Celebrating one of our IGCSE 2019 highest achievers, Matilda. Below Matilda shares her thoughts about completing the course and her achievements:
How was your experience doing IGCSEs in BIS Abu Dhabi?
Coming from Australia, the IGCSEs were not something that I had encountered before. Entering a completely new curriculum was quite daunting, but the welcoming and supportive environment that BIS Abu Dhabi provided made the transition more manageable. I was also fortunate to have any amazing group of friends who consistently encouraged me and who helped make what could have been a very stressful experience a more enjoyable one.
I learned a lot from undertaking the IGCSEs, including the value of hard work and good organisation. For me, staying motivated was sometimes challenging. It was especially difficult during the final exam period and I struggled to maintain my momentum. This taught me a lot about the importance of perseverance and determination, valuable skills that I hope to refine in IB.
Are you happy with your results?
Yes, I am happy with my grades, but what I am most proud of is the effort that I put in over the course of the two years.
I have always understood that defining yourself only by the grades that you achieve is not a healthy thing to do, so over the course of my IGCSEs I focused on gaining satisfaction from the improvements I made, rather than solely on the grades that I achieved. This mindset is one that I am hoping to carry forward into IB.
What are you plans for the future?
I am interested in a number of careers and deciding on one specific pathway is something that I have found quite difficult. Fortunately, the university talks organized by Ms Jamal at BIS Abu Dhabi have provided me with insights and guidance that have helped me clarify where my interests lie and have opened my eyes to the opportunities that universities offer.
Although I am yet to decide exactly which degree I would like to pursue after graduating from IB, Psychology and Law are the two main disciplines that I am particularly interested in.
I am feeling optimistic about taking the IB diploma. Comments from university representatives and IB graduates have all reassured me that the diploma will equip me with the skills that I will need to be successful in university and in whichever career I choose.
Matilda's IGCSE Results 2019: 6x9, 1xA* & 1x8.