Face-to-Face with U.S. Admissions Officers | InitialView 2026 Fall Admissions Tour Visits BAID
With the arrival of autumn, the InitialView 2026 Fall Admissions Tour came to Beijing Academy in September, bringing students, parents, and educators together for direct conversations with admissions officers from leading universities around the world. Hosted at BAID, the event attracted 546 registrants and filled the venue to capacity. Throughout the fair, participants engaged in lively discussions and gained firsthand access to current information and guidance on overseas university applications.
Leading Universities and Liberal Arts Colleges
The fair brought together a strong and diverse group of institutions, including leading U.S. national universities and top liberal arts colleges, giving students a broad range of options to explore. Participating institutions included the University of California, Berkeley; Carnegie Mellon University; Vanderbilt University; Northwestern University in Qatar; and the University of Pittsburgh, alongside liberal arts colleges such as Claremont McKenna College and Vassar College. Together, they represented a wide range of academic strengths and offered students different perspectives as they considered their college options.
Principal's Welcome
At the opening of the event, Beijing Academy Principal Xia Qingfeng welcomed the InitialView team and visiting admissions officers and briefly introduced Beijing Academy and the Beijing Academy Education Group. Founded in 2013, Beijing Academy has remained committed to helping students grow creatively while continuing to explore new approaches to education and international learning. Through strong educational outcomes and sustained curriculum development, the school has built a solid foundation for students pursuing top universities in China and abroad while serving as a high-quality local school for the surrounding community.
Principal Xia expressed his hope that Beijing Academy would continue to deepen its partnerships with leading universities around the world. By drawing on high-quality international educational resources, the school aims to help BAers understand themselves more deeply, pursue their aspirations, and grow into globally minded young people with Healthy Character, Patriotism, and Innovative Spirit.
Vice Principal's Keynote Address
Following the opening, Beijing Academy Vice Principal Zhou Hui delivered a keynote address in English. She introduced BAID's development, curriculum, accreditation, and educational outcomes, while highlighting the school's practical and innovative approach to international education and its emphasis on close collaboration between families and the school.
Over the years, the international education pathway within the Beijing Academy Education Group has developed a mature dual-track academic model, supported by a strong student-to-faculty ratio and recognized international accreditation. By bringing together educational resources from China and overseas, the school provides personalized support for students with different interests and goals.
Ms. Zhou also highlighted BAID's experienced international faculty, its distinctive school-based experiential and innovation programs, and the achievements of students in its international curriculum. Together, these elements reflect the school's continued development and its commitment to helping students grow with creativity, confidence, and a global perspective. The presentation left a strong impression on the visiting admissions officers.
College Counseling at BAID
In the final session, Liu Jie, Head of the Center for College Counseling, drew on real student stories to introduce Beijing Academy's highly personalized approach to college planning and counseling. Two student journeys, together with moments of interaction between students and teachers, illustrated how college counselors and the wider teaching team support students throughout interest exploration, extracurricular planning, and the college application process.
This sustained guidance helps students better understand their strengths, clarify their goals, and approach higher education with greater confidence. A display of handwritten letters from graduating students offered visiting admissions officers a more personal glimpse into the professionalism, care, and close relationships that define the BAID college counseling team.
Face-to-Face Conversations with Admissions Officers
The InitialView Fall Admissions Tour featured a range of focused opportunities designed to help students, parents, and educators better understand overseas admissions and plan their next steps with greater clarity. At the center of the event were direct conversations with current admissions officers, open to all students and parents. Participants were able to ask questions one-on-one and learn more about each institution's campus culture, academic opportunities, undergraduate admissions criteria, and current admissions policies.
For students, these conversations also provided valuable preparation for future college interviews. By initiating discussions, asking questions, and responding in real time, students practiced presenting their interests and strengths with greater clarity and confidence while gaining a better understanding of how admissions conversations work at leading universities overseas.
Dedicated Info Sessions
The fair also featured dedicated Info Sessions with admissions officers from the University of California, Berkeley and Carnegie Mellon University, drawing active participation from BAID students and parents. The speakers introduced their institutions' academic strengths, leading programs, and distinctive educational opportunities while discussing current admissions trends. They also explained scholarship opportunities and financial aid pathways available to international students, giving families more detailed information about academic programs, campus culture, and current admissions policies.
Northwestern University in Qatar
Nidal, an admissions officer from Northwestern University in Qatar, joined the event in person and expressed strong appreciation for the BAID students and school community.
It was such a pleasure meeting the wonderful community at Beijing Academy! It's always refreshing and inspiring to meet students who are so full of enthusiasm, curiosity, and excitement about pursuing their lifelong dreams. Thank you, Beijing Academy, for the warm welcome. We wish you and all your students continued success and happiness. Keep dreaming big!
Northwestern University in Qatar is Northwestern University's only campus outside the United States, and its students earn Northwestern University degrees. The campus is particularly known for Communication and Journalism. Located in Education City, it also gives students access to shared academic resources within a community that includes five leading U.S. universities.
Conversations After the Presentations
After the presentations, students continued speaking one-on-one with admissions officers, asking detailed questions about applications, academic programs, and college planning. These direct conversations gave students opportunities to clarify uncertainties and gain practical insights.
Parents also remained actively involved throughout the event, listening closely and speaking with admissions officers to better understand current admissions trends. Their participation reflected the close collaboration between families and the school in supporting students' college planning.
Student Volunteer Reflections
Several BAID students volunteered throughout the event, helping the fair run smoothly while gaining new perspectives through service and conversation.
01 Mao Shuhan:
At this InitialView Admissions Tour, I had the opportunity to host the Welcome Session and also serve as a volunteer at the Northwestern University in Qatar booth. During a break, the admissions officer showed my partner and me photos of the campus and shared stories about the experiences of Chinese students studying and living there. He also patiently answered many of our questions about exploring academic interests at this stage and choosing universities in the future.
At the end of the event, we took a photo together to remember the experience. As a student who has only recently joined BAID, college applications still feel far away, yet this fair significantly broadened my perspective and gave me a clearer sense of what lies ahead. It encouraged me to look beyond rankings and see the distinctive character and educational approach of each university. I was also fortunate to meet admissions officers who were sincere and approachable.
I am deeply grateful to the school for giving me this opportunity. I hope to carry what I learned from the experience forward as I continue developing my interests and preparing for the future.
02 Lei Muti:
I participated in the InitialView Admissions Tour as a volunteer at the University of Pittsburgh booth, and the experience gave me a great deal to reflect on. While helping the admissions officer welcome students and parents, I had the opportunity to speak with the university representative in depth and gain a clearer understanding of how U.S. universities approach admissions and student development.
I learned more about the University of Pittsburgh's diverse and inclusive campus community, its comfortable learning environment, and the flexibility students have to explore across academic fields. While speaking with visitors, I also began to see college selection from the perspective of families and better understand the questions and concerns they bring to the process.
Listening to the issues that students and parents raised most often helped me recognize how strongly overseas universities value students' individual interests, willingness to explore, and broader capabilities. The experience expanded my understanding of university admissions and strengthened my determination to continue developing my academic interests through sustained study and practical experience.
03 Chen Xinmo:
Before the InitialView Admissions Tour began, I had already identified three institutions I especially wanted to learn more about: GW, CMC, and Rochester. I plan to apply primarily for Sociology and Public Policy, so I focused particularly on social science curricula, internship opportunities, and related resources.
GW benefits from its location in Washington, D.C. and offers more than 300 student clubs and organizations, giving students many ways to become involved in campus life. At CMC, the admissions officer explained that the college looks beyond strong academic performance alone. It also values the broader contributions students have made during high school, their commitment to service, and the personal qualities and leadership reflected in recommendation letters.
Across all the conversations I had at the fair, the ideas I heard most often were understanding and respect. Everything is OK. Students approaching application season and younger students beginning to plan ahead all arrived with aspirations as well as uncertainty. The admissions officers responded with patience and reassurance, helping students approach the process with less anxiety.
There is no single standard that defines every successful applicant. Each student has individual strengths and possibilities. Presenting an authentic version of yourself with confidence may be one of the most important parts of the application process.
The InitialView 2026 Fall Admissions Tour concluded successfully. BAID's college counseling team has long emphasized careful planning and personalized guidance while creating regular opportunities for students and families to speak directly with representatives from leading universities. These programs help reduce information gaps in overseas admissions and give students and parents clearer access to current admissions information and trends.
BAID will continue to connect students with high-quality university resources around the world and provide professional, practical college counseling. Through this support, students can clarify their goals, move forward with greater confidence, and continue developing as they pursue universities that fit their aspirations.
This AI translation is provided for reference only. Please verify with original Chinese version.