常青藤申請條件誤區(qū)：GPA4.0和滿分SAT就夠了？

新冠疫情引發(fā)了關(guān)于標(biāo)準(zhǔn)化考試成績的價值及其預(yù)測大學(xué)成功的能力的持續(xù)辯論的緊迫性。在即將到來的申請周期（2022 年秋季入學(xué)）中，每所常青藤申請條件都將保持考試可選性。
因此，在過去，當(dāng)中國國際學(xué)生可以依靠高 SAT 分?jǐn)?shù)作為申請的額外積極信息時，考試可選招生現(xiàn)在給招生官施加壓力，要求他們?nèi)娑x整體審查。在這樣做的過程中，考試成績以外的因素很快就變得非常重要，對于沒有在高中時期在學(xué)術(shù)之外培養(yǎng)自己的學(xué)生來說，入學(xué)就變成了一種不同類型的挑戰(zhàn)。

盡管學(xué)生花在準(zhǔn)備申請上的時間很長，但在審查申請時，學(xué)生通常希望他們的招生官花在審查申請上的最長時間是 15 分鐘。對于學(xué)生來說，這不是很多時間來給人留下積極的印象并讓讀者想了解更多關(guān)于他們的信息。
進入常春藤，不是花幾個小時培養(yǎng)4.0 GPA的學(xué)生……相反，進入常春藤的學(xué)生是可以相當(dāng)輕松地獲得4.0的學(xué)生，而他們放學(xué)后的時間并沒有花掉進一步學(xué)習(xí)，而是通過課外或課外活動來提高他們的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)能力，回饋社區(qū)，探索他們的熱情，或者換句話說，不僅僅是課堂上的學(xué)生。

全能型學(xué)生

我們一直在美國招生中聽到“全能型學(xué)生”，但我們中的任何人真的知道它的含義嗎？高等教育紀(jì)事聚集了教育專家，討論他們在尋找完美的全能型學(xué)生時期望找到什么。沒有集體的正確答案，每個專家都以自己的方式定義它：
“這是一個可以在課堂內(nèi)外找到目標(biāo)和意義的學(xué)生”
“一個自我激勵和自我效能的學(xué)生”
有趣的是，當(dāng)大學(xué)談?wù)撊苄蛯W(xué)生時，他們是在談?wù)撍麄兊臋C構(gòu)如何提供全面的學(xué)生體驗——而不是指他們對申請具有“全面審查”政策的學(xué)校的學(xué)生的期望。招生審查員所認(rèn)為的全面性與所在機構(gòu)的教育工作者所認(rèn)為的“全面性”之間存在差異。
然而，考慮到教育工作者在課堂外談?wù)摷寄?，也提到了自我激勵和自我效能，我們可以得出結(jié)論，招生會尋找技能：敢于挑戰(zhàn)、表現(xiàn)出主動性和創(chuàng)新性的學(xué)生，以及尋求在課堂之外擴展他們的知識和貢獻。

3項關(guān)鍵招生標(biāo)準(zhǔn)

領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力 Leadership

領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力一直是常春藤大學(xué)在申請者申請中審查的一件事。學(xué)生不僅擔(dān)任領(lǐng)導(dǎo)角色，而且他們是一個優(yōu)秀的團隊合作者嗎？在這個不斷變化的世界中，學(xué)生需要能夠掌握這兩個角色，因此在您的參與中成長很重要。沒有人通常從領(lǐng)導(dǎo)一個組織開始，而是通過培養(yǎng)他們在團隊中的角色和關(guān)系，他們獲得了進步所需的技能和知識——因此，在學(xué)生組織中，申請者應(yīng)該成長為領(lǐng)導(dǎo)他們在大一時首次加入的團隊。

承諾 Commitment

承諾是有價值的，因為它不僅反映了連續(xù)性，而且反映了隨著時間的推移發(fā)展某些東西的熱情或意愿。在高中生涯中加入 10 個不同的組織確實表現(xiàn)出對活動的興趣，但可能不會表現(xiàn)出任何對事業(yè)的堅定承諾或熱情。然而，如果學(xué)生加入了 10 個不同的組織，它們都專注于一個中心主題（例如，老年人），那么隨著時間的推移，就會對一個專業(yè)團體做出承諾。因此，在選擇要參加的活動時，加入你最感興趣的活動——這更有可能創(chuàng)造出你作為一名學(xué)生的形象，專注于圍繞一個激情領(lǐng)域做事。

同理心 Compassion

鑒于 COVID-19 帶來的動蕩時期，同理心已成為美國更加重視的東西。學(xué)院和大學(xué)正在尋找關(guān)心和回饋的學(xué)生，這比以往任何時候都多。隨著一個常見應(yīng)用問題的改變（包括一個關(guān)注感恩的新問題），很明顯，機構(gòu)正在尋找善于思考、善良的學(xué)生加入他們的機構(gòu)。反思你為他人所做的事情，并繼續(xù)向外關(guān)注而不是只關(guān)注自己：換句話說，是的，你正在學(xué)習(xí)變得更聰明（出于你自己的原因，比如找工作），但你能提供什么好處與您的技能和學(xué)習(xí)的其他人？

常青藤申請相關(guān)問題，備戰(zhàn)及輔導(dǎo)，皆可咨詢小助手！

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總結(jié)

學(xué)生不僅需要向頂尖學(xué)校證明他們是好學(xué)生，更重要的是，他們是好人。這并不容易用分?jǐn)?shù)來量化，因此學(xué)生必須積極與周圍的人互動，以證明這些利用情商的技能。不再是暑期學(xué)習(xí)就足以獲得常春藤盟校的錄取，即使你的簡歷上有一些數(shù)字或課外活動，問題仍然存在：“你是誰，是什么激勵你，你如何探索你的激情以及如何 你會給我們即將到來的班級帶來一些不同的和善良的東西嗎？”
英文原文：
Applying to the University of California: Lessons Learned from UC Admissions
This article will expand the understanding of the UC’s 13 factors for admission while also highlighting the important aspects to writing and responding to the UC personal insight questions.
Although there are nine University of California campuses (UCSF does not take undergraduate students), each one is distinct from others.? Looking at ranking, students and parents likely hope for UC Berkeley and UCLA.? Looking at campus size, those who want a smaller campus where students have more access to faculty, the choice may likely be UC Merced, which boasts a small campus of about 8000 students.? And looking at physically impressive campuses, students may choose UC Santa Cruz.? Though the campuses are different, the application for undergraduate students remains focused on the 13 factors.? Let’s discuss what they are and how to address each.
The 13 Factors for Admission
Grades: this is expected as it would be for any college; the better your GPA, the higher your chances are of getting into the more competitive UCs.
Performance in classes (and number of classes) beyond the basic courses high schoolers are expected to take.? For example, UC applicants are expected to take two years of high school (World History and US History) and if a student takes a third History course, this would be looked at as ‘beyond’ the minimum requirement.
Performance in AP, IB, Honors or College Level courses.? Like all other colleges, the UCs are looking for students who choose to challenge themselves.
Rank at the end of your junior year.? They are looking for the top 9% ranking within your high school.
Quality of your senior year program.? This has to do with an admissions officer looking at your courses and things such as whether or not you are taking challenging courses, or just taking the ‘easier’ courses to inflate your GPA.
Quality of performance relative to opportunities at your school. In this case, they are looking within a student’s context.? If the school offers thousands of activities for students to engage in but a student only does one club, does that mean they have taken advantage of the school’s opportunities? It is important to note that admissions are looking at how students take advantage of all the opportunities at their school.
Outstanding performance in one or more subject areas.
Outstanding work or projects in one or more subject areas.? Students need to demonstrate more beyond just classwork.
Improvement in academic performance.? Students need to show an ‘upward trend’ in the grades they receive, despite courses getting more challenging as they get older.
Special talents/interests.? This is the part that requires longer to develop than one semester–what makes a student stand out and how have they developed this over time?
Special projects within the school curriculum. Again, what initiative has the student taken to apply their work outside the classroom?
Academic accomplishments despite challenges faced.? Things like refugee status, first generation students, disabilities all factor into the equation.? A student who has, against all odds, done well for themselves will be viewed differently given their resiliency
Location of secondary school and residence. The UCs are mandated to accept the large majority of California residents into their incoming class.
Note that each campus weighs the factors differently when it comes to admission and students should look carefully at how each school reviews its applicant and weighs their application components.
How to Approach the Important PIQs
Attending a weeklong conference with UC admissions officers, it is clear that they are overworked but love their jobs. Unlike institutions that accept the Common Application, the UCs admissions staff are looking, very quickly, to get to know the student via shorter ‘soundbytes’.? The questions they ask students to complete are only 350 words long and the specific guidance, which I heard over and over, was “write the essays as if we are talking to you”.? They are not looking for an essay you would submit for your English class, nor an essay that you would submit for any class. Instead, students are asked to imagine they are sitting in front of the admissions officer and simply answer the question as if they were in conversation together.? They do not call them essays and clearly reiterate these are “Personal Insight Questions” to get to know the student.? Florid language which we use when we write creatively, therefore, should not be a part of the UC PIQ responses because 17-18 year olds typically do not speak in this way.
Basic Tips from UC Admissions Staff
-Treat the PIQs as “interview on paper”–what do you want to tell admissions?
-Do NOT copy/paste the Common App question – these responses are supposed to be answered differently from the Common App essay
-Think of this as interview, focusing on CONTENT not style
-Use “I” statements
-Write persuasively
-Do not use quotes, song lyrics….the PIQs are about your words
-Do not use literary or descriptive language because this is not a creative writing assignment
And most importantly when you write this, really think: “how would I just answer this question aloud?”
Good luck!