The authors say:
"In this paper to suggest that you are about to apply for university planning, are based on my personal experience to apply some general ever to help the students summarized in the process of planning, each student has their own specific situation, so these recommendations only as a reference, does not mean that every student should be in full accordance with the steps to do it. Now I will follow the order of the timeline of three years of high school, it is recommended that each time a node mention what to do, help the students apply to their dreams of college. "
A high
| Foundation, activities, language |
Foundation refers to maintain good grades in school, and lay a solid foundation for the application of late. Since the report card is submitted when applying for grades 9 - 12 (corresponding to the national junior-high three), and "Grade 9" for the students, the high school has become a thing of the past, no matter how the previous results, both let it go . Students currently need to do is: Always stay focused, get down on each class, conscientiously pay every job, so as to ensure their "usual points" and "test points" can be decent. As a result, GPA (grade point) there is a guarantee, and most important indicator of the GPA to apply for university once hard life, when post-college application will take great advantage (GPA specifically how important college applications, I'll explain later issued a document).
Activity refers to the students should seize every opportunity to participate in the activities of interest, including participation in the community (if possible, try to position the community to participate in the election). So the question is, some students will ask: no activity or community of interest, or something he did not have interest (see through everything), then how to do it? There the students will ask: too many activities and communities of interest, simply do not have enough time to participate, how what then? For the former, the teacher slowly develop their own suggestions or related interests, or conditions allow themselves to initiate new activities or create a new community. For the latter, teacher recommendations or learn to "give up", the students, after all, energy is very limited, and the school subjects of assignments, projects, essays so that we would have "overwhelmed", and where there is such a long time to attending community activities? After all, to ensure a good GPA is our "top priority."
As for what specific activities to help students resume bigger it? This is not absolute, such as writing, programming, robotics, debates and business competition, etc., can give us a lot of benefits. In fact, teachers are very suggest that you "In order to participate in activities and to participate in activities", so sometimes make things very "awkward" - obviously he is neither good nor interested in, but also the number of people forced to scrape together. It may even make a loss in the course of their own, but also not to mention what "sense of achievement" the. So, you had better be selected according to their interests and community group activities, so that they can really show their talent, able to truly exercise their ability to be able to really make their long-term benefit. In addition, participate in extracurricular activities quality is more important - a long-term investment than a hasty one or two activities to participate in more activities will be more impressive. Also worth noting that part of the summer school at 11 December channels open enrollment, students can seize the opportunity to sign up in summer school they are interested in.
Summer school style list
Language scores (TOEFL) is always not open around Canton, teachers suggest that you make early preparations. Because, sooner get the target score TOEFL (about US college admission TOEFL score requirements, teachers will be posting additional details), and my heart will be more at ease, the sooner you can prepare SAT and AP test subjects. Based on past experience teacher point of view, it is best to get a high TOEFL before the end of the semester, so as to be behind various standardized tests to prepare relatively calmly. In general, it is recommended students after reaching 90+ TOEFL, SAT and then start learning and pro forma. Of course, if the TOEFL 100 points or more, SAT learning efficiency will be higher, it will bear fruit faster.
High summer is also a highly recommended students take advantage of them, the summer focus participate in activities, such as summer school, summer camps, volunteers, research projects and other extracurricular activities. Such as summer school or participating in overseas open-ended project, please sign up in advance and confirm the good requirements. Also, you can apply standardized exams (such as TOEFL and SAT) in the second half, so that they can also be used to motivate themselves by setting goals, not to "off track" during the summer months.
High School
| Standardized, background, school choice |
标化考试的成绩冲刺将在高二阶段达到顶峰，“托福”、“SAT”、“AP”，一个个平淡无奇的字眼，一场场令人揪心的考试，一张张“刻骨铭心”的成绩单。所以我常说，如果能在高一搞定托福（达到自己梦校的语言成绩要求），会有明显的心理优势，对于后续其它标化考试的备考也比较有利。当然，不管高一托福成绩如何，同学们高二都要面临着SAT和AP这“两座大山”。SAT的备考是以学生的坚实的语言功底为基础的，尤其对于阅读的要求较高，因此同学们平时应当尽量养成阅读英文书籍或者英文文献的习惯。而SAT的数学则相对简单，同学们可以从容应对。至于AP科目，本阶段同学们可以考虑 AP微积分、经济学（宏观和微观）、统计学、物理1&2、化学等。AP文科类科目对于中国学生来说难度较大（知识点繁多，且同学们普遍而言对于那些知识点比较陌生），可以先准备起来熟悉基本的知识点，为之后冲击高分做好铺垫。
AP常考科目
背景提升则是本阶段另外一个需要重点考虑的问题。建议同学们获取一些深入策划活动的经验，“深入策划”意味着长期投入某一项活动，并筹划和主导该活动的执行。这种经历，对于同学们证明自己的实践能力是非常有帮助的。除此之外，同学们可以多了解一些适合自己的竞赛的信息，不管是国内的、还是国际的，也不管是跟学术相关的、还是跟学术无关的，同学们都可以结合自己的特点和时间去报名参加。如果能够获奖或者拿到不错的名次，自然是能够给自己的申请加分的；如果未能获奖，也没有关系，一方面可以锻炼自己各个方面的能力（主要是leadership和communication skills），另一方面如果竞赛本身的“来头”较大（如一些国际性的竞赛），也能够给自己的履历增色。
择校指的是同学们可以在高二的后半段开始重点去了解自己心仪的学校了。建议大家先初步定下学校列表（建议5~8所备选学校，包含多个梯度给自己预留好保底学校），选定几个可能的 EA和ED（Early Action和Early Decision，美本早申的两种类型，二者的具体差别我将另作说明）学校，并通过各种渠道（家人、朋友、学长学姐、学校官网和搜索引擎等）了解学校的信息，具体包括学校的办学特色、王牌专业、学术氛围和校园活动等等。在选择学校的时候，请大家一定要结合自己的具体情况来做选择，不可“好高骛远”，当然也不必“妄自菲薄”，多参考过往学长学姐们的申请经验，来选择最适合自己的学校。
高二暑假同样需要好好利用，同学们仍然可以参加夏校等活动，但是建议根据自己的标化考试成绩的进展和活动对于自己学校申请的直接帮助大小来谨慎决定是否参加（BTW，被夏校录取的同学争取拿到教授推荐信，不去夏校的同学可以做访校，这样可以在写文书的时候提到对校园氛围的直观感受）。但是，高二暑假最重要的还是确保自己的标化考试成绩能够达到理想的进度（至少搞定了托福成绩，并且已经对于SAT有了比较充分的准备），这样在申请季（高三上学期）到来之后就可以全力专注于申请，并且腾出足够的时间来打磨自己申请文书。另外，不论如何同学们都应当继续保持良好优秀的课业成绩，确保GPA这个最重要的一环不会掉链子。
高三
| 材料、文书、面试 |
材料的准备包括很多方面，主要涉及推荐信、成绩单、申请表格和财力证明等，当然还有最重要的一项——申请文书（后面会具体说明）。高三到来之后，同学们首先要确定的就是最终申请方向及院校（ED/EA），然后一切行动都围绕这个中心开展。如果这个时候标化还没有出分，也不要太被动，先将需要递交的材料准备齐活儿，否则如果等到10月份出分之后再准备就肯定来不及了。另外需要注意的是，学校在审查学生材料之时，有可能会让学生提供更多的材料。因此，要多查看自己的Email，按照院校的要求完成申请后续工作。或者登录大学申请网页追踪录取进程，以便及时获知大学是否要求补交材料。
大学申请材料拼图
文书的提交大家一定要把握好deadline，同时也要注意目标院校的要求，看是否有接受标化成绩的最晚时间（这样或多或少都能够给同学们争取一些备考时间）。递交完各种材料之后，需要做的就是跟踪申请状态，以便大家根据自己的录取进度来调整自己的计划。另外需要提醒大家的是，标化成绩只是学校招生时的参照标准之一，大家如果能够在截止日期前顺利地获得理想成绩，那自然最好不过；但是如果没有拿到目标分，也不用过多纠结，专注把自己的申请材料和文书准备到位就是对于成功申请的最有利的条件了。
面试是指大家在获得ED/EA学校的确认之后需要进行的环节，也建议大家尽量早做准备。并且在准备面试的同时，着手准备RD（Regular Decision常规录取）的申请文书，同学们千万不要因为等待早申的结果而忽略了常规申请文书及材料的准备。美国大学RD申请的截止日期一般在次年的1月-2月之间（一般最晚不超过2月初），而录取的结果则一般在4月初。在提交了RD的申请之后，同样也需要准备相应学校的面试。顺带给大家解释一下Wait List（候补名单），如果大家不幸被“候补”了但仍然想争取一下的学校，可将自己申请后又取得的不俗成就呈现给申请的大学，以增加新的筹码吸引招生官的注意，虽然从候补名单被录取的不多，但每年都有，同学们尽最大努力争取不留任何遗憾。
最后，希望大家都能够通过长期的有方向的准备，顺利地被自己的Dream School录取。