The 9th 10th and 11th graders at MVA Shanghai had the amazing opportunity of hearing from three young successful and very knowledgeable professional about how best to prepare for their college applications and for college life in the United States.

　　名校毕业生教你如何申请大学

　　Max Wang，北京人， 毕业于上海平和双语学校和马卡莱斯特学院，他首先对课外活动的重要性发表了观点。

　　Max Wang a Beijing native and graduate of Pinghe and Macalaster College offered his perspectives on the importance of extracurricular activities.

　　“想象一下，两个学生的考试成绩大致相同。”马克斯告诉学生。 “现在，他们中的一个从未离开图书馆，或者只是进行了一种运动或者是学校活动，”他继续说，“而另一名学生可能没有这么高的分数，但他曾经成立一个组织，或者花了一年以上的时间领导一个团队。“

　　“Imagine two students with roughly the same test scores” Max told the students. “Now one of them has never left the library or maybe just does one sport or school activity” he continued “and then another student who might not even have such high scores but who has founded an organization or spent a year or more leading a team as part of a competition.”

　　“毫无疑问，”马克斯说，“大学将录取第二个学生。”

　　“Without question” Max said “they will take the second student.”

　　马克斯还强调，要真实，说的是实话。Max also stressed the need to authenticity and telling the truth.

　　“只是因为你在写入学申请，它不一定是真正的吗?”事实上，他说，“你必须能够谈论你的经历，解释这些经历是如何塑造你，如何改变你认识世界的方式。”

　　“Just because you write something on your application it doesn’t make it real.” Indeed he said “you need to be able to talk about your experience to explain how they shaped you how it has changed the way you think about the world.”

　　正如我们的老师指出，“正因为父母安排了孩子的一些惊人表现，没有大学会相信学生是依靠自己做到的。这是有害无益的，因为它看起来是如此不诚实”。

　　As our teachers pointed out “Just because a parent arranges some amazing performance no college will believe the student actually did it themselves. It’s worse than useless because it appears to be so dishonest.”

　　下一位演讲嘉宾，Katie Yao，土生土长的上海人，毕业于复旦附中和波士顿学院，讲到她她申请之前就希望知道的，也是在去美国上学前认识到的。

　　The next guest Katie Yao a Shanghai native and graduate of Fudan University High School and Boston College spoke about what she wished she had known before applying and before attending school in the U.S.

　　“你需要找到学习，社交生活和睡眠之间的平衡点，” Katie告诉孩子们： “你每天都需要进行优先排序，因为每天你都不能三者兼得。”

　　“You need to find your balance between your studies your social life and sleep” Katie told the students. “You need to prioritize every day because every day you can’t have all three.”

　　凯蒂还强调脸皮要厚一点，不要害怕寻求帮助。 “你的老师们非常坦率：当你的工作没有达到他们的标准时，他们会让你知道。”然而，她再三向学生强调：“去寻求帮助，在老师办公时间去找他们。这是很难的，但你应该运用所有可以调动的资源。”

　　Katie also stressed the importance of growing a thicker skin and not being afraid to ask for help. “Your teachers will be honest: they will let you know when your work is not meeting their standards.” Yet she reassured students “Ask for help. Go to office hours. It’s hard and you should use all the resources available to you.”

　　最后一位演讲者，Diana Lee来自得克萨斯州休斯敦，毕业于威尔斯利学院。她谈到更广泛的内容， 有关于人文艺术教育的重要性，如何学习问重要的问题。

　　The final speaker Diana Lee from Houston Texas and a graduate of Wellesley College spoke more broadly about the importance of a Liberal Arts education and learning how to ask important questions.

　　“多参加不同类别的课程。学习和与你不同类型的人，和你学习不同专业的人交谈。”她强调。

　　“Take a lot of different classes. Learn how to talk to people who are different from you who study different subjects” she stressed.

　　戴安娜最近两年来一直在帮助中国的学生申请大学，她还重申了诚实可信的重要性。申请论文应该是深思熟虑的，有意义的，不仅仅是获得成就的清单。你可以在论文中分享你的不足和担忧，并解释你是如何克服这些问题，作为一个学生你是如何成长的。

　　Diana who has spent the past two years helping Chinese students apply to college also repeated the overall importance of honesty and authenticity. Essays should be thoughtful and meaningful not just a list of accomplishments. It’s ok to share your weakness and worries—and to explain how you’ve overcome them how you’ve grown as a student.

　　总之，学生们从演讲中获得了很多启迪。在美国梦沃学校(上海)，我们将继续尽力提供最好的资源，来帮助孩子申请好的大学。

　　All together the students gained a great deal of wisdom from all of the speakers. At MVA Shanghai we will continue to offer the best possible resources for students applying to college.

　　例如，所有的10和11年级的教师接受了大学申请过程中一个新的重要指导。《按照自己的兴趣找到合适的大学》，由管理学硕士Janet Marthers，和教育学博士Paul Marther，两名专业人员根据他们数十年来在美国最好的大学(包括斯坦福大学，杜克大学，欧柏林，波士顿大学和瓦萨学院)的经验精心编撰。

　　For instance all 10th and 11th grade teachers have received a new and important guide for the college application process Follow Your Interests to Find the Right College by Janet Marthers MA and Paul Marthers EdD two professionals with dozens of years of experience at many of the best college and universities in the United States (including Stanford Duke Oberlin Boston College and Vassar College).

　　(感谢本文翻译严滨老师)

　　作者介绍：Chris Moses 从里德学院获得历史学学士，并作为“Phi Beta Kappa 优秀毕业生”毕业。随后在普林斯顿大学继续硕士和博士阶段的学习。曾在美国担任招生负责人、升学顾问以及纽约独立学校学生处主任。他是上海美国梦沃学校(Montverde Academy-Shanghai)的创立者之一，讲授英语和美国历史课。