Last Friday I was really lucky to have the chance to travel to Tianjin for the Sina Fiesta event where I met students and parents, answered their questions, and learned more about some of the concerns our applicants have. It was really nice to see how happy some people were to learn of the resources we make available for applicants, such as this blog! Please pass it on to anyone else in need!

The busy season is almost here, and while I was in Tianjin I really emphasized the need to come in and apply early, ideally 3 months in advance of the semester’s start date. We never want to delay a qualified student’s arrival, and applying early makes it easy for us to do that for everyone.  I am always so relieved when I see that someone has come in well in advance, because I know there trip will be smooth and without stress. I can tell you from personal experience that all the visa officers here in Beijing do everything they can to process cases quickly, but sometimes we just need that extra time an applicant gives us when they come in early.

Thanks to everyone who came out for the Fiesta event, I hope I get a chance to talk to more of you in the future and answer as many questions as possible!