College Applicants from China

College Applicants from China August 6, 2012 Many college applicants from China (and their parents) dont fully understand that an applicants voice matters in highly selective college admissions. They often understand the importance of standardized test scores. They understand the importance of grades. They often even understand what having a unique hook means. But what too often isnt clear to applicants and their parents in China is the importance of sharing ones unique voice in an application. So many just dont get it. College applicants from China need to know that their voice matters in highly selective college admissions. College essays are a unique opportunity for a college applicant to share their unique point of view, their outlook on the world. Its an opportunity for a college admissions counselor to gain insight into who you are, what youre all about, and what you hope to become. Ok, maybe a college essay doesnt accomplish all of those things. But a good one often can even if youre writing about something as small as rubber-band balls. Its often when you write about small things that you can say the most. When students try to write about big things like death or life lessons, essays have a habit of becoming trite. So when admissions agents in China hand parents and students college essays from a stack to select one or two from, know that this is absolutely not the way to share ones unique voice. In fact, its just the opposite. When the unethical admissions agent hands over those essays, push them right back at them and let them know that they dont know what theyre doing. Tell them theyre unethical. Tell them they dont know what it takes to get into highly selective American universities. Because they dont. Theyre utterly clueless in fact. Avoid them at all cost. While youre here, check out this post on Chinese Students and the Ivy League.