Economics Introduction Economics studies how humans make the most efficient use of scarce resources to produce and distribute goods and services to meet human needs. The discipline covers various economic activities, principles, and theories, typically divided into "Macroeconomics" and "Microeconomics." For example, economics explores phenomena like supply and demand, inflation, exchange rates, and interest rates, focusing on how these factors affect economies. The field tends to be theoretical, and students usually need a solid background in mathematics. Economics can be divided into several branches, including but not limited to macroeconomics, microeconomics, econometrics, and development economics. Each branch delves into different aspects of economic theory and application. Application Process Admissions for economics programs highly emphasize math performance and advanced economics coursework. For instance, the University of Pennsylvania's Economics Department requires students to take AP Macroeconomics and Microeconomics or their equivalent (Econ 0100 and Econ 0200). For IB students, a score of 6 or higher in Higher Level Economics is required. UC Berkeley expects applicants to have completed courses in macroeconomics, microeconomics, calculus, and statistics. If you're aiming for top-ranked universities, having a strong foundation in high school math, statistics, and economics courses is essential. Economics is also a popular major, often chosen by students who want to apply to business schools but shift to economics due to intense competition in business programs. Most economics programs do not offer a master's degree—only undergraduate and PhD options—highlighting the theoretical nature of the subject. Job Prospects Graduates in economics can pursue careers in finance, as investment analysts or market researchers, or work in consulting firms, particularly in management consulting roles. Additionally, they may find opportunities in NGOs and international organizations like the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund, as well as in government agencies. However, job prospects in economics are closely tied to the prestige of the school; graduates from top universities tend to have better job opportunities, while those from lower-ranked schools may face more challenges. Education Education as a field doesn’t equal to traditional teacher training. It has various subfields, such as Educational Statistics, Educational Policy and Management, Early Childhood Education, Special Education, Educational Psychology, and Educational Technology. These subfields vary in terms of job prospects, with some being easier to find employment in than others, which we will explore further. Application Process Generally, education is considered a relatively easy field to apply for. There are no specific or highly specialized admission requirements beyond those of the university’s general application criteria. Job Prospects For those studying teacher education (teacher training), it’s not difficult to find a job, as there is currently a significant shortage of teachers. But, we all know that salaries for teaching positions aren’t high. On the other hand, certain education subfields offer better job prospects and salaries, such as Educational Statistics and Educational Psychology. For example, the starting salary for educational psychologists is around $66,000. In summary, while teaching positions are in high demand but offer lower pay, certain specialized areas in education provide both solid employment opportunities and competitive salaries. Communication  Communication has several branches. There is journalism (in some schools, journalism is a separate major), media or mass communication, and interdisciplinary fields that intersect with advertising and public relations. Application Requirements Communication requires strong language skills, especially in writing. For instance, Northwestern’s media program has a minimum TOEFL score requirement of 100 for foreign applicants and does not accept super scoring. Employment Outlook Traditional media fields, such as newspapers, magazines, and broadcast television, are more challenging for job seekers. However, advertising and public relations offer better prospects. The entry-level salary in the advertising industry is around $60,000, which is the national average. Salaries on the East Coast tend to be higher. Political Science Subfields of Political science usually include political theory (starting with Greek philosophy and government), American politics, comparative politics, public policy, and international relations. Application Information Political Science requires extensive reading and writing. So, it can be challenging if you don’t like to read and write a lot of materials in short period of time. Admissions will pay close attention to grades in social studies courses, especially those related to American government and history. Employment Outlook Political science provides good job prospects, which might surprise some people. Many political science graduates go on to law school, as the major is a natural pathway, like how biology majors often go to medical school. In terms of employment, many graduates work in government as civil servants, while others find roles in NGOs and think tanks. There’s also a good number of graduates pursue careers in lobbying and campaign management, such as campaign managers.

Major: Physics Admitted to: Princeton University, University of Oxford Grades: GPA: 4.0, SAT: 1530, TOEFL: 110 Competitions: 30th International Youth Physical Tournament, China National Team, Gold Medal Other Activities: ● Started studying university-level physics in 9th grade ● Began research at a national laboratory in 11th grade ● Attended the International Summer School for Young Physicists (ISSYP) ● Piano Princeton was always the student's dream school; however, her SAT score was not impressive for Princeton. We started applying for the senior year summer programs in January and visited prospective colleges in March. Before the summer, she had already established contacts with professors, including an MIT professor who invited her to attend his class. It demonstrated her interests in the colleges. By the time the application process officially began, Chelsea had ample material to work with. What makes Chelsea's standout was her competitions, but her essays did not directly highlight her competition experiences. Instead, we showcased her independent personality, deep critical thinking, creativity, and emphasized her dedication to physics, a field often perceived as male-dominated, as a female student. Major: Mechanical Engineering Admitted to: Cornell University, University of Cambridge Grades: GPA: 4.0, SAT: 1550, TOEFL: 114 Competitions: ● Zero Robotics World Champion 2018 (MIT) ● Math Competition: AIME qualifier ● Princeton University Mathematics Competition 2018 Division B: Team Rank Overall 1 ● First Tech Challenge Team: State qualifier Other Activities: ● Research at Princeton International School Engineering Center ● ATV Chassis Design ● Student Government Vice President He had strong competition experiences, and we wrote very unique essay stories (including his experience as an apprentice in a watch repair shop). So his results were not surprising in the end; he was admitted to Cornell and Cambridge. Major: Business Admitted to: USC Marshall, UCLA, Smith, Wesleyan Competitions: ● First Prize, 2019 Model APEC Competition, Top 1% out of 300 ● Third Prize, 2020 Economics Olympiad (IEO), Top 35% out of 1500 Other Background: ● Level 9 Certificate, Piano, China Central Conservatory of Music, Highest Amateur Piano Honor ● APEC Business Advisory Council Honored Volunteer ● Columbia University Summer School ● Founded her own company to help minority women, dedicated to promoting intangible cultural heritage products We can clearly see that the level or significance of the business competition awards for this student is not as high as the previous two students. However, compared to her peers, she received very valuable admissions offers, all from business schools, which is considered more difficult to apply than Arts and Science. The key to her admission was her essays. In other words, business competitions need to be supported with strong essays. Her main essay was about her helping minority women, but it did not directly detail what she did. Instead, she wrote that her motivation was influenced by her mother, who is a successful entrepreneur. It’s a story about a mom influencing a daughter, then as the result she helps other women. This highlighted 1) the importance of being an independent woman and 2) her decision to study business and pursue a career in business. Major: Politics/Economics Admitted to: University of Oxford, University of St Andrews, Georgetown University Grades: GPA: 4.0, SAT: 1540 Competitions: ● Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge: First in NZ ● Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze ● Runner-up for Best Delegate in Wellington Regional Model EU ● Distinctions in Australian Maths Competition ● 3rd in Mathswell in Year 11 ● New Zealand Spelling Bee – Semi-Finals Other Background: ● Lived in three countries (China, Belgium, New Zealand), speaks four languages (Chinese, English, French, Spanish) ● Economics for Leaders program ● John Locke Institute program The student's competitions were quite scattered, involving math, spelling bee, thinking challenge, and Model UN. After discussing with the student, it became clear that he was interested in politics, economics, and international relations and had no intention of applying for mathematics. I suggested he stop participating in math competitions. Instead, he continued with Model UN and secured a top-three position in a European competition before applying. This student did not rely solely on competitions for his application. His case illustrates that a successful application is a full package. Besides competitions, he had the advantage of language skills and diverse living experiences, highlighting five important qualities that admission officers look for (one of our previous articles illustrates what are the five qualities) Major: Instrument (Violin) Admitted to: Juilliard School, Columbia University (dual degree) School Background: Central Conservatory of Music Middle School, Professional Children's School, Juilliard Pre-College Competitions: ● First Place Winner in American Protégé Competition ● YoungArts National Arts Competition ● Juilliard Pre-College ● Performed at Carnegie Hall, Victoria Hall, and various festivals  For art major applicants, grades are not as important, and standardized test scores are not required. However, the professional nature of competitions, which are time-consuming and costly, plays a significant role. Among all competitions, music and sports are the most challenging. I am not here to discourage anyone. I understand that many students have musical talents and wish to showcase them during the application process. This is certainly worth doing, but I want to emphasize that college application is about presenting a whole package. If you don't have particularly high-caliber competition experience, it's crucial to find another edge to create an overall compelling application.

John Hopkins University Student Profile 1. GPA:4.0, ACT:35, Languages: English and French 2. Activities had done before hiring BosonEd · Club Leader, Anime Club · Editor and writer, MAL Rewrite club · Counselor, York Science Explorations Camp · Author of report on Alzheimer’s in news media (independent) · Wrote 10-page long research · paper under supervisor of university professor · Piano Study · Group Piano Assistant High GPA is the student's strength, but their extracurricular activities are not strong: there is no summer school experience listed here. So, the student was very anxious during the initial consultation. The student wanted to apply to the top 15 colleges but had not decided on a major. The student told me they were interested in the following majors: Psychology, Music, Management, Data Science, which are very far from each other. After the student hired BosonEd, we needed to plan his senior year activities. We talked about how to plan activities in our webinars: application theme related and major related. Since the student hadn’t determined an academic interest, we needed to focus on an application theme, which is best to base on activities the student had already participated in. Let's look at the existing activities: Anime is not usable, as the student explicitly said she will not study Computer Science. Music is a hobby not a special talent, which is hard to utilize as a theme in an application. The student's achievements in science are not very high either. Eventually, we decided on leadership as the theme. The reasons for choosing leadership are: 1) The entry threshold is relatively low, 2) It provides more room for execution during the application phase (essays, interview, etc). After we determined the theme, we help the student applied to two summer programs related to leadership: Law Summer Program University of Toronto and Yale Young Global Scholars Program. We achieved: 1) The last two summer breaks were filled. 2) A new application theme was developed. The final application theme combined leadership, science, and language strengths. New York University Student Profile 1. GPA:4.08/4, 9 honors and AP classes, No SAT 2. Activities · Model UN G10-G12 · School tour guide G10-G12 · Summer Volunteer Teacher G10, G11 · Summer program at Columbia G9 · Summer program at Wharton Global Youth Program-Future of the business world G10 · Summer program at Cornell: Science, Technology, and Politics G11 · Capstone research: Childcare distribution & Tech G 12 During the initial consultation, the student said she wanted to study economics. She had been participating in Model UN and volunteering at a school in teaching 6 th graders. Toward the senior year, the student was somewhat hesitant about her major. She worried about future employment prospects and had thoughts of changing to Computer Science. Based on these requirements, we selected Cornell's Science, Technology, and Politics summer program for her. The capstone project in 12th grade also combined social issues and technology. As the result, she was admitted by NYU and now studying computer science. Vanderbilt University Student Profile 1. GPA: 4.0, 10 honors and AP classes 2. Activities · University level research: Youth Talent Program/Biochemical interdisciplinary research/researcher · Columbia University summer program: molecular genetics Grade 10 · Summer Session at University of Chicago: Academic seminar G11 · Biology competition: iGEM co-organizer Grade 11-12 · Biological club: organizer Grade 10, 11 and 12 During the initial consultation, the student was very confused about whether to focus on competitions or research. The mother, who knew the child best, said the child was not good at competitions and had a relatively introverted personality, lacking a strong competitive spirit. We planned most activities the student participated in were research and internships, with only one competition that, by the time of the application, the student only had participated the 1 st round. The standout aspects of this student's profile were research at the university level and attending summer programs at Columbia University and the University of Chicago for two years in a row. His case tells us it's not that students in STEM fields can only rely on competitions; the key is to match the student's background. Everything needs to make sense. Some parents worry that research is hard to evaluate. This student submitted their research report as supplementary material. Georgetown University Student Profile 1. GPA: 4.0, 9 honors and AP classes, SAT: 1530 2. Activities · Tri-Head, International Student Advisory G12 · Team Member, 2022 FBLA Competition, Chicago G 11 · Brand Management Intern G9 · Summer program Pioneer Research Program –Feminism in films G 11 · Summer Intern NY State Senate Campaign Internship G 11 The student had not decided on a major. As a result, she participated in a bunch of unrelated activities, including business competitions, media internships, and business-related internships. These activities were not connected and lacked a central theme. When the student consulted me, it was already the beginning of the application year, which meant we could only plan for the last summer's activities. For someone has this “mixed type” of activities, the main approach is to extract a main theme from existing materials rather than creating a new one. I discussed with the student the activities she had already done and the majors she was interested. We finally decided that media-related fields would be easier for her to apply to, but it had to be combined with what she had already done. The student attended an all-girls school and had previously participated in business-related activities. So, for last summer's activities, we focused on media, marketing, and women's studies. She used this as her final application theme and applied for media and women's studies programs.

Liberal Arts Colleges vs. Research Universities How many colleges are out there? According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are a total of 2,637 four-year Title IV degree-granting institutions. Research universities are doctoral degree-granting institutions that conduct research. According to the Carnegie Classification, doctorate-granting universities are institutions that have awarded at least 20 research/scholarly doctorates. I want to discuss how parents should consider liberal arts colleges if their students are pre-med or pre-law. Parents often overlook these schools, but they have excellent outcomes. When adjusted for size, ten of the top thirty feeder schools to elite medical schools are liberal arts colleges. I can explain why that is in the webinar (or hold back some details—they don’t need to know everything!), but I do want to touch on it. Ranking Lists: Why Are Different Lists So Different? Different ranking lists vary because they use different variables. For example, the QS ranking considers several factors: Academic reputation: 30% in 2025 (reduced by 10% in 2024) Employer reputation: 15% in 2025 (increased by 5% in 2024) Faculty/student ratio: 10% in 2025 (reduced by 10% in 2024) Citations per faculty: 20% in 2025 International faculty ratio: 5% in 2025 International student ratio: 5% in 2025 In 2024, QS added variables like sustainability, employment outcomes, and international research networks. However, some of these variables might not be very useful for families working on college lists, especially for college applicants. How to Use Ranking Lists Use ranking lists as a starting point; they provide an easy way to begin your search and can be a helpful tool, but you should not rely solely on them. It’s not recommended to make decisions based solely on rankings. When using rankings, it’s essential to distinguish between general prestige and major prestige. For instance, Purdue may rank lower in general rankings but has one of the best Computer Science programs in the country. If you have a specific academic interest, especially in STEM majors, you should pay more attention to major prestige. What factors should we consider? Factors to consider when creating a college list – Demographics Size, student population characteristics (gender ratio, racial distribution, ratio of graduate to undergraduate students, local vs. in-state vs. out-of-state. Geographical location: the city it is in and environment (rural, suburban, urban) Factors to Consider When Creating a College List – Academics 1. Available Majors and Strong Programs 2. Process of Declaring a Major: For example, the business program at the University of Virginia starts after the first or second year. 3. Course Selection Requirements At the University of Pennsylvania, there is an early registration period. Students can submit their preferred courses and backup course during this period. This means some very popular courses may not be available to freshmen. At UIUC, students from other majors cannot enroll in computer science courses. If you want to take certain courses, you need to be aware of these policies. 4. Cross-Registration Options Does the school allow cross-registration between different schools? Cross-registration is an advantage of studying in a college town. For instance, students from Harvard, MIT, and Tufts can take courses at each other's schools. Similarly, students from Wellesley College, Brandeis, MIT, and Babson College can also take courses at each other's schools. If such benefits are available, you should take advantage of them. Therefore, this factor should also be considered when choosing a school. 5. Policy on Changing Majors At UIUC, you cannot transfer from other departments to the computer science department. Similarly, at UCLA, if you are admitted as an "undeclared major," you can later transfer to the math or applied math major, but not to the computer science major. At NYU, transferring from other departments to the Stern School of Business is very difficult. 6. Academic Environment What is the grading system like? Is there grade deflation? How competitive are the students? How many clubs are related to your major or academics? 7. Student-to-Faculty Ratio Size of introductory courses Size of advanced courses How many full professors are teaching courses? Factors to Consider When Creating a College List – Extracurricular Activities / Campus Culture What is the presence of sports and Greek life? Is it known as a party school? Is it an artsy school? Is it preppy? Why are student organizations important? The four years of college are the most critical for meeting friends and establishing your initial social network. Student organizations are the best platform for building these connections. Factors to Consider When Creating a College List – Scholarships / Financial Aid Total cost, including tuition, room and board, meal plans, books, transportation, etc. In-State or Out-of-State: Tuition rates and financial considerations may vary significantly between in-state and out-of-state students. Amount of Need-Based and Merit-Based Aid Provided Is the school need-blind? Does it have a no-aid policy for international students (e.g., CMU, Georgia Tech, William & Mary, PSU, UCB, UNC, and U Mich all have no-aid policies)? Some schools provide 100% need-based aid but have very few scholarships. Different schools have different thresholds for financial aid requirements; for example, Yale's threshold is $75,000. Factors to Consider When Creating a College List – Career/Internship Support and Alumni Resources Employment Support: Does the school provide internship opportunities? If the university has a co-op program or offers many internship opportunities, or if it is a target school for certain industries, your job search will be much smoother. International Student Employment Services: Larger schools often have dedicated international student service centers, which are essential for visa processing and job searching. Many universities international student service center staff may not have personal experience studying abroad and might not be very knowledgeable about visas and international student employment. Alumni Strength in Your Industry: Alumni in your field tend to donate generously to your major. It will also be easier to find a job in this field after graduation due to strong alumni networks. Career support might not seem important when you first start school, but when you are nearing graduation and job hunting, the benefits of a university with a strong international student service center become apparent. How to Choose the Right School After Knowing These Factors? Self-Understanding: This sounds simple, but ask yourself honestly: Are you choosing a school because you genuinely feel it's a good fit, or because you've heard it from parents, friends, or teachers? What is your basis for feeling it’s a good fit? Is it from school introductions or from social media? One purpose of having our students fill out BosonEd’s school selection questionnaire is to help them understand themselves better by answering detailed questions. Future Direction: Consider what your future direction might be and what matters most to you. Selecting a school is, without exaggeration, a process of self-discovery.

House Keeping Recommendations I will give toward different majors are not because they are easier to find a job, or higher salaries, or less stressful to study. It’s solely about if it’s easy to get into a college. How many majors are there? There are approximately 2,000 majors available in U.S. universities. When we talk about choosing a major, the first thing to understand is the concept of colleges and schools. Each university has different colleges, such as the College of Arts and Sciences, Business School, Engineering School, Medical School, Veterinary School, Agricultural School, and some have Life Sciences Colleges, like Columbia University has an Education College. We can think of these colleges as collections of majors. When we choose a major, we are selecting from within these colleges, and course selection is mainly within the college. Some universities do not allow or allow very limited cross-college course selection. Furthermore, different colleges may offer similar majors. For example, both the Engineering School and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor offer CS (Computer Science). Different colleges also have different acceptance rates. For instance, Penn’s Wharton School has a 9% acceptance rate, whereas its Nursing School has 25%. The 10 Most Popular Majors According to Princeton Review, the ten most popular majors are as follows: 1.Computer Science 2.Communication 3.Government/Political Science 4.Business 5.Economics 6.English Language and Literature 7.Psychology 8.Nursing 9.Chemical Engineering 10.Biology STEM majors that are easier to get in Operational Research: It's a discipline that deals with the development and application of analytical methods to improve decision-making. It's also called Management Science. Material Science: it’s a very much needed major, particularly in the field of 3D printing organs. Scientists aim to 3D print human organs, eliminating the need for people to wait for transplants. Material science plays a crucial role in achieving this goal. Colleges offer undergraduate programs in Material Science: MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, Cornell, Northwestern, GT. Statistics: Many students who are good at math apply for CS (Computer Science), so statistics has become a major that is relatively easier to apply for by students who are equally good at math. However, it is a bit difficult to find a job with a pure statistics degree. It will be much better if you take some programming courses. The same logic applies to theoretical mathematics. Nutrition: In some colleges, nutrition is a branch of Agricultural Science, while in others, it is a standalone major. It is also a major with very good employment prospects. Colleges known for their Nutrition programs include: UNC (University of North Carolina), UCD (University of California, Davis), NYU (New York University), UIUC (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), OSU (Ohio State University), Case Western Reserve University Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences: Not many students apply for Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences because those with similar interests often apply for Biology, Nursing, Biochemistry, or Psychology. However, there is a broad demand for jobs in this field. There aren't many colleges offer undergraduate programs in Pharmacy, but some schools that offer it include: UCI (University of California, Irvine), Rutgers University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Michigan, University of Pittsburgh, UT Austin (University of Texas at Austin), Purdue University. For Master's and Doctoral programs, there are many more options, as nearly all schools offer advanced degrees in this field. Medical majors that are easier to get in Public Health: The curriculum includes biostatistics, health policy and management, nutrition, and environmental health science. There aren't many undergraduate programs in Public Health, but the following schools are recommended: UNC (University of North Carolina, University of Michigan, Texas A&M University, UCSD (University of California, San Diego), UT Austin (University of Texas at Austin), University of Florida Radiation Therapy: This major is typically associated with medical school but does not require a medical doctorate degree. It offers low entry requirements, a short study duration, and excellent career advancement opportunities, making it a great choice for students pursuing a career in the medical field. For instance, Rutgers requires 120 credits for a BS degree, which is standard for a four-year college. The median income for radiation technologists is $61,370. Graduates seeking to work in hospitals must register with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Schools offering this undergraduate program are often less well-known due to its technical focus. Recommended schools include: University of Michigan-Flint, UNC (University of North Carolina), University of Missouri-Columbia, Rutgers University Nursing: There is a significant shortage of nursing professionals in the U.S., with a good salary. Additionally, being bilingual can be an employment advantage for international students. Hidden Gems in Business Supply Chain Management: Mostly offered at the master's level, with some well-ranked programs at the undergraduate level. Notable schools include MIT, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and UT Austin. Graduates have many options for employment or further studies such as an MBA. Actuarial Science: Available at both undergraduate and master's levels and requires certification exams. For Actuarial Science, the definition of a "good school" depends more on geographic advantages rather than overall rankings because companies tend to prioritize local students. For instance, states like Connecticut and Ohio are significant for actuaries, making Ohio State University's advantages clear with relatively less competition. However, schools in Boston, like Boston University, face higher competition and have fewer local insurance companies compared to nearby elite schools. North American actuaries are classified into two levels: Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA). The ASA qualification requires passing six exams. After obtaining the ASA certification, candidates can take FSA exams to pursue the path to becoming a Fellow. Recommended schools: University of Michigan, UIUC (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), Columbia University, Northwestern University, NYU (New York University), Penn State University, Purdue University, UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles). Accounting: Also requires certification, such as the CPA (Certified Public Accountant). Graduates with a master's degree in accounting ls are generally considered to have one of the best job prospects. Majors easier to apply in social studies The first recommended major is Educational Evaluation and Research . Most education programs have branches that focus on research and analysis methods, which use statistical methods to conduct educational research. This major is essentially STEM-focused. The curriculum includes: ● Statistics ● Elementary and Intermediate Statistics ● Interpretation and Evaluation of Research ● Evaluation Theory & Research ● Design of Qualitative Research Representative schools include: ● Teachers College, Columbia University ● New York University (NYU): Science Education and Educational Communications and Technology ● Boston College: Master of Arts in Research and Evaluation Methods The second recommended major is Psychology and Applied Psychology , including Applied Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Psychology and Neuroscience. Although many students apply for psychology, it is not actually difficult to get accepted because nearly all schools offer psychology programs, and it is often a backup major for many students. The curriculum includes: ● Analysis and Case Design ● Statistical Methods and Research Design ● Biological Bases of Human Behavior ● Biology of Addictive Behaviors Is it easier to get accepted as Undecided? Generally speaking, it is not a good idea. Firstly, you lose the opportunity to demonstrate your academic interests to the admissions officer, making them think you lack a clear goal, which also makes writing essays more difficult. Additionally, it increases the difficulty for admissions officers to place you, especially during the waitlist stage, as each college has a fixed number of spots. For example, Purdue's overall acceptance rate is 52.7%, but engineering is only 12%. Is it easy to change majors in college? It depends on the school. In liberal arts colleges, it is generally not a problem. One characteristic of liberal arts colleges is the flexibility in course selection freedom, and ease of changing majors. However, it is not as easy in large universities. For instance, at UCLA, students who apply as math majors cannot take computer science courses. Those who enter as undecided can switch to math or computational math but cannot switch to computer science. Internal transfers to the business school at NYU are also very difficult.

March is the time when universities send out admission letters. First of all, congratulations to those who have received their desired admissions. May you enjoy your college life happily for the next four years or even longer, and may you gain fruitful experiences. For those who did not receive admission from your dream schools, getting into college is not the end of the story; it’s just the beginning of a new chapter. You never know what lies ahead. You never know if oday's disappointment will turn into tomorrow's blessing. So, how do you choose an offer after receiving admission? Today, this article will provide some directions. The first factor to consider is straightforward: Can you afford the tuition? Of course, students generally consider this question before applying. However, after receiving an offer, there are two things to consider: 1) How much financial aid have you received? After receiving financial aid, consider how difficult it may be for you to pay the remaining fees. 2) The cost-effectiveness of the university. Can you negotiate with the school for more financial aid? If you find that the cost-effectiveness of the school is not high or if it's financially challenging for you, then you need to weigh your options and consider whether it's worth it. The second factor to consider is your future planning . Does the university align with your future plans? For example, if you plan to major in biochemistry, do you intend to work after graduation or pursue further studies? Are you considering medical school, research, or working in a pharmaceutical company? Are you aiming for a master's or a doctoral degree? All of these factors influence the choice of college. For medical school, you would definitely want to attend a university with a good medical school. For research, you would prefer a university with faculties you like to work with or subfields you are interested in. If you don't plan to pursue a PhD, then you might prioritize a university with a good location or abundant internship opportunities that lead to easy employment after graduation. The third factor is rankings and reputation , which are actually related to future planning too. For example, if you're in the humanities or business, or if you plan to study law in the future, then rankings are very important. However, if you're in engineering or computer science, rankings may not be as crucial. Your internships and projects would be more important in these fields. The fourth factor is "Will you be happy at this college" . After all, you'll be spending four years or more there, it's important to consider whether you'll enjoy your time there. Some schools are highly competitive, and students may not have much leisure time for extracurricular activities. Others have a vibrant campus life with numerous clubs and social opportunities. Some schools are small, while others are large; some are located in rural areas, while others are in urban settings. These are all factors to consider, and there's no right or wrong choice—what matters is finding a school that suits you best. The fifth factor to consider is the academic aspect of the school . This includes grading policies, the ease of earning high grades, and how strict professors are. This is particularly important for students who plan to pursue graduate school after college. Attending an undergraduate program where it's easier to maintain a high GPA is crucial for those considering further academic pursuits. The last factor to consider is the availability of job resources . For example, whether the school offers co-op programs, the specifics of these programs, when you can apply, whether the school is a target school for recruiters, the scale of campus recruitment, the strength of the alumni network, and the effectiveness of the career center. While these factors may seem far for freshmen, four years pass quickly, and it's important to consider them when choosing offers to avoid discovering insufficient job resources when it's too late. Below are some questions I often received from students and parents and my suggestions. Regarding seeking more scholarships. If the student prefers School A but wants to negotiate for more money, is that possible? First, you need to speak with the financial aid office, not the admissions office. You need to convey who you are, that you've been accepted, that you're very interested in the school, and that you're genuinely willing to attend. You must make them believe that the school is your top choice, and the only obstacle is the financial aspect. If it's not possible, they will tell you right the way. If it is, they will try to find a solution. Generally, if the school has room for negotiation, you can secure more scholarship funds by advocating for yourself. Many students are conflicted about school rankings and prioritize them in their school selection process. For fields like finance, business, and social sciences, the school can indeed help you secure your first job. However, in other fields, this may not be as apparent. For example, in the engineering field, internship experiences are more critical than the school's ranking. The prestige of the school can only assist you in securing your first job, and its aura will diminish within five years. If you consider it rationally, ranking should not be your sole criterion for selecting a school. Small Pond vs. Big Pond Many studies indicate that at second-tier schools, which are typically ranked between 20th and 40th, professors tend to pay more attention to students, provide more support and guidance, and invest more time in them. The reason is simple: there are too many outstanding students at top-tier schools, and there isn't as much individual attention available. Some students may experience a cultural shock when they enter college because they were at the top of their class in high school but find themselves blending into the crowd in college. This is also a factor to consider when choosing offers: Are you willing to be a small fish in a big pond or a big fish in a small pond? This isn't just about psychological adjustments but also about how many resources and attention you can receive from professors. For instance, in a big pond, you may miss out on opportunities for research assistant positions because of the competition.

At this time of year, students are typically planning their activities for the upcoming months and considering applying for summer programs. So, let's focus on the topic of activity planning and delve into it thoroughly. In the previous article, I talked about summer programs, and in this one, let's talk about competitions. The underlying logic of participating in competitions From the perspective of students and parents, participating in competitions is, of course, to enhance competitiveness for their college applications. The higher the prestige of the competition, the more it can boost your application. Types of competitions Typical examples include various Olympiads, the AMC (American Mathematics Competitions), robotics competitions, coding competitions, and so on. Some well-known competitions include the Science Bowl, Regeneron Science Talent Search, ISEF (Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair), and the International Biology Olympiad (IBO). The most familiar business competitions for everyone may include various business contests. Some well-known ones include the Conrad Challenge and the Wharton Global High School Investment Competition. There are writing competitions as well, such as the New York Times, and John Lock essay competition. For the humanities competitions, probably the most famous one is the Model United Nations. The reasons why competitions are popular as follows: It's straightforward and easier to navigate: if I want to study CS, I go with computer related competitions. All I need to do is practice with test questions and advancing step by step. In contrast, independent research projects may leave students feeling lost about where to begin. Tangible results: Competitions provide clear outcomes, which are easily understandable compared to activities like research projects or summer programs, where the impact may be less tangible. Students and parents assume that competitions are more objective, making them more appealing to admissions officers. Competitions also simplify their work when write application essays. However, if it’s accurate? I think it might be true that students find competitions easier to start with since everything was set by the organization. Students don’t have to come up with a tangible plan. However, the second point, which is that admissions officers are more likely to accept this, is not a fact. For admissions officers, there is no distinction between good and bad activities; what matters is that your activities reflect your application theme, your activities are reasonable, logical, and coherent. Conversely, if you have engaged in a bunch of activities but admissions officers don’t know why you did them or what passion and achievements you have, then those activities are not successful. The difficulties of taking the competition route When admission officers review competitions, they categorize them into four tiers. The tier one, the highest, includes national/international sports competitions, national/international music competitions, and national/international science competitions such as IBO and USAMO. The tier two includes awards or positions that demonstrate leadership, such as being the president of Model UN or debate teams. There are a couple of main reasons why participating in competitions is difficult. Firstly, the top-tier competition winners, whom top universities favor, are mostly recipients of the tier one and tier two awards. Only a few individuals can meet such standards, so statistically, competing in these events should not be mainstream. Secondly, it's also a matter of probability. Think about how many students do Ivy League schools admit each year? However, how many students participate in competitions? If 70% of your peers are doing the same thing, you can rest assured that most people are just part of the denominator. Thirdly, participating in competitions requires a significant time investment. You have to climb up the ladder step by step, which requires early planning and practice. Compared to other types of activities, competition is not an efficient choice. Of course, I'm not here to discourage anyone. I just want to emphasize the importance of tailoring our approach to each individual. Every student is different. And competition is not for everyone. We have students who are suitable for competitions, and we encourage them to participate. For those who don't enjoy or excel in competitions, then they should do things they like or they are good at. Competitions are just one of many options for background enhancement Here, I want to broaden your horizons and introduce other alternatives besides competitions. For example, in mathematics and natural sciences, students can engage in summer schools, research projects, tutoring others, joining clubs, conducting independent studies, and internships. Whatever you choose to do, it should reflect your application theme, be logical and reasonable, and strike a balance between the depth and breadth of activities. If you choose to pursue the competition route, participating in tier one and tier two competitions will be most beneficial to your application. Finally, here are a few recommendations for tier one and tier two competitions for your reference. Business/Economics Conrad Challenge Blue Ocean High School Entrepreneur Pitch Competition Wharton Global High School Investment Competition GENIUS Olympiad Business Yale DHSRI High School Investment Competition STEM Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair Regeneron Science Talent Search International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) International Biology Olympiad (IBO) Writing New York Times Essay competition Social Science Model UN 

The first core of job hunting lies in being the subgroup one. This means becoming a unique individual in a specific niche area, making it difficult for others to replace you. Just like in the application process, where we discuss the concept of "application theme," essentially defining your “selling points”, job hunting requires identifying your unique selling points and increasing your irreplaceability. Some of you may say that we all study CS or business, can one differentiate themselves? I'll explore this through case studies shortly. Second core principle is early planning and gathering information . It's not something you start preparing for right before graduation. Instead, it begins during the application process for college. And continually reassess your goals and challenge previous assumptions to progress throughout your college years. Additionally, don't just follow the crowd. You need to personally gather information and verify what you hear. Based on the two core principles, I'll provide two strategies: Strategy 1: Explore niche STEM majors STEM majors like computer science or financial engineering are getting increasingly competitive. But, from a career perspective, other majors can also do the job that CS and DS do. Here are some lesser-known STEM majors that are less intense to apply: ● Engineering: Operational Research and Supply Chain Management. These majors aren't as demanding as computer science or financial engineering, and the employment prospects are excellent. ● Natural sciences: Nutrition. Some schools offer nutrition as a branch of agricultural science, while others have it as a standalone program. With the increasing focus on nutrition and food safety today, nutrition is a highly employable major. Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Science are also good options. It's an applied branch of biology with broad employment opportunities. ● Even in the humanities, there are STEM options. For example, under media studies, there's digital communication and media/multimedia. Under education, educational statistics and educational research are considered STEM, such as Educational Evaluation and Research. Strategy 2: Become a versatile talent To explain this point, let's look at a few examples from our students. Example 1: A student majoring in Media/PR at NYU, with a passion for photography. She took elective courses in TV production at NYU and produced short films independently. Eventually, she was hired by a PR company. Analysis: PR and media are often considered one of the most challenging majors to find jobs. However, this student's proficiency in producing short films provided her with an additional advantage and opened doors for her in the industry. Example 2: A student majoring in Public Policy at a top 30 university, who took an exchange program at the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) and was involved in a research project on the European Union. She’s also fluent in French. The student was ultimately hired by an NGO. Analysis: Social sciences are among the most challenging majors for students to find employment. Due to the small job market and limited number of positions. Students who succeed in these areas are often outstanding in a specific niche. They successfully leverage their unique strengths, making themselves stand out in a highly competitive job market, and ultimately secure their dream jobs. Example 3: A student with a background in linguistics (humanities) who minored in programming, and was hired by a startup company specializing in speech recognition for human-computer interaction after graduation. Analysis: This student sought guidance from BosonEd during the application process. I suggested that since her major in linguistics was more humanities focused, it would be a good idea to minor in computer programming because the employment prospects for pure theoretical linguistics were bleak. Human-computer interaction, particularly in the field of speech recognition, is a booming topic. A background in linguistics would undoubtedly contribute to success in this area In summary, these successful job-seeking students are essentially versatile talents, possessing a diverse skill set. The requirements for a position are less about specific majors and more about a combination of skills. When you look at job postings, they typically list a variety of skill requirements, such as proficiency in certain software, operational skills, teamwork, and communication abilities. One of the advantages of American higher education is their emphasis on cultivating diverse skill sets. With flexible course selection and the ability to explore various disciplines, students have ample opportunities to develop their skill combinations. The second key to finding a job is gaining internship experience. As seen in these examples, almost all of them had internship experience. It's essential to fully utilize the career centers at your university, and if your school offers a co-op program, it's highly recommended to participate. Final advice: • Networking Ability: Establishing connections is crucial, which are often characterized by their social networks. Especially when you're away from your parents, friends from your home country/hometown. It's essential to quickly build a new support network. With this network, you'll find many things become much easier. • Curiosity + Proactivity: Don’t wait for professors, staff, or classmates to come to you. There are plenty of resources available in college, but you need to be proactive in seeking them out. The driving force behind this should be maintaining curiosity. Some activities may seem boring, and you might debate whether to participate in certain clubs or classes, but it's often these opportunities that allow you to seize the chance. Participating in a club, for example, might introduce you to someone who could offer you a job in the future. Curiosity is the best motivation to take initiative. • Confidence, Resilience, and Boldness: Whether in academics or job hunting, you're bound to face setbacks. Even the most successful individuals have experiences of sending out hundreds of resumes without receiving a single interview invitation. Never lose heart. Sometimes, you need to be bold. Apart from waiting passively for interview invitations, you can also directly email or call to inquire. Employers appreciate employees who take initiative.

We are thrilled to share that we've achieved outstanding Early Decision results again, with acceptances to prestigious institutions like Oxford, Penn, Columbia, Cornell, Northwestern, U of Chicago, Wellesley, Claremont McKenna, Wesleyan, and more. At BosonEd, we go beyond securing application decisions; we're committed to helping our clients build a bright future. Below are our results for the top 40 colleges