弗莱福德博士Dr. Friedfeld

　　招办工作经历：历任普林斯顿大学(Princeton)文理学院招生办副主任、康奈尔大学(Cornell)助理招办主任，统筹协调普林斯顿和康奈尔大学招生录取工作，Ivygate波士顿办公室负责人。

　　教育背景：康奈尔大学科学学士学位、赖斯大学环境工程博士和哥伦比亚大学教育学硕士学位。

　　弗莱福德博士是IvyGate本科及研究生全科申请首席专家,并担任IvyGate常春藤院校申请首席专家。凭借丰富的招办工作经验，以及过来人教育集团强大的背景提升方案，成功将众多中国学生送入普林斯顿大学、哈佛大学、卡内基梅隆大学、纽约大学、UC Berkeley、哥伦比亚大学、康奈尔大学等众多国际著名高等学府。精通美国前100名大学40多热门专业录取信息。擅长美国顶尖前30名大学留学申请，弗莱福德博士也是Ivygate创始人之一。

　　　How to prepare your child for college

　　It’s never too early for you and your child to start thinking about college. In reality, most freshmen and sophomores consider college to be far off in the distance, and don’t get serious until it’s too late.

　　If you have a junior, it’s essential to start thinking about the college admissions process now. For parents of younger students, even better! As a parent, you can help guide and support your child in the process. Follow these seven simple tips for gaining an advantage for your child in the admissions process.

　　• Get to know the guidance counselor. Your guidance counselor, sometimes called a college or school counselor, can help in many ways, including course selection and providing advice on colleges and financial aid. Your counselor also writes a letter of recommendation, so your son or daughter, and you, should get to know your counselor as early as possible to talk about college plans. The better the counselor knows your child (in a positive light!), the stronger and more personal the endorsement.

　　• Prepare your class schedule in advance. Even as early as freshman year (or eighth grade), college-bound students should think strategically about the classes that they want to take in their junior and senior years. For example, if your child wants to major in science or engineering in college, it’s best to take AP or IB science and math classes, if offered at your child’s high school. To be eligible for these advanced classes, your child might need to take algebra and geometry early. He or she could also consider taking a summer math class at a community college – it’s often very affordable, and looks great on a college application.

　　• Prep for standardized tests. It’s a good idea for your child to take the PSAT or PLAN test (the pre-SAT and ACT, respectively) in preparation for the real test. Taking standardized tests early and often is not necessarily a good strategy; instead, studying hard for these tests is more effective! Consider free or inexpensive options, like online sites and guidebooks, in addition to private tutors and test-prep classes.

　　• Evaluate college requirements. Most colleges require just the SAT or ACT. Highly selective colleges often also require SAT Subject Tests. If your child is taking an AP or IB class, then he or she might want to consider taking the AP Exam at the end of the school year, followed by the SAT Subject Test a month later. (AP Exams can provide college credit if your child receives a high enough score.)

　　• Visit colleges! Even freshmen and sophomores can visit colleges – without a car. Your child, or you, should “visit” colleges online to get a better sense of majors and departments that are offered, see the makeup of the student population and check out profiles of current students. Many colleges also indicate financial aid policies and provide a current class profile – which include an average student’s GPA and test scores.

　　• Consider meaningful summer activities. Colleges will not make an admissions decision based on your child’s summer activities, but making the most of the summer can allow your child’s application to stand out from the crowd. For example, consider volunteering for the same organization each summer – this will not only show dedication and passion, but there’s also likely an opportunity for increased responsibilities and leadership. Or he or she can take a summer college class, participate in research at a local university, or read up on a subject not studied in school – and then write an essay about it. There is no formula for summer activities – but colleges will be interested in seeing your child make the most out of his or her time away from school.

　　• Beware of rumors and myths about college. Parents talk – but the best advice about college admissions, however, comes from experts, like counselors, admissions officers, or college admissions consultants. Parents can inadvertently spread incorrect information. “John did not get into that college last year, so it must be impossible to get in – don’t bother applying!” or “I hear it’s a party school, so your daughter shouldn’t look at that college.”

　　Remember that the earlier you and your child plan for college, the more organized and in control you will be. Heed this advice and gain an advantage for your child in the admissions process.

　　如何协助孩子申请美国大学

　　留学美国的申请过程繁琐，需尽早开始着手准备。大多数初三和高一年级的学生仍将大学视作遥远的未来，从而导致行动太晚，失去良机。如果您的孩子已经在读高二，请务必展开申请工作。年纪更小些的孩子也应该抓紧时间，抢占先机。作为家长，您可以在整个流程中起到重要的支持引导作用，通过以下方法帮助孩子赢在留美申请的起跑线上：

　　l跟孩子的留学咨询老师聊聊。咨询老师拥有丰富的选校及申请经验。有些高中为学生提供专门的留学咨询老师，负责辅导孩子的大学申请过程，并撰写推荐信。建议您和孩子尽早与咨询老师见面沟通，并初步确定申请规划。咨询老师越早了解孩子的情况和优势，就越能在孩子的申请之路上提供更好的帮助。

　　l提前规划高中课程。在初二或初三，学生就应认真思考并安排高二高三的课程。例如，如果您的孩子打算大学主修理科或工程学，最好在高中选AP或IB理科科目的相关课程。同时，孩子需要提早完成几何和代数课程，才能获得AP和IB的选课资格。暑期在社区大学上一门数学课也是个好选择– 既经济实惠，在申请材料上也非常抢眼。

　　l准备标准化考试。在考SAT或ACT之前，孩子可以考虑先试试PSAT或PLAN(分别是SAT和ACT的预备考试)。提前考正式的考试并且考很多次不一定是个好策略，不如在考前做好充分准备。学生应该多多利用实惠甚至免费的资料，如在线备考网站、参考书、家教和考试辅导课。

　　l了解大学要求。多数大学仅要求SAT或ACT成绩，但顶尖学校常常会要求学生参加SAT单科考试。如果您的孩子在上AP或IB课程，他们可以选择在学年末参加AP考试，并在一个月后参加形式类似的SAT单科考试。如果孩子的AP考试成绩不错，还可以算作大学学分，为孩子在入学前就争取到更多优势。

　　l参观校园!孩子在初三或高一就完全可以去“参观”理想的大学– 甚至不用迈出家门。家长可以陪孩子一起浏览学校的官方网站，了解各个学院以及不同的专业设置，查阅在校生的构成和背景故事。很多大学还在网站上详细列出助学金政策。同时，家长和孩子也可以在上面找到新生的平均GPA和标准化考试成绩，以作参考。

　　l规划有意义的暑期活动。美国大学招生部门的评判标准不仅仅建立在您孩子的暑期活动上，但亮眼的暑期活动完全可以帮助孩子在上千名申请者中脱颖而出。例如，孩子可以利用每个暑假在同一家机构做志愿活动：这不仅能展现孩子对这项活动的热爱和坚持，更能帮助孩子提高责任心和领导力。孩子也可以参加附近大学提供的夏季课程或研究项目，还可以找一个课堂之外的课题，写一篇相关的学术文章。暑期活动的规划没有定式，招生官希望看到的是您孩子没有浪费漫长的假期，积极去完成一件有价值的事情。

　　l不要轻信传闻。家长都喜欢交流申请经验，但真正的留学专家还是咨询老师、招生官、留学顾问等专业人士。家长的说法总有偏差：“我家孩子去年没申进那所学校，可见竞争激烈– 不用花精力申这家了!”或者“我听说这所学校的学术氛围太差，你的女儿最好别申”等等，都仅仅是一家之言，不免以偏概全。

　　切记，想要轻松应对复杂的留美申请程序，您和孩子需要尽早开始准备。将这个建议谨记于心，您就能帮助孩子在竞争日渐激烈的申请环境下赢得先机。

　　Ivygate(藤门国际教育)简介：IvyGate是立足于中美两国的高端国际留学咨询服务机构，在北京、波士顿均有办公室。Ivygate拥有41位美国前三十名校甚至常青藤名校的前招生办官员1对1服务学生、常年保持100%申请成功率、90%学生进入美国大学前三十名校、每年仅服务200名左右的学生。

　　在国内，只有藤门一家有这样的前招生官资源。另外，藤门还有全球500强知名企业的合作关系，为学生提供高端实习机会，比如外资银行、四大会计师事务所这样的全球知名企业。