Alumni in the Spotlight-Rae W.

Rae W. is a 2019 graduate of Dulwich International High School Suzhou. After graduation, she majored in Mathematics and Business (Finance) at Northeastern University. At present, she is interning at Shanghai Runda Medical Technology Co., Ltd. as Conference Planning Department Assistant.

 1   Why did you choose Dulwich?

I made the decision to study abroad during junior high school, so I chose to go to an international high school. The reason why I choose Dulwich is that after comparing several international high schools in Suzhou, I appreciated Dulwich's all western education concept and thought it would be helpful for me to adapt to study abroad in advance.

 2   What subjects did you choose at Dulwich? Which teacher or teachers had a great influence on you? Why?

In Dulwich Mathematics, English, Chinese, Drama and PE were compulsory courses. When I studying IGCSE's, I took Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economy and Computer Science as elective courses. During A-level, Physics and Economics were my elective courses. I especially like Lee Mckelvey, one of my math's teachers. I am not that good at mathematics, but in order to challenge myself, I chose a difficult mathematics course during Year 11. At first, I was a bit behind other students in my class, so Mrs.Mckelvey paid lots of attention to me in class and would go over anything I didn't understand after class. At the end of the semester, I not only got a very high grade, but also became good at mathematics

 3  What experiences did you have at Dulwich that determined your major at university?

Our school encourages new students to do charity sale every year. Each group gets a sum of money and then sets up their businesses. This activity impressed me deeply, and aroused my interest in "doing business". Later on, began to gradually discover my ability in business which is why I chose the major related to business.

 4  Did high school life at Dulwich International High School help you adapt to university life and study? 

Dulwich really helped me to integrate into my college life. Daily communications with teachers from English speaking countries have not only established my English language habits, but also cultivated my English thinking. I think this kind of thinking is often more important than speaking English because it can help me understand others faster in foreign countries and communicate with people and build relationships.

 5  What were the biggest difficulties for you at university? How did you overcome them?

The biggest difficulty for me is to manage my time in college. As a freshman, I found that I had more free time than ever before. It's very difficult to make good uses of this time. I often slept a whole afternoon when I don’t have class, and then came to regret later. I found a solution: I made appointments with a group of good friends, together, we use our leisure time to study, participate in activities and communities. After that, I used my time better and made more friends.

 6  Is it difficult for you to adapt to university life?

It is not difficult to adapt to life, but it is difficult to adapt to social and communication aspects. I still haven't got used to these aspects very well, but I found later that as long as I am willing to talk and communicate, no teacher or classmate will care about your vocabulary or grammar mistakes.

 7  Is there anything else you want to share with us?

There is delicious food in many foreign cities, and the taste of Chinese food is no worse than that in China, but, honestly, it does not have the taste of home. Before going abroad to study, I recommend you to eat as much as possible from home. When you go abroad, you will understand what I mean.

 8  Do you have any suggestions to help students at Dulwich International High School Suzhou prepare for university life?

Activities are actually very important when applying for learning. A good activity will help to develop your skills. In terms of choosing a favourite school, ranking and major cannot be ignored. In addition, the school's concept and style of study are also important points you should look at.