Interview with Harvard Law School Admittees & Other Alumni
Advice from UIC Alumni in Law, Consulting, Journalism, and Marketing
Since the first class of 2006, UIC’s graduates continue to excel after their undergraduate years. Featured are five UICians, including Mark Tan (Econ ’11) and Boryoung Choi (CLC ’13) who will soon be heading to Harvard Law School. Christine Suh-Yeon Hong (IS ’06) is a consultant at McKinsey & Company of the Silicon Valley office and is completing a joint MBA-MPA program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Kangrae Kim (PSIR ’07) is a journalist at Maeil Business Newspaper, one of the leading newspapers in South Korea. Last but not least, Hyebin Zhang (CTM ‘12) is currently a marketing specialist at Amore Pacific, Asia’s leading beauty creator brand.
Interview with Mark and Boryoung
Q. What made you want to pursue law?
Mark: I had taken a couple of law-related classes, Law & Economics and Law & Business in Korea, that fascinated me, and continuing on to law school seemed like an exciting academic endeavor with acceptable employment outcomes.
Boryoung: As a CLC major, I enjoyed the reading and analysis of texts involved in studying literature, but there was always a part of me that didn’t feel like coming up with new things to say about such literature came naturally. Law school seemed like a good choice because the field is all about closely reading, interpreting, and writing texts, but on real things that govern nearly every aspect of people's lives.
Q. How long did you prepare for law school, and what did that process entail?
Mark: I took the LSAT twice and self-studied for about 3 months each time. Additionally, I believe I spent about a month on my personal statement.
Boryoung: I took a gap semester in spring 2016 to study for the LSAT. I attended an academy for a while, but the bulk of my preparation was self-study. Around May, I wrote the first draft of my personal statement, started school again in September, took the LSAT, and continued revising my personal statement with help from the Career Development Center and professors. I submitted my applications in November and soon received an email from HLS for a Skype interview.
Q. Did UIC classes, clubs, etc. help prepare you for the LSAT?
Mark: Classes in critical reasoning and economics contributed to my performance on the LSAT, as did the comfort and familiarity of reading material on various subjects in freshman year.
Boryoung: The volume of reading in the Common Curriculum and CLC courses helped me a lot with the Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension portions of the LSAT. When I began to study for the LSAT, I found that pretty much the entire test required close reading and is all about being able to identify how arguments are constructed.
Q. What are your long-term plans or aspirations through law school?
Mark: After working in a law firm for some years I hope to move to a legal or managerial role in a social enterprise.
Boryoung: At the moment, I'm vaguely thinking that “soft IP,” or intellectual property rights for literature and other media, might be of interest to me, as it would be related to what I studied in college and what I like to read and watch in my spare time. The prospect of having a job in which I could deal with materials that I enjoy, such as books or certain television dramas, is very appealing.
Q. Any final tips for students interested in or preparing for law school?
Mark: I think it is important to be informed. A legal education in the U.S. does not come cheap, and along with the cost of attendance is opportunity cost of not doing something else with that time. Corporate associates make a high nominal salary but that is before accounting for taxes, high costs of living, and loan repayments. Working in public interest is a noble goal many have when entering law school, but few pursue it upon graduation because of the realities of their debt burden. Even if legal education seems like a net positive for you, it is important to consider other choices as well as there might be better ones.
Boryoung: Probably the biggest challenge of applying to law school is taking the LSAT, which can be intimidating because it seems like a test of innate intelligence. But the LSAT is only a test of how well one can perform on the LSAT. So, taking practice exams over and over again was probably 95% of my studying. I would take practice tests under as exactly real test conditions as possible. Then, I wouldn’t check the answers until I reviewed each question I found challenging, which was nearly all the questions at first. I’d write down my reasoning for not only why I thought the answer I chose is right, but also why the other four answers are wrong. After doing this over and over again, ascertaining the correct answer came more easily to me, almost to the point of having developed a “sixth sense” for it. While on the test it is impossible to “empty your mind,” and in fact, you have to be thinking very hard the whole time, there is a certain level of automation that can be achieved even for a test like the LSAT.
Interview with Christine, Kangrae, and Hyebin
Q. Why did you choose the career that you are currently in?
Christine: I had not planned on it from the beginning. In my early years of college, I was very much into Model United Nations and wanted to work in an international organization. But after internships at the UN and a non-profit organization, I realized that they suffered from a lack of efficiency and effectiveness. In my last year of college, I wanted to learn how to manage organizations for better performance and change how public sector organizations are run.
Kangrae: I was interested in journalism since my early days of college. I wanted to work in an environment where I can connect with people—especially with those I would not be able to in my daily life. Moreover, I chose journalism because I wanted to contribute to making the world a better place, even if my role is small. The word for journalist in Korean is “기자” (gi-ja), which translates to “a person who records.” I want to be there to witness the making of history, and leave behind my own records of it.
Hyebin: I got to take a marketing course during my fourth year and from this experience, discovered that I really enjoy marketing. I applied for internships once the course was finished, and worked in a digital marketing agency and a PR agency. That is how I gained and developed my interest in marketing.
Q. How have your college experiences prepared you for your career?
Christine: During school, I founded Underwood Union (the debate club), which is now a Yonsei-wide organization. Debating honed my critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are critical for my job. It also made me a better communicator.
Kangrae: Having studied political science, I gained the necessary background knowledge to work at the political desk covering the National Assembly. Learning writing skills in college (although now I mostly write in Korean) got me acquainted with channeling my thoughts into writing.
Hyebin: TAD provides education on new kinds of studies that are not limited to a specific field of academics. A good side to this is that wherever I go, my major is adaptable to what a company wants. In this way, my major was very helpful for my career path.
Q. What was your most rewarding experience in UIC?
Christine: While initiating Underwood Union, I loved the experience of creating something meaningful with a group of passionate people. It was not easy in the beginning—we did not have a coach, resources, or seniors to guide us. But in retrospect, it was an incredible learning experience. Being a part of a community fostered a sense of deep-rooted belonging.
Kangrae: Getting to know so many great people was one my most rewarding experiences. There were, and still are, countlessly motivated and warm-hearted people in the UIC community. The network within UIC is something that you cannot easily find anywhere else, and being around the best people also makes you strive for the best.
Hyebin: My most rewarding experience from UIC comes from my major. As a CTM major, most of my classes were not conducted like standard lectures. The courses felt more like projects, as students have to lead themselves. Such a unique curriculum made me a more independent person.
Q. What is a typical day like at your workplace?
Christine: There is no “typical” day—as a business analyst, I would be a part of a team that would work on a specific project for a month or up to six months. The team would focus on solving a client’s problem or goal, working together to define the problem, then breaking it down into smaller work streams. I would then take on one or several of the work streams, before collectively solving the problem as a team again.
Kangrae: Every morning, all journalists report to their editors about what to write and what issue to cover that day. We also report findings from the previous day to our seniors, especially findings that might be relevant to the present day. After that, I find, call, and meet people related to my story to collect new information, and write up articles that will be released in the next day’s paper. When I am done with this, I try to find new facts and issues to follow up on so that they can be published in the future.
Hyebin: There are multiple brands within Amore Pacific, and my team harmonizes each brand’s strategy with that of the entire company. We not only focus on each brand’s marketing communications, but also devise the most efficient strategy for the company as a whole. Currently, I am contributing to making an organized system within the company by making guidelines for local offices.
Q. If you had to choose one essential skill that is critical to succeed in the workplace, what would it be?
Christine: Learning. I am not talking about “learning” in the sense of lectures and tests, but learning in the sense of building relevant skills (e.g. teamwork, analysis, communication). The trajectory of your early success will depend on how quickly you absorb and adapt to the “rules of the game” by learning effectively. You have four years in college to learn how to learn!
Kangrae: The ability to listen, and a sense of humor. You might find this surprising, but there are not many people who are prepared to listen to others with an open mind, and especially not to those who hold different views. Whether you like a person or not, you can learn something from them by listening. That includes your boss, colleagues, and juniors. And try not to lose your sense of humor, even if you are bogged down by work and stress. In difficult times, it will give you energy to keep going. A good example you can refer to is former U.S. President Obama.
Hyebin: This is closer to habit than skill, but never give up asking, “Why?” Especially for those who enter a conglomerate, it is very common to give up asking that question as it becomes less meaningful in that kind of environment. At least ask yourself. Doing so will develop your analytical skills and creativity.
Q. What are three pieces of advice you would give to UIC students?
Christine: Set a goal. It may be academic excellence, making life-long friends, or developing leadership skills. Whatever it is, make conscious choices and trade-offs. College life is a privileged time to explore and enjoy, but remember that it is also a preparation stage for the next phase of your life. Expose yourself to hands-on experiences. I believe the best way to learn is by trying things out. I call it “piloting”: finding opportunities to test out. You will be able to discover more of yourself—what you like, dislike, what you are good at, and terrible at. Go abroad.You have so many opportunities—internships, exchange programs, and competitions. I went on a government exchange program in Chicago and Mexico City, did an internship in New York, and went to Tokyo and Hong Kong for my exchange program. I was pushed out of my comfort zone during those times and grew. It also prepared me to be a global consultant: I am comfortable with whomever I work with, wherever they are from. In the least, I definitely had a great deal of fun!
Kangrae: I don’t know how this might come across, but just enjoy your time at college. Study—of course—but try to do something you can only do during your college years because once you leave, you will always be short on time. The answer to “What do I do?” though, is completely up to you. If I could relive my college years, I would travel. I recommend all of you to go out there and see the world, as there is so much we still do not know. I also regret not having made more time to read. Read about philosophy and history. I am no specialist in these fields, but I do believe that they form the basis of modern-day knowledge and academics. Also read biographies—they might help you plan your future.
Hyebin: Instead of three, I would like to give one essential piece of advice: do not confine yourself to one specific area. I mean this not only with your interests, but also with your personality. If you are a very introverted person, college is a good opportunity to become more extroverted. Try to meet people you have never met before. If you have only lived in Korea, go out of the country—there are so many people out there.
Q. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Christine: I’ll be doing work I am excited about, across continents, influencing people, and creating a positive change in communities I live in. I aim to be a “tri-sector athlete”—someone who can engage and collaborate across the private, public, and social sectors to create impact. I also care deeply about youth empowerment and capacity building. In my personal capacity, I have started and contributed to numerous education and mentorship programs at Yonsei and McKinsey. I am also leading the Women’s Leadership Initiative. I intentionally will not share a specific job, because I do not want to limit myself to the things that I know now. The things I am interested in may also change. I also want to open myself up to new opportunities even if I hadn’t planned on them.
Kangrae: I still see myself working as a journalist in ten years. I feel that I still have so much to learn in this field.
Hyebin: If I stay in Amore Pacific, I aim to look for wider ranging tasks within the company, especially within my team. In the coming years, I would like to do more activities that would contribute to making this company a truly global company.
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