Emma Y Got An Excellent Offer from UCLA
We are delighted to know that our Y13 student Emma Y received an offer from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), majoring in physics.
UCLA is the third oldest campus in the University of California system. In the 2023 US News ranking, it joins UC Berkeley as the No.1 public university, ranking 20th among all universities in the United States. As the most applied-to university in the US, UCLA is one of the most difficult universities to be admitted to, and is also one of the dream schools for high school students across the US.
How does Emma determine her major? What effective preparations has she made during the application season? We interviewed Emma to learn more about the growing story behind this excellent offer.
Emma told us that taking three science courses in Y11 allowed her to gain a preliminary understanding of different sciences and their interconnectedness. Moreover, the physics course helped her discover that many precision parts and mysterious phenomena are based on basic laws of physics, such as convection used in thermal accelerometers. All of this has led to Emma's strong interest in the field of physics.
At the same time, Emma actively participated in various activities both inside and outside of school. In her view, constantly trial and error can help her better clarify her future direction. She applied for credit summer school courses on the University of California on Berkeley's official website, learning the basics of mathematical physics; studied AP Calculus B and AP Physics by herself; registered for various competitions, such as the National Economics Challenge, the British Physics Olympiad, the UK Mathematics Trust, the American Mathematics Competition, and the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition; gained knowledge about the innovative system of a laser level; and the specific applications of handheld terminals during an internship. In addition, Emma also participated in many CCAs related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses.
All of these different competitions, projects, and experiences guided Emma, helping her find her future direction. Only after gaining in-depth knowledge and trying different subjects, such as mathematics, economics, and biology, did she become determined to study engineering physics. In her exploration, Emma determined a more refined future direction - electronic engineering - and chose to study physics in college "because physics is the foundation of engineering, and its theoretical development provides possibilities for practical application, which can broaden my horizons and lay a solid foundation for my future engineering research."
The bright spot we saw in Emma is that she learns from every experience. In addition to academic activities and competitions, she was also a student ambassador, leading parents to visit the campus during school open days. With experience, she discovered that it was more important to understand the parents' intentions when answering their questions, so that she can respond more effectively. This critical thinking was well applied in Emma's essay interpretation and interviews.
Emma considers Dulwich not only as a platform full of opportunities that has helped her find her future direction, accumulate various experiences and skills, and steadily move forward, but also as a reliable assistant in her college application process.
Emma told us that her university preparation began as early as the second semester of Y12. "Since then, I have started to learn about the universities that I am interested in. With a clear goal in mind, my plans for the summer and Y13 became clearer and more effective."
She speaks highly of her counsellor, Mark Coyle (University and College Counsellor, Head of Counselling). "Mr Coyle helped me improve my time management skills, reminding me of what I need to prepare and what materials I need to submit. He is familiar with the information required for the college application website and patiently answered all my questions. Even at the end of the application season in Year 13, he still takes my inquiries seriously."
Emma's advice for lower school students
"Start your preparations as early as possible, such as attending summer schools, internships, competitions, and language standardization. Procrastinating until the last minute will be exhausting. Whether it is a project or a competition you participate in, good results will enhance your college application, so once you sign up, give it your all!"
