Courses that were "fully booked" at major comprehensive selection prep schools like Waseda Juku and Yo-Yo, now offered independently by the instructor in Shinjuku. Special lecture on Keio SFC AO admissions / Faculty of Law FIT admissions "Free Description / Optional Submission Materials" | Course fee ¥22,000, first-come, first-served.

Alternative Academy®, a comprehensive selection prep school specializing in comprehensive selections, operated by Yūsuke Kawai, a leading instructor in creative comprehensive selections, will hold a "Special Lecture: Short-Term Intensive Course on Free Description" in Shinjuku on August 1, 2026 (Sat) from 13:00 to 17:00.

About the "History" of this Course

In the summer of 2025, at Yo-Yo (Tokyo, Shibuya), a specialized prep school for AO admissions, Yūsuke Kawai (then: Yūsu Kawai) planned, lectured, and developed materials for the "Special Preparation Course for Keio SFC AO Admissions Free Description / Optional Submission Materials / Keio Faculty of Law FIT Admissions Self-Recommendation Letter I/II, Supplementary Materials." The course was held over 3 sessions, with a capacity of 30 students per session, and all 3 sessions were fully booked.

This course was also held similarly in 2024, and all 3 sessions were fully booked. Building on the success of this popular course for two consecutive years, it has helped students with their applications and admissions.

In the free description courses of 2024 and 2025, using hypothetical applicants as examples, the thinking process and methods for creating activity records and optional submission materials were explained.

A student who was admitted to Keio University's Faculty of Environmental and Information Studies (SFC) wrote the following in their admission experience report:

"I learned about design and composition in the free description and optional submission documents course, and this course was truly wonderful." — D.Y., admitted to Keio University Faculty of Environmental and Information Studies via Summer AO Admissions (from Yo-Yo's official admission experience report) https://you2.jp/ao_gokaku_ichiran/keio_sfc_ao/41285-2.htm

After Kawai left the prep school in March 2026, there was no instructor available to continue the course. Therefore, as of 2026, unfortunately, there is no course announcement with the same name and purpose on the company's event page. It seems that some individuals enrolled with the expectation of taking this course, and we decided to organize this event in an effort to provide a learning opportunity.

Featuring excellent case studies from past students and admitted applicants | The course will explain the secrets of free description that even university professors have called "impressive."

Price Comparison with Past Similar Courses

In the past, Kawai has taught similar courses at Waseda Juku, the industry leader, for 8 hours at ¥37,800 (over 250 students attended over 3 days), and at Yo-Yo for 2 hours x 3 days at ¥66,000. Both were popular courses that were fully booked and well-received.

During the summer course application period, cancellations occur early, indicating that many students struggle with preparing "portfolios," including free descriptions and optional submission materials.

This special lecture condenses and improves upon that content, offering it for 4 hours at ¥22,000. Additionally, options are available for review and supplementary learning through our original video course, "AlternaTV."

The courses offered by Alternative Academy®︎ are distinct from any other "free description courses" offered by other prep schools.

This is being held independently by the instructor who planned, designed, and taught it, at their own prep school this summer.

Therefore, we will generously share methods for creating application materials, incorporating the latest and most cutting-edge Keio SFC admission information, and provide a course where you can practice and receive feedback on the spot.

Course Content

In last year's course, we explained in a lecture format how to "interpret the intended meaning of the questions for SFC AO admissions 'free description' and 'optional submission documents,' and the FIT admissions A-method 'self-recommendation letter I/II,' and how applicants can verbalize, visualize, and design what they want to express."

This special lecture will focus on the same questions, while also discussing how to enhance the connection, consistency, and interaction with the statement of purpose (2000 characters for SFC, 800 characters for Faculty of Law).

Many students who are stuck on their statement of purpose or self-promotion say, "Taking the free description course made it easier to organize my statement of purpose and future plans."

Free description is not just a visual presentation material; it is also a "method for organizing non-verbal thoughts."

We will explain "concept design" that considers the reader's eye movement, control of readability, visibility, and attention-grabbing qualities of text, diagrams, white space, and layout, the linked design of free descriptions and optional submission materials, and common thinking with the Keio Faculty of Law FIT admissions self-recommendation letter. In particular, in recent years, "doubts about generative AI" can easily arise with these free description-style documents. We will convey the latest design methods, including the "correct usage" advocated by universities.

In the practical feedback session in the latter half of the course, the instructor, with their extensive design experience, will provide advice on individual student concerns from a unique perspective and way of thinking.

Reference Articles

Alternative Academy®︎ also publishes many articles that make it easy to experience the quality of our courses.

▼ Easy-to-understand explanation of tips for designing free descriptions [Saveable Version] https://altrntv-acad.com/blog/sfc-ao-jiyukijutsu-bestoftheuniverse/

An example of a simple layout explained in the blog. We encourage you to compare this design with articles and classes published by other prep schools. At Alternative Academy®︎, this design is imagined to be around 65 out of 100 points.

▼ Understanding the Overall Structure of Keio SFC AO Admissions [7 Perspectives | With Diagrams | Part 1 & 2] https://altrntv-acad.com/blog/sfc1/

Keio SFC's AO admissions is a "complex exam" where just understanding the application guidelines and preparing multiple documents is a high hurdle. We designed a diagram to easily explain it all on one page. This illustrates the importance of expressing information through "diagrams."

▼ How to Choose a Prep School/Instructor for Comprehensive Selections Can Be Understood by Comparing It to a Hospital https://altrntv-acad.com/blog/sogogata-jukusen/

▼ "Design Concepts to Consider for Free Descriptions and Optional Submission Materials" for Beginners in Design

An example of a self-promotion material explained in the video. The design process from the top left to the bottom right is carefully explained slide by slide with over 200 slides.

▼ Playlist of Explanatory Videos to Help Understand Course Content (S-class | Sample Lectures for Keio SFC Specialized Class) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFf4r317hMqJ9Rwnr8upwyfXknJtUM6ym

Instructor: Yūsuke Kawai (Representative Instructor, Alternative Academy®︎)

Comprehensive selection and research activity advisor. His support for research and career path guidance for high school students passionate about art, dance, and sports, as well as his lectures on organizing and expressing thoughts using diagrams, are highly acclaimed. For 11 consecutive years, he has achieved unparalleled success in admissions for "students applying for art, dance, design, and sports" at top universities like Keio SFC and Waseda University, working at the industry-leading Waseda Juku and the oldest specialized AO admissions prep school, Yo-Yo. Based on his experience in both practice and education, he became independent and established the current company, serving as its representative.

He has supported university admissions for Keio SFC, Waseda, Tokyo University of Science, University of Tsukuba, Rikkyo University, Ritsumeikan University, Kansai University, and others for over 11 years.

As a creative director, he has received numerous accolades, including nominations for the Japan Space Design Award (2014) and selection for BEST50 of the year (2016).

He is also skilled in DJing and music production, and has provided remixes for Ryuji Akiyama of Robert. He is a father of one daughter. He holds a Master's degree from Keio University Graduate School.

Representative Kawai, specializing in art direction for branding using materials and audiovisual expression.

Reference) We also accept requests for interviews and articles.

"Why a High School Girl Whose Life Revolves Around Dance Was Admitted to Keio SFC Through Comprehensive Selection - What the Three Students Had in Common: 'Research Skills'" ▶︎ https://dot.asahi.com/aerakids/articles/-/280071

"Choosing a Junior and Senior High School Without Relying Solely on Deviation Scores 2026 (AERA Mook)" Web Edition ▶︎ https://dot.asahi.com/ad/25080701/

"The Decisive Difference Between Students Who Can Get Admitted to Keio SFC's AO Admissions in Just 3 Weeks' and Those Who Are National-Level Athletes but Fail to Get Admitted" ▶︎ https://diamond.jp/articles/-/362280

"The 'Trump Card' for Students Who Jump from Affiliated MARCH Schools to Waseda or Keio Universities" ▶︎ https://diamond.jp/articles/-/364881

Other Achievements

Sole prep school instructor to guide "Scholarship Recipients - Excellent Admitted Students" for two consecutive years.

Former students received the Keio SFC Graduation Project Grand Prize (Maki-Ito Award) and the SFC Society Paper Gold Award.

His discussion with Ken Soezaki, former Dean of Keio SFC, was published in "AERA Mook 'Choosing a Junior and Senior High School Without Relying Solely on Deviation Scores 2026'" (Asahi Shimbun Publications), among other achievements.

"We would actively want students who studied design under you to join our research group." — Comment from a current Keio SFC Professor.

Event Overview

Course Name: Special Lecture: Short-Term Intensive Course on Free Description Date: August 1, 2026 (Saturday)

Time: 13:00 - 17:00 (4 hours)

Venue: Shinjuku Seminar Room, Tokyo (Details will be provided upon registration)

Capacity: [15 people] (First-come, first-served, small group format)

Course Fee: ¥22,000 (tax included) *Advance payment required

Target Audience: Keio SFC AO Admissions, Keio Faculty of Law FIT Admissions (*High school students and recent graduates considering the University of Tsukuba AC admissions, Tokyo University College of Design, etc., are also welcome as this course teaches design in a broad and narrow sense. Please consult us.)

Application: Via Alternative Academy®︎'s official LINE or by filling out the form on our website.

Organizer: Alternative Academy®︎ | Alternative Direction Inc.

Inquiries

Alternative Academy®︎ Secretariat (Alternative Direction Inc.) Representative Director: Yūsuke Kawai Official Website: https://altrntv-acad.com/ | https://www.alternativeacademy.jp Official LINE: https://lin.ee/NCmUxt6 Contact Us: https://altrntv-acad.com/contact/

*Information contained in this press release is current as of the date of publication. Details regarding capacity and application methods will be updated sequentially on the website's News section and social media (X, YouTube, etc.) as they are confirmed.