment. What influenced me most was the open campus event I attended in the summer of my second year of high school. Compared with students at other universities, APU students seemed approachable and spoke clearly. They also kindly answered my questions and explained things I did not understand. Seeing them made me want to study at APU as well.
At first, I was mainly considering the College of International Management. However, while writing my application essay, I became more aware that tourism was the field I was most interested in, and I decided to apply to the College of Sustainability and Tourism. This was connected to my experience in high school volunteering to create and introduce guide pamphlets for international tourists. After changing the college I wanted to apply to, I found it easier to write my application essay because it reflected my interests more clearly.

I was absolutely determined to enroll at APU, so I planned to take every admission method available to me and intended to apply through both Admissions for Comprehensive Selection and the general entrance examination. However, because I strongly hoped to secure admission as early as possible through Admissions for Comprehensive Selection, I devoted particular effort to preparing for the interview and essay components.

I repeatedly studied using reference books and past examination questions, but the most challenging part was the essay preparation. Writing had never been one of my strengths, and for Comprehensive Evaluation・Data Analysis, there were very few past questions or similar materials available, making it difficult to determine how to study effectively. In the end, I noticed that current affairs topics appeared frequently, so I focused on gathering information from a wide range of sources. I made the most of my time by reading online articles whenever I had free time and even immediately before examinations.

I also revised my personal statement numerous times with feedback from my cram school teacher. For interview preparation, I drafted answers to anticipated questions and reviewed them thoroughly in advance. By practicing repeatedly with friends, my cram school teacher, and my parents, I gradually improved my interview skills and gained confidence.

I was nervous before the examination began, but because it was conducted online, being able to take it in a place where I felt comfortable made a big difference. If I had been in an environment surrounded by other applicants, I think I would have felt even more nervous and pressured.
I was also grateful that the interviewers were very kind and created an atmosphere that allowed me to speak naturally and be myself. While I felt anxious as I waited for the results of Admissions for Comprehensive Selection, I continued studying for the next stage of admissions and prepared for the general entrance examination as well.
In the end, I was accepted through both Comprehensive Evaluation・Data Analysis and Comprehensive Evaluation・Reading Comprehension and Writing. When I first received the results, I could hardly believe it.

After enrolling, I found that my impression from the open campus was right—APU students are very active and enjoy their university life. Being surrounded by them has been very inspiring for me.
I have already had the chance to talk with many international students in the student residence. In the future, I would like to participate in international volunteer activities and actively take classes related to tourism, a field that interests me.

I would recommend choosing a university based on what you truly want. In my case, there were very few students around me who went from the Tohoku region to Kyushu for university, and some people were concerned about my decision. However, because I had thought it through and made the choice myself, I never had any doubts about it.
I also had friends who said that their teachers or parents had decided where they would go to university. However, I believe that if you want to truly enjoy your university life, it is important to respect your own wishes rather than relying too much on other people's opinions.