升学经验分享会：我们一起逐梦前行！

James Wang 即将入读斯沃斯莫尔学院，申请专业是是政治、哲学与经济。

James对过去的这个申请季有着深刻的体会和反思，他总结成了四点信息和一个核心。第一，仔细分析文理学院的特点及其利弊。他主要看重文理学院的小班教学，以及更关注学生的个体发展这两大优势，所以他最终选择了文理学院。第二，对于美国大学录取门槛的考量标准，他觉得大学是要寻找那些拥有良好性格和品质的学生，比如拥有正直、诚实、坚韧、善良等特质。同时大学也希望看到学生在某一方面较为突出的学术能力和潜力。第三，在申请材料准备方面，他认为要突出自身特质与这所大学的匹配度。第四，有关选校及专业等申请技巧，他建议大家把握好早申请的机会，同时也不要抗拒“曲线救国”，为自己做好多种准备。另外，一个核心则是让自己在申请池中脱颖而出，而不是陷于和其他申请者同质化的竞争中。

Olivia Li 即将入读乔治城大学，申请专业是社会学。

在文书准备方面，Olivia同学说到，有的学校会要求多篇文书，在这种情况下，她就通过每一篇文书，展现自己不同的优势。比如在准备加州大学的申请时，第一篇她侧重展示自己的兴趣爱好，同时体现了自己在中西两种文化中的融合。第二篇讲述自己的学术兴趣。第三篇则是结合自己参加的社团活动写自己对身边社区的贡献。在第四篇文书分享她一直在进行的对女性关爱的独立研究——月经盒活动。每一篇文书的撰写，每一个方面的展示，都将Olivia与社会学更加紧密地结合在了一起。

最后，Olivia鼓励大家在面试环节放松心情，就当作是一次互相了解的机会。同时，她也表达了在申请季中，非常开心能有家人的支持和鼓励。

随后，Olivia的妈妈也和大家分享了三点自己的感受。第一，家庭支持的重要性。大学申请中，大学希望看到每一个孩子的个性和特色，这是需要家长和孩子一起去探索的。但同时，在目前的国际留学形势下，家长更应尊重孩子的想法，只要保证家是孩子幸福的港湾就够了。第二，把握申请节奏。在申请过程中，家长也要学会把握节奏，共情孩子的感受，而不要给孩子太多的压力和命令。第三，相信孩子。上大学只是人生的一个新起点，在美国读书转学转专业都非常地灵活。所以，无需太焦虑，祝福孩子就好。

Andrew Li，即将入读西北大学，申请专业是综合科学与计算机/工程。

Andrew提到，在文书方面，他从进入十一年级不久就开始了构思文书，并准备了多个版本，这样就可以事半功倍了，整个申请季中都没有很慌乱。个性展示方面，有着四年辩论经验的Andrew，非常享受辩论，并在申请系统的附加信息中，突出展示了自己与辩论的故事。在标化考试方面，Andrew个人不建议一直刷分，可以把备考其中一门考试的时间留出来做自己更感兴趣的事情。

最后，Andrew建议学弟学妹们，既要培养自己成为一个全面发展的学生，又要让自己在某一方面表现突出。另外，诚信也是大学十分看重学生的特质，因此大家要真诚面对所有的流程。

Andrew爸爸也和我们分享了他的感受。他提到，整个申请季中主要就是孩子自己来做安排，自己基本上没有操心。自己主要的角色就是质检把控官，大方向上给一些指引。作为一名老师，Andrew爸爸在平时就非常重视培养Andrew专注且高效地完成任务的能力。所以在申请季中，可以很信任孩子，放手让Andrew自己处理所有的申请事宜。

Joice Chen，即将入读康奈尔大学，申请专业是艺术史。

Joice有一句话说得特别好：标化早准备，不是要你早刷题，而是要你在平时的学习中早做积累。也正是因为这样，Joice最终取得了自己满意的成绩。

在参加活动方面，Joice一直坚持的原则就是勇于尝试。从初中开始，她就加入了古典舞社和中英报社，并一直坚持了下来。她说，活动的质量高于数量。大学更看重的是你能为大学带去什么，而不是仅仅你做过多少活动。

Joice还分享了一个关于文书方面的感想。她在文书写作的时候，会保持与老师的沟通，并且积极听取老师的建议，及时在文书中进行修改完善。她希望未来学弟学妹们在文书写作中遇到挑战，也要敢于去寻求他人的帮助。

这是一次从心智修炼到性格塑造全方位的成长过程。Joice妈妈特别提到清华附中国际部良好的校园文化氛围，从六年级到十二年级，老师们的引导、同伴之间的支持都是Joice向阳生长的关键力量，特别是在申请季中，升学指导老师给予的专业指导和温暖支持，让Joice非常有安全感。

Valorie Guan，即将入读罗德岛设计学院，申请专业是视觉艺术。

Valorie有两大兴趣爱好，她喜欢动漫和航海。因此，在大学申请选校方面，她考虑到未来要兼顾航海爱好，将大学目标锁定在了东西海岸。最终早申请选择了罗德岛设计学院。随后，Valorie还和大家分享了她的几幅作品。作品中，她将对航海的热爱与坚持融入了绘画中。她的作品中到处可见航海的元素和巧妙设计，将她个人的特色完美凸显。

对于同样对艺术感兴趣的学弟学妹们，Valorie表示，虽然标化成绩很重要，但是当你觉得精力有限的情况下，请将其投入作品集的创作中吧！

Valorie妈妈说，她最大的感受就是陪伴。在女儿需要她在的重要时刻，她都会在那里陪伴着Valorie，并给予她最大的支持。

Gavin Wang，即将入读约翰霍普金斯大学，申请专业是物理。

Gavin在提到专业选择时，他说自己对物理感兴趣已经很多年了。所以毫无疑问，专业肯定会选择物理。同时，Gavin也提醒各位学弟学妹们，不要太关注奖项。奖项不能说明什么，更重要的是你正在做的事情。

Gavin的妈妈也分享了她的几点感受：第一，孩子申请的选校和文书要早做准备。第二，时间管理十分重要，家长需要做好提醒工作。第三，多听大学的分享讲座。在申请季中，Gavin妈妈听了很多大学的讲座，了解到了更多的信息。第四，注重孩子与学校的匹配度，切勿从众。最后，Gavin妈妈表示要相信学校的老师，一个理想的申请结果是学生、家长和学校共同配合的成绩。

Bill Xi，11年级

学长学姐的分享会上让我收获满满！不同的学长学姐、家长，都有自己不同的理解与侧重点，这次分享会极大地拓展了我对大学申请的理解，也一定程度上缓解了我的焦虑。比如 James 学长的分享，总结概括的非常有见解、同时也干货满满，使得我改变了对于大学申请专业与文理学院的理解。非常感谢学长学姐们无私的分享！

Caden同学家长，11年级

谢谢学校和家委会安排的这次活动，也十分感谢高年级同学和家长们认真的分享，我们从中学到了不少干货，也增强了自己申请的信心。在羡慕学长们的同时，我们也会鼓励孩子合理安排时间，在申请中突出自己的特点，我们一起努力，争取申请到适合我们的最好的学校。

Henry同学家长，9年级

从这次分享会中，我们再一次感受到咱们学校的孩子和家长都非常的优秀。特别感谢学校安排这样的家校沟通方式，对我们这些面临升学的家庭都非常有帮助。尤其是学生们的分享，让我印象深刻，让我惊诧于18岁的少年都能够做出如此好的分享和沟通，逻辑清晰，表达顺畅，而且格局都很高。希望学校在未来继续组织类似活动，为更多的学生和家长带来更加值得借鉴的建议。再次感谢每一个家长和学生的精心准备和倾情付出！

本次国际部升学经验分享会圆满落幕，各位在各个方向收获满意录取结果的学长学姐毫无保留地将自己的经验展示给学弟学妹，提出了宝贵的建议，相信一定令即将进入申请季的家庭都有所收获和思考。我们期待同学们可以结合分享和个人情况，在未来也做出合适自己的选择，祝每位学生都能找到自己志之所向，收获圆满！

James Wang will attend Swarthmore College majoring in Politics, Philosophy & Economics and Quantitative Analysis.

James reflected deeply on his application experience and summarized it into four key points. First, James mainly focused on the school’s small class size.  Because he wanted more attention to student development, he chose the College of Arts and Sciences. Secondly, colleges are looking for students who have good character and core qualities such as integrity, honesty, grit, and kindness. They also want students with outstanding academic ability and potential in a certain area. Third, in terms of application preparation, James believes that it is important to highlight the match between one’s attributes and the university. And lastly, he emphasized the importance of standing out in the application pool, rather than getting stuck in a homogeneous competition with other applicants.

Olivia Li will attend Georgetown University majoring in Sociology.

Olivia showcased her personality in her application essays. With schools requiring multiple essays, Olivia used each essay to highlight her different strengths. The first essay focused on her hobbies and interests, while reflecting her integration of both Chinese and Western cultures. The second essay was about her academic interests, while the third essay was about her contribution to the community in the context of her club activities. Olivia outlined, in her fourth essay, her independent study of women’s care and her menstrual box activity. Each aspect of the presentation brought Olivia closer to sociology, ultimately gaining her acceptance to her desired school. Olivia also reminded students to relax during the interview and approach as an opportunity to get to know one another. She then expressed how happy she was to have the support and encouragement of her family during the application season.

Olivia’s mom shared three tips. First, family support is important. Universities want to see the individuality and characteristics of each child, and this is something that parents and children need to explore together. In these modern times, parents need to respect their children’s ideas, and it is enough to make the home a happy and safe haven for them. Second, during the application process, parents need also go with the flow and acknowledge their children’s feelings instead of adding more pressure and demands. Third, believe in your children. Going to college is just the start and changing majors, especially at US universities, is relatively easy. Therefore, there is no need to be too anxious, just wish your children well.

Andrew Li will attend Northwestern University. He will major in Integrated Science and Engineering.

Andrew mentioned that in terms of his essay, he started to compose his essay shortly after 11th grade. He prepared multiple versions so that he didn’t get very nervous throughout the application season. In terms of personality, Andrew, who has four years of debating experience, highlighted his story with debate and his enjoyment of it. With regard to standardized exams, Andrew could have saved the time to prepare for one of the exams for something he was more interested in, instead of spending all of it on scoring. Andrew advised fellow students to develop themselves to be well-rounded students with an area of particular excellence. Also, integrity is a trait that universities value in their students, so everyone should be honest in facing all the processes.

Andrew’s father shared that the whole application process was mainly arranged by Andrew himself and he did not worry about much. His role was to be the quality control officer and give guidance regarding the general direction. As a teacher, Andrew’s father had been very concerned about developing Andrew’s ability to focus and efficiently complete tasks. Nevertheless, during the application season, he trusted his child and let Andrew handle everything by himself.

Joice Chen will attend Cornell University. She will major in Art History.

Joice said that early preparation does not necessarily mean that you brush up on the questions early but rather, it means to integrate the questions into your regular study. It is because of this that Joice received her desired university offer.

In terms of student activities, Joice had always been brave to try. Since middle school, she joined the traditional dance club and the Chinese and English newspaper club.  Joice emphasized that the quality of activities outweighs the quantity. Colleges are more interested in what you can bring to the university, not how many activities you have part of.

Joice also stressed the importance about keeping in constant communication with teachers when writing essays. Take a lot of advice and be open to revision and understanding the reasons why. She hopes that future students will be brave enough to seek help when they encounter challenges.

The application process is an all-round growth process from mental discipline to character building. Joice’s mom especially mentioned the excellent learning culture at THIS. The support from teachers and peers since 6th grade to graduation have been key forces behind Joice’s growth. Additionally, the professional guidance and warm attention from the college counselors reassured Joice during the application season.

Valorie Guan will attend Rhode Island School of Design majoring in Visual Arts program.

When it came to choosing a school for her college application, she wanted to balance her passions of animation and sailing.  Valorie targeted both the East and West coasts. She shared some of her artwork with the students and families. The nautical elements and clever designs were everywhere in her work, highlighting her personal characteristics perfectly.  Valorie advised students who are interested in art to put their energy into their creations! 

Valorie’s mother noted that her greatest feeling of accomplishment as a parent was being there for her child. She was there for Valorie at the important moments when her daughter needed her, and gave her the utmost support.

Gavin Wang will major in Physics at Johns Hopkins University.

Gavin said that he has been interested in physics for many years. There was no doubt that he had chosen physics as his major. Gavin reminded students to not focus too much on awards. “Awards do not mean much, it’s what you’re doing that counts.”

Gavin’s mother shared the following points: First, it is important to prepare early for your child’s school selection and paperwork. Second, time management is very important. Parents need to keep reminding their children. Thirdly, attend more college information sessions. During the application season, Gavin’s mom listened and learned. Fourth, focus on matching your child with the school and do not follow the crowd. Lastly, Gavin’s mom said to trust the teachers at the school and that an ideal application result is the product of the cooperation between the student, parents, and the school.

Bill Xi，Grade 11

I got a lot out of the sharing! Different seniors and parents have their own understanding and focus. They greatly expanded my understanding of college applications and eased my anxiety to a certain extent. For example, James’ presentation was very insightful, which changed my understanding of applying to college and liberal arts colleges. Thank you so much for your selfless sharing!

Caden’s parents, Grade 11

Thank you to the school and the parent council for arranging this event. We are very grateful to the seniors and parents for their sharing. We have learned a lot from them and strengthened our confidence in our own application. While admiring the seniors, we will also encourage our children to arrange their time wisely and highlight their characteristics in their applications. We will work together to apply to the best schools that suit us.

Henry’s parents, Grade 9

From this sharing webinar, we feel that the students and parents in our school are excellent. I am especially grateful to the school for arranging this kind of communication between home and school, which is very helpful to all of us. I was especially impressed by the students’ sharing. I was amazed at how well the 18-year-olds were able to share and communicate with clear logic, fluent expressions, and a high level of motivation. I hope the school will continue to organize similar events to bringing more worthwhile advice to students and parents.

All in all, the webinar was a big success. Our presenters, who have recently been accepted to various post-secondary institutions all over the world, shared their experiences with their younger classmates giving them valuable advice. This session surely made families who are entering the application season think. We hope that our future graduates will be able to make suitable choices for themselves, taking into account their personal situations and, in turn, share their experiences with the next generation.