<p>ExieMITAlum</p>
<p>Wow that was really informative, thank you.
I was actually worried in the beginning because I didnt really have perfect marks.
I hope I didn’t come across as trained or anything.
Have you ever had interviews where it is blatantly obvious that they scripted their answers?</p>
<p>Erasable ink pens are available at Staples. They don’t look quite as good as a normal pen, but better than white out or crossing out, IMHO.</p>
<p>I use white out</p>
<p>ExieMITAlum’s points are extremely valid, and generally true about the students at top prep schools… Everyone stands out in some way, whether it’s brilliance in a certain subject or extreme well-roundedness.
I’m an Asian-American, born in Chicago, but when I was 10, I moved to China. I had previously always identified myself as strictly American with no Chinese roots, but that all had to change when I realized I was in some ways, more similar to Chinese people than Americans.
I’m not the typical Asian student: I’m not socially awkward, I don’t play chess, I suck at math and science, and I don’t play tennis, nor do I swim. In fact, I don’t know many Asians that are like that here at all.</p>
<p>Basically, they look for people who stand out. Yes, there are lots of Asian applicants, but they’re all nearly identical… Just be who you are and just do what you do, it’s as simple as that.</p>
<p>Some boarding schools are wary of too large an Asian population at their schools for the simple reason that the students will tend to stick together and not blend in well with the overall population. One of the many reasons parents of international students choose to send their kids to boarding schools is to improve their childrens’ command of English. This can be easily defeated if their children spend all their free time conversing in their native tongue. But it is a double edged sword for admissions: most Asian kids are full pay and completely qualified, and no school wants to discourage applications or be known as the school that rejects almost all Asian applications.
zp</p>
<p>Thatgirl,</p>
<p>Yes. For both BS and college. And it’s not limited to international students - a lot of American students whose parents read some generic “how to get into a top school” guide, or hired a coach to help them - which I think doesn’t help because we don’t want a “cookie cutter” kid.</p>
<p>Only problem with coaching is that interviewers are used to seeing thousands of kids over the years and we’ve heard it all and can read body language and intonation. IIt’s easy to spot those kids because “non-traditional” questions trip them up and they can’t get off the script.</p>
<p>Think of it this way - when we were at my daughter’s school the Adcom made an astute observation - he said college Adcom’s don’t have to live with students once they are admitted, but BS Adcoms are with the students 24/7 - so they have to like the kids they are admitting.</p>
<p>That’s the closest to the truth I’ve heard stated. </p>
<p>Don’t worry. Just be yourself and let the true you shine through. That way you’ll find the right match and the right school will see “you” too.</p>
<p>Darn it. I just realized that I am a typical piano-playing, math-loving Asian. Funny how I didn’t notice until now.</p>
<p>LOL!</p>
<p>Those still counts panda!</p>
<p>BTW - when my D was interviewing, 98% of the applicants that evening looked like mini clones of Wall Street bankers - in fact some looked like clones of their fathers. I’m not kidding. Down to the wing-tipped shoes. My D was in a suit and she was still way underdressed. </p>
<p>I hope that’s not normal.</p>
<p>Wow. It was the same when I had the intereview</p>