From Around an Average Score of 50 to Kyushu University - Private Meihō High School's "Kyūdai Senka" Program, Mentored by Current University of Tokyo Students, Sees First-Year Students Accepted into Kyushu University

CARPE DIEM Inc. (Representative: Issei Nishioka, Location: Chuo-ku, Tokyo), which operates educational support businesses primarily with current University of Tokyo students, has seen students accepted into Kyushu University and Osaka University from its "Kyūdai Senka" program, a program for aspiring to difficult-to-enter universities, operated in collaboration with Meihō High School (hereinafter referred to as "Meihō High School") in Beppu City, Ōita Prefecture.

"Kyūdai Senka" is an advanced special class established by Meihō High School for students aiming for early admission to difficult-to-enter national and public universities, including Kyushu University. CARPE DIEM provides individual consultations, special lectures, and progress report management by current University of Tokyo student mentors as an external partner.

The "Information Gap" and "Lack of Support" Faced by Regional High Schools

In recent years, it has become difficult to provide individualized support to each student in regional areas due to declining birthrates, teacher shortages, and the increasing sophistication of college entrance guidance.

Furthermore, information and opportunities to interact with role models for difficult university entrance exams tend to be concentrated in urban areas, leading to many students who "want to try hard but don't know what to do."

CARPE DIEM addresses these challenges by creating an environment where students can find meaning in their own learning and act proactively through individual consultations and learning progress report management by university student mentors, primarily current University of Tokyo students. This achievement suggests the potential for regional private high schools and external educational partners to collaborate and transform difficult university admissions from "something only for special students" into "within everyone's reach."

Educational Significance of This Program

• Structural design that combines top-tier independent instruction with raising the performance of the second-tier group

• Individual consultations by current university student mentors who communicate with students at a different distance than teachers

• Operation of the "3rd Year, 0th Semester" after the school trip as a checkpoint for mindset change

• Visualization of 3 years of learning and consultation history as individual progress reports

Amidst the challenges of disparities in educational opportunities and exam information in regional areas, this program demonstrates the potential of a new educational model involving current university student mentors as a "third supporter, neither solely the school nor a cram school."

Program Overview

Program Name

Kyūdai Senka (Meihō High School × CARPE DIEM)

Target Audience

Meihō High School students aiming for difficult-to-enter national and public universities

Number of 2nd-Term Students

11 students

Main Offerings

Individual consultations, original teaching materials such as calculation worksheets, entrance exam report sessions, daily support via LINE, 3-year learning progress report management

Comments from "Kyūdai Senka" (Meihō High School × CARPE DIEM) Teachers and Successful Students

Ren Takashima, who was accepted into Kyushu University, was around the middle of the class with an average score of around 50 when he entered. As a student who transferred in, he struggled with building relationships and experienced periods of poor health, but through individual support and small-group instruction from current University of Tokyo student mentors, his motivation to learn greatly improved, leading to his successful admission to Kyushu University.

Fumito Furuichi, who was also in the top tier of his class and challenged the early admission recommendation for the University of Tokyo, was accepted into Osaka University. Additionally, several other students challenged difficult university entrance exams, achieving significant results within the class of 11 second-term students.

Interview with Homeroom Teacher, Hideki Matsuda (Summary)

"Initially, there were 11 students. In a good way, they were close-knit; in a bad way, they had a 'perpetual middle schooler's mindset.'"

Matsuda-sensei cited the period after the second-year school trip as a turning point.

The question, "What are you working hard for?" posed during a meeting with CARPE DIEM, particularly resonated deeply with Takashima.

"Takashima remembered my comment, 'It would be cool to be able to talk at the entrance exam report session,' and he actually gave a wonderful speech in front of the underclassmen. He said such impressive things that I doubted if he was our student; I was moved."

Matsuda-sensei commented on CARPE DIEM's contribution as follows:

"The most helpful thing was the individual consultations they provided. There are things that can only be conveyed by older brothers and sisters who are close to the students. Words from a different perspective than a teacher's supported the students' motivation."

He cited thorough individual instruction in small groups and the ability to secure high-level instruction sessions within the regular timetable as the biggest factors for academic improvement.

Interview with Ren Takashima, Accepted into Kyushu University (Summary)

Takashima, who entered Meihō High School, a junior and senior high school, as a high school student, initially had trouble fitting in with the students who had been there since junior high, often felt unwell, and his grades were around the middle of the class. As of November of his first year, his average score was around 50, and his English score was below 50.

The turning point came in the winter of his second year, after the school trip, when school events settled down and an environment conducive to studying was established. At the same time, verbalizing "What are you working hard for?" in a meeting with CARPE DIEM became a major catalyst for him.

"English changed from 'forced preparation' to 'enjoying preparation myself,' and it became the subject where I could consistently score the most points."

He praised the calculation worksheets created by CARPE DIEM mentors as "practical and truly helpful." As a message to his juniors, he said:

"If you're going to study, focus solely on studying. Half-hearted effort is the biggest waste."

The episode of him double-checking his exam ticket in surprise upon finding his exam number on the day of the announcement of results, speaks to how serious a challenge the three years with Meihō High School × CARPE DIEM were for him.

Interview with Fumito Furuichi, Accepted into Osaka University (Summary)

Furuichi, who was accepted into Osaka University, was a leader in "Kyūdai Senka" as the top student in his grade.

In the fall of his first year of high school, he became interested in the University of Tokyo at a university information session and also applied for early admission recommendation to the University of Tokyo. Although he was not accepted, he looks back on it as "a meaningful experience that reaffirmed my passion for Japanese literature."

"Even when I switched my target from the University of Tokyo to Osaka University, I felt regret, but I thought, 'The place I went to is the best,' so I didn't get too discouraged."

He received warm support at school through small classes, trusting relationships with teachers, and one-on-one lessons. Regarding CARPE DIEM, he stated:

"The external perspective, which you can't get from people within the school alone, was significant. The most valuable experience was removing my vague anxieties about the entrance exams through consultations."

His message to his juniors is:

"If you can make studying enjoyable, you can overcome difficulties. I myself was able to persevere because I enjoyed studying."

Future Developments

CARPE DIEM plans to continue and expand its collaboration with Meihō High School, with the following initiatives planned for the third cohort and beyond:

• Further expansion of opportunities to interact with current University of Tokyo student mentors

• Early identification from the first year and strengthening of connections to "Kyūdai Senka" (scale of 31 new students)

• Advancement of three-party collaboration among parents, schools, and cram schools based on the 3-year progress reports

We aim to expand the "Meihō × CARPE DIEM" model to other schools and spread a new standard for admission to difficult universities from regional areas nationwide.

About CARPE DIEM Inc.

Founded in June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic by Issei Nishioka, who achieved a turnaround admission to the University of Tokyo after two years of re-examination from an average score of 35.

As a "fourth educational institution," distinct from home, school, and cram schools, it operates educational, publishing, and media businesses with staff including university students, primarily from the University of Tokyo.

Its business development is driven by its educational division, which undertakes projects such as providing learning programs and support to junior high and high schools and preparatory schools by University of Tokyo instructors with experience overcoming disparities in economics, information, and regions; its publishing division, which plans, writes, edits, and promotes educational books for students and books useful for working adults based on various awareness of issues related to education and learning; and its media division, which operates "CARPEDIA," featuring articles on various themes surrounding education and learning under the theme of "Making life a little more forward-looking."

Official Website: https://carpe-di-em.jp

CARPEDIA: https://carpe-di-em.jp/media/

CARPE DIEM Inc. Public Relations: Kosaku Nagata / Atsuto Shindo