AKAD Education Group

Applying to US Colleges

is

Agenda

• Speaker Introduction

• American Colleges

• Finding the right school

• How to be accepted

• Essay writing tips

• Timelines

• Q&A Session

Speakers’ Bio- Alex Grove

Education Background• Wharton MBA (Dean’s List)• UPenn MA, Lauder Institute (Conti Group Scholarship)• Harvard MA• Harvard BA (John Harvard Scholarship, Magna cum Laude)

Work Experience• Partner – AKAD Education Group• Associate – Morgan Stanley Special Situations Group (Hong Kong)• Senior Consultant – Monitor Group (Beijing)

Speakers’ Bio-Darryl Martin

Education Background• University of Wisconsin Law School Juris Doctor (JD)• Cambridge University MA Law • Cambridge University BA Law (Honours)• University of Notre Dame BA Economics and East Asian Studies-Chinese (Magna cum Laude)

Work Experience• Partner – AKAD Education Group• Associate – McDermott Will & Emery Law Firm (Chicago, Shanghai)

Agenda

• Speaker Introduction

• American Colleges

• Finding the right school

• How to be accepted

• Essay writing tips

• Timelines

• Q&A Session

World leading academic environment

There are more Nobel Prize winners from American colleges than anywhere else in the world

Flexible culture

• Focus of education is on learning life skills, not learning facts

• Students are encouraged to actively make their own decisions

• Students have a lot of choices

• Majors are easy to change

Exciting campus life

Activities include:

• Sports

• Conferences

• Theater

• Non-profits

• Socializing

• Etc.

Agenda

• Speaker Introduction

• American Colleges

• Finding the right school

• How to be accepted

• Essay writing tips

• Timelines

• Q&A Session

America has

accredited universities and colleges

How to choose schools

LocationMajors

Career Placement

Campus Culture

Foreign Resources

Brand Name

Difficulty

Agenda

• Speaker Introduction

• American Colleges

• Finding the right school

• How to be accepted

• Essay writing tips

• Timelines

• Q&A Session

Components of an application

Transcripts

SAT and other exams

Personal statements

Application forms

Recommendations

InterviewIt is important to plan in advance

How schools make decisions (Process)

Grades and Scores

App. Story

Interview

• Good scores (GPA, SSR, TOEFL, SAT)

• Good written application

• Good written application

CultureCommitment

Competence

Will you contributeto the school? (Personal statements)Will you feel happy

at our school? (Personal statements)

Are you smart?(Grades, test scores)

How schools make decisions (Concepts)

Do you really like

our school?

(Personal statements)

Understanding the Admissions Committee

Adcom members read hundreds and hundreds of applications

– Overwhelmed– Impatient– Bored

Agenda

• Speaker Introduction

• American Colleges

• Finding the right school

• How to be accepted

• Essay writing tips

• Timelines

• Q&A Session

You should write about whatever you care about

•Admissions officers are bored

•They want an interesting essay that reveals your true self

•Anything you care deeply about is a good topic…

But there are some topics you should avoid

• Gender• Culture• Race• Sexuality• Politics• Etc…

Agenda

• Speaker Introduction

• American Colleges

• Finding the right school

• How to be accepted

• Essay writing tips

• Timelines

• Q&A Session

When to Apply?

RegularEarly action

Early decision

Rolling

Application DeadlineEarlier Later

Com

mitm

ent

No

Yes

Single Early action

Application timeline

MaySAT 1

JunePS Draft

JulySAT 2

School ListEssay Topics

AugustPS Draft 2

Recommendations

SeptemberEarly Decision DueFinalize school list

October-NovemberReg Application Due

DecemberSAT 2 (retake)

Q&A