[University Entrance Exams] "Self-Understanding" Becomes Your Strongest Weapon
"Which reference book should I use?"
"Which cram school or prep school is best?"
"Which teacher's class should I choose?"
—I often receive these questions from students and their parents.
Of course, these are all important points.
However, what ultimately determines success or failure is,
more than external conditions, "how well you understand yourself." That is what I believe.
This is the same for work and parenting, isn't it?
While the correct answer seems to be on the outside, it is actually on the inside.
Today, I will consider why "self-understanding" is essential for success in entrance exams,
and how you can put it into practice.
Entrance exams are a time to create your own "User Manual"
"I'm trying, but my grades aren't improving."
What might be missing in those moments isn't knowledge, but"self-understanding."Let me tell you about a high school senior boy.
Every time he took a mock exam, he would slump his shoulders and say, "I'm just no good at English..."
When I asked him in detail, I found he was the type who had memorized vocabulary and grammar reasonably well, but his scores dropped drastically when it came to long passages.
The cause was that he was "trying too hard to translate the content into Japanese, which made him run out of time."
The solution was simple:
"Practice grasping the main idea without translating the entire text."
With just that, his score went up by over 20 points on the next mock exam.
It wasn't that he was "bad at English," but rather that his "reading habit" was the issue.
Depending on whether you can notice that, you become able to implement concrete measures.
Weaknesses are not "bad points," but "room for growth"
It is painful to face your own weaknesses directly.
You might feel down, thinking, "I made the same mistake again..." or "Maybe I'm not trying hard enough."
But knowing your weaknesses is also knowing your potential.
The boy I mentioned earlier was able to see the "measures he needed to take" precisely because he analyzed his weaknesses.
Moving forward through "introspection" rather than "self-reproach"
Another female student used to write notes that looked like "letters of apology" every time she took a mock exam.
"I'll try harder," "I won't make careless mistakes next time," "Why did I miss such a basic question?"
—But her actions didn't change, and neither did the results.
So, I asked her,
"Then, how will you change things 'specifically' for the next mock exam?"
That question changed everything.
→ "I will keep a correction notebook and analyze the patterns of my mistakes."
→ "I will give up on a question if it takes more than 5 minutes."
→ "I will aim for 80% on the first major section. To do that, I will perfect English grammar unit XX."
By switching to introspection, she was consistently within the passing range by autumn.
Self-understanding is completed through "action"
Just "knowing" doesn't change anything.
Small changes in action will change your future.
• Calculation errors → Make reviewing a habit
• Lack of understanding → Return to the basics
• Cannot concentrate → Organize your study environment
The goal of self-understanding is to "create your own user manual and decide your next move."
Entrance exam study is not just about accumulating knowledge; it is also a "journey of understanding yourself."
• Find your own weaknesses
• Take action to improve
• Look back and reflect on both successes and failures
Those who can keep this cycle going are the ones who will show the most growth in the end.
Even if you feel down after seeing your test results,
that is a "sign of room for growth."
Asking yourself, "How can I grow?"
is the first step toward passing.
I'm rooting for you!