At the beginning of the new school year in 2023, everything is new. In order to welcome the new semester and encourage students to study hard, SUIS Qingpu’s High School held a special interview event, entitled, “Dialogue with Cambridge student and SUIS Qingpu alumnus”.
Bill Huang, G8 Edie Wu, G10 Harry Qian
The ‘Cambridge student’ interviewed was our very own Bill Huang, the first graduate student from SUIS Qingpu’s High School to have received an offer from Cambridge University (natural sciences). In his final year at SUIS Qingpu, Bill achieved 4 A*s in his A Level examinations in four subjects (Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology). He also achieved the high score of 8 in his IELTS test. In October, Bill will go to Cambridge to begin his studies. Before leaving, he was invited to return to his alma mater to participate in this event. One student each from our primary, middle and high school divisions – G2 Ellina Tang, G8 Edie Wu and G10 Penny Luo – were invited to participate. G10 students Jerry Xu and Harry Qian from the high school’s Journalism Club were responsible for filming and recording.
Since its inception in 1993, the Xiehe Education Group has adhered to a 15-year education system that connects high schools, middle schools, primary schools and kindergartens. Through this ongoing dialogue, we hope that students from the three divisions will gain something valuable and also be encouraged by the power of role models. As the saying goes, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” If you start now and prepare every little step along the way, the glory of the future is not far away.
In primary school, I think the most important thing is to lay a solid foundation and cultivate interests. If you encounter a subject that interests you in middle school, a strong foundation is a key factor that supports your interest. For example, mathematics is the basis of many scientific subjects. Cultivating interests is not limited to academics, but also cultivating diversified interests in all aspects. For example, if you like playing football, singing, or other hobbies, they are all worth trying.
I think personal efforts are more important, but the support from my teachers was also very important. I was inspired and enlightened by Ms. Alan Xu when I first studied biology. Cultivating interest is the key to in-depth learning, but if you want to learn in-depth, it depends more on personal efforts. Teachers cannot be around to teach you all the time.
This is a good question because it is not just interest that drives my studies. My main interests now are chemistry and biology, and I am also planning to study biochemistry at Cambridge. Interest drives you to keep learning, but if you have good skills, you can constantly give yourself positive feedback and motivate yourself to learn more deeply. In all studies, the first thing to do is to digest the textbooks and pay attention to some key concepts, as well as some calculation techniques and formulas.
The biggest advice is how to deal with difficulties with a positive attitude. You are about to enter high school and will prepare for IGCSE exams. IGCSEs are a relatively basic part of the A Level system. If you do poorly in an exam, for example, you spend a lot of time and effort studying but only get a B or C in the end, don’t worry too much. There is still a long way to go, and some minor flaws are completely acceptable. For example, last year I only received a B in mathematics for my Portfolio of Evidence (PoE), and everyone was advising me not to apply for Oxbridge. Later, I found out that it was not that big of a relationship. Then, I ended up receiving an A in maths instead of an A*. I learned that Cambridge didn’t too care too much about this result either – they just asked me to take the Further Math examination again to see if I had any other potential that could be tapped. We can and should respond more positively to these setbacks and not feel frustrated and lost. Rather than being frustrated and lost, you should think more about what you can do next – don’t let some setbacks affect your future performance.
There was no conflict between my daily studies and academic competitions. They were complementary processes. After learning the content for the competition, learning the content in class was easier. While you do need time to relax while studying, you must also develop self-discipline.
Grade 12 students are about to enter the application season. I hope and wish that all students receive their dream offers, and just like me, obtain a smooth and successful result after all their hard work. Please do not be too anxious when applying. What you have done has made you who you are, and the abilities and knowledge you have developed in high school are not only measured by an offer.
Our dialogue with our alumnus Bill Huang was relaxed, harmonious and full of meaning. We believe that through this dialogue, our students can follow his role model, establish their ideals, forge ahead, and write brilliant chapters for their alma mater and their own lives!
