Columnist Nicole Lee 2---How to Apply to Colleges in the United States！

Are you interested in applying to colleges in the United States? From Ivy League universities like Harvard and Yale to state universities like UC Berkeley and UT Austin, the U.S. offers some of the best education in the world. With individual colleges receiving hundreds of thousands of applications every year, the college application process is bound to get competitive. Hello, I’m Nicole Lee, a columnist for the Southern Chinese News Group, and I will be sharing some insight into the U.S. college admissions process.

The college admission process in China differs significantly from the college application process in the United States. In China, college admissions are primarily based on scores from the National College Entrance Examination (more commonly known as the Gaokao). The Gaokao is required for undergraduate admissions to all universities on mainland China. This high-stakes exam plays a decisive role in determining a student’s future academic and career prospects. The Gaokao is offered only once a year, and although it can be retaken, it cannot be superscored (unlike the SAT, where depending on a college’s application policy, a student’s highest scores on individual sections from different testing dates can be combined into one higher composite score). The Chinese admissions process is highly standardized and generally considered fair due to its objective nature. However, it lacks flexibility and tends to overlook individual differences. By contrast, colleges in the U.S. employ a holistic review process, meaning that applicants are evaluated on a combination of factors beyond just grades and test scores. A college application often includes components like extracurricular activities, awards, letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and supplemental essays. Applicants might receive an invitation to an interview as well. 

Standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT are more flexible than the Gaokao. Students can

retake these exams multiple times in a year and submit their best scores. Many colleges don’t require standardized test scores at all. Test-optional colleges include Stanford, Columbia, Rice, Princeton, and many more. Aside from the SAT/ACT, top-tier universities may require or recommend Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) scores to supplement academic credentials. Compared to China’s one-shot exam system, American students have more opportunities to demonstrate their academic abilities.

Extracurricular activities are also a crucial part of the U.S. college application process. Universities value a student’s interests, leadership skills, impact on their community, and personality; these factors can often be showcased through the activities a student participates in outside of the classroom. High schoolers can be seen engaging in community service, starting clubs, playing instruments, joining a sports team, and much more. These experiences not only exhibit a student’s passion and interest but also reflect their character and potential. A statement from Harvard’s admissions office demonstrates this: “We are looking for people who will make a difference in the world, not just in the classroom.” 

Applying to U.S. universities is a long-term process that requires early planning.

Typically, preparation begins at the start of high school (in 9th grade). High school freshmen who are aiming for Top 20 universities already start thinking about course selection, preparing for standardized testing, and finding activities that they are interested in. Most college applications are due between November and January of a student’s senior year. Applicants usually submit their materials through the Common Application, but several colleges require or allow other platforms like the UC system or the Coalition Application.

When applying to universities in the U.S., it’s important to familiarize yourself with the various college application deadlines. For students wanting to apply before the Regular Decision deadline (the standard deadline), many universities offer Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) options. ED is a binding agreement, meaning that if a student is accepted to a university through ED, then the student is required to attend that university. The only exception is if the student is unable to afford the cost of attendance. EA is non-binding, meaning that if a student is accepted through EA, they are not required to attend. Many universities (like Princeton and Harvard) do not offer ED or EA deadlines, instead offering a Restricted Early Action (REA) option. Although it is non-binding (meaning that students are not required to attend the university if accepted), applicants applying REA to one university cannot apply to any other university through an early deadline. Applying early through ED, EA, or REA allows students to potentially increase their chances of admission. For students who wish to spend more time perfecting their college applications, the Regular Decision (RD) is available. Regular Decision deadlines typically fall in early January. After the RD deadline, many universities (typically less-selective ones) offer rolling admissions. There is no strict deadline for rolling admissions, and a student can be accepted into the university several months after the RD deadline as long as there is still space.

The benefit of the U.S. college admissions process is that one component won’t make or break an applicant’s chances of admission. Despite having a low SAT score, many students can still be accepted into their dream college because of their outstanding essays or extracurricular activities. Colleges evaluate applicants holistically, and don’t focus solely on one criterion (unlike Chinese universities, who primarily focus on Gaokao scores). If you're someone who is thinking of applying to a U.S. university, it’s never too late to start preparing!

如何申请美国大学？

作者：李亦君Nicole Lee（HSPVA休斯顿艺术高中学生）

你有兴趣申请美国大学吗？从哈佛和耶鲁这样的常春藤盟校，到加州大学伯克利分校和德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校这样的州立大学，美国提供了世界上最好的教育资源。由于每所大学每年都会收到数十万份申请，申请过程竞争必然会非常激烈。大家好，我是南方报业集团的专栏作家Nicole Lee，我将与大家分享一些关于美国大学录取流程的见解。 中国的大学录取流程与美国的大学申请流程截然不同。在中国，大学录取主要基于全国普通高校入学考试（通常称为高考）的成绩。高考是中国大陆所有大学本科入学的必要条件。这项高风险的考试对学生未来的学业和职业前景起着决定性的作用。高考每年只举行一次，虽然可以重考，但不能加分（不像SAT，根据大学的申请政策，学生在不同考试日期各个单项的最高分可以合并为一个更高的综合分数）。中国的招生程序高度标准化，由于其客观性，通常被认为是公平的。然而，它缺乏灵活性，而且容易忽视个体差异。相比之下，美国的大学采用整体评估流程，这意味着除了成绩和考试分数之外，还会综合考虑多种因素来评估申请者。大学申请通常包括课外活动、奖项、推荐信、个人陈述和补充论文等部分。申请者也可能会收到面试邀请。 SAT和ACT等标准化考试比高考更灵活。学生可以在一年内多次重考这些考试，并提交他们的最佳成绩。许多大学根本不要求标准化考试成绩。斯坦福大学、哥伦比亚大学、莱斯大学、普林斯顿大学等等都实行考试可选制。除了SAT/ACT成绩外，顶尖大学可能还会要求或推荐大学先修课程（AP）或国际文凭课程（IB）成绩作为学术资历的补充。与中国的一次性考试制度相比，美国学生拥有更多机会展示自己的学术能力。 课外活动也是美国大学申请流程中至关重要的一部分。大学重视学生的兴趣、领导能力、对社区的影响力以及个性；这些因素通常可以通过学生参与的课外活动来展现。高中生可以参与社区服务、创办俱乐部、演奏乐器、加入运动队等等。这些经历不仅展现了学生的热情和兴趣，也反映了他们的性格和潜力。哈佛大学招生办公室的一份声明就体现了这一点：“我们寻找的是那些能够改变世界的人，而不仅仅是在课堂上。” 申请美国大学是一个长期的过程，需要提前规划。 通常，准备工作从高中开始（九年级）就开始了。那些瞄准排名前 20 的大学的高中新生已经开始考虑选课、准备标准化考试以及寻找自己感兴趣的活动。大多数大学申请截止日期为学生高三的 11 月至 1 月。申请者通常通过通用申请系统 (Common Application) 提交材料，但一些大学也要求或允许使用其他平台，例如加州大学系统 (UC) 或联盟申请 (Coalition Application)。 

申请美国大学时，熟悉各大学申请截止日期至关重要。对于希望在常规申请截止日期（标准截止日期）之前申请的学生，许多大学提供提前申请 (ED) 和提前行动 (EA) 选项。ED 是一项具有约束力的协议，这意味着如果学生通过 ED 被大学录取，则必须就读该大学。唯一的例外是学生无力承担就读费用。EA 不具有约束力，这意味着如果学生通过 EA 被录取，则无需就读。许多大学（例如普林斯顿大学和哈佛大学）不提供 ED 或 EA 截止日期，而是提供限制性提前行动 (REA) 选项。虽然 REA 不具有约束力（这意味着学生被录取后无需就读该大学），但通过 REA 申请一所大学的申请人不能通过提前截止日期申请其他大学。通过 ED、EA 或 REA 提前申请可以让学生潜在地增加被录取的机会。对于希望花更多时间完善大学申请的学生，可以选择常规申请 (RD)。常规申请截止日期通常在一月初。在 RD 截止日期之后，许多大学（通常是选择性较低的大学）会提供滚动录取。滚动录取没有严格的截止日期，只要仍有名额，学生可以在 RD 截止日期几个月后被大学录取。 美国大学录取流程的优势在于，单一因素不会决定申请者的录取几率。即使 SAT 分数较低，许多学生仍然可以通过出色的论文或课外活动进入理想的大学。大学会全面评估申请者，而不会只关注一项标准（不像中国大学主要关注高考成绩）。如果您正在考虑申请美国大学，现在开始准备永远不会太晚！