r/movingtojapan • u/ZebraMission170 • 1d ago
Education Aiming for Waseda CS/IT from a non-traditional/vocational high school background
Hey everyone,
I’m planning to apply for the English-based computer science / engineering program at Waseda for September 2027, and I could really use a realistic reality check or some advice from anyone who took a non-traditional route to get into top-tier Japanese universities.
My background is a bit messy: I went to a vocational high school track (automotive engineering), so I graduated with a valid 12-year high school diploma, but my GPA sits around a 2.0 (mostly D's on an A-F scale). After high school, I actually went to Japan and did 2 terms at a Japanese language school in Tokyo, so I have some basic daily Japanese down (around N4 level) and already know how to navigate life there.
Because of my vocational high school program,
I only did basic, entry-level math. To fix this, I’m back home now and enrolling in adult education classes to grind through intermediate algebra, trigonometry, and advanced calculus (pre-calculus/calculus 1 equivalents). I'm aiming for straight A's or B's in these adult classes to show I’ve grown up and can handle the engineering workload.
Since my high school GPA is weak, my strategy is to rely heavily on standardized tests to carry my application. I’m going to study for the SAT to try and get a 1400+ (specifically aiming for a 720+ on the math section) and take the IELTS to prove my English fluency.
My main questions are:
Has anyone actually gotten into Waseda’s AO screening with a vocational diploma? If I have high adult-education math grades, a solid SAT score, and past language school experience in Japan, will they look past my old high school D's?
How strict are they about high school physics for the CS track? I really want to focus all my energy on math right now instead of adding physics to my plate if I don't absolutely have to.
Any tips on how to pitch my automotive background combined with my time in language school in the essay? I want to frame it as "I know how the mechanical machines work, I already adapted to life in Tokyo, and now I want to build the software running things," but not sure if Japanese admissions committees eat that up.
Appreciate any insight or brutally honest feedback you guys have. Thanks!
1
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Aiming for Waseda CS/IT from a non-traditional/vocational high school background
Hey everyone,
I’m planning to apply for the English-based computer science / engineering program at Waseda for September 2027, and I could really use a realistic reality check or some advice from anyone who took a non-traditional route to get into top-tier Japanese universities.
My background is a bit messy: I went to a vocational high school track (automotive engineering), so I graduated with a valid 12-year high school diploma, but my GPA sits around a 2.0 (mostly D's on an A-F scale). After high school, I actually went to Japan and did 2 terms at a Japanese language school in Tokyo, so I have some basic daily Japanese down (around N4 level) and already know how to navigate life there.
Because of my vocational high school program,
I only did basic, entry-level math. To fix this, I’m back home now and enrolling in adult education classes to grind through intermediate algebra, trigonometry, and advanced calculus (pre-calculus/calculus 1 equivalents). I'm aiming for straight A's or B's in these adult classes to show I’ve grown up and can handle the engineering workload.
Since my high school GPA is weak, my strategy is to rely heavily on standardized tests to carry my application. I’m going to study for the SAT to try and get a 1400+ (specifically aiming for a 720+ on the math section) and take the IELTS to prove my English fluency.
My main questions are:
Has anyone actually gotten into Waseda’s AO screening with a vocational diploma? If I have high adult-education math grades, a solid SAT score, and past language school experience in Japan, will they look past my old high school D's?
How strict are they about high school physics for the CS track? I really want to focus all my energy on math right now instead of adding physics to my plate if I don't absolutely have to.
Any tips on how to pitch my automotive background combined with my time in language school in the essay? I want to frame it as "I know how the mechanical machines work, I already adapted to life in Tokyo, and now I want to build the software running things," but not sure if Japanese admissions committees eat that up.
Appreciate any insight or brutally honest feedback you guys have. Thanks!
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