Last Semster, Benjamin Brown, our Director of College Admissions at BASIS International & Bilingual Schools Chengdu, traveled to Wuhan and Qingdao for two key professional development events focused on international college admissions. The first stop was the 7th Annual ChinaICAC Conference in Wuhan, followed by a selective counselor and admissions officer event hosted by InitialView in Qingdao.
Highlights from the ChinaICAC Conference
This year’s ChinaICAC gathering brought together over 200 university admissions officers from more than 20 countries and more than 400 high school counselors, academic leaders, and educational organizations.
Topics ranged from evolving university expectations and AI in admissions to country-specific updates in application policy.
“At the ChinaICAC conference in Wuhan, I joined admissions officers from Johns Hopkins, WPI, and WashU to champion authenticity in college essays, urging counselors to prioritize personal voice over polished formulas.” – Benjamin Brown
Sessions provided counselors working with Chinese and international students meaningful opportunities for learning, networking, and collaboration. Mr. Brown noted that the energy and professionalism at the event underscored ChinaICAC’s core mission—to improve the quality and ethics of counseling in China through training, dialogue, and shared practice—and has been eager to bring back and put into practice all that he learned.
Building Connections in Qingdao with InitialView
Immediately following the Wuhan conference, Mr. Brown traveled to Qingdao for a university admissions event hosted by InitialView. Attended by nearly 30 leading American universities, the event was distinctive for its structure: Admissions officers present were not regional representatives but the actual readers and decision-makers on application files.
The format allowed for extended one-on-one conversations between counselors and university staff, helping strengthen professional networks and enabling more tailored guidance for students.
“In Qingdao, I forged new relationships and fostered existing ones with the admissions decision-makers, connections that often play a crucial role in the admissions process.” – Benjamin Brown
About InitialView
InitialView, widely used and recommended for students applying to U.S. universities, provides an interview platform where applicants can demonstrate fluency, personality, and presence through unscripted video responses.
Many U.S. universities value the opportunity to hear directly from students in their own voices, unfiltered and unrehearsed. These interviews serve as a valuable supplement to grades and test scores—especially in a holistic admissions environment.
Our Commitment to High-Impact Counseling
Participation in both events reflects our continued commitment to high-impact counseling. Engaging in national forums like ChinaICAC, conferences, and maintaining close relationships with platforms such as InitialView ensures that the BASIS International & Bilingual Schools Chengdu counseling team stays at the forefront of trends, insights, and admissions practices, helping students compete at the highest level globally.
Visit our careers website for more information about teaching with BASIS International Schools.
Explore our open College Admission Counselor opportunities across the BASIS International & Bilingual Schools network!
