Weekly Message from Head of School 2023/12/3-2023/12/8
Dear Kestonians,
Welcome to the end of the week! There were so many lovely moments of the week that I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite one. The PTA choir singing at the end of the student led KeyConnect charity concert on Thursday night was certainly a highlight, in addition to the many delightful student performances throughout the night. There was also the instance on Thursday morning when a foundation year student insisted on holding the heavy door to the academic building open for me to go through—I could barely believe the chivalry of this tiny person!
And there was the fabulous time Wednesday when over sixty principals from around Shunyi visited Keystone and observed demonstration classes with our wonderful teachers and participated in meaningful roundtable discussions about education and our shared hopes for our students. And I loved the launch of our second mentoring cohort for school leaders, where teachers and leaders partner together to enact change and drive innovation in our school community.
So many lovely moments! But one that may be most worth amplifying to you all was a session that the College Counseling team hosted on Wednesday afternoon with a former ivy league Director of Admissions. A year ago, it might not have occurred to me to share some small insights like these. But in my time so far at Keystone, I have heard several times from parents (in 1:1 chats, through our Parent Survey last year, and through the PTA town hall this fall) that families are interested in learning more about the college admission process earlier. So here are some thoughts that may be of interest to students, families and teachers:
Our guest has recently retired from his work as a Dean of Admissions and mentioned several times how he felt like his retirement gave him a little bit of space to be more forthright with the students than he might have been when he was representing a specific university. There were a few things he shared that are worth everyone in the community hearing.
First, in the highly selective colleges, including the “ivies”, admissions officers are not looking for a reason to reject an application. In fact, he said, while it might sound cold, they assume they will reject most applications. Instead, they are looking for a reason to accept the candidates.
What is the impact of this insight? Highly selective colleges don’t worry about perfect test scores, if your scores are in the range that they share, it’s fine. He was very clear that it is not a good use of time to try to get incrementally higher scores. Particularly on things like TOFEL tests when--as is the case for students from Keystone-- you are earning an IB diploma and graduating from a highly reputable high school.
He went on to say that students’ time should be spent on meaning-- something extraordinary-- that sets you apart from the masses and is an amazing story. He also emphasized that they reject thousands of “perfect” applications every year; applications of students who don’t take risks are of little interest to them. What kinds of risks? Well, that’s the thing, there is no “right answer”. Teaching kids to take risks is an important skill that Keystone has long inculcated. If kids know how to take small risks-- making new friends, sleeping in tents, performing in an assembly-- they will be more likely to see the opportunities to take the risks that will lead them to their big ideas, to their meaning, as the years go on.
Perhaps the most important thing our guest shared is that our students mustn't live their high school (or middle school, or primary school lives) trying to impress people like him. Because people in the admission seat are interested in kids who are truly living their own life of meaning. When he said that, I saw some of our students look up from their laptops where they had been frantically taking notes. I could almost see the thought bubbles floating above their heads.
Don’t try to impress admissions officers. Live my own life of meaning. There is no formula except for meaning.
I imagine that hearing this is at once liberating and intimidating. High school students don’t have to have discovered their life’s passion or work, or have perfect test scores or grades. But they have to be great at finding meaning and purpose and telling their stories-- not just to get into college, but to succeed when they get there, and beyond.
I stood in the back and looked around the room, I welled up a little thinking about the students sitting in the high school library. They are amazing, and I am 100% sure that their time at Keystone is helping them find meaning and purpose, and the voice to tell their stories. Colleges and universities are so lucky to get these kids.
See you next week,
Emily
