I have a lot of questions about Japan and it's colleges?

Question

It would really help if someone could help me answer them.

Well, first off, I've heard A LOT of bad things about Japan (i.e. a lot of racism, lack of freedom, and etc.), this question is really for the natives of Japan, how do you like it there?

Secondly, how hard is it to get into a college like Sophia University or Tokyo University? I know Tokyo U is the Harvard of Japan, but what requirements do you have to meet to attend there (as an international student).

Next, this may be a stupid question to ask, but I'll ask it anyways: Does Sophia University have courses for Law, or is it strictly a Japanese Language college?

Lastly (I think this is my last question?), do you think I could become a Lawyer there, and be successful? I am starting my third year of High School in the United States, and I have a 3.7 GPA, but have yet to take my SATs. I am also learning how to speak, write, and read Japanese right now.

Answer 1

I will add about Sophia University.

(My high-school friend went there and we are both native Japanese)

Having the name"Sophia",but it's actual name is"Jyochi"and "Sophia"is not a proper name.Some of Japanese University are based Christianity,and they have also English name,but it doesn't mean they are English based University.(indeed they are good for student who want to learn English,but for students with enough Japanese ability)

Sophia has law course,which is very hard to pass for Japanese students.

(and how hard=to say rough,Tokyo Univ.is most difficult,Sophia is(I think)5-6th.just think how many Collages are in Japan..)

If you have strong will to choose Japanese University,How about consider"International Christian University"?

(already Christine mentioned)

Some of my friends in my University who spend childhood in overseas were in it's highschool,and University is very high level.at least better than Tokyo or Jyochi for overseas student.(But I don't think they have Law course)

and,as you say,Japan has bad side,(still here is not a best place for working woman)

but I felt other bad and good side when I was exchange student in US.both have bad side=(telling with some optimism)just different.

but if you stay here alone,we have very good side-here is very safe.

I wrote long,but i think you'd better choose for example, Harvard,

cause Japanese University is "Hard to get into,easy to graduate".not a good deal if having language difficulty.

It depends on your Japanese ability and the reason why you want to pick Japanese University.

Best of luck.(sorry for I forgot English)

Answer 2

I'm not a native Japanese and some of your questions are very detailed so I can't answer all, but I'll to answer what I can.

You've heard a LOT of bad things? But I'm sure you've learned a lot of GOOD things about it too. There could be racism cases, but that would probably be mostly for old-fashioned Japanese. I'm not sure what you mean by lack of freedom - I have never felt I wasn't free when I was there. Just follow this one basic rule in Japan and you won't have a problem: understand, respect and follow their ways and culture. I think a lot of the friction that occurs between foreigners and Japanese is because of cultural and ideological differences (and in my experience, this happens mostly  with North Americans, I wonder why?). Don't insist on what you think should be the right thing. Think of it from their perspective, and do as they do.

And also, I highly encourage you to learn speaking Japanese conversationally. A monolingual English speaker expecting to live a full life in Japan is setting him/herself up for disaster. Learning to communicate in Japanese makes it easier for you to understand their way of thinking, plus it makes it so much easier to make connections and friends with Japanese.

I don't know how to get into the universities you mentioned except through a scholarship, but I think the requirements would be different from that of regular Japanese students. Last time, I saw several guidebooks for a test for foreign students entering a Japanese university so I think you may have to take this test (and probably also the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) if you plan to take up your degree there. You should also try looking up International Christian University (ICU) since they have a long history and background dealing with international students.

If you're planning to study Law in Japan, you'd have to prepare yourself by thoroughly learning the language enough to read law textbooks and participate in class. I may be wrong, but the possibility of a Law course being offered in English in a Japanese university is low. Maybe a few subjects, but probably not an entire course.

Answer 3

I just graduated from High School and was going to attend university of arizona, but the opportunity to go to japanese college to play football came up.

Both my parents are Japanese, but its just we lived in the States for so long that now its to the point where its hard for me to read some of the chinese characters so Im going to have to take my classes in english, but some of the schools that I was looking into was  Keio, Waseda, Ritsumekan, Kyo-Dai.

Tokyo University and Kyo-Dai is a government orientated schools so they are a lot harder to get into compared to some other school. My parents told me that those two schools are hard and if you get in your parents treat you like your god because thats how hard its hard to get into those schools.

I went there this summer and its a lot different from colleges compared to here but i loved it and thats why decided to get into a college in japan. Some schools require you to have Sat II's, but you want to score higher than 1700 because thats the minimum.

There is not much racism, but its just you get called gai jin which some people take it as a negative way. As for freedom you get more freedom in college than here i because once you get in to college over there its easy its just really hard to get into colleges.

Hope this helped if you need any other questions I can ask my rents about it

Answer 4

I can't answer everything, and I'm not a native, but a cousin of my husband wanted to be a lawyer in Japan (yes, she's Japanese). But she tried I think 8 times to pass the bar exam, and finally had to give up last year, because they changed the law to make it even tougher to become a lawyer.

According to her, only a certain number of people can become a lawyer each year.

Anyway, she's studying in Great Britain now to become a landscape designer.

I think to be able to get into a Japanese college, you'd have to study a lot more than two years to become fluent (unless you are amazingly gifted as a linguist). But what you can do is go to a college in the States which has a good exchange program with the Sophia or Tokyo. (Although, I think there are better programs -- I was on exchange for a year to Nanzan University, and it was a great experience, and I learned a lot of Japanese.)

After you spend a year or two in Japan, you'll be able to see how your Japanese is, and you'll have a much better grip on how to attend a Japanese University.

A friend of mine went on to study for his masters in Economics at a Japanese University (I think it was Tsukuba). Another got her masters in anthropology, and now teaches at Hokkaido University. So, it's possible to attend or teach at unversities.

BTW, there's also the JET program, once you have a college degree (bachelors in the US). You go to teach English, but you wind up learning such a lot of different things.

Hope that helps you with your decisions. There are a lot of great things about Japan, but like any country, there are bad things too. You should come and find out if it suits you before you make any long-term decisions!

I've been here almost 20 years . . . .

Answer 5

Well I can't answer a lot of your questions but I can answer a very important one... Some crazy low percentage of people pass the Japanese Law exam (whatever it is called) something like 2% maybe. And there is a limit of the number of times you can try like maybe 3 times, and only once per year.. so if you don't pass it by then, then youre screwed.

I tutor a child here in Japan for a woman who went to a university in the US to get her law degree. She now works for an American Company (since she has an American Liscense). She told me first hand that it's nearly impossible to become a laywer in Japan, unfortunately, due to the ridiculously high standards and what not.

I'm sorry to kill your dream but you can still become a lawyer. Do what she does and work for an American company. You'll definately want to learn Japanese fluently. Goodluck