Pao School has an outstanding new university counselling team that will steadily guide the students through the challenging college application process.
Leading the team is Emily Benoit, who comes to Pao School after six years in the undergraduate admissions office of the University of Chicago. Emily holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Chicago.
Emily Benoit
"I look forward to guiding our students through this process and helping them find a home for the next 3-4 years."
Working alongside Emily is Tracy Weldon, who joined Pao School last school year. Tracy holds a Master of Education in Higher Education from Harvard University. She previously worked for seven years and as a college counsellor at two different international high schools in Switzerland. Before that, she worked for five years at a small liberal arts college in admissions.
Tracy Weldon
Tracy lauds the aptitude of YK Pao School's students.
"Throughout my professional career, I've met and worked with so many different students from very different backgrounds from throughout the US and around the world, and I can honestly say that Pao School students are a dream. They're incredibly diligent and also multifaceted, with diverse interests and so much enthusiasm for their subject areas and for their future plans. They do so well and work so hard, not just in terms of their test scores, but also on their essays and other components their university applications."
Sarah Magnussen Link is another key member of the UCO team. She is a graduate of Brown University and earned a Master's degree at University College London (UCL). Sarah formerly managed the academic counselling programme for a high school in China and before that, she worked independently with international students in London, assisting families with university applications and other related pursuits.
Sarah Magnussen Link
"I'm excited to be here as a part of this University Counseling team working with our wonderful students. I have already met with many students and parents and I am extremely impressed."
Goals for the whole school
The UCO team has several goals for the whole school this year. It wants to increase students’ exposure to universities from around the world through visits from admissions officers, and host other university-related workshops beginning in Year 9. UCO will host additional workshops for students interested in applying to some of the world’s most selective institutions.
One of the highlights of this year's UCO programme will be a college fair in March on our Hongqiao campus that will include representatives from over 150 schools from around the world. Among the participating schools will be Boston University, Johns Hopkins, Istituto Marangoni, Kings College London, Tufts University, the University of Chicago and the University of Southern California, to name a few.
As a former admissions counsellor, Emily has been responsible for reading thousands of applications. She has compiled a list of common mistakes she has seen Chinese students make in their applications to provide as a reference for Pao families. "These are things we want to help your students avoid when applying to universities," she says.
Failure to follow application guidelines
It is important for students to edit themselves and follow application guidelines, Emily notes. For example, if a school asks for 2 letters of recommendation, do not submit 10. Likewise, if a school doesn’t give a page limit for an essay, but suggests anywhere from 2-3 pages, do not submit a 10-page paper. Schools want to see that students can follow directions – this is the first test.
Lack of authenticity
"Students need to take time to reflect on their choices, options, and decisions at every stage of this process. They should be intentional and deliberate about where they choose to apply and why," Emily says, adding that admissions officers can detect the difference between a student who applies to a school simply because it is a "top school” and a student who has taken the time to understand why they are a good fit for that university and what the school can offer them. "More is not always better!" says Emily.
Over-communication
Over-communication is another issue that often comes up in applications from Chinese students. It is essential to be moderate and thoughtful when communicating with admissions offices. Don't email admissions officers regularly asking about updates on your application. However, if students have specific questions for a particular school, they should not hesitate to reach out to someone with their inquiry. Additionally, if a student is deferred or waitlisted, that student should be the one reaching out to the school, not a parent or their friends.
Failure to finish the school year strong
Another typical problem is that some students prematurely throw in the towel during the final year of high school - after having already applied to college. It is important for students to think long-term and continue developing their language skills. Their work is not done once they have submitted their applications and completed their exams. They need to continue participating in class, completing homework assignments, and working on their conversational skills as there won’t be time to brush up on these things once they get to university.
Emily says,
"Applications are rescinded each and every year due to students not caring and thinking that they don’t have to do their work once they have been accepted to a university."
Common themes among strong applicants
At the same time, strong applications share some common themes. They tell a story about what interests a student and why. They show that students have done their research and are able to articulate why that school or programme of study is right for them. They are authentic, showcasing the integrity of the applicants. They pay attention to details. Little things like labeling essays with the prompt that was chosen and taking advantage of “optional” essays and interviews go a long way.
