Sean Ma is the president of Shanghai Leighton School and Founder of Ma Academy, a renowned educational institution that has helped countless students successfully navigate the college admissions and sports recruiting process.
Now, Sean has a bestselling book, "The 7-minute Admissions Decision". He says, "Over the years, I've wanted to put my experiences together to educate more parents and students. I've found that so many parents unintentionally mislead their children about the admissions process. My goal was to demystify college admissions and provide a clear, actionable guide that helps students and parents."
Sean tell us us the initial title of his book was actually "The 15-Minute Admissions Decision".
He says he asked a few friends who work at admissions offices to help proofread and edit the book, and they said, "The first thing you need to change is your title. We don't spend 15 minutes on each application." So I asked, "How about 10 minutes?" and they replied, "Nah, on average, we spend around 7 minutes."
That's how Sean came up with the title "The 7-Minute Admissions Decision."
Sean also shared the best strategy for student-athletes to get recruited.
He says "student-athlete" means student first, then athlete. College coaches will look at your grades first then evaluate your athletic abilities.
Student-athletes can showcase their skills to college coaches through
- highlight videos
- participating in showcases, camps, and tournaments
- joining a reputable club
- creating an online profile
- seeking recommendations from coaches
- competing at high level
Ma also shared what he calls a "fitness analogy" for the admissions process. "You need two chest muscles and six pack abs. The "two chest muscles" represent GPA and standardized test scores, while the "six pack abs" refer to key components such as admissions strategy, application theme, extracurricular activities, course selections, recommendation letters, and, last but not least, college essays."
A "less qualified" student may have a compelling story that resonates with a specific college.
In addition, institutional priorities and undisclosed factors can influence admissions decisions.
Ma says his advice to students is: Start early, maintain good grades, and focus on your passion, which can help you stand out from other similarly qualified applicants.
Parents should support their children's independence and manage the stress of the process.
Most importantly, don't mislead them, as the college application process has drastically changed compared to 20 or 30 years ago.
You can get the book and learn more at maacademy.org.
