Korean students...?

Prep School Admissions Prep School Cafe
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<p>First, I would like to state that I AM KOREAN, and South Korea is a very academically competitive country. (and I don't hate that country, since I am KOREAN.)</p>

<p>Recently, I read an article about thousands of Korean applicators applying for HADES, and many other top prep schools. For example, in Deerfield, about 3000 applications come from South Korea. and about 5-10 of them get accepted (5/3000, isn't that crazy?). The problem is, out of those 3000 applicators, many of them doesn't even know why (I mean seriously, TRULY WHY) they have to go to those schools; most reasons are - because their parents told them to, and it looks & sounds good & cool (and they can show off to other Koreans). I MEAN, SERIOUSLY????? YOU SPEND $45000 to LOOK GOOD and SHOW OFF. I just think that's insane. Also, they usually only apply for top schools, like HADES. They don't even consider other schools, because they only care about HADES. They don't think other schools are even WORTH applying.</p>

<p>Personally, I think there's problem with all this^, this is definitely NOT NORMAL, right?</p>

<p>Yes, I am applying to prep schools too. Actually, I am applying to Hotchkiss, Andover, St.Paul's, Middlesex, but it is because of COMPLETELY different reasons. and I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, and WHY I SHOULD DO IT. and because of many applicators who just apply to show off and look good, my chance of acceptance just got down to 0.00166666667. Thanks.</p>

<p><strong>I know this may sound offensive to some Koreans, but this is the truth.</strong></p>

<p>NO HATER COMMENTS PLEASE. I JUST THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS AND FELT LIKE SHARING THIS INFORMATION (and opinion)</p>

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<p>out of your list im applying to andover and st. pauls (as well as exeter and milton)…i did notice an influx of Korean people during my visits to each school (especially st. pauls and exeter). if you are really committed to going to one of those schools, and show it in your interview, application, etc., i dont think you would be automatically stereotypicalized into “one of those Korean kids that just apply here because of their parents”. <that isn’t meant to offend anyone either. </p>

<p>and 5/3000? first of all, 3000 is a crazy number?! are you sure you’re reading the stats right? 3000 South Koreans applying to just Deerfield (if im reading that correctly) is a massive number. It doesn’t seem quite accurate of a number. On the andover website, there are about 3000 people that apply total. </p>

<p>I haven’t checked into Deerfield’s website or anything, but if there are seriously 3000 south koreans applying there alone, i feel bad for the AOs looking through all of those applications. i don’t mean that offensively either, but that’s really a lot of people to look at.</p>

<p>best of luck to you anyway!</p>

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<p>Well from my memory I think it was somewhere around 3000. Way over 1000, for sure.</p>

<p>Thank you for your advice and everything :)</p>

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<p>no problem! which school is your top choice?</p>

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<p>Deerfield is my first choice, and Middlesex is my second :)</p>

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<p>Yo, i say you try and put that thru on ur essays. It’ll set you apart.</p>

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<p>@rad-in-plaid96 i agree</p>

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<p>Poor Korean alumni representatives of Deerfield… So many students to interview compared to other alums</p>

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<p>@rad-in-plaid96
That is such a good idea! thank you! :)</p>

<p>@jerryeps
haha I agree! never really thought about that haha</p>

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<p>Oh gawd i AGREE haha This reminds me of 8th grade when my parents suddenly told me to apply to HADES…I thought they had just wanted to send me away ):
However, now as a sophomore and reapplying for sophomore year(nervous because i think this brings my app down) for these schools…Ive began to understand these schools. After further research out of my own curiosity, these schools are wonderful with amazing students and amazing teachers. (great learning environment too) :smiley:
As a korean I’d have to say, i’m always pressured by parents’ nagging about their friends “outstanding” daughters and sons. I mean, Which Koreans arent? It’s like an extreme competition for parents on whose child scores perfect on the SATs or whose child got into HADES. and their children start to believe that their soul and goal relies on having a good rep rather than enjoying and applying to what they like. </p>

<p>Best of luck everyone! March 10 is finally here!</p>

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<p>it’s true for chinese students as well! D:</p>

<p>so much competition. it is probably because in asia, there are too many people and too many students… and the easiest way to ‘compare’ students is by grades and academic achievements, so parents always want to make their kids get good grades and get into good schools. it’s just an asian thing.</p>

<p>i felt the same thing when applying for BS. when i took the ssat, there were SO MANY CHINESE LOCAL STUDENTS and they were all like, clueless. i heard them talking about how they guessed everything on the vocab, how they only got half way through the reading section… and i wondered why there were even doing this.</p>

<p>it might seem unfair, but i guess you should always try your best to stand out!</p>