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Lee Sojung

I don’t think there is any way to express my gratitude for being given the chance to go to the College Prospect Showcase. So, I sat in front of my computer for several minutes, trying to formulate my thoughts into words. Hopefully, this gets the message across.

I met Benny Lin through the HKTA Talent Group program. I remember he was the seemingly strict coach that we saw maybe twice a week. But during the years I trained with him, I got to know him better, and the stern quality about him unraveled. When I applied to boarding schools in America, he was one of my strongest supporters, as he was with my college application process.

The trip a few players and I took with Benny to the States proved to be a fun yet fruitful experience. We productively traveled from one prestigious school to another, and met with many coaches along the way. The college visits themselves hugely assisted me later on when I was writing my applications. All I needed to do was pull up an experience I had at each school, and my essay was more personal and less distant. On a side note, those that haven’t experienced a true road trip before will surely treasure the pit stops and the once in a while navigational problems :-)

The two-day Yale Showcase was almost nerve-racking. It was almost impossible to not feel the pressure building up. After all, there were dozens of other tennis players there, all competing for the same thing that I wanted: admission. But if there is anything that Benny is good for (and trust me, there is a lot), it’s his intense support and well-rounded connections in the college tennis world.

The college process can be a very frustrating experience. It’s one of the times in our lives when we need to find the best place for us, the school that fits. I want to thank Benny for guiding me through the summer of 2010. The trip to America was necessary for giving me valuable insight and feedback on many prestigious schools, and was without a doubt a worthwhile experience.

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