My Journey to Cambridge Success

"The act of hard work and dedication should be a continuous process where rewards such as high grades come as a bonus. The most important thing is learning to love challenging and pushing yourself."

Deputy Head Girl and Full Boarder, Phoenix, has reached the culmination of her RST journey with an incredible offer to study Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge, one of the top universities in the world. We caught up with her to find out how she turned her ambitious dreams into reality and to learn about the journey that led her to this incredible opportunity.

How does it feel to have received this prestigious offer from Cambridge University?  

I received the offer in the middle of basketball training. It was an incredible moment of excitement and pride which gave me a massive boost of energy for the rest of the training. I’m very grateful for my family who encouraged me to apply, as well as my teachers— Mr Hayter in particular— for helping me along this journey. 

What was your motivation for applying to Cambridge, one of the top universities in the world?

My biggest motivation came from taking part in a summer camp programme at Cambridge. The beauty of the town, the style of teaching and the comfortable lifestyle motivated me to apply to the same college that I stayed in for the summer camp. This programme really uncovered my passion for biology and made me realise that I wanted to come back to Cambridge next year, not as a camper but as a student. 

Can you reflect upon the support and guidance that you received throughout the higher education application process?

The support I got throughout my application process was very beneficial. This included having subject teachers read over my personal statement, an online ESAT preparation course, one-to-one sessions with my teachers, as well as a mock interview practice with a Cambridge student. All of these things increased my confidence and knowledge for the real ESAT exam and interviews. 

Looking back at your time at RST, what are some of the most significant ways the School has supported your academic and personal growth?

The most significant thing for my personal growth was definitely joining the basketball and volleyball team, as that taught me crucial skills about leadership, being in a team, and most importantly, how to bounce back after setbacks and failures. In terms of academics, our year group was the first to do an EPQ and I am beyond grateful to the School for this opportunity because it was during this process that I discovered my passion for scientific writing and realised that this was the right path for me.

As a full-time boarding student, how has the unique boarding experience at RST prepared you for the challenges of university life?

I have been a boarding student since I was in Year One, from China to the UK to here at RST. My compound years of boarding experience have taught me how to be independent but also rely on the people around me for help and guidance. The only downside now is that I would have to learn how to share bathrooms with other people again after having my own ensuite for two years in our boarding house!

What advice would you give to current students who are also aspiring to attend top universities?

My best advice would be to allow yourself time to learn outside of the classroom. A lot of the ideas that I wrote about in my personal statement came from different biology documentaries and YouTube videos that I watched in my spare time; none of which was mentioned in the A Level textbook. This shows that your subject may be far more interesting than what is taught in the classroom, you just need to set aside some time for yourself to discover it.

What are you most excited about regarding your future at university?

I’m the only one in my year group that applied for biological science (outside of Cambridge’s natural science), so I’m very excited to finally be able to meet other students with similar interests as me, as well as world class researchers. I’m also very excited to try out for the basketball team and see what it’s like to play in England. 

How do you plan to contribute to your university community based on your experiences at RST?

At RST I was always very sporty, taking part in basketball, volleyball, badminton and cross country, so I would definitely like to continue that. I would love to join a sports team at Cambridge and maybe even host morning runs or gym sessions so that we could all stay fit together. 

What are some of the most valuable lessons you've learned during your time at RST that you believe will be essential for your success at university?

I think the concept of 'opportunity cost' is very important - I have learnt to balance academics, social life and sports at RST fairly well and I hope to do the same at university. On top of that, I think being part of a boarding school community really does prepare you for the future by teaching crucial life skills and how to cope with being away from home. 

What are your academic and personal goals for your time at university?

I really want to gain experience and have exposure to a laboratory environment as an undergraduate, and will work really hard to make that a possibility. My personal goal is to be more comfortable and willing to talk to strangers as I know that will be an important life skill for me to have in the future. 

How has your role as Deputy Head Girl helped you develop the skills and qualities necessary for success in university and beyond? 

Apart from building confidence, leadership and communication skills, I believe that this role enabled me to see things from other perspectives more often. Being in the executive group enabled me to finally see the teachers’ points of view when it came to student events and feedback. 

What advice would you give to future students on how to determine which university/programme is the "best fit" for them?

For me, I was certain that Cambridge was the best fit after I visited and took part in their summer school for two weeks in Year 12. I think nothing beats visiting the university and the area that it’s in to see if you would love to live there for at least three years. 

What message would you like to share with the younger students at RST about the importance of hard work, dedication and pursuing their dreams?

Don’t let one particular end goal be your motivation for hard work, such as getting into a specific university or getting a certain grade. The act of hard work and dedication should be a continuous process where rewards such as high grades come as a bonus. The most important thing is learning to love challenging and pushing yourself.