上週末和阿樂到
Berkeley，參加了一個專講報讀大學的 workshop，是 Johns Hopkins University 和 UC Berkeley 合辦的，一整天的安排，有講座，有小組活動，有個案討論，有經驗分享，頗累人的。Workshop 的內容沒甚麼特別，倒是其中一個活動裏的不愉快經驗值得談一談。
這個活動是給家長的，子女在另一處有別的活動。家長分成小組，每組六至八人，模擬評審入學申請；每組只須看四份申請，要接納其中兩份，拒絕一份，最後一份則放在等候名單。我們只有半小時閱覽和討論那四份申請，雖然只是模擬，但參與者都相當認真。
四位「申請者」（當然不是真有其人，資料是作出來的）的校內和公開試成績差別不太大，因此，那六百多字的自述（personal statement）和課外活動便特別重要。我和另一位家長首先提出拒絕其中一份申請，申請者名為 ‘Julia’；Julia 的自述有百分之九十是在訴苦和埋怨，說自己的成長環境如何不利，家境如何貧困，其他人對她如何不好，自己一邊讀書一邊做兼職如何辛苦等等，全篇只有兩三句較為正面的說話，看不到她對讀大學有甚麼計劃和期望。
大部份其他家長都贊同我們的看法，有一位表示中立，不贊成也不反對拒絕 Julia 的申請。這時，我留意到還有一位家長沒有表態，但由最初的木無表情變成很不高興的樣子，在整個討論過程中一言不發；到舉手投票時，她也沒有反應。由於大部份家長都贊成拒絕Julia 的申請，我們便轉而討論其他申請；其中兩份很難決定取錄誰，投票時各有一半支持者，需要那位不高興的家長也投票。這次她出聲了，語氣很不友善，說的只是：「我不想投票。」負責主持討論的家長於是說：「但我們需要你投票才可以決定啊！」那位不友善的家長更不友善了，略為提高聲線答道：「那你是不是要我投票給你支持的人？」氣氛立時變得極壞，有人說了幾句打圓場的話，然後大家都不再理會她，繼續討論，終於完成任務。
到所有家長一起討論每組的評審結果時，那位不高興的家長聽到有一組取錄了 Julia，立刻面露笑容，並舉手發言，說她也認為應該取錄 Julia，不明白我們這一組的家長為何會那樣負面地看 Julia 的自述，接著補了一句：「我支持取錄 Julia，當然不是因為我也是黑人。」有趣的是，從 Julia 的申請書根本不能肯定她是不是黑人！
我們這一組的家長有三位是白人，這位黑人家長年約五十，很可能因為黑人的身份受過不少歧視 --- 果真如此，她的無禮表現透出的，便是累積多年的怨氣。
這怨氣是道德上可批評的嗎?
回覆刪除怨氣本身也許沒對錯，但形之於行為就很容易有對錯。
刪除也許Julia的自述是那位家長或其親人的經歷。
回覆刪除很可能是這樣。
刪除早前香港有大學舉辦家長日，被指「大學幼稚園化」，原來美國也不遑多讓。 :P
回覆刪除不同，美國大學申請的程序可以很繁複，要注意的地方很多，而這個 workshop 是專給資優學生的，有點幫助。
刪除我在文章沒交代清楚，workshop 不是幫助學生申請入讀 Johns Hopkins 或 Berkeley，而是提點申請（較佳）大學應注意的地方。
文中第4段，"有一位表示明中立" 是多了一個字嗎?
回覆刪除謝謝，已改正。
刪除家長分成小組，每組六至八人，模擬評審入學申請。
回覆刪除這位是黑人家長，加上教授是亞裔，還有三位白人，已經有五人。其餘可能有 1，or 2 or 3 位，即是非黑人的吧 。。。。。不過，以本身白人來說也有分類，通常美國的白人是指愛爾蘭裔或英格蘭裔，其他的歐裔白人例如：德裔法裔意裔 。。。。。白人仲有溝埋了其他白人的後裔，更加有 猶太 Jews Hebrews 以色列的背景，美國真是人種的大熔爐！
不過想問問剩下的 1 or 2 or 3 為家長，有沒有印度裔和阿拉伯裔呢？
一位印度裔，一位西班牙裔。
刪除呃！ Hispanic 在美國不算是白人，可能太多墨佬墨妹偷渡，不過西班牙等南歐國家，在歐洲也是有區別。
刪除順便多謝教授不嫌棄相告 the mix。
I did not think it was that complicated based on my experience 18 years ago.
回覆刪除1) take SAT 1
2) take SAT 2
3) submit application and write 2 page essay
4) submit financial assistance form
5) enroll in Berkeley
Yes, it's fairly simple if you apply only to the UC. However, if you apply to some of the top private universities, then it can be quite complicated (different requirements, early decision, early action, etc).
刪除怨生蠻，蠻生惡？
回覆刪除「蠻」是甚麼意思？
刪除從 Julia 的申請書根本不能肯定她是不是黑人但可能因怨氣驅使夾硬話係..
刪除美國都有重點中學還有就是有名氣色中學老師的推薦信！
回覆刪除中學的確也有排名，但學生不會因為來自名校而在大學入學申請得到加分；也沒聽過有所謂有名氣的中學老師。
刪除I do not completely agree with you. Yes, there is no marks added but it is like a known pattern or open secret that some colleges really prefer some high schools as their ranking are higher than the others. My daughter's public high school ranks quite high in New York State and it is not surprising to see quite a lot of students are accepted by the Ivy Leagues college every year. Even though it is not written, one can feel the privilege of studying in that high school. Of course, the efforts of all the staff and the students themselves are the most important part.
刪除Rosemary
//My daughter's public high school ranks quite high in New York State and it is not surprising to see quite a lot of students are accepted by the Ivy Leagues college every year.//
刪除- Your daughter's school is ranked high for a reason. I am more inclined to believe that being high-ranking and sending students to top colleges are correlated rather than causally related.
A few observations:
回覆刪除(1) The African American parent might be reading some subtle cues in the essay that makes her think the student was African American.
(2) The parent might come across to other simply because of communications style. I have a few African American female friends/colleagues could be perceived as the "angry black woman" even when they were not angry. There were occasions that people thought they were being angry or aggressive, and I was like "no they were not."
(3) The student in question might be trying to emphasize how she has overcome obstacles in her life and got to where she is. At some high schools, being able to graduate, let alone in the position of applying for college, is a significant achievement.
(4) The admission process at elite colleges is much more political than outsiders realize. Admission officers at elite colleges and counselors at elite high schools know each other. They go to conferences together, they work with each other over time, etc. and any good admission officer at an elite college should know about the top private and public schools in the United States. An elite prep school can strategically hire someone who has worked in the admission office at an elite college its students' chances of getting in. While students compete to get in, elite colleges compete with each other to get "the best of the best." It is important for their admission officers to have good relationship with their counselors. There are some interesting studies on that very topic, and some studies on prep schools also touch on that as well.
Lin,
刪除I agree with (1) , (3), and (4). As for (2), the parent's negative attitude was quite unmistakable; I think you would think so too if you were there.
小弟到 東海飲完茶吃完點心，曾順路到 UC Berkeley campus 一行，聽過申請入學的策略，故此對教授本文章特別有興趣。
回覆刪除維基百科：College Admission in US 都有提起 teachers' recommendation，一如教授所說 has gotten less significant！
在 Emeryville 的東海？我當年經常到那裏飲茶！
刪除Yes, Professor， right at the marina！ so we might have met b4 though so far I have declined the urge to search for your photo !!!
回覆刪除那教授與啊樂有從活動得益吧?
回覆刪除到底現在啊樂對大學有甚麼志向?
另外
請問如果一個社區學院的學生想報讀較好的大學
並申請獎學金
會否很難?
有些得益吧。阿樂的志向很清楚，但未經他同意，不便透露。
刪除社區學院的學生想報讀較好的大學並申請獎學金，只要成績好，不會太難。
可能是一種自我投射的行為吧。
回覆刪除