Hi! My name is Minseo, and I’m a rising senior at Northwestern University majoring in Psychology with minors in Legal Studies and Music Education. Since coming to Northwestern, I’ve explored a variety of academic and career paths—from starting out as a flute performance major to studying computer science and economics. Through that journey, I’ve learned so much about navigating career decisions, and I’m excited to share how Northwestern’s flexibility, dual-degree opportunities, and incredibly supportive faculty and staff helped me discover the path that was right for me. When I first visited Northwestern as a high school student, I immediately fell in love with its beautiful campus. Three years later, I still find myself discovering new favorite study spots and bringing my friends along to explore them! Evanston is also an amazing college town, with plenty of great restaurants (I still have quite a few left on my list to try!) and easy access to downtown Chicago. On your tour, I’m excited to show you around campus while sharing some of my favorite spots, along with tips on making the most of Northwestern’s academic resources, career support, and student communities. I hope you leave with a better sense of what life at Northwestern can look like, and I can’t wait to meet you!

Hometown

San Ramon, CA

Major(s)

Psychology

Minor(s)

Legal Studies, Music Education

Clubs, organizations & involvement

Academy of Music and Arts for Special Education Northwestern Prison Education Program Northwestern Special Olympics Work-Study Program (On-Campus and Off-Campus Jobs) Chicago Field Studies (Northwestern Affiliated Internship Programs) Study Abroad

Describe your college experience

I definitely struggled during my first year because I went through a major shift in my career goals. For over 10 years, I played the flute competitively and was certain that I would continue pursuing music at a professional level. However, once I arrived at Northwestern, I realized I wanted to explore other career paths as well. Since I had never imagined myself doing anything other than music, I initially found it difficult to figure out what else truly interested me. It took a lot of trial and error as I explored a wide range of academic fields and reflected on what I enjoyed most. With the support of Northwestern's faculty, advisors, and career counselors, I eventually found a path that genuinely excited me just before the start of my sophomore year. Since then, I've been pursuing a degree in Psychology with minors in Legal Studies and Music Education, with the goal of attending law school and specializing in disability advocacy!

Tip for future students

It is COMPLETELY normal to feel overwhelmed in your navigation process, everybody goes through one but it's just hard to spot it on others. That is the whole point of college, for you to explore many different options before you settle on one! Don't be afraid to make your own decisions and don't ever think you're behind, because I promise you it's going to be ok.

Favorite class

My favorite class at Northwestern has been "Moral Panics". In the course, we examined different moral panics throughout history and modern society such as drug panics, teen sex panics, and the Satanic Panic, and explored how factors like the media, social norms, gender expectations, and race can amplify relatively small forms of deviance into widespread public fear. Some of the beliefs people genuinely bought into were so outrageous that I couldn't help but find them both hilarious and fascinating. At the same time, the class made me realize how many moral panic narratives I had unknowingly accepted myself. It challenged me to think more critically about how media, social constructs, and public discourse shape our perceptions and how easily fear can influence the way people think.

Career goals

I plan on going to law school, where I will specialize in education law.

Ideal way to spend a free night

Get some good dessert with friends, go out to Chicago, or come home and wind down watching my favorite show!

High school or secondary school

California High School, San Ramon, CA

Previous college

N​/​A