来看我们全球顶尖学府校友的分享：进入心仪的大学需要哪些准备？
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晚上9点钟，陈子盈（Sophia Chen）发来微信：回家路上，20分钟到，一会儿见！
子盈是康奈尔大学建筑系三年级学生，正在享有极高声誉的隈研吾设计工作室实习。她把我们的访谈约在晚上9点半，也就是一天紧张而忙碌的实习之后。
顶住一天的疲累，她耐心回答了每一个问题，还不忘在访问结束后说：“不好意思，让您等到这么晚！我白天的工作实在忙。”
陈子盈曾在启明星双语学校读小学，可靠、谦和、努力这些启明星学生的特点，至今仍能在子盈身上看到。
其实在启明星，乃至和启明星隶属同一教育集团的艾毅幼儿园，有不少像子盈这样的校友——早年受到启明星或艾毅教育的滋养，奠定了深厚的双语学养，拥有谦和又积极的心态，曾经或正在常春藤盟校等世界顶尖学府读书。
今天，启明星最高年级已经升到10年级，我们特别邀请到这些校友分享自己成长和成功的经验，支持更多启明星的学生为进入世界一流学府做好准备！
蔡安樱（Isabella Cai）——启明星校友，毕业于斯坦福大学
我在启明星完成了整整6年的小学学业，最大的受益就是坚实的中英双语基础。这让我后来顺利进入公立学校读书，英文能力也一直在线。还有，我在启明星也收获了长久的友谊，这对我特别重要！
2年前，我从斯坦福大学毕业，专业是计算机科学。斯坦福是顶尖大学，要求高、压力大，一开始我甚至觉得自己都不配留在那里。但是后来我发现，原来，其他同学和我一样有压力，这样反倒让我放松下来。我的经验是，你要学会求助、利用教授工作时间去问问题、尽早动手，这些都有利于完成有难度的作业和考试。
申请大学的过程是很累人的，你要记得善待自己。不要过于纠结同学们都取得了什么成绩、进入了哪些大学，也不要总拿自己和别人进行比较。当年我并没有在早申阶段就被斯坦福录取，而伙伴们却在早申时拿到了理想大学的录取通知书。当时，我过于关注这些，情绪一直挺低落的，现在回想起来真是没必要。
陈子盈（Sophia Chen）——启明星校友，就读于康奈尔大学
我是康奈尔大学建筑系的学生，正在读大学三年级。
在康奈尔，同学们都很上进，有很独特的想法。在你身边，永远有人能做更多、更大的事情，永远有人更优秀，这就是所谓的来自伙伴的压力吧。
要应对这样的压力，你需要有方向地进行努力，对自己的前路有规划；另外，要怀有包容又开放的心态和思维，保持谦逊的同时，也要勇于抓住机会尝试新的事物。
如果你进入中学高年级甚至开始考虑大学升学了，那我建议你尽早积累一些和自己兴趣相关的经历，多试一试各种机会——看看哪些是自己想做的、愿意长期做的。暑假和寒假都可以利用起来，探索自己的兴趣爱好。
大学申请是个挺煎熬的过程。我觉得应该趁早多读些书，特别是英文书，对于丰富自己的知识、写作申请文书和提高标准化考试成绩都是有帮助的。
启明星让我特别难忘，学校特别重视美德教育，社区关系很亲密，这让我很放松，也更加积极、充满热情，那几年的经历对于塑造我的世界观和价值观是有很大影响的。记得当年我们几个女孩子组建了一支女子篮球队，大家每天中午拉着体育老师帮忙练习，特别努力。有一次，我们和外校队伍比赛，对方来了20多个人，而我们只有6个人，虽然最后还是输了，大家心里却特别欣慰，因为我们都努力过、全力付出过了！
蔡安蕾（Sophia Cai）——启明星校友，毕业于芝加哥大学
2020年6月，我从芝加哥大学毕业，专业是经济学和数据科学。现在我在华盛顿特区工作，是一名金融分析员。
我在启明星学习了6年。在启明星的学习为我后来的学习打下了扎实的语言和数学基础。启明星的双语教学让我的英文和中文能力都很强，数学老师还教会我怎样思考和解决数学问题，懂得数学的重要性。
在芝加哥大学的日子是很有挑战的。课程比较有难度，周围又是一些世界上最聪明的人。不过这当然也是很棒的——让我学到了更多的东西，特别是从身边的伙伴身上！
想要在顶尖学府里取得成功，我觉得这两点最重要：试着去结识一些教授，这样能为你带来指导和开展研究的好机会；也要花些时间去娱乐，和朋友们在一起。现在我回想起大学生活，最美好的回忆都是和朋友们在一起，而他们也将是你终生都会有所联系的人。
对于10年级的学生，我的建议是多花心思在课业上，为读、写和数学打下坚实的基础。另外，你也可以开始练习今后要参加的标准化测试，比如SAT或者ACT。
吴恺琦（Janice Ng）——艾毅校友，就读于哥伦比亚大学
在艾毅上幼儿园我还懵懵懂懂，不过我清楚记得有位老师总是鼓励我们，无论怎样都要试试看，不然就可能错过机会。现在回头看，这样的鼓励对我真的很重要。
我很喜欢艺术，之前在波士顿大学读书。有一次在日本看展览的经历让我发现，原来艺术可以通过计算机技术来表达。于是，我就申请了哥伦比亚大学的计算机科学专业，打算从波士顿转学过来。转学不是简单的过程，但我决定要试一试。最后，我成功了。
刚刚进入哥伦比亚大学的时候很不容易，我度过了一个适应期，也积累下一些心得：有困难的时候要勇敢找人帮忙，不要害羞，不要认为只有自己听不懂或是不知道；要多交朋友，开阔眼界，不要只和与自己背景一样的人交朋友，比如不要只和国际学生在一起；还有就是遇到挑战也不要轻易放弃。
说到大学申请，我就结合自己的经验谈一谈。写大学申请文书时，内容不要和简历重复，文书要体现自己的思路、内心的世界，更深层次地展示自己。要通过文书说服大学，表明你需要这所大学的教育，而大学也需要你。我申请哥伦比亚大学时就以自己在日本看展览的经历向他们说明了为什么我需要他们，以及为什么他们也需要我。
大学都喜欢看到申请人有成长的潜力，即便你在9年级时的成绩不那么好，只要之后能让招生官看到学业的进步就可以；参加课外活动，不要换来换去，大学希望看到你专注在某些活动上的热情；你不需要9、10年级就确定自己想要进什么学校，读什么专业，不然自己就没有机会去尝试其他的可能了，重点是探索和知道自己对什么有兴趣。
蔡安玫（Eva Cai）——启明星校友，就读于美国顶尖私立大学莱斯大学
我正在得克萨斯的莱斯大学读书，专业是认知科学与心理学专业。
我在启明星整整读了6年，这6年留给我最宝贵的财富就是我学会了自律。一开始，我肯定是不够自律的，但老师们教育我树立自律的意识。直到今天，我一直保持着自律的意识，并且会坚持终生。另外，在启明星学习期间打下的双语基础也让我特别受益。直到上大学我才意识到，能够用世界上最常用的两种语言顺畅交流是多么大的优势！在启明星的6年为我的中英文能力都打下了扎实的基础。
能在莱斯这样优秀的大学学习是幸运的，也是很有挑战的，大学对所有学生的要求都很高。应对这些挑战，首先，你需要保持“平衡”，既不能少了社交生活，又不能因此扰乱了学业。要平衡自己的学业、娱乐、睡眠； 第二，要敢于向他人寻求帮助。寻求帮助并不是软弱的表现，来自老师和同学的帮助，会帮助你更加顺利地度过大学生活。最后一点，要选择自己有兴趣的课程来学习，然后再确定专业。许多人进入大学前就确定专业，但入学就发现那根本不是自己真正喜欢的。我建议大学新生先按照兴趣选课，直到学校要求确定专业时再做决定。
现在启明星最高的年级是10年级，我建议10年级的同学和大学升学顾问紧密配合，一定会有好的结果。大学申请过程中有大量的工作要做，我建议大家尽早动手，缓解压力。在申请中要保持诚实，不要过分担忧最终的结果。如果你为申请付出了努力，那么一定会有所收获。还有，别忘了好好享受高中生活！
许书婷(Megan Hsu)——艾毅校友，就读于剑桥大学三一学院
我1岁来到北京，后来进入了艾毅幼儿园。现在，我在剑桥大学三一学院学习，是历史专业的大二学生。
我发现，很多人会忽视幼儿园的教育，觉得小孩子在那么小的年纪学不了什么。的确，我也记不起在幼儿园里都学到了哪些知识，但我能肯定的是，在艾毅幼儿园的3年里，老师们引导我对这个世界产生了强烈的好奇心。好奇的性格点燃了我的学习热情，让我一路走进了英国的最高等学府。
对于10年级的学生，我建议大家多多尝试不同的学科和课外活动，来探索自己真正的爱好。一定要做自己真正感兴趣的事情，才能在大学申请文书中展现出真实和独特的自我魅力。
剑桥和牛津的教育与众不同之处是它们的小组辅导系统。每周，我要参加一次重要的、与教授一对一的辅导课程。这一小时内，我需要和教授讨论每周完成的论文。刚开始，这样面对面的交流让我很紧张，但慢慢地，我放开了自己，开始大胆分享自己的看法，与教授一来一回的提问、评论和头脑风暴锻炼了我的思考和写作能力，让我深深领会到这种独特教育方式的价值。
我认为，有效地管理时间、拥有自制力和主动性，才能克服繁重的课业压力并且充分利用顶尖大学提供的丰富资源。然而，在大学里你不能只是专注于学习，还应该全面地去尝试不同的体验。就拿我来说，我不只交到很多知心好友，加入许多学生社团，也体验到英国大学的丰富传统——比如学生晚宴、在康河上划船。我也了解到英国的文化和历史，慢慢适应了很有魅力的英国腔和讽刺的英式幽默！
勤勉踏实，充满好奇心又不乏行动力，拥有扎实的学术素养和宽阔的国际视野，启明星和艾毅的教育塑造着这样的学生，并正在同样的路径上努力发展中学项目，力求将毕业生源源不断地送入世界一流高等学府。
如果您也为启明星这样的教育理念和成绩所吸引，不要错过3月份的招生说明会：
3月14日 周日 三里屯校区小学部
招生宣讲 + 校园参观 + 一年级课程体验（英文、数学、艺术）
时间：10:00 -- 12:00
地址：北京市朝阳区三里屯东四街13号
咨询电话：+86 10 8446 4189 转 830
3月20日 周六 北皋校区小学部
招生宣讲 + 校园参观 + 一年级课程体验（中文、英文、艺术）
时间：10:00 -- 12:00
地址：北京市朝阳区顺白路2号
咨询电话：+86 10 8446 4189 转 804
3月28日 周日 北皋校区中学部
招生宣讲 + 校园参观 + 六至十年级课程体验（科学、设计）+ 有机午餐 + 入学测试（六至十一年级）
时间：10:00 -- 15:00
地址：北京市朝阳区顺白路2号
咨询电话：+86 10 8446 4189 转 815
请扫描下方二维码进入相应校区页面报名！
At 9p.m., Sophia Chen sent me a WeChat message: On my way home, See you in 20 minutes!
Sophia is in her 3rd year at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, Cornell University. She’s currently serving her apprenticeship at the world renowned KENGO KUMA AND ASSOCIATES Spatial Design Studio. She scheduled our interview for 9:30 p.m., after an intense and busy day of working at the studio.
She answered every question thoroughly and patiently, despite the fatigue of the day, and said at the end of the interview, "Sorry to keep you up so late! I was really busy with my day job."
Sophia used to be a Daystar student. Reliable, modest, and hard working. Seeing Sophia reminds you these important characteristics we see in our Daystar students.
In fact, there are many alumni like Sophia at Daystar Academy, as well as Ivy Schools, who are part of the same education group as Daystar Academy. Their years spent at Daystar or Ivy have laid a solid academic foundation for them. Equipped with bilingual fluency and a positive, yet humble mindset, they went ahead to attend Ivy League universities and other top universities in the world.
We were excited to welcome Grade 10 students into Daystar Academy this school year. They’re entering an exciting new phase where they will be exploring various fields of interest. To give them a head start and better prepare them for a fulfilling learning experience, we have invited some of our Daystar alumni to talk about their time at Daystar, and share about their successful college applications to the world’s top schools.
Isabella Cai(蔡安樱), Stanford University
I spent all six years of elementary school at Daystar Academy. I think the most important thing about Daystar has been the bilingual foundation it created for me. It allowed me to go to Chinese middle school afterwards and still have good English. I have also built lasting friendships from my time in Daystar, and that has also been very important for me.
I graduated from Stanford around two years ago, and studied Computer Science there. Yeah, it was a little bit challenging to get started. Like everyone else starting school, I felt a little bit like an imposter, feeling like I didn't deserve to be there. However, talking with other people, I found that everyone felt this way, which helped me a lot in overcoming this pressure. Homework and tests could also be hard, but I found asking for help, going to office hours, and getting started on assignments earlier helps a lot with turning in good assignments on time.
Just know that applying for college is going to be stressful, so be kind to yourself as you go through that process. Don't fixate too much on where your classmates have gotten into and try not to constantly compare yourself to others. I didn't get into Stanford when I applied early, and I found myself being sad because a lot of my friends were getting into their top choice school early in the year, and looking back I wish I wouldn't have fixated on where my friends got into.
Sophia Chen(陈子盈), Cornell University
I am studying architecture at Cornell University. I’m in my third year now.
At Cornell, students are very motivated and capable of independent thinking. You’re always surrounded by people who can achieve more. Therefore, peer pressure is not unheard of.
To cope with such pressure, you need to set yourself a clear goal and plan ahead. Strive toward that goal and be willing to try new things. Always be humble and open-minded.
If you're entering your senior year of high school or starting to think about college applications, then I suggest you build up some experience related to your interests early on and try them out as much as possible - see what it is that you really enjoy doing, and are willing to do long-term. Take advantage of both summer and winter breaks to explore your interests.
College applications are not easy. I believe reading, especially reading in English, will help build your knowledge base, enhance your application writing, and improve your standardized test scores.
Daystar Academy holds a very special place in my heart. It places great emphasis on the education of virtues and attaches great importance on building a close-knit community. The safe and positive environment has brought out the best in me. I became more alive. My time at Daystar Academy was critical in shaping my world views and values.
I remember a few of us girls formed a girls' basketball team back then, and we were very serious about it, practicing everyday at noon with our PE teacher. There was this time when we played against a team from another school, and there were more than twenty players on their team, and only six of us on our team. Although we lost the game in the end, we were very happy because we had fought hard and given our best!
Sophia Cai(蔡安蕾)，Chicago University
Hi, my name is Sophia Cai. I grew up in Beijing for 14 years, and spent 6 years at Daystar. I graduated in June of 2020 from the University of Chicago with a degree in Economics and Data Science. Right now, I currently live and work from Washington, DC, as a financial analyst.
Daystar has prepared me for middle school/high school in terms of my language and math abilities. Being taught in a bilingual environment made both my English and Chinese strong, and my math teacher at Daystar made a lasting impression on how to think about math problems and the importance of math.
Yes, studying at competitive universities can definitely be challenging at times since you’re taking difficult classes while surrounded by some of the smartest people in the world. This is for the most part such a blessing because it pushes you to learn so much especially from the people around you, but of course it can sometimes be stressful.
In my experience, the most important abilities to be successful in college are:
· Get to know some of the professors: having that relationship is great for guidance as well as potential research opportunities.
· Taking time to have fun and relax with your friends: when I look back on college, all my favorite memories involve my friends, and they’re people you’ll stay in touch with for the rest of your life.
At grade 10, my advice would be to focus on your schoolwork and make sure you have a solid foundation in reading, writing and math. Also, it would be helpful to start practicing the standardized test (SAT or ACT) you’ll be taking later.
Janice Ng(吴恺琦)，Columbia University
I might not know too much when I went to kindergarten at Ivy. What I do remember was there was this teacher who always encouraged us to give it a try and never miss out on any opportunity. Looking back, I find it a really important lesson.
I’m an art lover who has previously studied at Boston University. When I was in Japan, I saw an exhibition that made me realize that art can be created and enhanced by computer technology. I made a decision to apply for the computer science program at Columbia University. It was not an easy process, but I decided to give it a try. And I made it.
When I first entered Columbia University, it took me some time to adapt. Here are some insights that I gained along the process: Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Don’t assume that you’re the only one who doesn’t understand certain things. Make friends, and not just with people who are from the same background as you. Having a diverse group of friends from different backgrounds will open up your horizon. And don’t give up easily when faced with a challenge.
When it comes to college applications, I'll talk about it in light of my own experience. When writing for your college application, don’t just copy paste your resume. You should strive to reflect you as a person in the portfolio. It should reflect your thoughts and your inner world. Present yourself in a deeper and meaningful way. It is important to convince the college that you need the college's education and that the college needs you. When I applied to Columbia University, I used my experience of seeing the exhibition in Japan to show them why I needed them and why they needed me.
Colleges like to see that applicants have the potential to grow.So even if you don't do so well in 9th grade, it is fine as long as you can show admissions officers your academic progress since then; Participate in extracurricular activities, and don't switch around. Colleges want to see your passion and dedication; You don’t necessarily need to be sure what school you want to get into and what major you want to study when you’re in 9th or 10th grade. Don’t limit yourself; try all the possibilities. The point is to explore and know what you are interested in.
Eva Cai(蔡安玫)，Rice University
I am studying at Rice University, majoring in Cognitive Science and Psychology.
The most important thing I learned at Daystar was self-discipline. At the time, I definitely did not discipline myself, but the teachers and faculty around me instilled a sense of obedience in me that I have kept and will likely keep for the rest of my life. In addition, the bilingual training at Daystar has benefitted me tremendously. Being able to communicate in the two most commonly spoken languages in the world is a blessing that I did not recognize until I started college. Daystar provided me with a foundational education in both English and Chinese.
The first ability to succeed in college is being able to maintain balance. Make sure that you have a social life but avoid having it interfere with your academics. Balance your workload, fun time, and your need for sleep. The second important ability is to always ask for help. Sometimes, reaching out for help may seem challenging because it can be misconstrued as a sign of weakness. But asking for help, whether it be from your teachers or your peers, will make your life in college significantly smoother. The final necessity is to take the classes you are interested in, and then choose a major. Many individuals plan on majoring in a subject before going to college and find out in college that they actually dislike their chosen major. I would advise college freshman to take the courses that sound interesting to them, and then choose a major when your college requires you to declare.
I would advise students in Grade 10 to work closely with their college counselors and trust that there will be a good outcome in the end. There is a significant amount of work that goes into a college application, so I would recommend they start the applications as early as possible to reduce stress further down the road.
Be honest in the college applications and try not to worry too much about the outcome. If you work hard in the applications, something will come out of it. Enjoy your life as a high school senior!
Megan Hsu(许书婷)，University of Cambridge)
I came to Beijing at the age of 1 and then attended Ivy Schools. Now, I am studying at Trinity College, Cambridge University, as a sophomore majoring in History.
I find that many people may overlook the importance of a great kindergarten education, thinking that children are too young to learn anything useful or meaningful. While it is true that I can’t seem to remember what specific knowledge I have acquired at kindergarten, I am certain that my curiosity towards the world was nurtured and developed during my 3 years at Ivy kindergarten. This curiosity fueled my passion for learning and led me all the way to the most prominent school in UK.
For 10th graders, I recommend exploring your true passions by trying out different class subjects and extracurricular activities. Be sure to do things that really interest you in order to show your true and unique self in your college application portfolio.
What sets Cambridge and Oxford apart is their group tutoring system. Once a week, I have to attend an important, one-on-one tutorial session with a professor. During this hour, I was required to discuss the paper I have to complete each week with the professor. At first, this face-to-face interaction made me nervous.But over time, I gradually gained confidence and began to share my perspectives. The discussion, comments and brainstorming with the professor honed my thinking and writing skills and made me appreciate the value of this unique approach to education.
I believe that effective time management, self-control and self-agency are the keys to overcoming the stress of a heavy course load and taking advantage of the rich resources offered by top universities. However, you can't just focus on your studies in college, you should also try different experiences in a holistic way. In my case, I have not only made close friends and joined many clubs, but also experienced the rich traditions of British universities - such as student dinners and boating on the River Cam. I also learned about British culture and history, and slowly adapted to the very charming British accent and sarcastic British humor!
While Daystar Academy and Ivy Schools continue to help students become life-long learners who will flourish in our future world,we are also constantly developing and refining our secondary school program, which will send a steady stream of graduates to world-class institutions of higher learning.
If you’re interested in learning more about our educational philosophy and our programs, please sign up for our admissions information sessions at the following dates.
Sunday, March 14th, Elementary School, Sanlitun Campus
Info Session + Campus Tour + Grade 1 Sample Class(English, Math, and Visual Arts)
10:00 a.m. -- 12:00 p.m.
No. 13, East 4th Street, Sanlitun, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Tel：+86 10 8446 4189 ext. 830
Saturday, March 20th, Elementary School, Beigao Campus
Info Session + Campus Tour + Grade 1 Sample Class(Chinese, English, and Visual Arts)
10:00 a.m. -- 12:00 p.m.
No. 2, Shunbai Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Tel：+86 10 8446 4189 ext. 804
Sunday, March 28th, Secondary School, Beigao Campus
Info Session + Campus Tour + Grade 6 to 10 Sample class(Science, and Design Technology) + Lunch + Test(For Grade 6 to 11)
10:00 a.m. -- 15:00 p.m.
No. 2, Shunbai Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Tel：+86 10 8446 4189 ext. 815
Book your spot NOW by extracting the QR code below! Select the campus before booking your session.
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