1. Which CSU Campuses are you applying to?

Long Beach

Pomona

San Diego

San Luis Obispo

2. Which UC campuses are you applying to?

UCLA

Berkeley

San Diego

Irvine

3. Which Private Collges/Universities

Lehigh University, University of Michigan, USC. Northeastern

4. Out of all the colleges that you are applying, which is your top choice?

University of Michigan

5. What is the college's vision and mission statement and describe how you fit in?

A great college with powerful sport teams that dominate in their respective fields, they emphasize freedom and
determination. Their academic facilities are top notch and combined with a beautiful campus, it's simply just the
place to be. Being a hands-on learner, this school fits me amazingly.

6. Of the colleges that you are applying to, which is your 2nd choice?

Lehigh University

7. Of the colleges that are you applying to, which is your third choice?

USC

8. What are you looking for in a college? (Ex. certain programs, opportunities, research, professors, environment)

All colleges are relatively the same academically. I look for particular traits such as high employment rate after
graduation, financial aid, and competitive sport spirit. The last one isn't too important, but it would be convenient
 way for me to support my school and have fun at the same time.

9. What are your specific goals for the future (education & career)? What have you done at this point to prepare?
(Ex. classes, projects, internships, volunteer work, networking, workshops, etc.)

Future career: 1) Dentist 2) Lawyer 3) Psychologist I've done networking with family friends to intern and work
with professional medical individuals to shadow their work and learn. Besides those specific moments, I have
researched the best of my extent to find if these three jobs would fit me, but the problem is that they all do. I will
most likely major in Bio-Chemistry and try to follow a career in Dentistry.

10. What THREE words/phrases best describe you? Give examples why.

Transparent: With friends and family, I set standards to be as honest as possible

Determined: Starting up a small business, the only trait that can push you forward is determination. That's what
I've done to make a thriving one.

Social: Having a large social network, socializing is one of the few pleasures that I indulge in on a daily basis

11. What extracurricular activity do you enjoy the most and why?

Sports/working out is a great way to relieve my stress and is one you can do constantly to get something positive
in return. You slowly build a sturdier,healthier body and become more physically adept that could be useful in all
sorts of situations, what else of a reason do I need to keep at it? :)

12. What is important to you? What do you like to do more than anything else? What are you passionate about?
(does not have to be career oriented)

Fishing has a reputation for being simple. All you need to do is find a boat, grab a rod, and enjoy the view, right? If
you don’t mind catching nothing, sure. As a serious fisherman, however, I prepare meticulously and study my prey
from all angles. The first thing I had to learn, from a combination of instinct and rumor, was where the fish are. I
have to account for weather conditions, fish migration patterns, and even variations in the gear. For example, if I
have a rig set up, I can hook a movable jig to mimic live bait, or use a regular barbed hook and hope the bait is
enough. Each area requires a unique fishing kit and configuration to maximize success. In addition to knowledge
and research, I need skill to be successful. I had to learn how to move my bait to lure in my catch, and sometimes
the hardest part is landing the fish. I had to learn how to play the line so that it didn’t break. Most of all, I had to
learn when to be patient and when to haul with all my strength. There were many times when I would go home
exhausted and empty-handed. However, sometimes my perseverance pays off. I once spent ten seasick, sleep-
deprived hours off the Catalina Islands in rough waves. As if Lady Luck took pity on my suffering, I was ultimately
rewarded with the most prized fish in California, a yellowtail tuna. Overjoyed, I took my catch back home and had
one of my best meals ever: self-caught sashimi. Although success is sweet, I don’t regret all the failed trips. The
memories I gain make the trips worthwhile. During down times, I talk to my fellow fishermen and listen to their
stories of their first fish or their most prized catch. On top of that, the scenery is absolutely gorgeous and creates
the perfect atmosphere for exchanging philosophies. While my fishing skills aren’t directly transferable to the
classroom, they’ve taught me the value of self-preparation and building on the wisdom of others.

13. What have you found most challenging in high school? How did you overcome this?
 Welcome to the world of hype gear: coveted by the general public, boosted by celebrities, hyped on social media
for months before their release. In such a high-stakes market, resellers can profit in the hundreds of dollars, but
only if they’re well-connected. The three giants that dominate the scene are Adidas, Nike, and Supreme. Each
company tries to carefully control information about the next “drop” of merchandise and is so swamped when they
do that website servers have crashed. They have finally resorted to randomly giving buyers access, making the
process that much more difficult. How does a high school student “break” into the market? I failed. A lot. My first
attempt was with Adidas Yeezy sneakers. Every time I heard about an incoming drop, I would haunt the website.
Week after week, I wouldn’t be chosen or the gear would go out of stock. What chance did I have? I wasn’t a pro,
using bots to game the odds. I was trying the old-fashioned way—clicking at the speed of human fingers and
hoping I’d get lucky. But when I thought about giving up, I remembered my favorite motivational speaker, Gary
Vee. He made you REALLY see how much opportunity was out there to take, if you just try. Gary Vee himself
started from the ground up, working in his immigrant father’s wine shop since he was 14. Realizing the potential of
the internet from its early stages, he transformed his dad’s run-of-the-mill shop into a $60-million business by the
time he was 31. As a family 4, I remember living in multiple 1 bedroom apartments, as our parents moved job
from job. My parents always put food on the table, managing to put extra money for my use. Never showing
dissatisfaction with how I spent it, it made me even more compelled to do something to lessen my burden on their
wallet. The most I could do was to find a source of income to buy items for my convenience. Working a part-time
job, I could already tell that it took too much of my time, with little return. The next thought was to start a small
business, but in what? Months passed, and then a close friend spoke about his recent $700 gain in selling a
Supreme hoodie. Instantly becoming interested in the huge profit, he familiarized me into the hype-gear world.
After weeks of failure, my first hurdle was finally overcome and I scored three pairs of Yeezys. However, my
success wasn’t complete; I still had to sell them. Because this is a high-stakes industry where fakes are common,
sellers and buyers are connected through word-of-mouth and reputation. But my connections were limited to
fellow high school students—not an ideal client base. Lucky a second time, a close friend of mine referred me to a
customer who could afford Yeezys. We set a date and meeting place. Keep in mind that flakes are common, and
mugging even more so. Scared out my wits, I nervously stood on the corner of the street where we planned to
meet and saw the guy I was looking for. But something unexpected interrupted our business deal: my Crocs. My
first customer was shocked beyond words, and started laughing. He couldn't believe that the guy who succeeded
in getting multiple pairs of the highly coveted Yeezys could possibly wear infamously-unfashionable Crocs. When
we checked the Yeezys’ legitimacy at a nearby consortium shop, the clerk also burst out laughing at my poor
shoes. And that is how my best client came to call me Croc Boy. These were the first Yeezys I ever successfully
bought, and I worked from that to grow a small, but successful business for myself, lessening the financial
burdens on my family. Gary Vee inspired me to start a small business, but my first sale taught me how to
succeed. Using that confidence, I built a larger clientele, who have helped me expand and connect with people
that I would have never met otherwise. If I had to sum up my experience in one phrase, it would be: the harder
you work, the more you fail, but the greater you will succeed.

14. What have you found most rewarding in high school? How do you plan to continue this?

I found the bonds that I made in high school was the most rewarding reward I could get. While college may make
a dent into that connection, we'll all try to stay connected in each other's lives and make new friends along the
way.

15. Have there been experiences that you've learned from that will help you in college? Please describe.

"Complacency is the most dangerous enemy to success." Said by the famous Jim Rohn, it applies to any field of
life. College in particular, I want to succeed, not just pass. I want to go and see the opportunities available and do
the best I can to take me to a better place.

16. Have there been changes or a particular situation, positive or negative, that have occurred in your high school
years that you feel affected you, your grades, or your participation in school? (Ex. illness in family or self, family
 changes, summer experiences, etc.)

My first time out of LA, a trip to Italy through the Palazzo Strozzi Foundation, started tremendously. Customs was
a breeze, luggage collection surprisingly easy. Our guide conducted us to our hotel and, after an exhausting 19-
hour trip, a good night’s sleep. The next morning, she warned us of the dangers tourists face—yet none in our
group got pickpocketed. For two weeks we steeped ourselves in Renaissance art and history. Until one blazing
morning, on the steps of a Gothic cathedral, a scream broke out behind me—Josh. I whipped around to see him
collapse onto the ground, a bloody vomit mixture spewing from his mouth. Remembering my Red Cross CPR
training and my brother’s seizures, I assessed the source of the blood—not internal—and turned him on his side
to reveal a gash underneath his chin. Around me, my classmates panicked, and a horrified crowd was forming.
Italian and English clashed in the air. Through the chaos, I remembered the second step: an ambulance. I told the
closest student, Kimberly, to dial 112; enlisted Franklyn to help me move Josh to a clearer area; and sent Ponya
to get napkins for the bleeding. Waiting for Josh to regain consciousness, I reassured the yelling Italians with the
universal sign for OK: two thumbs up. Within ten minutes, an ambulance was loading Josh onto a stretcher; after
a tense hour, we learned at the hotel that Josh had fainted from heat stroke and would be fine after a few stitches.
Catherine turned to me. “They want you at the hospital.” There, Josh smiled and thanked me from a wheelchair. I
assured him it was nothing; he would do the same for me. His mother FaceTimed me, French accent only slightly
blurring her gratitude. The situation had gone well; my experiences had made me useful. The crisis over, I
pondered its significance. It had prepared me for other crises, but even more important was how smoothly it had
gone. Leaders are usually called upon, not forced. Unfortunately, I was the latter, but I’m truly grateful for the
experiences that helped Josh to his recovery.

17. Throughout your years at ASGL, what are you most proud of?

My grades and the mark I will leave behind. Teachers know me, and so will the students. My club, Red Cross, will
be in ASGL till the end, and knowing that people will support and help the needy because of Grace and me, it is
by far the proudest moment in this school.

18. Who or what keeps you motivated in pursuing a higher education?

My mother and father push me to be a better me everyday. They personally don't mind me declining to pursue a
degree, but just because I want to reach a goal requiring a degree, they support me in all my times of need to
follow my dreams.

19. Briefly describe your community and its relation to you.

Koreatown has been my abode for 14 years. I live and breath Koreatown. I will love this place to death even if I
leave for years to come. The pretentiously high priced food, impatient drivers, and eccentric weather will all be
missed as no matter what happens to this town, this is my home.

20. Have you worked while in high school or during summers? How have you grown from these experiences?

Never have I worked in high school but I run a small business as stated above.

21. What sets you apart from other applicants? What is unique about you?

Anything can set me apart from the applicant but I choose one trait in particular: obsessed. When I find something
that captures my attention, I crazily follow that one thing until its completion. This is what drives me even after I
fail. I keep going until I taste the nectar of victory.
22. If you could write one paragraph of your college recommendation, what would it say? This paragraph sets the
tone of how you want me to portray you in your letter of recommendation. Please use a third person perspective.

Justin Kim, is a unique teen that I have personally supervised over the course of my time here. He is loud,
passionate, and definitely entertaining. He loves to put a smile on everyone's face and extends that same passion
to his work. Like his drive to make everyone happy, he works just as hard to accomplish his goals. Speaking to
me about his financial struggles, I am astounded to say he went beyond that barrier to build his own business.
P.S. Really awkward to praise myself to this extent. I tried my best.