I just sent an e-mail off to my high school cross country coach, Lou Dittami. I was never a fast runner but he always encouraged his runners to never stop and to enjoy the ride. Although I graduated from high school almost 20 years ago (is that right?), Coach Dittami and I have been in touch with one another. He is an amazing man who has just as many inspiring things to say today as he did (eek!) 20 years ago.
Maintaining my friendship with my former teachers over the years has not only benefited me when it was time to apply for colleges and jobs, but it has fostered in me a passion for education and inspired me to be who I am today. I was thrilled to read this article about how important and meaningful it is to maintain those mentor-student relationships.
If you haven't done so in a while, e-mail or call one of your former teachers. I'm certain that they will be excited to hear from you!
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Passion?
A friend forwarded me this article from the New York Times Parenting Blogs, "Our Push For 'Passion,' and Why It Harms Kids."
In my job as a college counselor, I talk about passion all the time. I'm certain that I say the word "passion" to my students and fellow educators at least ten times a day.
I jumped on the passion bandwagon when I was an undergraduate admissions officer at Trinity College during my very first reading season. As a first reader, I spent six days a week, eight hours a day for two long months doing nothing but reading college applications. Throughout the "reading season" I would review applications from students who were highly qualified to students who were under-qualified, and everywhere in between. Regardless of how qualified each student was, I still read every application from beginning to end. You never knew where a gem would be hiding!
I would often find myself rooting for some applicants, regardless of GPA and standardized testing scores, because they had the ability to take an activity they participate in and make their commitment come alive for the reader. I'm not saying that these students needed to be outstanding writers or truly deep thinkers. They just needed to be able to understand why an activity was important (either to them, their family, their friends, their community, and/or the world) and articulate that commitment. Sometimes these students had more than one passion that they divided their time between, and that was totally fine!
For me, passion doesn't mean finding one thing and doing nothing but that one thing over and over again in order to show that you are committed/passionate/highly proficient. In the college application process, passion is about understanding how or why what you do is important and how that activity can or has made a difference in this world. It's about thinking below the surface level and acknowledging that what you do matters - in your life or in another person's life. It's not about do, do, do. It's about think, think, think.
In my job as a college counselor, I talk about passion all the time. I'm certain that I say the word "passion" to my students and fellow educators at least ten times a day.
I jumped on the passion bandwagon when I was an undergraduate admissions officer at Trinity College during my very first reading season. As a first reader, I spent six days a week, eight hours a day for two long months doing nothing but reading college applications. Throughout the "reading season" I would review applications from students who were highly qualified to students who were under-qualified, and everywhere in between. Regardless of how qualified each student was, I still read every application from beginning to end. You never knew where a gem would be hiding!
I would often find myself rooting for some applicants, regardless of GPA and standardized testing scores, because they had the ability to take an activity they participate in and make their commitment come alive for the reader. I'm not saying that these students needed to be outstanding writers or truly deep thinkers. They just needed to be able to understand why an activity was important (either to them, their family, their friends, their community, and/or the world) and articulate that commitment. Sometimes these students had more than one passion that they divided their time between, and that was totally fine!
For me, passion doesn't mean finding one thing and doing nothing but that one thing over and over again in order to show that you are committed/passionate/highly proficient. In the college application process, passion is about understanding how or why what you do is important and how that activity can or has made a difference in this world. It's about thinking below the surface level and acknowledging that what you do matters - in your life or in another person's life. It's not about do, do, do. It's about think, think, think.
Monday, April 13, 2015
The Moral Bucket List
I was very inspired by this article by David Brooks called, "The Moral Bucket List." Read. Enjoy. Be inspired to be the best you you can be.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Insight Into The Korean Mind
I found this article from The Korea Times very interesting as a study of how typical college age Korean students view their education. I will break it down by the numbers according to the Hyundai Research Institute:
Four in five college students in Korea think employers put a bigger emphasis on one's educational background than ability in hiring employees, a survey shows.
80.5 percent of 2,361 students from 132 universities said that having a degree from a prominent university is more useful than their ability when it comes to finding a job.
A total of 67.3 percent of students who identified themselves as coming from high-income families said they believe they can get any job they want. The rate fell to 45.4 percent for students who classified themselves as members of low-income households.
While 64.9 percent of public college students said they believe they can get any job they want, just 56 percent of private college students said so.
A total of 37.1 percent said a sense of accomplishment is the most important thing to consider before choosing their job, followed by job stability (26 percent) and salary (20 percent).
When asked if they would like to work abroad, 59.3 percent said they would. The rate of response was higher among female students at 63.3 percent compared with 54.6 percent of male students.
Experts say an increasing number of students prefer working overseas, given that Korea has notoriously long working hours. According to government data in 2013, Koreans work 44.6 hours per week on average, the highest among OECD members.
Four in five college students in Korea think employers put a bigger emphasis on one's educational background than ability in hiring employees, a survey shows.
80.5 percent of 2,361 students from 132 universities said that having a degree from a prominent university is more useful than their ability when it comes to finding a job.
A total of 67.3 percent of students who identified themselves as coming from high-income families said they believe they can get any job they want. The rate fell to 45.4 percent for students who classified themselves as members of low-income households.
While 64.9 percent of public college students said they believe they can get any job they want, just 56 percent of private college students said so.
A total of 37.1 percent said a sense of accomplishment is the most important thing to consider before choosing their job, followed by job stability (26 percent) and salary (20 percent).
When asked if they would like to work abroad, 59.3 percent said they would. The rate of response was higher among female students at 63.3 percent compared with 54.6 percent of male students.
Experts say an increasing number of students prefer working overseas, given that Korea has notoriously long working hours. According to government data in 2013, Koreans work 44.6 hours per week on average, the highest among OECD members.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Test Optional Schools in the US
So many colleges and universities are deemphasizing standardized testing in the admissions process. Here is the current list of test optional schools.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Dear 9th Graders: College Applications Can Wait!
I get an inordinate number of 9th grade students and their parents in my office. Perhaps it is because I work at a private school or that I work at an international school with predominately host country students* or perhaps it's because I'm in Asia (sorry to stereotype, but Asian students are very driven). That said, my advice to them mirrors the advice given in this Huffington Post article. Here is the breakdown:
1. Find something you enjoy doing and then keep doing it.
2. If a teacher gives you advice, take it.
3. Take some risks.
4. Don't let your strengths limit you.
5. Ask questions.
If underclass students follow this advice, they have the potential to succeed in the college admissions process simply because they are showing passion, they will build good habits, they will learn to listen and internalize the advice they are given, they will thrive, they will fail, they will learn to break boundaries, and they will learn how to be their best self.
*I would like to clarify this statement. I have found that Korean parents send their Korean students to international schools because they have an eye on a better life for their students, even from a very young age. How their life is better I cannot say because I am not in their situation, but I assume that multiple language ability, being educated at an internationally recognized college or university, and confidence in multiple cultures are among the top reasons.
1. Find something you enjoy doing and then keep doing it.
2. If a teacher gives you advice, take it.
3. Take some risks.
4. Don't let your strengths limit you.
5. Ask questions.
If underclass students follow this advice, they have the potential to succeed in the college admissions process simply because they are showing passion, they will build good habits, they will learn to listen and internalize the advice they are given, they will thrive, they will fail, they will learn to break boundaries, and they will learn how to be their best self.
*I would like to clarify this statement. I have found that Korean parents send their Korean students to international schools because they have an eye on a better life for their students, even from a very young age. How their life is better I cannot say because I am not in their situation, but I assume that multiple language ability, being educated at an internationally recognized college or university, and confidence in multiple cultures are among the top reasons.
4 Ways Studying in the US Challenges Students
A colleague sent me this wonderful article from US News & World Report about the challenges international students face when they come to the US for college or university.
This is a great reminder for all high school college counselors and international college admissions officers that their international students face challenges far greater than what most home country students go through. I often forget about the academic and emotional challenges of moving from one country/education system to another in my quest to get my students into a school in the US. This year, my counseling colleagues have started a comprehensive transition program for seniors and their parents to help them survive being a second semester senior, the admissions waiting game, and the transition to college.
Please contact me in you would like information about our transition program or if you have transition materials that have worked at your school!
This is a great reminder for all high school college counselors and international college admissions officers that their international students face challenges far greater than what most home country students go through. I often forget about the academic and emotional challenges of moving from one country/education system to another in my quest to get my students into a school in the US. This year, my counseling colleagues have started a comprehensive transition program for seniors and their parents to help them survive being a second semester senior, the admissions waiting game, and the transition to college.
Please contact me in you would like information about our transition program or if you have transition materials that have worked at your school!
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