Do you want to obtain an undergraduate degree at a university in the United States? In many ways, Taiwan students are extremely competitive when they apply to US universities – as they can provide a global perspective and cultural background often missing in many undergraduate programs, a perspective and background that many schools are eager to include in their student body.
With that said, there are a number of things which Taiwanese students need to keep in mind when they are applying to undergraduate programs in the US. Below are five important points I want to share with you as you are going into the summer and seriously starting your application process.
1. Diversity Matters
US universities want their student bodies to be ‘diverse.’ Diversity in this sense means that they want students from many different countries, many different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, as well as students with a diversity of interests. As an applicant from Taiwan, you can craft your unique story in such a way as to emphasize your diversity and gain a competitive edge over students from within the US.
2. Grades Aren’t the Only Thing that Matters
Clearly students are always concerned about their grades and standardized test scores. While these are critical, it is really only the first step. Every student applying to top universities will have outstanding test scores. But there is much more to a successful application than grades and test scores – you must paint a complete picture of who you are as a person – you must be curious, intelligent, creative, generous, and outgoing. The easiest way to show you are this type of well-rounded person is to get involved in clubs, activities and hobbies outside the classroom.
3. Passion
Be passionate! In order to truly express who you are as a person and give colleges insight into how you will impact their community (giving them a reason to admit you), you must show them what you really care about. This doesn’t simply mean mentioning that you love reading – it should be explaining why your favorite book shaped the way you think. It doesn’t simply mean writing that you love basketball – it should be explaining in an essay how the strategy and teamwork involved in basketball have helped you to evolve as a person.
4. Be Yourself
While your application should be professional and well-polished, you should not exaggerate or try to pretend to be someone you are not. Whoever you are right now is already really unique, and it is your job to tell your story and convey the type of individual you are. If you stretch the truth and try to make yourself sound like the best person to ever apply to their university, the admissions committee will become turned off. They read thousands of applications every year, and are trained to understand when applicants are not sincere.
5. Be Creative
Admissions committee members read so many essays every application season and you cannot blame them for getting bored. You need to make your essay stand out somehow to capture their attention so that they will have a memorable impression of you. Thus, instead of simply mentioning your interest in sports – show them through your writing how being involved in sports (or music, or math competitions, or whatever) has helped you lead a more meaningful life, and possibly helped you give back to your community.
There are many factors that go into making your application to an undergraduate program successful, none of which are set in stone. Fundamentally, it is your duty to make yourself seem more interesting, intelligent, creative, and valuable than the other applicants. You need more than grades to accomplish this – you need to craft your story with care and attention to detail. Be yourself and speak to your passions and you’ll be on the right track. And of course, if you’d like any assistance working through how to craft your story that will give you the maximum chance of success, you can always reach me at david@transcendadmissions.com.