Hey everyone,
I took the USACO last year and got to platinum level. However, when I registered, I used my Chinese name instead of my American name so it’s my Chinese name that shows up on the achievement history.
The thing is will that pose issues when I list that achievements under college apps? Because they will technically get no result if they tried to search me in USACO history using my American name. I don’t want colleges to think I was lying about my score. Thanks in advance.
I would include it on your application. You can put a note in the additional information section with your Chinese name and an explanation.
I’m a little confused. Are you saying you didn’t use the same legal name (in English alphabet) when you competed in USACO and when you are applying to colleges? If names don’t match (other than, perhaps, a transposition of your first and last names), your explanation alone isn’t likely to be sufficient.
The common app asks if you have ever used another name…how about putting your Chinese name there? If not, can your counselor cover this in their letter?
It sounds like you may be high academic/strong applicant, and if that’s the case I would much rather you use the additional info section for something else, say expanding on a few of your activities than explaining the different names between the application and USACO registration. Although I guess you could do both in the additional info section…expand on USACO and mention the different names. Another option could be to explain it in an email to your AO at each school you apply to.
What schools are you applying to?
I used my Chinese name for USACO and my official legal name for college apps.
I am doing regular decision, but I still don’t really have a list of colleges yet 
which is problematic since I only have a month. But I do want to apply to a school with a strong CS problem like MIT.
In Chinese characters? I could be wrong but I assume you had to use alphabetized name to register for USACO.
Did you change your name? If not, wouldn’t your alphabetized name be your legal name on the college apps?
No, the name I put on USACO is in Pinyin which is an alphabetized name. However, my legal name is a traditional American name.
Exam: Yichang (USACO), Benny (American). Note these are not my actual names: I’m just using them as an example.
This is the larger issue than your two different names…as I mentioned above you can put your legal name in the common app, and then in the field that asks if you have ever used another name, enter your Chinese alphabetized name that you used for USACO. Easy and done.
What are you looking for in a school? You mentioned MIT, but will also need match schools and at least one, ideally two, affordable safeties. Do you have an affordable safety? What is your budget? Have you started your essays? They can be time consuming and are extremely important in the application process, especially at reach/match schools.
Doesn’t this mean that you legally changed your name in the US? Using your example, if you adopted “Benny” as your new legal American name, shouldn’t you have some legal document to back it up?
Common app does not ask anyone for legal documentation of their name. OP just needs to use his legal name on the common app…which I assume matches his HS records and standardized testing.
Then, as I mentioned above he can put his alphabetized Chinese name in the common app question that asks the applicant if they have ever used another name…this is exactly why that question exists.
I know the OP can put his other name (alphabetized Chinese name) in the the Common App, but for the purpose of validating his USACO accomplishment (the colleges that care will independently validate), he needs to convince the colleges. If his HS records, or standardized testing, are in his alphabetized Chinese name (rather than the name he uses for college applications), he also needs to demonstrate it somehow. It’s unavoidable.
His counselor can also mention the two names in their letter.
We have no indication this is the case…if everything is in Chinese name, why would OP use anything but that name on the common app?
OP’s bigger issue is having no applications in yet. The name can be sorted out via common app, counselor letter, email to AOs with documentation that could be a legal document or a screen shot of USACO registration with the same address, etc.
As I indicated in my earlier posts, I’m not clear what exactly the situation is. My assumption is that the OP was a Chinese national who completed, or partially completed, HS in China (that would explain why he used his Chinese name for USACO). Now he’s in US and his legal name in US would still be his alphabetized Chinese name if he hadn’t legally changed it. Since the OP seems to suggest that he has a legal American name, he must have taken some legal action to change his name in the US.
I agree. My biggest issue is I haven’t started anything yet: I have no list of schools or haven’t started any essays. I think I am in desperate need of help. Any advice would be great.
Also, I just realized I meant to write USACO Gold, not USACO platinum.