Far and Beyond: Keystone’s 2025 graduates celebrate admissions to highly selective universities worldwide

Members of the Keystone Academy Class of 2025 are going far and beyond with their impressive admissions to highly selective colleges and universities from different countries worldwide. This milestone is only part of the fascinating life of Keystone graduates who are now set for a new journey with the nourishment of a world school they call home.

As of May 15, 2025, 103 members of Keystone’s newest graduating cohort have received more than 500 college and university admission letters from 11 countries and regions. Not only have they been admitted to highly selective institutions, including those from the Ivy League, but more Keystonians students are favored by top schools and competitive programs.

With support from the Keystone Office of College Counselling, almost every Keystone Class of 2025 member applied for a college or university that suits their personality and ambitions, as well as those that match their academic level and expectations. Executive Head of School, Emily McCarren shares that “Keystone’s college counseling process is exceptional” and that the school’s “talented counselors guide students to the school that will best meet their individual intellectual needs.”

“he results of this comprehensive system of care are extraordinary. With each passing year Keystone students demonstrate increasingly diverse and innovative pathways of excellence fanning out from Keystone across the globe.”

Where Keystone graduates are going

For the first time, Keystone graduates have received offers from top universities such as the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Williams College, the University of Notre Dame, Bates College, and Carleton College. Aside from these, some members of the Keystone Class of 2025 will go to the following institutions:

·       Minerva University (US), an innovative school with a global immersion practice program. With an acceptance rate of only 4%, it is one of the most difficult universities to enter in the United States. It was also once known as the university that subverted Ivy League education.

·       University of Utah (US), with its world-leading undergraduate major in game design.

·       College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara admits about a dozen students yearly.

·       HEC Paris (France) and Bocconi University (Italy), which admit only 50-60 students each year, will open joint undergraduate dual degrees for the first time.

Click here to view a growing list of the colleges and universities that offered admission to members of the Keystone Class of 2025.

University Application Data of the Keystone Class of 2025

Early application in US colleges

Among the 103 students of Keystone’s Class of 2025, 75 students participated in the early application round for American colleges (i.e., early decision [ED] 1 and early decision 2). Twenty-one of these participants received admission letters (admitted by their first-choice school), leading to a near 28% admission success rate in the early application stage (including early decision and restrictive early action [REA]).

Scholarships

Many Keystone’s Class of 2025 members have received partial or full scholarships from top colleges and universities, which affirms Keystonians’ academic prowess. The scholarships come from the University of Notre Dame, Davidson College, Case Western Reserve University, Boston University, the University of California, the University of Rochester, Brandeis University, Rhodes College, the University of Toronto, Waseda University, Kyushu University, and many others.

Study abroad destinations

For their study abroad destinations, nearly 95% of Keystone’s Class of 2025 students have chosen to apply to American colleges. Some have also applied to universities in the United Kingdom (22%) and Canada.

Selection of undergraduate majors

Keystone’s Class of 2025 will take on a range of undergraduate majors in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) courses, business, economics, humanities, design, art, philosophy, and more. Their choices continue the trend of Keystone graduates’ diverse options for academic tracks or study programs.

In addition, many Keystone Class of 2025 members express interest in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary studies. Some have been admitted to dual majors or cross-disciplinary programs in mathematics and music, physics and drama, philosophy and music, and many other eclectic academic track combinations. Compared with a single major, cross-disciplinary applications are more challenging, making it extremely difficult to receive admission. Yet, for many Keystonians admitted to such programs, their admissions better reflect their comprehensive development through the Keystone curriculum, community, and environment.

Keystone Head of High School Nick Daniel encourage graduates to “remember the values they have learned - and lived - at Keystone”.

“Continue to live them, so that they can transform their future communities for the better. As graduates of Keystone, they now have the capacity to bring good to the world, through positive leadership, kindness and intellectual courage.”

Trends in Keystone Class of 2025 College Admission Results

Top colleges continue to admit Keystone graduates

For the fourth consecutive year, Yale University and Wellesley College have offered admission letters to Keystone graduates. The following highly selective institutions have also notably admitted Keystonians in the past years:

·       University of Chicago

·       Northwestern University

·       Washington University in St. Louis

·       University of Southern California

·       Carnegie Mellon University

·       Tufts University

·       University of Virginia

·       University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

·       Vanderbilt University

·       New York University

·       Boston University

·       University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

·       Michigan State University

·       University of Minnesota

·       Wesleyan University

·       Middlebury College

·       Davidson College

·       Vassar College

·       Mount Holyoke College

·       Bard College

These institutions will also welcome many Keystone Class of 2025 students who applied during the 2024 season:

·       University of California, Irvine: 18 Keystone students

·       University of California, Davis: 17

·       University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: 16

·       University of California, San Diego: 13

·       University of Southern California; Ohio State University; Northeastern University: 12

·       New York University: 10

·       Brandeis University; Boston University; University of Washington, Seattle; University College London: 9

·       University of Edinburgh: 8

·       King’s College London; University of Toronto: 7

·       University of Rochester, Art Center College of Design; University of British Columbia: 4

·       Carnegie Mellon University; Washington University in St. Louis; Wake Forest University; University of California, Berkeley; Georgia Institute of Technology; Bates College, School of Visual Arts; Imperial College; University of Sydney; University of Hong Kong, Middlebury College; Berklee College of Music: 3

·       University of Chicago; Tufts University; Emory University; University of California, Los Angeles; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; University of Virginia; Case Western Reserve University; Emerson College; Savannah College of Art, Rhode Island School of Design: 2

Beyond the encouraging trends in this year’s admission results, Keystone emphasizes students’ long-term development and how they will grow better in their universities or colleges of choice, rather than just the trends in this year’s admission results. Moreover, the Keystone Office of College Counseling pays more attention to the quality of students’ applications and the fit between students and their universities of choice rather than letting them cast many applications.

Applications in one country or region

The previous college and university application season followed an unstable period due to the reverberating impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. More than this, the policy changes in the United States have, so far, not had much effect on Keystone students applying to American colleges, as the Keystone Office of College Counseling observed.

Comparative data from the Keystone graduates between 2020 and 2025 show an increase in the proportion of students applying to universities in only one country or region. Previously, 70% of the Keystone’s 2020 cohort (48 students) applied to universities in multiple countries or regions. In this year’s cohort, 57% (59 students) chose a single country or region, and nearly 95% of the entire class (98 students) applied for a college or university in the United States. This data shows that most Keystone families clearly understand the country or educational institution their children want to go to. Additionally, these students understand their positions and tend to focus on applying to the country or university they wish to attend most.

Admission standards remain unchanged

Keystone Director of College Counseling Percy Jiang observes that the college and university admission processes, standards, and requirements have not changed that much despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr. Jiang also notes that many institutions recruit students based on characteristics that reflect their academic curiosity and personal qualities. Moreover, universities value students’ exploration and learning processes in activities or projects they join rather than the recognition they receive. He adds that universities want to see students using knowledge to solve practical problems from the bottom of their hearts and establish long-term connections with their projects.

“For students engaged in academic, co-curricular, or personal projects or initiatives, they must ask themselves, ‘Why do I do this’, ‘How do I do this?’, and ‘Who do I influence or impact?’

Keystone’s five shared values, three keystones, and its diverse cultural atmosphere and open and inclusive academic and living environment allow students to be confident and optimistic. Not only do they maintain a positive attitude towards life, but they embody a brave, independent, respectful, and responsible image of world citizens, which is recognized and favored by universities around the world.”

 Insights from Keystone Class of 2025 Graduates

 Nancy Jin on finding her ideal university

Admitted to Brandeis University | To explore a double major in biology and business management

I chose Brandeis University for many reasons. I first encountered its gorgeous hillside campus when I visited Boston during my tenth-grade summer vacation. Aside from that, I resonated strongly with its motto, “Truth is rooted here”. During the application season, I realized that the focus should not be “where we go” but “who we become there”.

Here are my important considerations in my choice:

·       Is it suitable for my growth? Its ranking and reputation can help evaluate, to a certain extent, its overall academic strength and community environment.

·       Does it have a diverse background? What about its academic atmosphere? Brandeis University is a moderately sized university with small classes, leading to close relationships between instructors and students. This education model is similar to Keystone, which will help me adapt easily.

·       What about its course offerings? My target major is biology and business. Brandeis University’s biology and business management majors are both good, and it strongly encourages interdisciplinary research. More than 40% of students pursue double degrees. It also has many other courses that I like, such as drama and film. I think I can better discover my passion and tap my potential in this school.

For me, choosing a university is like choosing a pair of shoes: not only should the style be good, but it should also fit your feet. Otherwise, you will only get blisters if you walk in it for a long time. Not only that, but only the person who wears the shoes knows whether they are comfortable. So, in the application process, students should listen more to their thoughts and inner voice. I am very grateful to my university admissions counselor, Ms. Lijia Song, for guiding me during the process.

Lily Zhou on avoiding anxiety when applying to colleges

Admitted to Carnegie Mellon University | To explore design as a college major

Anxiety during college applications often comes from excessive attention to what others are doing and overly thinking about results that we cannot control. When writing application essays, I envied my classmates getting into their dream school one after another. When the results of the first round of applications came out, I saw that many of them got good backups, while I received rejections. It really made me worried about not going to college. But this struggle made me realize that college application was unlike an exam where we would receive definite scores. Being rejected by a school is more about not fitting in with their requirements. It doesn’t mean a student’s ability and grades are not up to standard.

So, what can future applicants do? Here are my suggestions:

·       Focus on what you can control, instead of worrying too much about the admission rate or other people’s choices. Research a school comprehensively, write essays sincerely, and get involved in activities you love doing.

·       Don’t regret any application. Leave the rest to “luck”. Don’t be obsessed with a particular university, but believe that the university that admits you is your best fit.

·       Explore your passions in each middle (or high) school course. We should treat these subjects as an opportunity to discover our interests or change the communities around us. Use our school’s rich resources to broaden horizons and accumulate as much social experience as possible.

·       Study for the experience, not for the grades. In applications, grades are an important reference, but they are not a decisive factor. Looking back, I want to thank not the high score in a particular exam, but the experience and study habits that helped me grow.

College admission is not the final review of a student’s value or quality, but a new starting point. What matters is not the application result or the university you will attend, but what kind of person you become.

Cyan Xing on discovering passions

Admitted to Minerva University | To explore environmental science, biology, computer science, and artificial intelligence

I am still deciding which track to major in my first year at Minerva University. For now, I am most interested in “Earth and Ecosystem” under natural sciences (our major is divided in a special way, and this can include environmental science and biology/zoology in a broad sense) and a minor in computer science and artificial intelligence.

My interest in nature mainly comes from the remote living environment. The nearest shopping mall to our home is 15 kilometers away, and my only way to relax since my primary school days has been to walk my two dogs on the Wenyu riverbank and the grasslands outside our community. Birds, moths, and even sour grasses (and many spicy vines) are more familiar than toys. This familiarity has continued to this day.

What made me choose Minerva University?

·       The idea of a “not-so-set future” is too attractive to me. I have a soft spot for and adapt to traveling life and meeting friends from all over the world. The opportunities that Minerva will provide me outweigh other issues or considerations. Fortunately, my parents support this more adventurous or happy-go-lucky lifestyle. What’s good is that Minerva provides students with paid internships while studying. It feels pretty good to earn money on our own.

·       My choice of major relates to my interest. So far, I believe this will be the beginning of a more special road ahead, and my future work will be an important milestone. It is more complicated, so I won’t go into details.

Keystone’s most significant impact on me is that it has encouraged me to choose my future direction and understand that no specific track or experience must be followed. Before coming here, I didn’t even consider the possibility of being an “artist”. The recognition and support of Keystone teachers were an opportunity to prove to everyone that I could walk on two paths well and far at the same time. No matter what my final choice is, I feel delighted and proud to be able to make my own decision.

Oscar Zhou on Keystone’s support and resources

University of Southern California

“Knowledge has the same origin. Why is there such a serious division?” This is the question that Professor Ross Hamilton left for me to think about during a college admissions event hosted by Mr. Percy Jiang. That day, we talked about the migration of sardines and the development of porcelain in the Tang Dynasty. He also said something that has deeply touched me: those physicists who study cold atom experiments are great, but the joy of knowledge comes from the big tree itself, not from a minor detail. This relates to Keystone’s philosophy of interdisciplinary learning. It also made me determined to enroll in USC’s Thematic Option program so that I could understand interdisciplinary knowledge more comprehensively.

And perhaps a sentence from Mr. Jeffery Heitmann (Individuals and Societies teacher) best summarizes the silent humanistic care in the Keystone family: Life never exists only in scores, but in every sunrise, every spread of love, and every resonance of the soul. This will continue to guide Keystone students to move forward with an indomitable spirit in college.

Louis Paul Roiland on sharing time at Keystone

Pepperdine University | To study international business

I applied to only one university, Pepperdine University, and received an acceptance letter. In Grade 10, I transferred to Keystone from an international school in the Philippines. What has made learning and living in the Keystone community a unique experience for me?

·       Although I had to adjust to cultural differences initially, I have still grown and developed, thanks to the activities offered on campus. I successfully organized a humanitarian aid trip to Bohol, led a workshop for the Keystone Round Square Council as an executive team member, competed in the Shanghai League and other championships with the school football team, and established deep friendships with teachers and students in boarding life.

·       Keystone’s rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum and the challenges of adapting to boarding life away from my family have strengthened my resilience and independence – qualities that have influenced my university choices and will reinforce my perseverance. The support from the entire campus community has once again confirmed my excellent adaptability.

I have a multicultural background: I am French and have lived in the Philippines and China. Since I was 14, I have traveled alone or with my family to more than 18 countries. These rich experiences make me like to try new things and explore new fields. After graduation, I plan to take a gap year to gain practical experience before entering university. So far, my confirmed plans include:

·       Volunteering for an animal protection NGO in Nairobi, Kenya

·       Interning at a rum distillery in Santa Teresa, Venezuela

·       Studying with financial experts in Hanoi, Vietnam

·       Working for a government-backed marketing company in Saudi Arabia

Other projects include modeling/acting in the Philippines, filming, participating in the French Sailing Championship, and visiting the United Kingdom, the United States, Hong Kong, and Singapore. This year, I will pursue my passion – from hotel management to business operations – while clarifying my academic and career directions.

Belinda Dong on how Keystone exists in her mind

Admitted to Washington University in St. Louis | To major in design

I was admitted to Washington University in St. Louis and would major in design. This track has always been the direction I am interested in and want to continue exploring. I arrived at Keystone in early 2014 as a Grade 2 student. At that time, I did not understand my strengths and interests and was confused about finding the field I was good at. However, my teachers’ constant encouragement and the feedback environment throughout my years at Keystone helped me gradually find my direction.

Keystone is more than just a school for me; it has carried half of my childhood. Everything in here makes me feel at home. It is also a place that has nurtured my lifelong interests and passions.