Editor's Note: William Wu was admitted to Macalester College, his dream school, during his ED2 application. Let's have a look at Foreign Principal Christopher Moses’ reflection on William’s success and William’s self-account. I am sure you will get inspired by their sharing.

Note: Macalester College is ranked No.27 among all the liberal arts colleges in the USA according to 2022 US News and was once crowned one of the 25 "New Ivy League" colleges in the United States.

I’m so glad that William was accepted ED2 to Macalester, which is such a fantastic college and I think the perfect fit for him. To me there are two crucial factors that supported his success.

First is William’s self-discovery, which he writes about so thoughtfully. He took the time to learn about himself, to express his ideas, to take on challenges and discover more of his own potential. Of course, he’s a great student, too, but that level of awareness is what makes him stand out from other highly competitive students—and more than compensated for his worries about not having a high enough TOEFL score.

This points to a second factor—William’s thoughtfulness in engaging with our School for support, and our ability to advocate for him throughout his application process. I was able to arrange for William a practice interview with someone who worked previously for the admissions office at the University of Pennsylvania, which helped him gain confidence and provided valuable feedback. Similarly, as a School—unlike agents or third parties—we are able to connect directly with colleges and universities to explain our students’ circumstances—the rigor of an AP language course being taught by someone with a PhD in Linguistics, for example—and their unique place within our community. Those relationships between SHBS and higher educational institutions—cultivated through years of personal engagement—directly benefit our students, particularly when applying to smaller schools and those that engage in wholistic review.

I’m proud that William represents the best of what SHBS education can offer, and proud of his many accomplishments leading to this fantastic admissions outcome.

I might have been a very ordinary student if I didn’t come to an international school. As a reticent student in junior high school, studying was the biggest part of my life---every day, sitting in the same classroom, listening to the teachers’ lectures, and feeling overwhelmed, with no socializing, no passion, and no idea about my future life. However, everything seemed to change gradually after I transferred to Hongrun Boyuan School in Grade 10: a new environment, a new system of teaching, new students, and new discovery of my self.

I pushed myself to make more friends in school, to try my best to develop meaningful relationships and, at the same time, I communicated directly and openly with my foreign teachers. They were all nice to me and helped me with many problems, and most importantly, they help me to develop my confidence. So, I have come to believe that good relationships in school with not only students but also teachers will be very helpful for every student.

What’s more, I participated actively in many school activities. Various kinds of activities provided a stage to express myself freely. For instance, the Arts Festival, dubbing competitions, debate competitions, and organizing my own club all provided platforms for my growth. They provided opportunities to discover my talents, and encouraged me to try new things. Three years at SHBS really changed me a lot; I became more talkative, energetic and more confident.

Another new experience which influenced me a lot was being a member of student government. It gave me a great opportunity to develop my way of working and collaborating with people. I ran for student government twice, which helped me develop my own ways to solve problems: firstly, I would outline my work and responsibility and figure out my position in the whole picture, which is very important for cooperation. Second, I sought out resources, with teachers and students, asking for their help. Third, I gained from others’ feedback, reflecting with people I worked with. Fourth, when I found some problems, I would think deeply about the solutions available and make up for the mistakes.

With the four steps above, I will always be ready for future work and improving my efficiency. This discovery is the greatest treasure I have gained after two years in student government. Finally, I have become an active, vocal class leader, which was something I had never before thought possible.

Last but not least, I would like to share one sentence I learned in Biology, which made a deep impression on me ——“Life finds a way.” Not all of us succeed in the same way. Only by discovering our selves, and finding our own way—this is the key for us to move step by step on our path to the future. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Everything can be a new chance for you to get closer to your dreams.

At Macalester, we combine a close-knit, welcoming community with the benefits of being in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. Macalester students come from every state and 99 countries for an academic program ranked among the top in the nation where ideas and intellectual curiosity matter. Our philosophy of global citizenship and collaborative learning prepares students to have an outsized impact on the world. 

The Twin Cities, where the college located offers countless opportunities for Macalester students to actively engage in their education through community-based learning and real-world experiences. Learning in an environment that draws students from around the world—98 countries and all 50 U.S. states—makes discussions richer, deepens our understanding, and prepares students for life after college. Service to society is an important part of Macalester’s mission. Here, students actively collaborate with partners through community-based service, learning, and applied research.