Japan: Sophia Schultz (Our Global Classroom)

At Keio University, I am enrolled in the Japanese Language Program (JLP). I’m currently in a predesign program that allows me to complete Levels 1 through 4 out of their 9-level proficiency system within a single semester. Typically, students progress through one level per term, based on their placement test results.

Going into the predesign program, I expected it to be more stressful and demanding than my studies at Madison. However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised — the workload has not been overwhelming, and the classes have been highly productive. I initially assumed that Japanese language courses would be extremely intense and overbearing, but I’ve found them to be only slightly more demanding than those at my home university. Even though I have three hours of Japanese instruction each day (compared to one-hour classes at Madison), I feel that I’m learning at a much faster and deeper pace.

My predesign class has about 20 students, most of whom are from China and Taiwan. Many are in their 30s and studying in Japan as a break from work — something I had never heard of before. I’ve learned a lot about my classmates, as we are all expected to actively participate in class. I used to be anxious about participating in my Madison classes, but I’ve grown significantly more confident in this new environment. I’m excited to bring that confidence back with me when I return to Madison.

After experiencing the predesign classes, I sometimes wonder how much better my Japanese proficiency might be if my classes at Madison had been more intensive — or if I had attended a Japanese university for undergrad. But those thoughts stem from the progress I’ve made here, and that progress has motivated me to keep practicing even more when I return to the U.S.

Sophia Schultz

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Major: Consumer Behavior & Marketplace Studies

Program: Keio University Exchange

I chose to study at Keio University for their Japanese Language Program. I wanted an intensive program to improve my proficiency because I want to work with a Japanese market in my future career. Also, it will prepare me for my next trip to Japan in summer of 2026 for fashion forecasting research.

Keio University is in Tokyo, which will be the biggest city I have ever been to, and also my first time out of country. I look forward to exploring the city by trying restaurants, going to festivals and markets, and making friends.