Chen Wei
From China
Tokyo-Takadanobaba Campus
Hosei University
Accepted into the Faculty of Social Sciences
- Please introduce yourself.
- Hello, everyone. My name is Chen, and I am from Zhejiang Province. I have loved Japanese anime for a long time and began studying Japanese in high school. Since my high school offered Japanese classes, I studied the language during my second and third years. When I graduated from high school in 2020, the pandemic disrupted my plans to study in Japan. After careful consideration, I decided not to take online classes from China. Instead, I waited until the situation had settled down and came to Japan in 2022 to begin studying at a language school. After more than a year of language study, I was finally accepted into the Faculty of Social Sciences at Hosei University. Starting next year, I will officially begin my undergraduate life as a university student.
- Why did you remain committed to studying in Japan?
- Many of my classmates in the Japanese course at high school chose to take university entrance exams in Japanese, but I wanted a change of environment. I felt that there would be less pressure in Japan than in China, and I was also interested in Japanese society and educational issues. For those reasons, I ultimately decided to study in Japan and take university entrance exams here. During the two years of the pandemic, my friends were being accepted into universities in China one after another, while I was the only one left waiting for the borders to reopen. It was an incredibly difficult time for me.
- Why did you choose ISI Japanese Language School?
- I came to Japan with the goal of entering a university, and all of the universities I was interested in were in Tokyo, so I mainly considered language schools in Tokyo. Among them, I found the international atmosphere of ISI's Takadanobaba Campus especially appealing. The school was also close to my cram school, so I felt that I could pursue both university preparation and international exchange.
- Are there any memorable experiences from language school?
- The New Year's Setsubun event and Halloween were especially memorable. During the Setsubun event, the teachers wore oni masks while the students threw roasted beans at them, making it a fun and unique experience. At Halloween, the teachers dressed up in costumes and helped create a lively atmosphere. They were incredibly enthusiastic.
- Could you tell us about your journey to university admission?
- Before coming to Japan, I thought I would only be able to apply to universities in the Nitto Komasen group—Nihon, Toyo, Komazawa, and Senshu Universities. At the time, my Japanese was around the N3 level.
However, after arriving in Japan, I took the EJU twice, once last year and once this year. I scored 296 on my first attempt and 346 on my second. My Japanese also improved, and I am now in the Advanced III class. As I became better prepared in the EJU comprehensive subject, mathematics, and language skills, I decided to apply to more highly ranked universities.
This time, I applied to the Department of Sociology in the Faculty of Social Sciences at Hosei University and the Department of Education in the Faculty of Human Sciences at Sophia University. In the end, I was accepted by Hosei University. - Were there any differences between the entrance examinations at the two universities?
- For the departments I applied to, Hosei University did not require a written examination. The selection process consisted only of document screening and an online interview. There were two interviewers, and they asked questions such as why I wanted to study in Japan and why I had chosen Hosei University.
Sophia University, on the other hand, required a written essay examination in addition to document screening and an interview. For Sophia University, the EJU score is merely a starting point. - What do you plan to study at Hosei University?
- The Faculty of Social Sciences is located on Hosei University's Tama Campus. It has what you might call a countryside atmosphere, making it a suitable place to study in peace and quiet (laughs).
The Department of Sociology mainly focuses on people, communities, international issues, and culture. Students choose a specific area of specialization in their first year and begin studying in that course from their second year. I am interested in social issues involving people, particularly bullying, so I plan to study in the Human Society course after enrolling. - How helpful was ISI in preparing you for the entrance examinations?
- Before the EJU, the school held three mock examinations to help us improve our scores.
I was in the advanced university preparation class, where most of my classmates were aiming for prestigious universities. In our lessons, we also improved our Japanese through activities such as group discussions and presentations.
During speech activities in class, our teachers gave us topics that were similar to the kinds of questions often asked in university interviews and had us give presentations on them. For example, one topic was "a recent news article or book you have read." Listening to other students' presentations also gave me useful ideas and perspectives that I could apply to my own interview preparation. - What do you think is the biggest change studying in Japan has brought about in you?
- I have become more independent. Since I came to Japan on my own, I have had to deal with many things by myself. Whether it was completing procedures at the ward office, opening a bank account, or signing a mobile phone contract, I searched for information on platforms such as Xiaohongshu and handled everything on my own.
- What are your plans after graduation?
- I plan to continue on to a master's program. My goal is to attend Waseda University's graduate school.
- Do you have any advice for future international students?
- Once you've chosen the path of pursuing graduate school, I hope you will stay persistent and never give up. As the number of Chinese students studying in Japan continues to grow, graduate school admissions are becoming increasingly competitive. Learn to face the pressure of setbacks, endure loneliness and isolation, and maintain your emotional balance throughout the process. I truly believe that, in the end, all of you will achieve the results you are striving for.
