How to Choose a #BestFit Dream University

Last week we announced the first ED offers the Class of 2024 received, so what is it like to be enrolled to your dream university? We have recently collected the insights from these students, who have shared how they chose the university and the major, what kind of academic and personal growth they are looking forward to in their future studies in the US. Meanwhile, their university counsellors also gave us a professional perspective on why this university was the #BestFit for the student.

I chose Vanderbilt firstly because it is a comprehensive private university, teaching and research resources are more abundant than public universities, and not like the Liberal Arts Colleges campus is so small, and secondly, it is in Nashville, a small city in the south that is not remote or crowded and noisy, and the location and weather are very good, and there are not a lot of Chinese students, so it is more likely to allow me to experience a real study abroad environment.

The American undergraduate general education allows me to have two years to try more interdisciplinary courses, find my true interests and identify what I want to study in the future, and it also provides a platform for students like me, who like to try more, to broaden their knowledge. I hope that I can find out what I want to study in the US during my undergraduate studies and build on it, which is why I chose to go to the US in the first place.

Vanderbilt will be a great fit for Fiona because of its emphasis on academic excellence, collaboration, facing challenges and serving the greater community. Since joining our school, Fiona has consistently showcased outstanding learning aptitude and exceptional self-management skills. She consistently strives for excellence, dedicating herself to achieving better grades. Moreover, Fiona willingly embraces challenging opportunities by engaging in prominent research programs beyond the classroom. Additionally, she actively contributes to our school and the wider community through her commendable voluntary endeavors.

- Fiona's counsellor Ms Rain Xie

Initially RISD was my dream school simply because of its graphic design ranking. After researching the works of RISD students, I felt the transformation of the students into butterflies, and experienced the breakthrough and openness that is not bound by tradition and exudes pure art; I was deeply impressed by RISD's design concepts and capabilities. Therefore, RISD became my ED and I believe that after joining RISD, I will have the opportunity to broaden my professional horizons and learn a wider range of interdisciplinary visual design. My focus will gradually shift from satisfying consumer needs to trying to explore the relationship between art and design and sustainable development. Using design thinking to solve social problems at different levels will be my motivation for continuous learning.

Austin possesses a remarkable combination of talent, determination, and passion for the arts. His exceptional skills in designing and drawing are evident in his meticulous work, often engrossing him for hours on end. Austin's early initiation into university research and careful preparation of his portfolio showcase his commitment to his artistic pursuits. RISD, with its focus on creativity and distance from the distractions of big cities, is an ideal environment for Austin to embark on his artistic journey. I am confident that Austin will make a significant, positive contribution to RISD and thrive in its vibrant artistic community!

- Austin's counsellor Ms SophiaChen

When I received my ED from a US university, excitement and joy came over me. Seeing that I had been accepted by a desirable university gave me a great sense of pride and satisfaction. The excitement was accompanied by anticipation for the future, imagining learning more, making new friends, and meeting challenges in a new academic environment. I look forward to my future university life.

Ethan's passion for mathematics is truly remarkable. His accomplishments, such as receiving the International Competition Awards, are a testament to his exceptional mathematical aptitude and strong problem-solving skills. Ethan is very proactive in his early initiation of university research and follow strictly the application timelines for completing all the required documents. With BU's renowned academic excellence and advantageous location, it is a perfect match for Ethan to further nurture his mathematical talents and pursue his academic goals!

- Ethan's counsellor Ms SophiaChen

I'm happy to receive the ED offer! I chose Boston University because of its strong academic atmosphere and diverse campus life - especially its kpop dance club. I would like to thank the teachers of DHSZ for their help and advice during the application process!

In addition to Kayla's strong academics, her deep commitment to pursuing her interests led to BU making Kayla an offer. Kayla has a longstanding commitment to multiple interests - rising to leadership positions in several. I think that this made Kayla stand out to BU.

- Kayla's counsellor Mr Jack Rau 

I aspire to go to Boston University because of its exceptional academic resources and unique academic atmosphere in the field of physics, and I cannot wait to pursue my academic dreams there.

Youmu demonstrates a strong commitment to his academic pursuits and future career development, making him an ideal candidate for BU. His clear plan and dedication to studying and researching the new energy vehicles industry, along with its connection to environmental protection, showcase his passion and drive. His efforts indicate a desire to contribute to sustainable solutions and make a positive impact on society. With his focused mindset and dedication to his field of interest, Youmu would undoubtedly thrive in BU’s academic environment and contribute positively to the university community.

- Youmu's counsellor Ms Ren Li

As Harry has received the very first offer of Class of 2024, we caught up with Harry earlier last week to hear about his decision to choose a liberal arts college and his insights into the application process. (Click here to read)

Harry's surprising choice for ED came from his mixed love of philsophy and biology. Grinnell is a small town (9000 people!) and an even smaller university (2000 students) that prides itself on being multi-disciplinary so students study at "different angles" to traditional large scale universities. 

One of the top ten Liberal Arts Colleges in the USA, Grinnell College is taking on an amazing young man! In the future I expect more DHSZ students to look at Liberal Arts Colleges.

As all of us who know Harry will say - Harry is a lively and thoughtful young man who will fit the spirit of Grinnell perfectly - good luck Harry!

- Harry's counsellor Mr Mark Coyle 

I was very happy to get the ED. When I was applying for NYU with my friends, we waited until midnight and couldn't sleep, and then we set the alarm clock to wake up at 5 o'clock on time to read it, and then the result was the “congratulation”. NYU is located in Manhattan, New York City, the overall school atmosphere and learning environment is very much in line with my ideal university and life!

After careful consideration, Arnold chose NYU to apply ED to. During the application process, I believe that Arnold’s strong involvement in athletics and music stood out, showing NYU that he would be very positive addition to the campus. Within NYU, Arnold carefully researched the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, deciding that this was the right fit for him.

- Arnold's counsellor Mr JackRau 

I confirmed my ED decision fairly late. One day, after searching on the internet, I found out that Professor John. T. Jost is a professor at NYU; Professor Jost, the founder of the System Justification Theory, a theory I conducted extracurricular research project attempt to closely investigate in and try to apply the theory to the working class in China when facing social inequalities. After founding out that Professor Jost is at NYU, I made my mind that this will be my dream school, maybe one day there might be an opportunity for meeting him in person and discuss about the research findings, after my paper has been published. Other than that, I also like the location of New York City, New York City is a wonderful city full of possibilities, it is rich in different research populations for my sociological research, from homeless, to working class, to successful entrepreneurs, all full of different story. My counselor, Mr. Rau, had been nothing but supportive to any choices I made. 

This year NYU released their ED offers a day earlier than usual, due to the time difference, I couldn’t sleep that day, only slept for 2 hours and then woke up waiting for the decision release on 5 a.m. On 5 o’clock sharp, I saw the change in student portal, opening the decision letter, skim through it, and read the word “congratulations”, I suddenly felt a strong feeling of relaxation and relief, a feeling I haven’t felt for almost half of a year. My ED school is really really important to me, and I am very fortunate to be able to receive offer from my dream school and put an end to the busy application season that lasted for 6 months to an end.

I wish to dive deeper into the field of sociology in NYU, to fulfil my long-lasting dream – through learning in university and higher education to understand the reality of the world better and more thorough and contribute to a change to make the world better. On Academic level, I wish to learn more about my chosen major in my chosen school, and practice interdesplanary studies. Use the resource of New York City well to investigate of different population, their status quo, and their stories. For personal level, I wish to live with my friends and cared ones in New York City on our own.

NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study is a great fit for Felix as it will allow him much flexibility in his course choices in order to satisfy Felix's wide range of academic interests. Felix's essays were well-crafted and he heavily researched NYU before deciding to apply ED. I think - in addition to stellar academic performance - Felix's extremely deep involvement in student leadership and extracurriculars stood out during the admissions process.

- Felix's counsellor Mr Jack Rau 

Perfectly suited to the larger university of Northeastern (15000 students), Harry will have plenty of time for his array of hobbies and past-times that range from swimming to KTV!

Harry has been sure of his destination for at least two years and he spent a lot of time researching the universities to make sure he "fits" the size, area, courses and campus. He was even able to quote the average temperature of Boston when I joked it would be really cold! This level of research is key to students findindg the perfect ED university.

Well done Harry - good luck!

- Harry's counsellor Mr Mark Coyle 

I chose this university because the location appealed to me, I really wanted to go to Boston, and Northeastern's Global Scholars programme would allow me to better experience different university life and broaden my global perspective. As for my major, I initially set my mind on Communications, and my second option was Undecided, Northeastern placed me in Undecided, so that I could explore higher professional interests and clarify my future direction in my freshman year.

I was surprised to receive this, because in checking out Northeastern's requirements as well as other candidates applying to the school, I thought it was very competitive.

Studying abroad will definitely lead to a lot of problems, and I would like to have a stable social circle because my parents are not around if I have friends around we can help each other better, and it also improves safety. At the same time, I also hope to find a suitable study partner who can supervise each other. Last but not least, I hope to get a good internship opportunity, so that I can slowly integrate into a full English environment and improve my learning autonomy.

Scarlett is a well-rounded student. As a house captain, she unites her classmates and actively participates in various activities within and outside of the school. During the university application process, she shows the Dulwich values responsibility, integrity and excellence by thoroughly engaging in college research to make sure Northeastern is a place that fits her academic level and personal interests.

- Scarlett's counsellor Ms Serena Shi