Nord Anglia graduates share their secrets to academic success

Nord Anglia graduates share their secrets to academic success One in three Nord Anglia students are admitted to the world’s top 100 universities listed on the QS World University Rankings. So far, 94 per cent of Nord Anglia’s 2017/18 graduating class have now taken up places at leading universities in countries around the world, including prestigious schools such as Harvard, MIT, the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and many others.  

One in three Nord Anglia students are admitted to the world’s top 100 universities listed on the QS World University Rankings. So far, 94 per cent of Nord Anglia’s 2017/18 graduating class have now taken up places at leading universities in countries around the world, including prestigious schools such as Harvard, MIT, the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and many others.

Read about four of these standout students and how their studies with Nord Anglia Education inspired them towards success.

A 2018 graduate from the British School Warsaw, Yash Kumar’s love of biology led him to write an extended essay on natural and manufactured anti-fungal agents. This essay was based on his own extensive independent research on ways to treat the root cause of athlete’s foot. Before being accepted to the University of Oxford, Yash also acted as both organiser and delegate at his school’s Model United Nations conference and co-founded the school’s Debate Club.

Yash’s academic success wasn’t only about his time in school. Outside the classroom, he was able to pursue his own interests in cycling and in assembling his own personal computer. Yash is also bilingual in Polish and English, which has helped him navigate cultural differences and will continue to allow him to thrive in the future wherever his future career takes him.

Olga Kyan graduated from North Broward Preparatory School with a 5.16 GPA and is was admitted to Harvard. Part of what made her a standout student was having several articles published for the Harvard Economics Review. Olga was also Editor-in-Chief of Brainwash, North Broward’s student-run online publication, and her involvement in clubs and organisations such as the Ronald McDonald House Club, the National Honor Society and the National Honor Society for Dance Arts.

To students who are dreaming of attending an Ivy League school, Olga believes they should showcase their individual passions while at school instead of simply trying to overload their schedule with clubs and activities that they think universities want to see.

Outside of school, Olga remains deeply involved with ballroom dancing, her main passion. She has been ballroom dancing since she was just 10 years old and even won national titles at the Youth American Smooth Championship in 2016 and 2017.

Tuan Le graduated from the British International School, Ho Chi Minh City with a perfect score of 45 points in his IB Diploma, matched by less than 0.2% of students worldwide.

Apart from playing basketball at school, Tuan recalls taking part in the “F1 in Schools World Finals” in Malaysia, during which he would stay late after school working on a racing car model with a team of classmates. His interest in fluid dynamics even inspired him to write his IB Extended Essay on ‘Vortex Shedding and its Induced Vibrations’.

He was admitted to Imperial College London where he is studying to Mechanical Engineering so as to investigate and innovate solutions to real-world problems. His advice to other students undertaking the IB Diploma in the future is to “always follow what excites you and to never pursue the ‘easy way out’ because it is the journey that matters most.”

Eric Chen, from Nord Anglia International School Shanghai, Pudong, was also one of seven students in the 2017/18 academic year who achieved a perfect 45 for the IBDP. He has chosen to study PPE at The London School of Economics.

During his time at NAIS Pudong, he was known as the philosopher of the IB Academy, having read major works by writers such as Bentham, Mill and Kant all before his 18^th birthday. He also enjoyed playing piano and engaging in debates. His well-roundedness was noted by all, including his school principal.

“Eric is the absolute epitome of a Nord Anglia student, excelling in all areas of school life. He is academically, personally and socially ambitious; seizing every opportunity which has come his way.” – Lesley-Ann Wallace, Principal, Nord Anglia International School Shanghai, Pudong