From High School to UniversityFrom High School to University

Jiayang Jiang

A.Y. Jackson Secondary School

Columbia University

TopicsTopics

A Little Introduction About Myself General Timeline SATs Extracurriculars and Volunteer Competitions and Awards Summer Opportunities Recommendations Essay Interview

Introduction About MyselfIntroduction About Myself

Beijing (8 years)Singapore (5 years)Toronto (5 years)United States (? years)MathematicsComputer Science

General TimelineGeneral Timeline

Grade 9-10– Participate in a lot of activities– Have fun!

Grade 11– Take SATs– Research universities

Grade 12– Early application– Essay, application forms, interview etc.

SATSAT

SAT Reasoning– Critical Reading– Math– Writing

SAT Subject (2-3)– Math I/II– Physics/Chemistry/Biology– French/History– etc.

SATSAT

Top universities expect:– 680-770 for each section– >2100 total

Prepare early! – Borrow books from library– Attend classes– Take Reasoning in Grade 11– Take Subject in Grade 12– Practice, practice, practice!

Extracurriculars and VolunteerExtracurriculars and Volunteer

Develop interests, leadership, friendships Help others and the community Show commitment and achievement Try a variety of activities

– Sports– Academic– Cultural– Environmental– Newspaper– etc.

Do what you enjoy with passion

CompetitionsCompetitions

Involve yourself in as many contests as possible

Math Contests– AMC, AIME, USAMO

• http://www.unl.edu/amc/

– COMC, CMO– Euclid, Fermat, Cayley

• http://cemc.uwaterloo.ca/

– HMMT• http://web.mit.edu/hmmt/www/

CompetitionsCompetitions

Computer– CCC

• http://cemc.uwaterloo.ca/ccc– ECOO

• http://ecoo.org/ecoocs/Contests.html– DWITE

• www.dwite.ca– IBM CASCON

• http://www-304.ibm.com/jct09002c/university/students/highschool/index.html

Chess Other

Summer OpportunitiesSummer Opportunities

Do not sit around and do nothingUniversities will ask how you spent

the past few summersExamples of things to do:

– Camps (Shad Valley etc.)– Volunteer Work– Job– Travel

Shad ValleyShad Valley

Science, technology and entrepreneurship camp at various Universities

Gain knowledge Develop leadership Develop friendships Very fun!

– Camping, hiking, rope climbing, movies, late nights, whale watching, nuclear power plant, Western Night etc.

RecommendationsRecommendations

Build good relationships with teachers, principal

Let your guidance counselor know you

Other recommendations

EssayEssay

Show your writing ability Show your unique character Let the reader remember you Good topics:

– Extracurricular activities– Personal triumphs– Interests– Influences– etc.

InterviewInterview

Universities choose you &

you choose universitiesShow your personalityPrepare answer for common

questionsPrepare a list of questions to ask

ResourcesResources

www.collegeboard.comwww.princetonreview.comwww.shad.cawww.olympiads.ca/www.google.com

Wish everybody enjoy your high Wish everybody enjoy your high school life and succeed in your school life and succeed in your university application!university application!

Thank you!