Introduction

Hi! I’m Remi, a Japanese student currently studying at Brown University in the U.S. I was born in New York but moved to Tokyo when I was five, and I’ve been at K. International School Tokyo ever since.

Why Study Abroad?

Since I was younger, I have always envisioned myself going to college abroad. I was drawn to the idea of academic freedom and personal exploration—two things I felt were central to U.S. universities. I wanted to take courses across disciplines, challenge myself in new ways, and meet people from all over the world with different perspectives.

Why the U.S?

I applied to schools in Japan, the U.S., and the U.K., but the U.S. was always my top choice. I loved the flexibility that US Universities offered, and how students could explore a range of academic fields before choosing a major. That kind of structure really drew me to the universities I applied to, especially because I had a lot of interests and wasn’t ready to decide on my career just yet. Based on my research and friends’ personal experiences, I also knew that the range of extracurricular opportunities and diversity offered by the US would enrich my understanding of the world.

My College Decisions

After my results came out, I was accepted into numerous universities. US: Brown University, Dartmouth College, Georgetown University, NYU, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Davis, University of Washington.

UK: King’s College London, University of Manchester, University of Edinburgh

Japan: University of Tokyo, Waseda University

In the end, I chose Brown University for 3 main reasons:

1. Academic freedom: Brown University is known for its Open Curriculum, which allows students to study any course they desire, allowing students to venture into different departments and find a field that suits them the best. I wanted to study in this kind of environment because I was interested in a range of fields and was intrigued by how they intersect.

2. Ivy League connections: Being an Ivy League institution, Brown University would be able to provide me with strong networks of alumni, faculty, and students that would help me with my career and academic development.

3. Extracurricular & research opportunities: Since Brown University offers a wide range of student-led organizations, research centers, and funding for independent projects, I knew they would be able to support my interests.

My Stats

• GPA: 4.0

• SAT: 1530

• TOEFL: 117

• IB: 43/45 (Final)

My Extracurriculars

In school, I was Student Council President, did MUN for six years, and co-led both the Green Team and a diversity initiative called the Rainbow Project.

Outside of my school, I co-founded the NPO ‘Kodomo Shokudo’ in partnership with local politicians https://kodomo-shokudou.net/ by facilitating monthly community gatherings that serve 100+ individual meals, and recreational opportunities for low-income children.

I also interned for three years at Unilever Japan, where I worked on digital marketing campaigns for brands like Dove and LUX, and even helped launch nationwide body positivity and gender equality initiatives.

My other focus was my passion for gender equality. I published and presented an independently written research paper on "The Role of Instagram on the lives of Menstruators" at an international youth’s research conference. I received “Best Social Sciences/Humanities Presentation award for my research.

Apart from my research, I was also a local menstrual activist where I…

• Hosted interactive gender awareness workshops with local elementary students, implemented menstrual advocacy pamphlets on display at 5 town hall/community centers

• Debated and implemented local policy reforms and mechanisms to combat period poverty and the silence around gender issues with city politicians and the mayor

• Facilitated local and school menstrual drives to address period poverty and promote equal access to reproductive health

My Application Timeline

As college applications can get stressful, it’s important to plan ahead! Here’s the schedule I followed:

• Summer break: I started writing my essays during the summer before senior year.

• End of summer break: I tried to complete my US common application essay and UK personal statement, while also having a few drafts for my US supplemental essays.

• Mid-October: I submitted my UK applications

• Beginning of November: Submitted my US Early Application, started to work on the University of Tokyo essay

• End of Nov - Beginning of Dec: I started preparing for my Cambridge interview, and submitted my University of Tokyo application.

• Winter break: Completed the rest of my supplements

• Beginning of Jan: Submitted the rest of my US applications

• Mid-Jan: Interviews for US colleges

• End of Jan - Mid-Feb: Prepared my application for Waseda University & submitted

My Essays

My essays covered a range of topics. My common application essay which I sent to every US school, was about the intersection between my relationship with my family and my passion for menstrual issues and reproductive rights. For my other essays, I wrote about: my experiences with interning at Unilever Japan and the skills I gained, my passion for scrapbooking and gardening, my interest in international affairs, specifically gender issues. I made sure to demonstrate my academic passions and my personal characteristics while ensuring that I included the different life values and principles I carry.

Financial Aid And Scholarships

Applying to universities often comes with application fees. On average, each US school costs around $60, while in the UK it costs about 30 for 5 schools. For Japanese universities, the total cost was just under 10,000 JPY.

I applied to both U.S. university aid (via FAFSA and CSS Profile) and Japanese scholarships. I ended up receiving the JASSO scholarship from the Japanese government (about ¥4 million per year) and a financial aid package from Brown that covers around $30,000 per year. My parents cover the remaining tuition and living costs, but I also work on campus and tutor high school students to pay for personal expenses and travel.

My Major

I am planning to double major in International and Public Affairs and Gender and Sexuality Studies. Currently, I am exploring a range of different departments other than the ones I am planning on majoring in through Brown’s Open Curriculum. I’m trying to approach my education through a range of perspectives and an explorative lens! This has led to me enjoying my education very much 😊

My professors are very supportive, catering class discussion and learning around the students to create a student-centred and interactive learning environment. This also allows for deeper exploration of principles and issues.

Life at Brown

My first few weeks at Brown were mainly for orientation, both international and general orientation. I enjoyed the international students’ orientation very much because I was able to meet students from all over the world with similar situations as mine (students coming from far away to a new country). We were all able to bond over our different cultures and excitement for a new chapter in our lives. Brown also hosted some events and mentorship activities to help us adjust to the new environment and cover logistical issues like finances or phone numbers.

Despite being a double major, I still have plenty of time outside of class and studying. Being part of multiple extracurricular groups (including advocacy groups, cultural clubs, and hobby clubs). Through these, I aim to continue exploring different topics and issues, even outside of class.

Overall, I spend around 60% of the day studying and being in class, while the other 40% is spent doing club work and having fun with friends. I love spending time with my friends, exploring around the city, cooking together, playing games, and going to karaoke! I’ve felt that it’s been quite easy making friends; most of my friends are from orientation, in class, and through clubs. A tip for making new friends and connections is being excited to talk to different people and letting go of some when you think it is right. Although most college campuses will have an overwhelming number of students compared to your high school, it is important to distinguish between friends and acquaintances, so you can make a solid group of friends!

Networking and creating professional relationships have also been new for me. I recommend proactively talking to professors and faculty either after class or during office hours (outside of class). This is a great way to create personal connections with the professors while clarifying class concepts.

Reflecting on my First Semester

In my first semester, most of my work consisted of readings and writing essays. I’ve had some difficulty with completing the readings, so I’m trying to manage my time better. Due to the workload, I’ve also had some issues managing my health, such as maintaining healthy eating habits, getting enough exercise, and taking time for myself. For my second semester, I am planning to try my best to maintain both my physical and emotional health.

Post-Grad Plans

My plans for post-graduation are still undecided, but I hope to work at an NGO or IGO (intergovernmental organization) to work on social justice and addressing humanitarian issues. Perhaps a few years into working, I might also apply for graduate school.

To my younger self…