[ZombieYoshi]

(Original post by Kaeguri)
I really want to do Korean Studies at Sheffield. I've been fascinated about the culture, country, language for 3 years.
But i've kept it a secret from my family. Ah, they less than open-minded about other cultures and languages (White power and all that shizz) I wonder if anyone else has this problem, and how they approached this subject with thier own parents.

Also, I'm rather stuck about my personal statement too. Sheffield is my first choice but if I get rejected I want to do a completely different subject at a different university. Any ideas on how I can balance my personal statement?

If anyone else is applying for this course, I'd love to hear from you and get talking. It would be good to go through this together for the moral support. ^-^

My family aren't exactly 'white power' but are I suppose kinda ignorant in the "Why would you want to learn about somewhere on the other side of the world?" sense, but when I explained to my mum that it was basically a more specialised History course, which she was fine with me doing, and also with a language and that it's because I'm fed up with only doing European and some American history for the last 13 years of school that I'm not looking at normal History courses (so far all I've found is the same old mainly European and American rubbish, other than SOAS), and after she went to the Open Day talk with me she seems okay with it and hasn't really mentioned it since. Then again, I'm still a bit embarrassed about saying what I want to do (Korean or Japanese Studies or Korean Studies with Japanese) to anyone other than friends because there are still many people with the whole "What's the point?" attitude.

I can't really help with the personal statement issue because all the courses I want to do are Asia based so I don't really have to worry about writing things for another course too. Plus, if I get rejected from Sheffield I don't even know what I'd want to do (the other courses I've put down are more or less just to fill places on the UCAS application). What is the other subject? Perhaps there'd still be a way to relate them, unless it's some kind of science.

[0w3n-69]

(Original post by Kaeguri)
Also, I'm rather stuck about my personal statement too. Sheffield is my first choice but if I get rejected I want to do a completely different subject at a different university. Any ideas on how I can balance my personal statement?

Don't worry too much. When I was applying for Korean, I was also applying for Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American studies. I basically did separate paragraphs which involved each discipline, and then did one which complimented them all (do it if you can find a link between yours) where I spoke about the surprising trade/business links between East Asia and Hispanic speaking countries in Latin America.

Pre-uni all you ever hear about is 'how important your P.S is' ... but it is not as massively important as it seems, so don't stress too much. Focus on getting the predicted grades to make you look good!

[taeace]

@ Kaeguri,
I'm going to do Korean Studies, hopefully too. My parents are really all that bothered about it being 'Korean' to be honest, although my mum is kind of.. concerned as to how it would get me a job so to say, I told her that I really just wanted to teach English in a Korean School but she's still saying how it will get me nowhere, I'm just going from what my dad said, 'It's better to do something at uni you enjoy doing rather than something you are good at it and don't really have a passion for.'
As for my personal statement, I'm doing the second draft at the moment and really I've talked about my passion for the culture and also what I have done outside of college that shows my interests, reading books about Korea ect ect.
I mentioned kpop too, very slightly /shamed.
But like what 0w3n-69 says: 'Pre-uni all you ever hear about is 'how important your P.S is' ... but it is not as massively important as it seems, so don't stress too much. Focus on getting the predicted grades to make you look good!' I hope that is true.. although I am still pretty nervous about maintaining my AAB predicted grades.

[taeace]

(Original post by Kaeguri)
Sheffield is my first choice but if I get rejected I want to do a completely different subject at a different university. Any ideas on how I can balance my personal statement?

Right. I wanted to do this too, because if I don't get in then I would obviously go for another subject, but I was talking to my tutor about it.. apparently you can't do that..?!
Your Personal Statement needs to be (her words, not mine) passionate in one subject, apparently if you're talking about Korean Studies as your main choice and so most of the statement would be about that it won't fit with if, say, you include a bit at the end about if you didn't get into Korean then you'd want to do English.
It sucks, I know. But I've decided, sigh, that IF I don't get in then I am either: taking a year out and then apply in 2013 OR you can sort of try and get into a course in 2012, but it's apparently really hard and scary.
I'm not really sure, I'm hoping that I do get in.. so I'm trying not to worry about it much at the momento.

[ZombieYoshi]

I was wondering if anyone who's been researching other uni courses could possibly help me. Since Sheffield is my first choice (Well technically first three choices :P) I've centred all my research around that, and as such know plenty about the course, the students and have went to an Open Day. Lately I've been looking around for insurance choices in case, God forbid, I don't get in... but of course I know very little about these universities. The two courses are Asia Pacific Studies at Leeds and The University of Central Lancashire.
I was wondering if anyone else has looked into these two universities and would be able to give me an opinion on which is better? With the little knowledge I have at the moment I'd probably go for Central Lancashire as the course seems to be the most similar to the Sheffield course (ie. Year Abroad, whereas I don't think Leeds offer that for straight Asia Pacific Studies) and because I can't do the Chinese or Japanese courses at Leeds because I lack a C or above in a GCSE language (now I look it seems to be similar for Lancashire as well but there's still a chance you can get in without). Now this has come up I sincerely hope you don't need GCSE C or above for Sheffield. From all the research I've done I'm pretty sure you don't, but perhaps I missed something... CURSE YOU GERMAN!!

[ZombieYoshi]

One of the people who run the site I've been using to get a taster of Korean (Talktomeinkorean.com if you're interested) has posted a video where they walk around/to Yonsei University, and since that's where we may be spending our second year of university life I thought I'd share it!

[Munny_d]

(Original post by ZombieYoshi)
One of the people who run the site I've been using to get a taster of Korean (Talktomeinkorean.com if you're interested) has posted a video where they walk around/to Yonsei University, and since that's where we may be spending our second year of university life I thought I'd share it!

Ah I also follow their podcasts/talk thingys ^_^ Hyunwoo Sun is very cool and Yonsei looks huuuuge !!!

And hey guys I'm also applying for Korean studies at Sheffield

[ZombieYoshi]

(Original post by Munny_d)
Ah I also follow their podcasts/talk thingys ^_^ Hyunwoo Sun is very cool and Yonsei looks huuuuge !!!

And hey guys I'm also applying for Korean studies at Sheffield

I'm trying to get back into the lessons after I stopped for a month now that I think I've finally made a decision to do Korean Studies with Japanese. Then again I've been changing my mind for months now so who knows.

Hopefully this time next year we'll be classmates! Good luck

[taeace]

(Original post by ZombieYoshi)
I'm trying to get back into the lessons after I stopped for a month now that I think I've finally made a decision to do Korean Studies with Japanese. Then again I've been changing my mind for months now so who knows.

Hopefully this time next year we'll be classmates! Good luck

Yeup it looks massive, but really good too. You decided to do it then? ^-^ I sent off my ucas on Sunday, so good luck!

[ZombieYoshi]

(Original post by taeace)
Yeup it looks massive, but really good too. You decided to do it then? ^-^ I sent off my ucas on Sunday, so good luck!

I think I'm more or less decided, I just have to hope I get the offer for it with Japanese, otherwise it'll be back to choosing between the two (if I get offers for them), but even then Korean keeps edging ahead, and their internet speeds are damn tempting

Ah, just realised it's 3 days until I apply!!!!!! Well, my Personal Statement is done (with 1 character to spare), I just need my tutor to look over the 2nd draft. I think I'm decided with my insurance places too, so all that's left is to spend every waking hour worrying about whether or not I'll even get an offer

Good luck to you too!

[0w3n-69]

(Original post by ZombieYoshi)
I think I'm more or less decided, I just have to hope I get the offer for it with Japanese, otherwise it'll be back to choosing between the two (if I get offers for them), but even then Korean keeps edging ahead, and their internet speeds are damn tempting

Ah, just realised it's 3 days until I apply!!!!!! Well, my Personal Statement is done (with 1 character to spare), I just need my tutor to look over the 2nd draft. I think I'm decided with my insurance places too, so all that's left is to spend every waking hour worrying about whether or not I'll even get an offer

Good luck to you too!

Just a little tip...

if you've mentioned in your personal statement that you already know some Japanese... you'll get rejected for the 'Korean with Japanese' course.

They rejected me because I apparently had 'too much Japanese knowledge' despite never taking a single qualification in the language. My personal statement simply said that I had 'conversational abilities'. In all honesty, my Japanese is alright (well, was... until Korean wiped most of it from my brain lol) but they didn't know that... for all they know I could have meant that 'conversational abilities' meant 'hello, how are you?' ... it's all a matter of perspective really.

It happened to other people too who also mentioned it from what I know. I thought that it would look great on my personal statement, but little did I know I was shooting myself in the foot. So if you do know Japanese, seriously play in down in your PS.

Personally, I'm so glad I'm doing single now hons though.

[ZombieYoshi]

(Original post by 0w3n-69)
Just a little tip...

if you've mentioned in your personal statement that you already know some Japanese... you'll get rejected for the 'Korean with Japanese' course.

They rejected me because I apparently had 'too much Japanese knowledge' despite never taking a single qualification in the language. My personal statement simply said that I had 'conversational abilities'. In all honesty, my Japanese is alright (well, was... until Korean wiped most of it from my brain lol) but they didn't know that... for all they know I could have meant that 'conversational abilities' meant 'hello, how are you?' ... it's all a matter of perspective really.

It happened to other people too who also mentioned it from what I know. I thought that it would look great on my personal statement, but little did I know I was shooting myself in the foot. So if you do know Japanese, seriously play in down in your PS.

Personally, I'm so glad I'm doing single now hons though.

Well my mention is pretty short. It's basically saying I have been teaching myself Japanese since Summer 2010 and Korean since Summer 2011 and can read both Kana and Hangeul relatively well, with varying degrees of grammatical and vocabulary knowledge in each.

I'm supposed to be paying and sending tomorrow, and I only just managed to get my Personal Statement under 4000 characters so I'm not too sure about making last minute changes. I also see that bit as kinda vital to show I can do languages despite my poor GCSE German grade.

Oh well, I wouldn't be too bothered if I was forced to do a single, since I think I've decided that I'd do Korean over Japanese.

[taeace]

oh god. I got a C in german at Highschool, which really annoyed me because the years I did it, I helped my friend with it and then in the end she got a B and I got a C... sob.
My personal statement was just in the 3000 limit I think, but I got a text from my personal tutor saying she needed to see me 'asap' about my ucas. So. oh god, she better not make me change it all.
And really? 0-0 woah, that's pretty harsh. How are you supposed to show you have an interest in Japan as well as Korea without making it seem like you know Japanese? :O

[ZombieYoshi]

(Original post by taeace)
oh god. I got a C in german at Highschool, which really annoyed me because the years I did it, I helped my friend with it and then in the end she got a B and I got a C... sob.
My personal statement was just in the 3000 limit I think, but I got a text from my personal tutor saying she needed to see me 'asap' about my ucas. So. oh god, she better not make me change it all.
And really? 0-0 woah, that's pretty harsh. How are you supposed to show you have an interest in Japan as well as Korea without making it seem like you know Japanese? :O

I got a D because I didn't care in the slightest and thought it would never matter. Lo and behold, it's come back to bite me in the ass It's made finding insurances harder too because so many places want a C in GCSE language.

My personal statement is only 1 character below the limit, so it's pretty close haha

Well, I think I'm paying and sending my application tomorrow

[taeace]

bahahahaha, I found that on my ucas I hadn't included my exams I'll be taking this year for A2... oh. My tutor is so terrible, never telling me anything.
But now.. it's giving me the option to pay again.. :O I don't want to pay £11 again!!!
I was predicted a B in German... but oh well. Things happen, lol.

[ZombieYoshi]

(Original post by taeace)
bahahahaha, I found that on my ucas I hadn't included my exams I'll be taking this year for A2... oh. My tutor is so terrible, never telling me anything.
But now.. it's giving me the option to pay again.. :O I don't want to pay £11 again!!!
I was predicted a B in German... but oh well. Things happen, lol.

How could you forget that!?!? haha

£11? I thought it was £22? Or is Sheffield the only course you're applying to?

My German was so bad I could almost spell FUDGE with my mock results, but I couldn't achieve the D. Maybe I should have actually tried...

[C4OShea]

Just a suggestion, but why not defer your entry for a year and go to Korea to teach enlgish for a year where you will pick up all the fundamentals.

I spent two years living in China following graduation (1 Week in Korea for a short hol). If it's the language you want to learn, moving to Korea would be your best bet and of course give you heaps to write on your PS.

PS White power and all that shizz - i came from a council estate where that was a similar thing. I ended up marrying a Chinese girl and we both now living in the UK where she teaches Chinese and i'm applying for my PGCE. The issue of race never once was brought up although at time when my wife wasn't present my folks would use some derogatory language - not about my wife - but just in general, of course i correct them and let them know how i felt. They got better.

[ZombieYoshi]

I don't really have the financial backing to spend a year in Korea, and as far as I'm aware it's too late to apply for gap year charities.

[ZombieYoshi]

Just sent off my application! Now all that's left is for my school to do their bit.

[0w3n-69]

[QUOTE=C4OShea;34524390]Just a suggestion, but why not defer your entry for a year and go to Korea to teach enlgish for a year where you will pick up all the fundamentals./QUOTE]

Under Korean law you cannot teach in schools legally without a degree and you can't even get a job in the country whilst on a student visa. You can face deportation.

'Cash in hand' style language exchange is okay, but anything more than that if you get caught it can be fairly serious. Still, I do know people who have found work... you just need to be careful.