info@aceedusa.com Ace Education 2021 Admissions Report
Under the harsh admission situation caused by this year’s unprecedented global epidemic, first of all, I would like to express my warm congratulations and heartfelt blessings to the students of our Ace Education Elite College Admission Counseling Program who have received the admission notices from their favorite universities:
| MIT | 1 |
| Columbia University | 1 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 3 |
| University of Chicago | 2 |
| Johns Hopkins University | 1 |
| Cornell University | 1 |
| Rice | 2 |
| Washington University in St. Louis | 1 |
| UCLA | 3 |
| Emory University | 2 |
| UC Berkeley | 2 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 1 |
| USC | 1 |
| NYU Stern and NYU | 3 |
| Boston College | 1 |
In previous years, the regular admission rankings of American universities were typically concentrated in mid-to-late March each year. However, in 2021, the Ivy League schools that parents and students have long awaited have been postponed to April 6 due to the sudden increase in the number of applicants. The regular admission results were announced only then, causing greater anxiety.
This year’s regular admission process has not only been the usual intense competition but has also produced results that are exceptionally fierce and quite unexpected. Instances of high-scoring students being rejected and low-scoring students making surprising comebacks are widespread. Some believe that admissions to top-tier universities have become increasingly mystical, to some extent confirming the notion that “everyone has a chance, but no one is guaranteed.” This year, many political factors have also more or less influenced admissions at prestigious institutions. Many did not anticipate that the pandemic would have such a significant impact on various aspects of the college application process and bring about such extensive changes.
Firstly, according to the latest data from the most widely used college application platform, Common App, the surge in application numbers has been most pronounced at elite private universities, especially Ivy League schools, and highly competitive public universities. We have observed a decline in applications at less competitive or smaller schools with relatively lower rankings.
Secondly, a reduction in admissions at the top 30 ranked universities can be attributed to the fact that many students admitted in the previous year, influenced by the pandemic, chose to defer their enrollment to the following year. To ensure there were available spots for these students this year, universities had to reduce the number of new admissions for this year.
Early preparation and participation in college entrance exams, as well as early determination of target universities, and communication with recommenders in advance have become even more important in light of the pandemic’s impact this year.
The advantages of early applications, particularly through Early Decision, have become more apparent. Some elite schools have admission rates that are two to three times higher for early applicants, reaching astonishing rates of 40%.
The phenomenon of top-performing students sweeping through prestigious universities during the regular admission phase is now quite rare, especially among the top 20 ranked universities. Applicants showing a strong preference for their target universities are increasingly favored by colleges.
Selective submission of test scores did not increase the chances of admission for more Asian-American students. On the contrary, over 80% of applicants to top private universities submitted their college entrance exam scores. Furthermore, the results show that the test scores of admitted Asian-American students to top private universities are even higher than in previous years, nearly reaching a perfect score. It’s clear that the admission standards for Asian-American students have not been lowered due to the pandemic this year.
More students, despite having slightly flawed academic records and less-than-ideal SAT scores, focused on family responsibilities and personal character development during the pandemic. They leveraged strong recommendation letters, well-structured applications, and profound, targeted essays to impress admissions officers, seizing the rare opportunity this year for a successful comeback. Our school has witnessed several such cases.
More students and parents have actively utilized on-campus and off-campus college guidance, identifying strengths and weaknesses. By accurately timing their applications, selecting the right colleges, and choosing suitable majors, they have successfully obtained admissions that exceeded their expectations, moving from ordinary high schools to prestigious universities.
The total number of college applicants in the United States remains similar to last year. However, the number of international students applying to American universities, particularly from China, the second-ranking country for applications, has sharply declined by 18% due to the pandemic. Public universities that traditionally admitted a significant number of international students have increased their enrollment of domestic students this year. These universities have benefited from the reduction in admissions at top private universities and have also provided an opportunity for students with less-than-stellar academic records to gain admission to better institutions.
Finally, to address the increased uncertainty, colleges this year have maintained longer waitlists than in previous years.
Looking ahead to the 2021-2022 academic year’s college applications and standardized testing, the following changes are worth noting for parents and students:
The College Board has discontinued the SAT Subject Tests, which places greater emphasis on the significance of Advanced Placement (AP) courses in the application process. AP exams are limited to one attempt per subject and have fixed schedules, unlike SAT Subject Tests, which allow multiple attempts and more flexible timing. Additionally, AP courses tend to be more challenging, making AP exam scores a critical battleground for applicants to showcase their academic performance. These scores also serve as a vital assessment criterion for colleges, especially with the absence of SAT Subject Test scores, to gauge whether students are capable of handling university-level studies and their learning potential.
Teacher recommendations from within the school play a paramount role in a student’s application. Without strong teacher recommendation letters, gaining admission to top-tier universities becomes extremely challenging.
For students with imperfect academic records, it is recommended to seize the opportunity of applying early decision round 2 (ED2) to avoid direct competition with exceptionally high-achieving students during regular admissions, which could lead to application rejections. In our school this year, the early decision phase yielded outstanding results, with 9 students receiving acceptance letters from 10 different schools.
This year, our prestigious college counseling program has maintained its high-quality service standards, helping each student refine their extracurricular activities to be concise and impactful, along with providing top-notch application essays. As a result, our school’s students have achieved impressive results even in this exceptionally competitive admissions environment. This success can be attributed to the precise professional guidance provided by Dr. Sun, the trust and support of parents, and the diligent cooperation of our students.
Dr. Sun continues to uphold his consistent philosophy of focusing on the essential elements and avoiding unnecessary details in his guidance. With his unique perspective, he helps students who may not have major awards or extremely impressive extracurricular activities craft high-quality application essays that highlight their individuality and excellent character. He ‘turns the impossible into the possible’, helping numerous students apply to the schools of their dreams. The application process with Dr. Sun is also a journey of growth, transformation, and self-discovery for the students. Many students and their families collaborate throughout the entire application process, breaking down barriers and deepening mutual understanding. Communication becomes smoother, and this is a shared experience for many families and a highly valuable outcome of the process.
Ace Education Elite College Counseling Program is open to students in grades 9-12, offering one-on-one college counseling for students aspiring to enter top American universities. Dr. Sun, with twenty years of experience in college admissions counseling, possesses an in-depth understanding of the admission rules for various prominent American universities and a profound knowledge of the specific majors and admission characteristics of these institutions. He excels in guiding students through early educational planning and comprehensive application strategies tailored to their choice of major and the unique features of the schools they are applying to.
Dr. Sun takes into account students’ individual characteristics, family circumstances, school resources, and more, to provide guidance on participating in the most suitable and effective extracurricular activities, as well as activities that facilitate the development of critical thinking and problemsolving skills. He personalizedly uncovers each student’s exceptional potential. With his insightful insights into application essay writing and years of editing experience, he enables students to fully showcase their personality and talents during the application process, significantly increasing their chances of being admitted to top universities.
Dr. Sun’s extensive practical experience, diligent and responsible approach, and remarkable counseling results have helped numerous students gain admission to America’s leading universities. He has earned widespread praise from both students and parents.
Ace Education’s Elite College Counseling Program has built a strong reputation and consistently achieved outstanding admission results, especially thanks to Dr. Sun’s unique application philosophy and his diligent, rigorous work ethic. The program’s success is also attributable to the positive recommendations from parents. As of the announcement of this year’s admission results, our enrollment for the 2021-2022 academic year is already filled, which underscores the trust and support from our students’ families. We deeply appreciate the trust placed in us.
We understand the responsibility we carry, and in the upcoming academic year, we will continue to work tirelessly, ensuring that each application is handled with the utmost care, living up to the trust of our students’ families. This year’s students are exceptionally talented, and the competition will be even fiercer. We extend our best wishes to all the students under Dr. Sun’s guidance, hoping they achieve great results and receive acceptance letters from their dream universities. In the new academic year, we look forward to seeing them achieve even more remarkable success.