Sean Ma’s Pro-Tips to Make Your American High School or College Dream a Reality
To live the American dream, one needs to face the reality of the American high school and college application process. That reality is harsh. Ask anyone who has tried and they will tell you it is designed to exhaust and exasperate even the strongest amongst us. Historically, navigating the application season was like finding oneself stranded, in the middle of an ocean, with little hope of encountering a rescue ship. Fortunately, times are changing. And that rescue ship has arrived, captained by Sean Ma. As the President of Shanghai Leighton School and the Founder/CEO of Ma Academy, Sean has the experience you lack to help you reach the shores of the most prestigious American high schools and colleges.
Sean Ma is an alumnus of both Columbia University and Cambridge University. His own experience cracking the entrance exam and writing his essays helped him understand what most applicants fail to consider: it’s not about grades and scores — there’s something more. If you were to ask most students, they’d tell you that the best colleges take the best students, but for Sean, that’s an overly simplistic perspective. Surprisingly, he says, “The leading American educational institutions — high schools and colleges alike — want more than just high test scores, they want students who show the potential of becoming sharp learners and trailblazers.”
This concept should change the game students play to get into their dream schools. Luckily, Sean’s team of experts at Ma Academy are here to help. Sean states, “We help the students find and develop their passion. They are encouraged to not just follow in the footsteps of their peers, but instead, to leave their own.” By taking a more preparatory approach, Sean and his team have a long history of great success because their process encourages the applicant to become better at what he or she is already passionate about.
While most students find this approach encouraging and inspiring, Sean has realized that the biggest opposition to this strategy often comes from the parents. Parents continue to believe in the supremacy of grades and believe institutions hold them in the same regard. “Times have changed.” Sean says, as American schools and colleges receive more and more applications every year from students who all have outstanding grades and test scores, these institutions have had to adapt a more holistic approach. “While our experts continue to offer proper and complete guidance on ACT and SAT preparation, course selection, recommendation letters, and college essays, our main focus is to help the student realize their true potential.” Once a student has demonstrated their academic strength, students need to show their uniqueness to the admission committee. The only way to do that is by finding creative ways to help students develop these passions. “At Ma Academy,” Sean says, “that’s exactly what we aim to do.”
The American high school and college admission processes are tough. There is no doubt about it. To some extent, parents’ anxieties and the students’ uncertainties are well-founded. For one, Sean says, “there’s no clear logarithm to explain why an admission officer admits one applicant and rejects another. It’s completely intuitive and subjective.” This is what most students, especially international students, fail to grasp. As far as they understand, they did everything that was expected of them and still came up short. For this reason, Sean and his experts at Ma Academy offer customized guidance throughout the admission process with special emphasis on the GROW model. The GROW model stands for: Goals, Reality (where the student is now), Options (ways to improve), and Will (the student’s desire to achieve his/her goals). This tool, Sean explains, “helps students sharply define their expectations and abilities.” It is a reality check that encourages students to deepen their passions and not just depend on their grades to gain admission to their dream institutions. “The GROW model allows students to feel like they’re in the driver’s seat during the application process, which is how it should be,” Sean states. More importantly, the self-growth and exploration students experience using the GROW model yields students who are better acclimated for our ever-changing world. These students tend to find themselves applying to schools and colleges that fit their own needs, instead of just basing applications on published rankings.
“These students are finding new academic homes where they will thrive and succeed,” Sean says, “And isn’t that the key to achieving the American Dream?”
