Sophie Xu‍‍‍‍

On Monday afternoon, three senior students shared their plans and advice for the four years of high school, and their insights were very enlightening to me.

Firstly, regarding TOEFL preparation, the seniors made some constructive suggestions: 1) Don't make it last too long. As the saying goes, "Strike while the iron is hot." They suggested that we take the TOEFL tests and try to achieve a satisfactory score during the summer or winter vacations past the 10th grade because we usually have a very tight schedule in 11 and 12th grade. 2) You’d better not take the test too many times, otherwise you would be exhausted. 3) It is recommended to strategically "boost scores" since the topics in TOEFL listening and reading sections vary each time. If you happen to be tested on topics you are good at, you are more likely to do well and achieve high scores.  

Secondly, regarding our grades at school and how to choose AP courses, Alice Wei shared with us something very important: AP scores can be selectively submitted, so we should challenge ourselves by trying more. However, when choosing multiple AP courses, it is more important to value academic quality rather than aim only at quantity.   

Finally, regarding our school grades, Hannah Cheng shared her perspective: It is not very difficult for us to achieve a GPA of 3.5 and above in our school. Each student should and can accomplish a higher GPA because the school's tiered flexible curriculum system allows us to do well as long as we work hard. Good universities value a student's school performance throughout the 4 years, so we should try as hard as we can to improve our GPA.  

We found the sharing session very beneficial. We are grateful to seniors for sharing with us so much useful information and advice. They filled us with courage to try, helped us avoid unnecessary detours, and encouraged us to head for our goals.

［Allen Wang

I attended a sharing session given by Sean Xu and Charlotte Li, two seniors, and I found that I could draw much inspiration and benefited a lot from it. The sharing session covered a wide range of key topics, including course selection, extracurricular activities, self-discovery, college research, major selection, and stress management. It broadened my horizons and cleared up much of my confusion.  

I came to realize the importance of choosing activities based on personal interests, exploring majors, and effectively managing stress. Charlotte Li advised us to prioritize seeking personal pleasure and growth over winning honors and medals. She said that "we participate in activities to make ourselves better and happier."  

Regarding exploring majors, Sean Xu told us that universities usually give students several semesters to explore and decide on a major, and if necessary, students can switch to another one flexibly. Therefore, we should try different things and find out what intrigues us most. 

The seniors also gave their advice on stress management. Charlotte emphasized that it is important to make a plan to avoid last-minute cramming. By setting realistic goals and making plans to achieve them, we will be less stressed. Besides, we are not alone because we may seek help from family, friends, and counselors.  

This sharing session truly broadened my horizon. It not only provided me with unique insights into key topics such as course selection, extracurricular activities, self-discovery, college research, major selection, and stress management but also corrected some of my previous misconceptions. Now I have a clearer understanding of how to choose activities based on my interests, how to explore majors, and how to effectively manage stress. These valuable experiences will make a positive impact on how I will learn and grow up in the future.

Winnie Zheng‍‍‍

On May 15, 2023, during CAS time, several seniors conducted a sharing session on college application for the 11th-grade students. They communicated and interacted with each other in the most sincere manner.  

Firstly, Eric Zhou described his own process of college application. Since he primarily applied to universities in Canada and the UK, he had a better understanding of the requirements set by universities in these two countries. He told us that when applying to schools in these countries, the activities must match themes in recommendation letters, so that they show your interest in a specific subject and studies related to that field. He also reassured us not to be overly anxious while applying for colleges for "what is meant to come will always come." 

Secondly, Leo Jiang shared his own experience. He mainly applied to schools in the STEM field, mostly universities or liberal arts colleges in the US. He had ups and downs while applying for schools, as he was rejected by his dream college in the Early Decision round. However, he didn’t get pessimistic at all because of this setback. Not only did he share some academically rigorous schools with students interested in computer science and engineering, but also he added that we should take geographical factors into consideration. For example, he prioritized the resources and majors offered by a college over its climate. He also told us that he used to think of himself as a lucky boy, but that luck seemed to fade during the application season. However, he didn't feel discouraged,but moved forward with anticipation for a better future. We should learn from his optimistic attitude.  

Finally, Hanxiao Cai shared with 11th graders his experience in college application. He stressed the importance of knowing about the geographical environment of a school. College provides a platform for academic exploration, self-improvement, and gaining experiences, and also means a period of independent living. Therefore, when considering choosing a college, students should also take into account how its geographical environment influences their lifestyle and major requirements, such as how far it is from a city, whether it’s humid or dry, and other factors. For example, an economics student may choose a university near the urban area, as such a location can better support the study of his major.   

Meanwhile, the seniors sincerely informed us that the application season is not only a time to find out where to go to next but also a moment to understand and tolerate oneself. Before the application season, many students tend to follow their parents’ and teachers’ expectations of them by aiming at high-ranking schools. Though this is not something to be blamed for, one's own feelings and experiences matter most. Rankings does not mean everything, and life is not solely determined by one's position in society.  

The sharing session given by the seniors benefited us a lot and inspired us to think more diversely about the future.

文 | Sophie, Allen, Winnie‍‍‍‍‍‍

审核 | Wu Xu

翻译 | Dawn Xu

排版 | Karen Yu