What University Admissions Ask of Young People

When people talk about university admissions in Europe and North America, one concept always appears: extracurricular activities. In many Western universities, what students do outside of school is evaluated as part of the admissions process, alongside grades and test scores. As a result, students are expected to take initiative beyond the classroom—joining workshops, creating websites or apps, founding organizations, conducting research in university labs, or pursuing independent projects.

Since entering high school, I have experienced this system firsthand. I performed on stage with professional dancers for the first time and participated in full-scale productions. I also attended many auditions. Stepping outside school meant facing real responsibility and pressure, but it also meant encountering a density of learning that could not be replicated in a classroom.

In contrast, the most common pathway to university in Japan is the general entrance examination. In this system, a student’s future is often determined by the score of a single exam taken on one day. Its clarity makes it appear fair and simple. Yet that simplicity also means that short-term performance and the condition of a single moment carry enormous weight.

Does the Western System “Narrow” Students?

At first glance, the Western admissions system seems to require students to define their academic interests or passions early. For students who do not yet have a clear idea of what they want to pursue, this can feel restrictive, as if their possibilities are being narrowed rather than expanded.

I believe this perception is only half true.

What Western universities actually value is not a perfectly formed specialty, but a process of self-discovery through action. Even if a student realizes that a field they explored does not suit them, that experience still has meaning. In fact, that very sense of mismatch becomes a powerful source of self-understanding.

What matters is not simply what a student did, but what they learned from it and how they can articulate that learning. Extracurricular activities function less as a showcase of talent and more as a record of personal exploration.

Through multiple experiences, students gradually come to understand what they enjoy, what kind of environment suits them, and what roles allow them to thrive. This reality stands in direct contrast to the common belief that “if you cannot decide early, you are disadvantaged.” In truth, uncertainty itself becomes part of growth.

What the Japanese System Cultivates

At the same time, the Japanese system has its own strengths.

By requiring students to study a wide range of subjects without narrowing their focus too early, it builds strong foundational academic skills. It cultivates a shared intellectual baseline that remains useful regardless of future specialization.

For students who have not yet discovered their interests, entering a high-level university and immersing themselves in a stimulating environment can actually expand their possibilities. Encountering new people, disciplines, and values often becomes the catalyst for defining a future path.

Moreover, the presence of countless students who dedicate themselves intensely to study sustains Japan’s high overall academic standards. This collective rigor is a cultural asset.

My Conclusion:

Extracurriculars Are Not Proof of Specialization, but a Method of Self-Discovery

The Western model is not only for students with clearly defined ambitions. In fact, it can be most powerful for those who are still searching. Through action, students come to understand themselves and gradually find direction.

The Japanese model, meanwhile, provides a broad foundation that allows students to choose later, offering a different form of freedom.

Ultimately, both systems pose the same underlying question:

What will you learn, what will you absorb, and how will you grow?

Being able to answer that question in one’s own words may be the true value of university admission itself.