创社团展热情 成宾大新鲜人

来源:陈宇阳 时间:09/27/2012 浏览: 6994

去年12月初就收到宾州大学提早录取的陈宇阳早已放松心情,为提早争取申请知名大学,他下了不少功夫,参与课外活动,发展个人特质,撰写完美的自述论文,因而获得名校青睐。

 SAT满分 说服力

陈宇阳说,优异的学业成绩应该是申请「必备条件」。其实,学生进入高中后开始选课,是否选对课程就决定胜负,因为尽管整年下来学业成绩都是A,但如果不是进阶的AP课程就不具优势。其实名校在选择学生时,都会比较学生高中课程,如果都属於一般性课程,难免有负面影响。高中生最好选择一般课程与进阶课程混合搭配,即便成绩有A有B,仍较有利於大学申请。
 
就陈宇阳的经验,九年级成绩未达全A影响不大,但11及12年级必须尽全力把成绩冲高,证明有向上冲刺的实力,才是关键。他应考SAT第一回就获得近2400满分,他认为,只要提早准备,平时不断的做练习题,多数学生都可望在ACT或SAT大学申请标准考试成绩中获得高分。如果要申请名校,则需报名参加SAT的专科测试,譬如代数、语文、历史及科学等学科。如果专科测试能达800满分则更具说服力。陈宇阳升上10年级时,逐渐发觉参加课外活动对申请大学的重大影响,尤其是长期参与自己真正有兴趣,且完全投入,足以展现个人特质及才华的社团,「招生官注重的是学生对於参加的社团活动是否投入,而不是一口气参加十几个社团,却都蜻蜓点水」。因为名校不仅招收全才学生,更着重於有特殊资赋,以及某种兴趣特别有热情且专注的学生。
 
创摺纸社 募款赈灾

陈宇阳在参加学校田径队、Citizen Club之外,创办了「摺纸社」,定期带着社员们学习摺纸技巧。去年日本311大地震时,陈宇阳与社员们一起发起「一只纸鹤捐赠一元」的爱心募款援助日本灾民活动,获得广大回响,并得到当地媒体的报导。陈宇阳为推广摺纸艺术,自2009年起在youtube网站上,创立了「摺纸影片教学网站」,从最简单的「纸球」开始传授摺纸技艺,每个月上传两部新的教学影片,两年多来累积了数百万的点阅人气,也吸引广告商在他的专业摺纸网站上做广告,陈宇阳也加强在绘画及摄影的学习。他在摺纸领域的专注及推广成果,使履历有了着墨点。
 
提早行动 成果丰硕

多数公立大学为应付众多的申请学生,只能以学业成绩GPA,及标准测验成绩SAT、ACT分数进行筛选,但是申请常春藤等名校时,论文好坏则是入门关键。「抓住自己最强、最独特的部分,并详细的描述这方面的表现及成果,例如成立爵士乐团,多次推出公演,热爱爵士的程度」,而不要只是单纯平铺直叙参加学校乐团、参加了学校数学队、小时候在家门口摆过凉水摊等无关紧要的事件。
 
决定「提早申请」的学生承受相当大的压力,不论是可选择就读的「提早行动」,或是获录取后一定得就读的「提早决定」,应表达学生对所申请大学的特殊兴趣。陈宇阳十分喜爱宾州大学的校园气氛,11年级春假曾赴宾州大学校园参观体验,当时就决定向宾州大学提出「提早决定」申请,宾州大学给他入学许可时,他立即决定放弃其他学校的入学���会。
 
陈宇阳说,如果非常清楚自己的梦想学校,也确认自己所具备的条件,申请「提早决定」的录取机会较高,因学生展现对於学校的热爱,名校在从「提早决定」申请者中选择学生的比率,高於一般申请学生的录取率。
 
提早决定及提早行动都应该在对申请大学有充分了解后提出,最好先实地参观体会,校园大小是否合适?校园师生素质及气氛是否契合?不要只因录取率高就草率决定提早申请,若因此而不能选择到他校就读,却又发现名校对自己并不合适,学生将浪费四年宝贵光阴。 (黄惠玲编译)


Grades and Scores Are Key,So Is Having Passion for Life

By Luke Chen While college admittance decisions may seem random, it is more orderly than it seems. After four years of high school and an admission to the University of Pennsylvania, I have learned that there are several major things you can do to increase your chances to get into a good college.
 
Good Grades, Good Classes

Academic success and the rigor of high school courses taken are the most important factors in college admissions. If a student’s GPA is not up to par, many times the admissions office will completely disregard the applicant, no matter his or her achievements. So, if you find your grades suffering because you are trying to polish other parts of your application, you might want to re-evaluate your priorities.While it is important to excel in school, it is also important to select classes that are sufficiently difficult. Having a straight “A” course load of unweighted or regular classes is inferior to having a mix of A’s and B’s with the hardest classes possible, such as AP and Honors classes.
 
Standardized tests are an integral part of the college admissions process. Without a strong score, admissions officers can easily overlook your application. My advice on acing any standardized test is to start early. It may seem a bit extreme to start in 9th grade, but by prepping early, I was able to raise my SAT score 440 points. Instead of college prep classes, which are often costly, buy books on whatever standardized test you are taking from the official publisher.
 
SAT subject tests are supplements to the SAT, and cover subjects like algebra, languages, history, and sciences. Many elite colleges require these supplemental tests. In general, these tests are more straightforward and it is very possible to score a perfect 800.
 
Extracurricular Activities

How many extracurricular activities a student undertakes is not nearly as important to college admissions officers as whether the student is highly passionate about a certain topic. Although it is important for applicants to be well rounded, what admissions officers are really looking for is a well-rounded student body. A college does not want a hundred of the same well-rounded students, but instead a mix of students who have unique talent or passion.
 
Origami was something that I enjoyed doing, and had been doing for a long time, so I started a club at my school for origami. I also created instructional origami videos on YouTube. Coupled with a few other artistic extracurricular activities, including photography and drawing, I was able to paint a portrait of myself in my college application that I believe stood out from other applicants.
 
Essays That Reveal Yourself

Writing college admissions essays is usually the final piece of the puzzle in the admissions process. These essays are what give life to your application.
 
In a pool of applicants with stellar test scores and GPAs, you need to differentiate yourself from the pack and present yourself as someone different and better than the rest. Consequently, try to avoid cliche or forced topics. For example, unless you conduct a full-sized orchestra or frequently play in Carnegie Hall, try not to write about playing a musical instrument. Focus on the present. Remember, a childhood lemonade stand might not evoke images of a powerful future businessman that you aspire to be.
 
These essays are a time to accentuate your strongest points, so be adventurous and write about an unusual experience that you have had relating to your passions. However, be sure to appear personable and sincere while writing about your achievements, and try to avoid flowery language.
 
The Admissions Process

After you have compiled your list of desired colleges, you have to undergo the stress of whether or not to apply an early decision or early action program. As a general rule, Early Action programs, being nonbinding, are beneficial to an application because they show an interest in a college. It is possible to submit Early Action applications to multiple schools, but some schools, like Stanford and Princeton, have Single Choice Early Action.
 
Decide carefully and consider what you are looking for in a college. Do you like small or large schools? Liberal arts or large universities? What kind of people do you want to surround you? Don’t be drawn into an early decision application just for the higher admissions rate. You want to make sure the college you go to is a match for you, both socially and academically. If a school is your first choice, then your passion will show in your application.


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