The Path I Found Through Entrance Exams

I competed in a national dodgeball tournament during elementary school and later joined the badminton club in junior high school. Wanting to continue balancing academics and badminton in high school, I enrolled in a local international high school that placed a strong emphasis on both academic achievement and extracurricular activities. I dedicated myself to badminton until the summer of my second year of high school. After that, I began preparing seriously for admission to medical school, as becoming a doctor had been my dream since childhood. While attending a cram school, I worked on preparation for both the Common Test for University Admissions and individual university entrance examinations. However, I gradually began struggling with interpersonal relationships at school and was absent from school for about three months around the summer of my third year. Even after returning, I found it difficult to regain emotional stability and fully concentrate on my studies, and as a result, I was unable to achieve the outcome I had hoped for on the Common Test.

What ultimately led me to a new path was the integrated inquiry-based learning project that I had worked on throughout all three years of high school. My group took on the challenge of developing a toothpaste containing honey, designed to be gentle on the body and easy for children to use, with the goal of reducing the risk of tooth decay. I had originally aspired to become a doctor because I wanted to help people, but through this project, I learned that there are many different ways to make a positive impact on others, including product development and entrepreneurship. This experience broadened my perspective and sparked an interest in business administration, leading me to make the bold decision to shift my focus from medical school to the study of management.

After completing the Common Test for University Admissions, I began searching for business programs at universities whose application deadlines were still open. During that time, a teacher at the English conversation school I attended recommended APU. English had always been one of my strongest subjects, and I had long been interested in studying abroad. I felt that APU's global learning environment and the curriculum offered by the College of International Management were a perfect match for my interests and goals, which led me to apply. I was also eager to challenge myself in a completely new environment, so the opportunity to begin my new life in a dormitory was another factor that gave me confidence in choosing APU.

I also felt that the admissions method suited me well. The Common Test + English and Japanese admissions format allowed me to make use of my Common Test results. In addition, I had taken the EIKEN test every year on my own initiative and earned the Grade Pre-1 certification, so being able to convert that qualification into admission points was extremely beneficial.

As I had not done any preparation for Japanese language entrance examinations up to that point, I focused on repeatedly working through past examination questions and grammar exercises. Although I was confident in my reading comprehension skills in English, I recognized that my knowledge of grammar and other foundational areas was weaker. To address this, I chose a basic reference book and studied it over and over again.

I also used past examination questions from the university's entrance exam guidebooks, solving them at specific intervals, such as one week before the exam and again the day before, to assess my level of understanding and identify areas for improvement. To avoid becoming overly nervous on the day of the exam, I traveled to Fukuoka, where the examination venue was located, three days in advance. I then studied in busy public places at the same times as the actual examination sessions to simulate the test-day environment.

Until taking the Common Test for University Admissions, I struggled to stay motivated and often found studying very difficult. However, once I decided to aim for APU, motivation came naturally, and studying no longer felt like a burden at all. At the time, I repeatedly watched APU introduction videos created by current students and often imagined myself as an APU student, thinking about the kinds of conversations I would have with international students if I were admitted.

My honest impression of APU is that many students are deeply committed to pursuing what they are passionate about. In the College of International Management, there are even students who have already started their own businesses while still at university. Hearing about their experiences has been incredibly inspiring and informative.

During high school, I went through a period of school absenteeism and struggled to access the social support I needed. Because of that experience, I hope to establish a company or organization in the future that connects children facing similar challenges with existing support services. As a first step toward that goal, I am currently taking on challenges such as participating in business competitions and developing business ideas.

I feel that APU is an environment where, if you share your passion and ambitions with others, many faculty members and students are willing to support and collaborate with you. It is a place full of opportunities to turn personal experiences into solutions for social issues, and I believe it offers countless possibilities to create meaningful change.

APU offers a wide range of admissions methods, so I believe everyone can find one that suits them. The university also allows students to learn beyond the boundaries of their major, making it not only possible to deepen what you want to do, but also easier to clarify your goals and start taking concrete action toward them.
In addition, there are many student clubs and organizations that are active outside the university, so I think APU provides plenty of opportunities to broaden your interests and explore new possibilities.