Don't Believe in Luck; Believe only in Hard Work!

近年来，美国一批包括常春藤大学在内的著名高等学府的录取率连创新低，顶级名校的入学名额成为极为稀缺的资源，其激烈的竞争程度让人叹为观止。

Among the many applicants worldwide, there are many students that are not only academically capable and well-rounded but also supported by a strong family background. In recent years, due to the influence of social media, a variety of articles describing US college admissions has filled parents’ social media feeds. Such news has once again brought attention to the US application process as well as concern to the parents of aspiring children. They commonly ask, “Is it still possible for my children to have a fair chance in the college application process?”

放眼全球，在为数众多的申请人当中，不乏一些不仅学业优秀，个人综合素质强，而且家庭背景实力异常雄厚的申请者。过去几年中，由于社交媒体越来越强大，各类关于美国名牌大学招生的解读和新闻充斥着家长们的“朋友圈”。这再次把众人的视线集中到美国知名大学的招生上，也让那些想要把子女送到美国就读名校的家长们再度绷紧了本已紧张的神经。他们不断发问：不占有生产资料和人脉资源的我们，子女还有多少进入美国名校的竞争机会？

Shanghai High School International Division (SHSID) is a school located in Shanghai’s Xuhui District for international students. The school encompasses grades one through twelve and has over 2,800 students from over 60 different countries, the majority of which are Asian. Upon enrollment, parents no longer have to worry about their children’s education as the school cares for each and every student with its “no child left behind” policy from Grade 1 to Grade 12, striving to ensure that each student successfully graduates from high school. Each year, approximately 50% of SHSID graduates enroll in US colleges, while the others choose to go to Canada, Australia, the UK, Singapore, Japan, Korea, or other countries around the globe. The majority of SHSID students come from middle class families. Out of the students applying to US colleges, around 90% enroll in a Top 50 university each year; there are also acceptances from Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Stanford University, or MIT annually. (Official school website:www.shsid.org) Outstanding college matriculation is merely one result of SHSID’s educational philosophy, which is to contribute to the personal and lifelong development of every student through the “four pillars”.

上海中学国际部（简称上中国际）是一所地处上海市徐汇区的外籍人员子女学校，招收1-12年级学生，目前在校生数超过2800人，学生生源来自60多个国家和地区，其中亚裔学生居多。学生一旦在某个年级被录取，相当于乘上了基础教育直通车，家长不用再为子女的择校焦虑，因为这所学校关注每一位学生的学习体验，实行“零淘汰”，争取让每一位学生顺利高中毕业。上中国际每届毕业生前往美国深造的人数比例约为50%，其余毕业生前往加拿大，澳大利亚，英国，新加坡，日本，韩国等国家和地区深造。毕业生中的大部分来自知识分子或中产阶级家庭。在实行1-12年级“零淘汰”的背景下，上中国际近年来毕业生被美国本科排名前50的大学录取率稳定在90%以上。这样的结果颇为不易，且每年都收获“哈耶普斯麻”之类顶级名校的录取。（学校官方网站：www.shsid.org）

不错的大学录取只是上中国际用心做教育的“副产品”，她的使命是通过强化“四大支柱”，努力培养每一个孩子，成为“个性化和终身发展的学习者”。Let us discover the stories behind four SHSID graduates from the class of 2019 and explore their personal experiences, hopes, talents, and dreams as well as how they worked hard to earn their place in top US colleges.下面让我们通过四位来自上中国际2019届毕业生的故事，了解他们的成长经历，从中可以看出：有梦想、有才华、努力拼搏的年轻人，仍然有机会赢得通往美国名校的入场券。