A ONE Institute
Nov 1, 2023
Various Factors That Can Be Weaknesses and Strategies to Turn English into a Defense and a Strength
A few weeks ago, there was a post examining the characteristics of students who gained admission to universities better than their academic performance, meaning those who entered universities more prestigious than their own grades. This time, we will explore the characteristics of students who attend lower-ranked universities compared to their academic performance.
University admissions often use GPA as a benchmark, but it's not the sole determining factor. Admissions also consider the Upside Potential factors that can raise a student's value and the Downside Risk factors that can lower a student's evaluation.
Upside Potential:
Factors that can elevate a student's value
Downside Risk:
Factors that can lower a student's evaluation
When universities evaluate applicants, GPA and the Upside/Downside factors a student possesses become crucial evaluation criteria. Some people believe that their extracurricular activities, such as music or sports, can serve as Upside Potential to compensate for a GPA they expect to be around the 50th percentile, allowing them to gain admission to a university ranked around the 20th percentile, for example.
To use Music or Sports as Upside Potential to lift your university ranking significantly, you must excel in these areas, possibly even achieving the number one ranking in the state. Only then can they truly function as Upside Potential. For instance, one of our students had a fencing activity and was ranked 6th nationally. Another student admitted to Princeton used the violin as an Upside Potential, having won awards in world competitions. To make Music or Sports count as Upside Potential, you need an outstanding ranking or achievements.
Apart from GPA, various factors can act as Downside Risk. Let's go through them one by one.
Downside Risk: Absence, Recommendation Letter, Club
Absence:
Frequent absences can be challenging to compensate for. Severe health-related absences that can be documented may be acceptable, but if you have many other unexcused absences, it can be challenging to get into a good school.
Recommendation Letter:
Be cautious of recommendation letters that may turn into Downside Risk. Some recommenders may write negative recommendations. Be selective when obtaining recommendation letters.
Club:
The most significant difference between private/boarding and public schools is the number of students cared for by one teacher. Private/boarding schools often emphasize a wide range of clubs to showcase socialization skills, which can be challenging in schools with larger class sizes. However, the advantage of public schools is that you can demonstrate socializing skills with just 1-2 club activities. Missing the opportunity to showcase this advantage can make you appear lacking in social skills. I recommend participating in several clubs, even if it's mandatory.
Downside Risk: Volunteer, Sports, Humanities
Sports:
Sports can be a Downside Risk, for example, when a math-savvy student wishes to major in Computer Science but dislikes sports. Having no sports involvement can make it challenging to get into a good university.
Volunteer:
Like sports, lacking volunteer experience can be a Downside Risk when applying to good universities. The field of volunteer work doesn't have to be directly related to your major.
Humanities:
If you plan to major in STEM fields, approaching humanities solely to meet graduation requirements is not recommended.
Downside Risk: English
For many Asian students, English can be a common source of Downside Risk. From this point on, I'll provide strategies to "defend" and, even more importantly, "attack" English to improve your competitiveness in the college admissions process.
I've categorized activities that can be considered defensive and attacking strategies based on their difficulty level, dividing them into Division 1, Division 2, and Division 3. Division 3 represents more defensive activities, while Division 1 indicates more aggressive strategies.
Division 3 (Defensive):
International Bipolar Foundation Essay Competition (IBPF): A casual essay competition.
NHD (National History Day): A history-related fair that often requires school advisor involvement.
Scholastic Arts and Writing: Apply in multiple categories, especially writing.
Division 2 (Between Defensive and Aggressive):
National Speech & Debate Association: Participate in debate competitions, often requiring school advisor involvement.
The Leonard L. Milberg '53 High School Poetry Prize: Submit poetry.
Ayn Rand Essay Contest: Write an essay after reading Ayn Rand's book.
Young Arts-National Arts Competition: Apply in various categories, including writing and essay.
Division 1 (Aggressive):
The Concord Review: Prepare a research paper related to history.
TASS (Telluride Association Summer Seminar): Participate in a camp related to Black civil rights.
HIEEC (Harvard International Economics Essay Contest).
John Locke Essay Competition.
National Economics Challenge: A challenging competition for economics enthusiasts.
John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest
“SAT scores alone may not be sufficient to defend your English skills. It's crucial to have experience in Division 1-3 activities to bolster your qualifications.”
I hope this discussion about factors that can act as Downside Risk in the U.S. college application process has been insightful. At A-One Institute, we hope that you manage Downside Risk effectively by considering these various factors. Particularly for Asian students looking to improve their English skills, we are here to help you turn it into a strength and meet the requirements for a competitive application. Stay tuned for our next post. Thank you.