Meet our Graduate Charlotte

When asked about her feelings upon receiving her results, Charlotte beamed with joy, stating, "I was absolutely over the moon. The past two years have been really challenging, but I put in so much time and effort, so I'm really glad that I got such an incredible reward for all of my hard work; I cannot describe how happy I felt at the time…it was a very emotional and overwhelming day!"

Charlotte's academic journey continues as she is set to pursue her further education at the University of Leeds, where she will be studying Criminal Justice and Criminology. When questioned about her choice of university, she explained, "I went to visit Leeds in the summer, and I fell in love with the city immediately. There was so much to do, and I liked where the university itself was situated in regards to the main city centre. It's also relatively close to my home city (Newcastle), so I have easy access to my family, and I can make frequent trips home to see everyone as it's my first time living there after 10 years! They also offer some great sports programs, which is something really important to me as I am a Muay Thai fighter and a hybrid athlete."

Delving into the reasons behind her choice of course, Charlotte expressed her passion, saying, "I have always loved reading mystery novels and watching crime dramas, so as I became older, the whole dynamic of the subject became so interesting to me. As I read more about the course online, I knew it was perfect for me as it is so diverse and delves into so many areas of something that people have such a generalized view of. I would also love to pursue a career in the police force but also use the linguistic skills I have picked up by learning French, Arabic, and Spanish at BIS Abu Dhabi to perhaps pursue a career abroad or walk in international intelligence operations."

Looking ahead to her move to Leeds, Charlotte shared her excitement, "I'm looking forward to a change of scenery and meeting new people; I've lived out here for 10 years now, and I do really miss home, so I can't wait to move back! As mentioned previously, I'm really looking forward to spending more time with my family as there's been so much time lost while I've been living abroad."

Reflecting on studying the IB Diploma Programme at BIS Abu Dhabi, Charlotte emphasised the significance of the CAS program in her university application process, "The CAS program, in particular, made writing my personal statement such an easy task because I could directly insert experiences from my profile onto the personal statement. I think completing the IBDP also shows the university that you've covered such a broad range of subjects and it allows us to be very open-minded and resistant individuals. The workload is very intense, and it forces you to be very efficient with time management, which is applicable throughout life but most importantly while at university so that there is a balance between the academic aspect and also the recreational side of life at university."

When it comes to her future career aspirations, Charlotte's path is open to exploration, "As mentioned previously, I would love to join the police force, but I have no specific goal as of right now. I am also potentially considering coming back out to Abu Dhabi after getting my degree to train with Etihad and work as cabin crew for a few years to get to see the world! But as of right now, I will just see where life takes me…"

During her time at BIS Abu Dhabi, Charlotte was actively involved in various extracurricular activities, making the most of her experience while completing the IB Diploma Programme. She participated in several BSME games, football teams, netball teams, the peer reading scheme, and volunteered at the U12 BSME games that the school hosted a few years ago.

Reflecting on her fond memories from the school, Charlotte shared, "I think my favourite memory is actually the graduation night because it really allowed me to reflect on the young woman that I have become throughout my time at the school. Another fond memory I have is my younger brother's first day at the school (he's now going into Year 5) because I was excited for him to be able to share all of the experiences that I was provided with at the school and for him to share memories with the same teachers that I also had."

As she bids farewell to BIS Abu Dhabi, Charlotte expressed what she will miss the most, "I will miss the sense of community and belonging. Coming from the UK, it was strange to me that FS1 to Year 13 were all on the same campus, but it truly is such a unique experience to watch people grow and be exemplary role models for the younger years. I also think the teachers show such endless support and create an ideal environment, not just for us to grow academically but also as individuals."

In closing, Charlotte shared her sentiments about the IBDP journey and BIS Abu Dhabi, "IB is certainly not the easiest thing to take on, but I have grown so much as a person over these past two years, and I'm so grateful for every lesson I have learned here at BIS Abu Dhabi. The school will forever hold an important place in my life, and I will definitely be back to visit and hopefully see some familiar faces!"

Congratulations, Charlotte! Your achievements, determination, and enthusiasm are truly inspiring, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavours at the University of Leeds and beyond.