YouTube Takedown of the South Korean Education System

Wow! Spot on and wow!

View the video here.

7 Strange Questions That Help You Find Your Life Purpose

My friend, Kirstan, has a wicked sense of humor.  She also happens to be our school counselor which makes the depth of her intelligence and humor even more interesting.  She sent me this wonderfully written, funny, dirty (sorry kids!), and thought provoking essay about finding your life purpose.  Read.  Laugh.  Enjoy.  Think.

The Ivy League Essay

I always hesitate to post "great college essays" because I'm afraid that my students will unintentionally write in a similar way or on a similar topic.  That said, as my seniors bear down to finish those last remaining college applications, I thought I should post the college essay that got it's author into every Ivy League school. 

Here is what I love about this essay:

1. The author talks about his love of music in such a loving and simple way.  "My haven for solace in and away from home is in the world of composers, harmonies and possibilities.  My musical haven has shaped my character and without it, my life would not be half as wonderful as it is today."

2. The author talks about his longevity in music.  He has been playing the violin for nine years.  I feel as though my mantra, "quality over quantity," in regards to extracurricular activities is highlighted here.

3. The author uses the lessons he has learned in music to inspire other areas of his life.  From being in a high school musical to being a part of a Doo Wop Group to leadership roles, this young man is able to see the impact of one interest across everything he does.

No matter what my students write about, I encourage them to keep their writing simple, to write about something they are passionate about (that passion will shine through!), and to connect what they have learned to all areas of their life. 

CV?

I've been working with the counseling staff to reflect on the structure of our counseling program and to see where we can be more proactive.  We have been talking for a long time about introducing the ideas needed for a successful college application (solid writing skills, the ability to reflect on what has been learned, to see lessons across academic disciplines and extracurricular experiences, etc.) to the younger students.  This article really inspired me to continue this work on behalf of our students.

Now, where to start...

Sticker Shock!

Hold onto your wallets!  Check out this list of the 10 most expensive colleges in the United States.

Yikes, how much is college going to cost when my six year old is ready to go.  I can't even!

Where Do America's Foreign Students Come From?

A friend send me an interesting article and chart titled, "Where Do America's Foreign Students Come From?"  As an international counselor in Seoul, South Korea I found this chart astonishing as the majority of foreign students in the US come from Seoul.  I know that their are twenty million people in this city and that I send all of my students to the United States, but I was amazed that Seoul outweighed Beijing.

Your Daily Laugh

Have you always thought you were smarter than your peers because you listen to Counting Crows?  Well, now you know you are smarter based on this handy chart, which combines how smart you are based on SAT scores with music preference.  Enjoy!

Are We Raising A Generation of Helpless Kids?

In this wonderfully insightful article about Generation Y kids, I felt like I was reading about many of my students.  As a college counselor, I work with students every day on their skills beyond college counseling - on finishing strong in school, taking responsibility for their actions, and having realistic dreams for the future.

I found this article interesting as a professional trying to work with student who were raised very differently than I was (culturally and emotionally), but also as a mother of two young sons.  Do they have a name for the generation after Generation Y yet?

Please read this article, paying particular attention to "The Uncomfortable Solutions," and send me your thoughts.

Women's Colleges

I love love love this empowering article about the value of women's colleges in the 21st century.

Read it! Share it with every female teenager you know!

South Korean Children Are Unhappy

I am saddened but not surprised to read this article that says in a recent study South Korean children finish last in a happiness survey.  While I don't feel overwhelmed by the unhappiness of my students (in fact, I think they are pretty happy!) I am surrounded by a greater culture that puts far too much emphasis on academic achievement over personal happiness. 

One of the reasons I started my blog and gave it the name I did was because I was asked to speak with students from every grade level about the college admissions process.  I know that the parents who requested this meeting were simply looking to start early - although kindergarten is pretty early - and they were using their own cultural example as a model to guide this discussion.  Still, the parents at my school have enrolled their children in an international school setting with an eye on going to college in the United States.  Since college admissions is so different in the US - holistic rather than test based - I felt that talking about happiness was the only way to approach these meetings and these parents.

Happiness is everything... 

How To Get A Job At Google

A friend sent me this New York Times article, titled "How To Get A Job At Google."  This is such an interesting read, especially at this time of the year when students are stressing about every aspect of their college applications.  My students spend the most time studying for, taking, and analyzing standardized exams.

According to this article:

"Last June, in an interview with Adam Bryant of The Times, Laszlo Bock, the senior vice president of people operations for Google — i.e., the guy in charge of hiring for one of the world’s most successful companies — noted that Google had determined that 'G.P.A.’s are worthless as a criteria for hiring, and test scores are worthless. ... We found that they don’t predict anything.'”

This article is an interesting and important read for anyone who is looking to know more about how  life skills, such as leadership and humility, are important in today's world.

College Rankings: Identifying the Worst Colleges in America

The minute I saw the title of this article, "Identifying The Worst Colleges In America," I knew that I had to read it.  In response, perhaps, to Obama's proposed government college rankings list, Washington Monthly has turned college rankings on it's head - they have published the worst colleges in America list.  These schools include schools with high tuition, low graduation rates and high student debt rates.  The discussion leads to the broader question, are Americans losing their trust in higher education as a pathway to a better life?

Don't be shy about reading the comments section following the article.  It's a very interesting debate!

Tufts Admissions Blog

I got a wonderful e-mail this morning from Tufts University encouraging my students to check out the Tufts Admissions Blog.  This blog is awesome!  It's an insider's look at not just Tufts Admissions but admissions at a liberal arts college in general.  Run, don't walk, to your computer to check out this really cool blog!

I love Trinity College!

I don't think it's a secret that I love my Alma Mater, Trinity College.  I subscribe to their Admissions Facebook page, a great way to get the inside scoop on the college application process, and they posted these beautiful pictures of the campus.  Enjoy!

Prospective students often forget that they will do more than just study in college, and I think these pictures really highlight the community every student is a part of.  As I try to remind my students regularly, "College Is Fun!"

What is your calling?

At the international high school I worked at when I first begin my career in college counseling, the entire counseling department (social/emotional and college) would come together to put on a transitional meeting for the seniors before they went off to college.  The highlight of that meeting was always a speech by Dan Long, a TCK who grew up in Taiwan and was now working at the American School as a PE teacher.  He talked a lot about his father who was a doctor and had been offered a high paying position at an American hospital but felt called as a missionary to Taiwan to work with the Aboriginal people.  His whole speech centered on finding a calling in life.

This picture has been circulating on Facebook and it reminded me of Dan Long and his amazing speech.  Thought I would share!

 

Where is the Happy Counselor?

Yes, it's almost October.  Yes, many students will apply within the next month or two.  Yes, the Happy Counselor is busy.  I will do my best to post over the next month or two, but if you don't hear from me you will know I'm busy writing recommendations and uploading application materials.  I'm busy...but still happy!

The Numbers Game

A fellow college counselor recently posted an article on Facebook about college rankings and Northeastern University called, "How to Game the College Rankings."  While this is a story that has been told before, in blogging about the most recent instance of a US college seeking to better their number on the US News & World Report ranking list I hope to bring this issue to my students.

I have spent an inordinate amount of time in classes and in meeting with students trying to convince them that they are "more than a number."  While standardized test scores are a necessary evil in the college admissions process, I take a lot of comfort in knowing (first hand, I might add!) that whether a student will or will not be admitted goes above and beyond their SAT/ACT score.

While so many students love this idea, they are so quick to also judge a college solely on their numbers.  There are so many rankings lists out there - it's hard not to take a peek!

I hope that my students will read this article and take it to heart.  I hope that my students will understand that it's just as easy for a college to game the college rankings as it as for a student to spend money and time on tutors to prepare for the SAT or to fine tune essay writing.  I hope that my students and the colleges they apply to will finally understand that they are much, much more than a number.  

Need A Good Laugh Today?

The Annual Ranking Of America's Top Homeschools!

Enjoy!

The Definition of Success

I loved this short video on the definition of success from billionaire entrepreneur John Paul DeJoria.

Pieces of Advice for College-Seeking High School Seniors

Amen to all seven pieces of advice in this interesting article from Forbes Magazine.

My favorite piece of advice (and it was so hard to choose because they were all so wonderful):

"More important than where you go is how you go.

"If you attend college determined to make learning and growth your priority, if you regularly take the risk to try new things, if you go meet your professors personally, and if you claim the campus as your home, the odds are very high that you will walk across the commencement stage in four short years with a profound sense of satisfaction.

"You have the power to create long-term mentors and lifelong friends. You can grow in ways you’d never wish to trade away. You can develop your adult identity and your voice. Every college offers all this—but no college can do it for you. The greatest learners create the education they seek."

*I was worried when I posted it that students wouldn't continue reading beyond the author's college - Franklin & Marshall.  Yes, I live in a community that looks at the very top of rankings lists and, yes, otherwise fabulous colleges don't get looked at because of where they fall on a list.  If you feel this way, I challenge you to research this college because you might find out something wonderful about this school or about yourself that you never knew.  You might even decide that this college president has a tremendous outlook on education and on the students he sees fitting into his college.  If you like what you read, maybe Franklin & Marshall is for you!

Warren Buffett's Simple Advice

Yup, I've reached an age where stuff that 83-year old business magnate's say is cool.

I love the advice Warren Buffett gives in this article about the power of investing.

I think this is a very real, very honest look at the type of society we have become in America.  My Grandparents, who wouldn't be that much older than Mr. Buffett if they were still alive, probably wouldn't agree with his piece of advice.  That said, they were coming from a very different time.  My Grandparents witnessed the Great Depression and two World Wars very early in their lives.  They would tell us to find a job that has security and a good pension, and work there for the rest of our careers.

Still, the world doesn't work this way any more.  Companies, and even whole industries, come and go in the blink of an eye.  We are on a roller coaster ride though stable and unstable world economies.  Our financial investments (stock market, homes, etc.) don't yield the same long term rewards.

Mr. Buffett's advice about investing in ourselves by finding our passion and doing what we love is great advice for students who are graduating from college.  If these young people find something they love, they will build a wide range of applicable skills - passion, drive, commitment, happiness - that can be transferred to any job and any job market. 

How South Korea's Educational System Hurts Students

A friend posted this really interesting article from the NY Times about the educational system in South Korea.  While I work with students from every part of the SoKo educational spectrum (from high pressure to low pressure, from intense parental involvement to self-motivated pressure), many of the things mentioned in this article really hit home from my work in Asia in general. 

I'm fortunate to work in an international school that does it's best to promote interdisciplinary education, but we are not immune to the culture of intense pressure that surrounds our campus.  This was the most shocking quote from this article but, sadly, one that I'm not unfamiliar with. 

"Korean culture’s special focus on the family unit is also a major factor. Many parents believe that their right to decide their children’s future is sacrosanct. And the view that the family is an economic unit perpetuates such tight control over children. Marriage, for example, still often functions as a financial transaction between two families. To be a South Korean child ultimately is not about freedom, personal choice or happiness; it is about production, performance and obedience."

The SAT: How Much Is Too Much?

Working as a college counselor in Asia, I hear a lot about the SAT (and standardized testing in general).  Many East Asian countries, such as Taiwan, China, and Korea, have a national college entrance exam which all students who are staying in their home country must take in order to go on to university.  Because of this many Asian families confuse the SAT with a college entrance exam.

I don't blame parents for this mistake.  Most only know this system from their own university experiences and they hear a lot about the importance of the SAT or ACT, and make this assumption.

I spend a lot of time dispelling the myth that the SAT and ACT are college entrance exams.  For many students, the score they receive on these tests are something tangible that they can use to measure against other students who were admitted to a specific college or university.  Most schools in the US have this information on their website or published in books such as the Fiske Guide (which I regularly use).  For some second language students and parents, using this number as a measure of entrance is an easy way to determine academic fit.

As a former admissions officer, I can say with certainty that most colleges in the United States use the SAT or ACT as just one measure of admissibility.  I often tell parents and students that it's just one piece of the puzzle (ok, maybe two or three, but who is counting!).

So, down to the question: How many times should my student take the SAT?

The official stance by the College Board, which is the organization that administers the SAT, is TWO TIMES.  This information is coming for the organization that makes money every time you take the test.  They could encourage you to take the test ten times and make five times the money, but they don't.  Why?  The College Board recognizes that taking the test again and again doesn't really show a college or university anything about your academic ability.  It simply shows that you are learning how to master the test.

I feel that three times is appropriate but NO MORE.  Unless a student chooses the Score Choice option, which I don't recommend and will be covered in a future post, each college or university that a student applies to will see every SAT test date score.  Frankly, taking the SAT beyond three times makes a student appear desperate.  I would often wonder as an Admissions Officer why this student was so fixated on this one exam when there were so many other important parts of the application.  I would often see a student over testing when it was clear that their application was lacking in other important areas.  It was made to seem that they were using this test score to make up for deficiencies in other areas.

What is my advice instead of fixating on the SAT or any other form of standardized testing?  Learn a new hobby.  Volunteer with an organization in your community that you care about or one that you want to learn more about.  As your Grandparents about their lives and what they did before they became Grandparents.  Learn a new sport or continue to excel at one you are already passionate about.  Join a club at school that has peaked your interest or start a club if there isn't one that interests you.  Read a book that hasn't been assigned for school.  Be a leader.  Be excited about something.  Be passionate.  Be personable.  Be proud of who you are and all that you have accomplished!  

The Game of Life

This is going to sound strange...I have never played The Game of Life. I know. I know. I just didn't grow up in a game playing family. I did marry into one though and my almost six year old son happened upon Life this summer. 

We got to play a few rounds this summer and I thought it was interesting that each player has to decide if they are going to immediately go into business, making less money but moving you quickly along, or go to college, taking more time but ultimately making you more money.

I was really surprised that my usually fast paced son decided that making more money was worth the extra time. He thought it through and decided, at age five, that going to college was worth it. When the time comes, he can make his own decisions about college, but this summer I was pretty proud of my little boy.

SAT vs. ACT

Students often ask me which standardized test will look better to a college or university in the United States.  The simple answer is: It doesn't matter!  Here are the differences between the SAT and the ACT.

The ACT has traditionally been considered to be an achievement test, measuring what a student has learned in school.  The SAT has traditionally been considered to be an aptitude test, measuring reasoning and verbal abilities.  While the SAT used to be the more widely used test, many students have been taking the ACT in recent years.  Seeing this shift (and watching their numbers drop) has forced College Board, the organization that administers the SAT, to shift more toward the SAT model.  This will begin in the spring of 2016.

The ACT has up to 5 components: English, Math, Reading, Science, and an optional Writing Test.  The SAT currently has 3 components: Critical Reading, Math, and a required Writing Test.

The SAT penalizes you for wrong answers, so guessing is discouraged.  The ACT is scored based on the number of correct answers without a penalty for guessing.

While I don't think there is a right test or a wrong test, I think every student should take practice ACT and SAT tests to determine which one they feel more comfortable taking.  Most students will naturally gravitate toward one test or the other.

Who Gets to Graduate?

I came across an interesting article in the New York Times Magazine a few weeks ago about graduation statistics in the United States, "Who Gets To Graduate?"  I know that as a college counselor who works at a private school in Asia I probably won't come across many students who this information applies to.  Almost all of the students I work with will be able to afford college without private loans.

Still, the students I work with will probably enter a university education system in which they will be surrounded by students who fall into this category - possibly first generation college students or those who come from diverse economic situations. 

I was really stuck by the fact that, "more than 40 percent of American students who start at four-year colleges haven’t earned a degree after six years."  I know that the graduation rate in the US is low, but this was a startling statistic.  I'm curious to know if the current economy in the United States is aiding these statistics. 

Another interesting trend that this article points out is, "whether a student graduates or not seems to depend today almost entirely on just one factor — how much money his or her parents make.  To put it in blunt terms: Rich kids graduate; poor and working-class kids don’t."  The University of Texas is working hard to tackle this issue.  

"If you want to help low-income students succeed, it’s not enough to deal with their academic and financial obstacles. You also need to address their doubts and misconceptions and fears. To solve the problem of college completion, you first need to get inside the mind of a college student."

To do this one of their professors, Professor Laude, has not only created a small classroom environment for these students but also, "supplemented his lectures with a variety of strategies: He offered students two hours each week of extra instruction; he assigned them advisers who kept in close contact with them and intervened if the students ran into trouble or fell behind; he found upperclassmen to work with students one on one, as peer mentors."

Overall, I think this article struck me because I believe so strongly in liberal arts education.  In general, these colleges tend to be small, with small class sizes and individual attention for each student.  While not every liberal arts college can provide this close personal contact, I think that most strive to create a more community based approach to education - integrating residential life and classroom learning where ever possible, and encouraging personal contact by professors, teaching assistants, mentors, and residence life staff.  

From my own personal experience as a student at Trinity College (CT), I had many dinners at my professors homes and was surrounded by faculty and students who kept an eye on me.  When my father had a stroke when I was a sophomore in college, a team of college staff came to my aid to make sure I had a plan for completing school work and that I had access to a mental health professional if I needed one.   

In working with Asian students for the past four years, many of them tend to shy away from "Liberal Arts Colleges" because they think of them as a bastion for far left thinkers and artists.  Many of them enter the college search with this mis-conception, hearing only "arts" and move toward larger universities in search of a more balanced education.  I have been working hard over the years to encourage my students to take a look at liberal arts colleges for the small classroom environment which fosters personal connections and interdisciplinary thinking.  

When speaking with students in the future, I think I will add to this information that the learning environment offered by a liberal arts college might actually increase graduation rates too. 

The Season of Graduations

With June comes the end of the school year and a time to celebrate the senior class. It's graduation day at my school in Korea and I'm so excited about this afternoon's celebration. A friend mentioned that I might enjoy preparing for the day with John Legend's University of Pennsylvania commencement address.

You can view it here: John Legend Commencement Address

Here are a few reasons why I love this speech:

1. "The key to happiness is opening your heart, opening your mind to love."

John Legend loves love as much as I'm happy about happiness. I know that love and happiness go hand in hand, so I feel like we are spreading the same message. John says that he is successful because he has always been passionate about music and he found happiness (and also fame) by doing what he truly loves. 

2. "[My parents] took the time to teach us about more than just academics. They taught us about character. About what it means to live a good life. My father often talked to us about his definition of success. He told us it wasn't measured in money or material things. It was measured by love and joy and the lives you are able to touch, the lives you are able to help."

I love this message. I love the simplicity in his words. I think more kids these days need to remember how important love and joy and charity are in this world.

3. "When you actually care about something, you want to lead."

Unfortunately, there are students all over this world who join activities so they will look good on a college application.  Students ask me all the time what they should be doing to impress a college.  My answer is always, "do whatever makes you happy!"  This usually produces some strange looks, but I follow with the same explanation - when you care about what you are doing, you are naturally better at it and you encourage the opportunity to share your talent with others (leadership).

4. "But years from now, when you look back at your time here on earth, your life and your happiness will be way more defined by the quality of your relationships, not the quantity...it's about finding and keeping the best relationships possible with the people around you.  It's about immersing yourself in your friendships and your family.  It's about being there for people you care about and knowing that they will be there for you."

John talks about his big break coming from the cousin of his friend at Penn.  I try to remind my students regularly that college is, of course, about acquiring knowledge and experience but that doesn't only come in the form of classroom learning.  It can also come from the people who you meet on the athletic fields, in your dorm, in the cafeteria, on the way to do laundry - get out there and meet people!  Network!  Connect!  What you learn is just as important as who you meet and the impression you leave them with.

5. "Half doing it is not doing it right.  You have to go all in."

My grandfather used to say, "It's not worth doing unless you do it right."  He was an immigrant and he worked hard his whole life for the few luxuries he had.  I see so many students these days who expect that the next step after high school will be college, so they just go through the motions from one opportunity to the next.  John makes a great statement that people in all walks of life should remember - no matter what we do, we should put everything we have into the experience.

6. "I want to talk about how love changes the world.  There are seven billion people out there.  Seven billion strangers.  I want you to consider what it means to love them too.  What does it mean to love them too?  To see the value in every person's life."

This is a beautiful sentiment and one that everyone needs to remember.  Teenagers, in particular, can be very self-absorbed.  There is so much going on in their lives that they just don't have the time to think about anyone other than themselves in that moment.  Still, it's the teenagers who "get it," who reach beyond themselves to serve their community or their family or even people in far off lands, that seem to do well in this process.  I'm not saying that teenagers need to simply volunteer and, poof, the college admissions start rolling in.  What I'm saying is that they need to enter into these activities with love and passion and the heart to change the world.  Whether or not they actually change the world doesn't matter.  It's all about the effort, the perspective, the introspection, and the challenge.

John Legend says so many other wonderful things that I will let you discover them for yourself.  Enjoy!

College Ratings Systems

I don't make it a secret that I'm opposed to college and university rankings lists.  One article that I hold to be sacred in the argument against ranking colleges and universities is a 2011 article from the New Yorker by Malcolm Gladwell called, "The Order of Things: What College Rankings Really Tell Us." I think this article does an excellent job explaining why a "One Size Fits All" list doesn't actually lead a student to choose the best fit college for them.

I talk about ranking a lot in my job.  I live in Asia and counsel Asian students.  I have found that the high achieving, test driven culture in Korea jumps at the opportunity to rank things.  I have found two reasons for this:

1)  This is a culture of numbers, of ranking its students numerically to see who is the best.  In the public schools, earned grades are not necessarily given out.  Instead, the student's transcript actually reflects the grade earned in relation to the other students in the same class.  For example, the A+ (or numeric equivalent of that) can only be achieved by one person - the person who got the best score - and the grades are given from there.  You could have gotten almost every question on the test correct and received a low grade because lots of other students also did well.  This system also translates to the national university entrance exam.  Students with the top scores go to the top colleges.  There is no holistic review.  It's simply about the score on this one exam.  Many of my current students have told me that they left the Korean public school system because students didn't care about their everyday activities in school.  They only cared about the test.   

2) Most people in Korea attend college in Korea but there are many Korean students who are now receiving their college and graduate school educations in North America and Europe.  If these students return to Korea after graduation, prospective employers don't really know about the reputation of colleges in these far away countries.  Because of this, they turn to a simple rankings list in order to decide if a prospective employee received a good education or not.

Regardless of how I feel about rankings lists, I need to acknowledge their place in my role as a college counselor in Asia.  Still, in reading a recent New York Times article titled "Colleges Rattled As Obama Seeks Ratings System," I can't help but think of my students.  Obama is seeking to creating a rating system of colleges and universities in the United States in order to better inform students about what they will get for their tuition dollar.  This is in response to higher tuition rates and the government's need to know that the billions spent each year on financial aid are going toward helping and not hurting students.

I have mixed feelings about Obama's plan.  One one side, I do think that college has become far too expensive.  My son is five years old and I simply can't imagine how much college will cost when he is ready to go in thirteen years (or how I will pay for it!).  I think that colleges and universities should be examining ways to stop tuition inflation in order to make college a more affordable entity.  On the other side, Obama is simply looking for an easy answer to a difficult problem.  How will yet another one size fits all list really tell the whole story of what a college can give to its students?

I'm interested in hearing what you think!  Please leave a comment!    

The Beginning...A Very Good Place To Start!

I've been thinking for some time about starting a college counseling blog as a way to help my students navigate the seemingly scary process of college admissions.  Here we are at the beginning...a very good place to start!

Since I'm often on Facebook connecting with colleagues and friends, I see so many articles about the good and the bad associated with the college process.  Working in an international community, I often hear the different forms of advice that each culture gives to their children in preparation for this process.  As a teacher, college counselor, and former college admissions officer, I am doing my best to prepare my students through college counseling workshops and one-on-one meetings.  I'm sure, to my students, that this endless string of advice from social media, parents, peers, and even their college counselor sounds more like a blaring siren in an already loud world.

From my point of view, there is far too much stress in this process - but, I tell my students everyday, there doesn't have to be!  The college process is one of self discovery, of learning how to be proud of your talents and passions, of writing about the most meaningful part of who you are, of finding a home for the next four years where you will grow and thrive.  What can be more exciting than that!

At the end of the day, I believe in HAPPINESS and this is something I want to instill in each and every one of my students.  Happiness in the college process, but also happiness in where they will spend the next four years, happiness in their search for knowledge and, most importantly, happiness in who they are as individuals.

Below is a speech I wrote and delivered to elementary, middle, and high school parents about the happiness that can be found in the college process.

What Makes You Happy?