CulverAcademies class of 2016

University of Southern California class of 2020

Steven

你进的是哪所学校？为什么它是你的dream school?

选择USC是因为这所学校的academics和social life比较均衡。之前做school research的时候就对这个学校留下了非常好的印象：USC的各个学科相对均衡，校友关系紧密，并且由于地理位置在LA，环境好天气好。

为什么申请CS?

其实关于major的问题我在来到Elite之前就一直在纠结。因为我从小对理科有些兴趣，我早早给了自己一些选择，比如应用数学，统计，natural science（主要是物理），以及工程（并不知道具体哪种工程）；但我真心不知道自己究竟想要什么。选major的问题一直困扰着我，直到我想到要为我支教三年的云南海关小学创立一个网站：我发现如果想让一个idea变为现实，我必须要有一定的技术手段以及能力。这件事最终成为了我决定申请CS的主要原因。

为什么选择USC的CS？

其实我在做school research的时候就发现，很多计算机优势的学校都是偏理工校，而USC却是一个综合实力非常平均的学校，这样就给了我接触除CS以外课程拓展视野的机会。除此之外，USC的学生课余活动丰富程度想必不用我赘述；到了大学我想继续参加各种各样的band。总之作为一个快踏入大学的人，我希望通过USC这个大平台接触多元并且有不同爱好的学生。

在和counselor的申请过程中，哪件事是最难忘的？给你印象/触动很深？

在Elite的这将近一年，让我最难忘的不是某一件事而是Gina老师孜孜不倦对我的支持与鼓励。每当我写完一个draft的时候我都感觉这是我能写到最好的，但是每次Gina都能以一个读者的角度challenge我文章的思路。作为一个中国学生，有时候我写出来的文章和我要表达的意思并不匹配，这时候Gina就会放下手头工作给我brainstorm，理解我想要表达的意思然后给我各种修改的suggestion。由于我在美高，跟上海有12小时的时差， Gina甚至是Edward，Ross为了给我改文章留到晚上9点（上海时间）甚至更晚；还有一次她生病了依然在给我改essay。我数不清这种事发生了多少次；这种caring是整个申请季最让我感动的。我真心感谢Elite每一个人对我的用心支持与鼓励；申请季一路坎坷，是各位Elite老师和staff悉心的关怀让我走到了今天。

有什么样的成长？

从在Culver改作文的日日夜夜，到每次和Gina的头脑风暴，我开始思考我未来的道路以及我到底需要怎样的人生。有了自己独立的思想恐怕是整个申请季最大的personal growth吧。

对于学弟学妹们，你有什么想对他们说的？

Every day when you go to sleep, question yourself: are you becoming who you want to be?

What stood out to me most about Steven was his determination to truly reflect on his most valued ideals and lessons that he had learned as an international student the past 4 years at Culver Academies。 As a middle school student applying to an American boarding high school, it was his decision, not his parents, to attend a military academy so that he would one day grow up to have a soldier's confidence。 His various experiences as an officer in a military academy whether it was team leader or platoon leader and as a member of the Varsity Crew Team helped him realize what it meant to truly lead。

He had that rare skill of self-reflection, understanding that positions of leadership meant quite little as mere titles。 He knew that whether he was at a military academy, jazz band, or volunteer teaching in the mountains of Yunnan that he would only earn the respect of his American teammates when his actions and words brought out the potential in those he was responsible for。 His desire to become a true and worthy leader is what makes me proud as a counselor that the path he has chosen now to study computer science will serve not just himself but his country。 He will make the best of the opportunities he has worked so hard to get in America and has the greatest reason to learn, mature, and succeed。