<p>I don’t know about the rush to judge the (ill) fit here… I completely understand the reaction, but I’m not sure there should be such confidence that HC isn’t a great fit.</p>
<p>sugarguitar, what made you apply to HC in the first place? We have a large Chinese college student population in our mid-size European city – from rural to city – and I’ve had classes with many, almost all of whom are very low-key, reserved (well, they might get a little in-yer-face with some of the “Hello Kitty” paraphernalia, but otherwise very reserved) in the academic setting and, still, when they go out they are, well, like you describe yourself: total Beijing party girls (and guys). And I know the latter because I’ve seen them in some of the clubs, some of which my son performs at…and, he, too – a U.S. citizen, not Asian – is very low key and laid back, but a different person on stage (possible future bandmate of englishjw’s S, I reckon) who I never see, at home or anywhere.</p>
<p>Have you been to the U.S. for an extended time, sugarguitar? You may find that you lean toward the conservative side of the spectrum and American big city experience may come across as a bit, well, pushy and insensitive, especially for someone who seems very comfortable being a social superstar. You really chose to emphasize the social aspects, in a way where being out in front is important to you. I think HC would give you that opportunity…with a fairly cosmopolitan group of people, too. Don’t think that HC students are a bunch of hayseeds (slow-minded, slow-paced, farmboys and girls). But, if I catch what you’re expressing here, I think they’ll be very much inclined to be people who you can socialize with…and even be a social mover and shaker. Meanwhile, at – say – Columbia, you might find yourself tagging along, perhaps as the oddball cousin.</p>
<p>Now, when it comes time for graduate school, I can see you having found your “zone” within American culture and feel that it’s time for LA or Manhattan. I just wouldn’t be so quick to think that those places are the right places for you during college, in a new country. If you want to step right in and be the social mover you’re telling us you see yourself as being, HC might actually be an excellent fit.</p>
<p>Sorry to throw down a response that derails what you’ve heard so far. I’m not trying to make this more confusing, I promise. I just sincerely look at the things you’ve chosen to tell us about yourself and think that a young woman from Beijing who says those things might find HC to be a great fit; while, maybe, not so much for Paris Hilton or other socialites who’ve found their way in the big city U.S. scene. I think places like HC, possibly Penn or Brown would be great in terms of both social scene and intellectual rigor. Not Cornell, Princeton, Dartmouth (which has a party scene…but probably not your style).</p>
<p>No, I don’t think you’ll be the everyday, ho-hum, average HC student…and if you think of “fit” as blending in and conforming with the crowd so that you don’t stand out, then HC would not be a very good fit for you. But I’m not reading that into what you’re looking for when it comes to “fit.” In that sense, I think HC could be a darn good fit for you. It takes all kinds to make a diverse community and you’ll be one of those people who can help shape the experience for people. That can happen, for a student from Beijing, at HC. I don’t think that will come close to happening for a freshman girl from Beijing setting foot in Manhattan and, if you try to be that person there, I think there’s a good chance that that’s where you’ll get the judgments thrown at you and feel like the social outcast.</p>