University Admission Consultation and Test Preparation

It is not rare for students to want to apply to both US and UK universities. Along with these options, students often discover they have to make a gut-wrenching decision if they are accepted by both. Below are 3 advantages of studying in the US that could be considered together with such factors as university general ranking and major ranking:

Options - Leave Open Options and Doors of Opportunities

US universities do not assume students to have super clear direction in academics; hence they are particularly suitable for those who have multifaceted interests and talents, and do not feel ready to decide on a major, as it is common to switch majors, or even universities during their university path. Students could wait until the second or third year to discover or redefine their talents, interests, and professional aspiration before declaring their major.

Interdisciplinary Programs - Personalized Creativity and Innovation

US universities are renowned for interdisciplinary studies and suit those who have excelled in 2 or 3 subjects at school. Such students are therefore not asked to abandon any of their interests and abilities; instead, they receive the resources and support to study, synthesize, and innovate in the context of an amalgamation of fields and subjects.

Internships and Practical Training - Academics Enhanced with Work Experiences

Hands-on experience and workplace adaptation are widely adopted as an integral part of U.S. university education. Typically in the third and fourth years, students could apply to all kinds of companies, labs, NGOs, and institutions to accumulate precious working or research experience, becoming much stronger candidates for postgraduate job positions and graduate schools than those who only have a degree but little else.

The Common Application requires students to submit 1-3 university-specific personal statements for each of the target universities - in addition to the Personal Essay that will be seen by all target universities. These statements address individual universities and contain the student’s impressions of them, vision of study, and contributions to university communities.

Impressions

Before applying, it’s best to tour the university so that you can mention actual conversations with students, admissions officers or professors, and take note of special environments, facilities, or activities in your application. Did a professor or alumnus inspire you? Did a library or a quiet corner of the campus draw you in? Or perhaps, an activity of tradition did, like at MIT, where every year, a piano gets dropped from a high rise building? Did the location have a special personal meaning for you? Be sure information is firsthand or from alumni. Bottomline: how you and the university are a good match.

Course of study

Address why and how your major captures your interest, whether it is a professor’s research, practical experience (mention company name and job description), opportunity for interdisciplinary studies etc. What do these things mean to you? Why are they significant for you? Was there a personal event that prompted interest and passion for this major or field? If unsure about your major, state 2 or 3 subjects currently interest you, and since these subjects all rank high at the university, you wish to enrol first and decide later. Share how the university is an incubator for you, growing and preparing you for career aspirations. Special internship and research programs are worthy of mention.

Contributions

Making contributions to the university and surrounding communities are sought after applicant qualities. So do share your intention to join specific student and service organizations or special interest groups. State why they are meaningful for you, and how you’d be a key contributing member. Demonstrate your spirit of service and social responsible mindset - past, present, and future.

The essays required by US universities do not center on academics and achievements; rather, they give the universities a chance to get to know the person of the applicant: character, values, mindset, worldview, passion, level of maturity. Here’s how to stand out:

1. For Common Application, choose two prompts that resonate with past experiences, brainstorm, and write 2 respective essays. Pick the essay that best describes the authentic self. Continue to develop and enrich the chosen draft; this time pay little attention to the prompt. Now rematch the revised draft with one of the seven prompts.

2. Contents do not have to be extraordinary or dramatic. Be authentic. Be real and share deeply about what has been most meaningful to you.

3. Talk about the experience or event’s overall influence and practical impacts on you, demonstrating your change in terms of attitude, behaviour, mindset, thought process.

4. Be specific and clear. “Show” instead of simply “tell”. When describing people or background, avoid offering unnecessary details.

5. Diction need not be formal but tone should match with university culture. The best tone, however, is always your unique voice.

6. Don’t use cliches.

7. The writing should reflect the applicant’s language use and real self. Never rely on a third party to “over edit” beyond checking grammar, helping with paragraphing, or strengthening the theme. Discrepancy between your English grades and essay level will be severely dealt with by the admissions officers.

In terms of extracurricular activities, having numerous are not necessarily superior or impressive. The key: Personal Branding.

Think of Personal Branding as the student’s trademark - what is the one thing or aspect about the student that is outstanding, demonstrates passion, illustrates dedication, and shows longevity.

The key to making a student stand out above and beyond all other applicants: breadth and depth of service in the context of Personal Branding.

The following 8 qualities are among the most sought after traits that Ivy League universities, as well as Stanford University, MIT, University of Chicago, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Duke University, Northwestern University, New York University, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, are looking for in applicants: leadership quality, execution skills, a spirit of selfless service, responsibility, resilience, adaptability, and agility.

Generally there is not one type of activity amongst internship, research, music, sports, scholastic… that universities are specifically seeking in applicants. The following are the golden rules that apply to each type of activity:

• Internship: a skill set that contributes to the core business, as well as longevity and continuity of service
• Research: not a solo project, but an integral part (even if a minor part) of a larger research project that aims to be published in scholastic journals
• Music + Sports: contender of international competitions
• Scholastic activities: contender of international competitions
• Part time work with paid salary

For details, please contact CANA and ask for a complimentary consultation session that best suits you.

What is a good SAT score differs for students, as this depends on the universities they are targeting. Many universities publish the SAT scores of students they have admitted each year on their website, often in the form of a “mid-50% score range.” This means most students (50%) scored within this published range of scores.

For Princeton University, the mid-50% ranges are 740-800 for Math, 710-800 for Evidenced-based Reading and Writing, 32-36 for ACT Composite Score. For MIT, the mid-50% ranges are 790-800 for Math, 730-780 for Evidenced-based Reading and Writing, 35-36 for ACT Composite Score. For Stanford University, the mid-50% ranges are 720-800 for Math, 700-770 for Evidenced-based Reading and Writing, 31-35 for ACT Composite Score. For Columbia University, the mid-50% ranges are 1500-1560 for SAT score, 34-35 for ACT Composite Score.

As with most standardised tests, mastering the test taking strategy and scoring tactics are as important as knowing the subject topics. Take note of the following keys to getting top scores:

Under the pandemic, U.S. universities have flocked to join the test-optional admissions bandwagon. To date, 1380+ 4-year universities and colleges have made the SAT/ACT optional for admissions. While some universities are more thoroughgoing, like the University of California (The UC system has announced they are phasing out SAT/ACT in the next 5 years whether or not they will be able to replace it with a test of their own design), the majority of universities have emphasized their policies: test optional, or test flexible, or test free. These universities include, but are not limited to, Ivy League, Stanford University, MIT, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Duke University, University of California (UC), and University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Do note that these policies are only temporary.

So why are U.S. colleges so reluctant to write off SAT? First, abundant anecdotal evidence from highly selective schools says that students who can’t score above 550 on both sections of the SAT can’t keep up academically regardless of the assistance they’re given. Second, SAT scores supplement GPAs to give a better picture of a student’s ability and potential: All the differences in grading policy, access to AP classes etc. are hard to make sense of without the results of a standardized test that is comparable for all students. Besides, finances also make a compelling argument as some scholarships require an SAT/ACT score. The SAT is simply seen as a reliable indicator as it correlates with data from graduation rates, college GPA, and overall student success.

All told, it does appear that SAT is here to stay. Current juniors and future classes will likely have to check with each university to find out their policy for that year.

A word of advice: make yourself stand out. When other applicants become relaxed about taking the SAT, your high scores are illustrations to universities about: eagerness, determination, a whatever-it-takes attitude, and a multi-benchmark proven academic CV.

Starting your own club is immensely rewarding; it fills a void at school, allows you to customize an original activity, and showcases your passion, creativity, leadership and execution skills. Here are the steps to take:

1. Choose an activity that best illustrates your authenticity, passion and interests: an academic subject exploration group? An interest club? A service oriented team? A talent competition preparatory group? etc…
2. Consult with an university admissions consultant who is also experienced with education coaching.
3. Write a “business plan”, including Mission, Objectives and Goals (by phases), Recruitment, Publicity and Marketing, Budgeting, Master Timeline, Implementation Details. For keys to success, contact CANA for a complimentary consultation session.
4. Share, in summary, with the school university counsellor and/or a teacher whom you know has shared experience and interests. The key: “convert” him/her to become a “stakeholder” and an interested advisor.
5. Fill the club application form, ask the advisor for feedback, then submit to school.

Why Start Your Own Club? To demonstrate two or more of the following…

• Authenticity and originality
• Leadership qualities
• Skills: entrepreneurship, execution, communications
• Creativity and agility
• Spirit of service + giving to the community
• Enhances school image: add to its offerings for current and prospective students

Take into account some of the “preferred” traits, uniqueness, accomplishments that the student’s top choice universities are looking for in applicants. Some partial examples…

• Harvard - entrepreneurship, grit
• MIT - unparalleled achievements in technical skills and innovation, grit
• Stanford - game changing impacts, global concerns
• Many Ivy League universities - service to the community + diverse talents
• Chicago - Individuality + critical thinking based inquisitiveness + intuition
• University of California (UC Berkeley, UCLA) - social awareness, inclusiveness, grit
• Johns Hopkins - global outreach, academic research

Summer programs at universities aim to approximate the college experience by holding classes taught by professors or visiting scholars, and housing students in dorms. They may incorporate lectures, networking events, and socialising among participants.

Many summer programs draw their instructors from the host university’s faculty and are somewhat academically challenging. You may take courses that are in line with your existing interests and specializations, which could underscore your commitment to those subjects and enhance your profile for college applications. Some of the categories of courses are: General Sciences, IT and Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematical Sciences; Medicine and Health Sciences; Business, Economics, and Entrepreneurship; Journalism; Creative Writing; Foreign Language.

Successful university application with the best university summer programs - top keys:

1. Precollege Studies and Pre-college Programs These are academically rigorous online and residential courses that offer college credits. The value-adds are to demonstrate: academic proficiency, passion for a subject/major, diverse interests (aside from the slate of high school subjects), and eagerness to engage with the university. Some universities that offer such courses: Stanford, Columbia, UPenn, Brown, Cornell, and Johns Hopkins.CANA consultant-coaches offer advice and guidance on application strategies and subject selection. Contact us for a complimentary consultation session.
2. Myth about university summer programs: they are impressive items to be included in an applicant’s CV. Contrary to popular belief, most programs do not add much merit, if at all. However if college campus visit is high on your priority, then it makes sense to enrol in a residential program which will add to the breadth and depth of an ordinary, and often cursory tour.
3. How to add value to a university summer program, pre college or otherwise? Follow the following guidelines:
1. Make certain the course is taught by a professor, rather than a graduate student or a researcher or a postdoctoral student
2. Make yourself known to the professor-instructor with active class participations, top grades, and off-lecture discussions about latest developments and applications of interested subject topics
3. Upon course completion, continue to correspond with the professor regarding similar academic discussions, aiming to explore opportunities for research or internship in the related subject fields.

The following are some guidelines for selecting U.S. universities that will optimise the return on investment relative to both time and money, and serve the best interests of the students’ education goals and career objectives. Consider these criteria:

1. Ranking
   1. Prioritise ranking by major if:
   2. Prioritise general ranking if…
2. Student-university Matching
   • Are the student’s temperament and personality more suited for the particular characteristics of Liberal Arts Colleges?
   • Do the student’s learning style and thought processes match better with the respective culture and education philosophy of universities such as MIT or Harvard or Chicago or Brown or Columbia?
3. Climate
   • Does the student have physical conditions, such as allergies, skin conditions, and asthma, that might not be suited to live in an area of low relative humidity, poor air quality, and high pollen counts, such as CalTech, Stanford University…?
   • Does the student have an aversion towards extreme temperature which might negatively impact focus and mood, such as University of Chicago, Northwestern University, U. Michigan Ann Arbor, Cornell University…?
4. Competitions and School’s Track Record
   • How many students of the same high school are applying to a list of the same universities?
   • Are there “legacy” students applying to the same university?
   • Over the previous 5 years, how many graduates of the student’s high school were accepted by the universities on his/her target list?
   • Has any university blacklisted the student’s high school?

While much information about the requirements and steps for application to U.S. universities could be found online, as well as via education consultants, the following are widespread myths and misconceptions that need to be rectified.

Myth 1: Universities are seeking well balanced students: academically and in extracurricular activities.

De-myth:
While diverse talents are admirable and CV-worthy, universities are seeking applicants who have demonstrated forte, passion, and dedication within a particular field. An university graduate with outstanding performances in a specific field of study is one of the key goals of student recruitment. Recent examples of CANA students: Economics and Entrepreneurship (Stanford University), Language and Literature (University of Chicago), AI and Computer Science (UC Berkeley), Public Policy and Environmental Studies (Yale University).

Myth 2: Ivy League universities are most desirable.

De-myth:
Depending on students’ subject(s) of interest, personality and temperament, as well as learning style, universities other than Ivy League and Liberal Arts Colleges may be more suited in terms of optimal leaning effectiveness and maximal learning outcomes. Stanford University, MIT, University of Chicago, CalTech, Northwestern University, Duke University are top universities that are outside of Ivy League. Also be aware that among the Ivy Leagues universities, quality of education and acceptance criteria may vary significantly.

Myth 3: SAT scores no longer matter.

De-myth:
One of the key competitive factors amongst applicants is “above and beyond par.” Students who set themselves apart from the general applicant population will gain an advantage in acceptance chances. When many universities are becoming SAT blind or SAT optional, a vast majority of students are taking SAT scores less seriously. This is the golden opportunity to set yourself apart by insisting on attaining top scores, demonstrating eagerness and a “whatever it takes” attitude. The “SAT factor” is particularly noteworthy when applying (but not limited) to MIT, CalTech, University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University.

Myth 4: A degree in English, History or Art will invariably lead to a bleak career future.

De-myth:
Contrary to popular belief, students with a degree in English or History or Art are much sought after in career sectors such as Law, selected High-Tech industries, Communications, Marketing, Social Media, and Product Design. For further inquiry, please contact CANA for a complimentary consultation meeting with our experienced consultant.