Top Graduate in Profile丨Composing Music of the Future
In this series, we look back upon the 2023 offers at Wellington College Tianjin. Pupils will share their university journey with us, how they started their journey and what kept them going through the years and months running up to their offers. They will also share their thoughts and advice with those just starting their journey.
How does it feel to receive offers from 5 top universities: Imperial College London, University College London, The University of Edinburgh, University of Manchester, and King's College London? We sat down with Ryan to discuss his hopes, dreams and next steps as he graduated from Wellington College to study in the UK.
Having spent 3 years at Wellington Ryan explains to us his journey and what he is looking forward to the most while staying in the UK.
Ryan explains to us that he is a member of the student council, and says he is optimistic, practical, and resilient when asked about what 3 words would best describe him.
Moving to Wellington was quite an easy decision but he still had challenges, however, he was very comfortable in the move so making friends and transitioning to the school was relatively smooth, he adds. When asked about the teachers he explained that they were very kind and accommodating to him through those early days and weeks.
Asked about his favorite memory over the last 3 years he talks about the first year in the College and his participation in the school science fair. Ryan goes on to explain that he and two other pupils partnered up for the fair and spent over a month in preparation for the project.
It was challenging yet a great project to do, he explains. Being in a collaborative group that included his partners and teachers made him realise both teamwork and focus were key in making sure the project was a success but also having some fun along the way was equally as important.
Ryan also found friends through basketball and music - playing piano, the latter of which, he has been learning for more than 12 years.
He is a big fan of Arthur Rubenstein and Chopin. This is one of the great aspects of the school, being able to talk through math problems one minute and then go and do something completely different. Being able to perform on stage in concerts gives a real boost to your confidence and there are a lot of opportunities, not just academic but also through extracurricular activities Ryan explains.
Ryan explained that transitioning from an international school to an overseas university can be an exciting yet challenging experience. There are several benefits and challenges that he may encounter during this transition.
Pupils who study in a world’s leading unversity have access to state-of-the-art facilities, world-class professors and researchers, and a diverse community of students from around the world.
Although he will be navigating not just a change to a new city with cultural differences and an expectation to build new relationships and social networks, he says that his time spent at Wellington and being with many different pupils from around the world has prepared him well to meet those challenges.
These counsellors have a deep understanding of the application process and helped identify universities that aligned with my academic and personal goals.
Ryan was quite nervous about the application process but as the College has a diverse pupil body, it meant that his counsellors had experience working with pupils from different backgrounds and could offer tailored advice based on his individual circumstances. This included advice on standardised testing, extracurricular activities, and essay writing. With the resources at hand, Ryan explained that it helped him to make informed decisions about his future and learn more about the interview process thereby increasing his chances of getting into the right university.
Ryan is very thankful to his teachers and classmates and of course, his family. It has been a wonderful experience; I have become a better person and I am focused and ready for the next step in my adventure, he explains. I will always remember my years at Wellington fondly and hope to come back and share my experiences with other pupils.
We wish Ryan every success in the next steps of his journey.