Felix T: Individualized Study @NYU

Felix T’s achievements at DHSZ are numerous: Head Prefect, MUN delegate, back-to-back Soapbox champion. He was also one of the first ED offers from class of 2024, securing an offer from New York University. Furthermore, Felix's future career path has also caught our attention. He opted for NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study. What kind of major is this? What kind of career options are available? If you're as curious as we are, then join us as we uncover Felix's offer story.

Felix T (Y13)

New York University -Gallatin School of Individualized Study

*As Felix received an ED offer, he withdrew his other university applications.

How to find out about Gallatin?

Felix learned about the Gallatin College through extensive conversations with a senior student studying at New York University. "She told me that Gallatin is the liberal arts college at NYU, even though it’s not well-known in China." Felix has always been fond of liberal arts colleges. In his view, compared to large comprehensive universities, the small class sizes and close interaction between professors and students in liberal arts colleges are more appealing to him. Furthermore, the high degree of freedom and broad exploration space provided by Gallatin College also perfectly align with his goals: He is not yet willing to confine himself to a specific field of study in the future, but hopes to have broader opportunities for exploration.

What is ‘Individualized Study’? Felix explained, "It is a kind of independent study programme that allows students to choose their own academic directions, utilise school resources, conduct academic research at the graduate level or above, and spend four years polishing a topic, which is completely suited to your own interested." For example, Felix is passionate about sociology and has a great enthusiasm for issues related to labor rights and international relations, and his research topic can combine these two fields.

Why is he interested in sociology?

So why does Felix have such a great passion for sociology? He told us that it stems from his love of history since childhood and his concern for social issues as he grew up. "I firmly believe in equality, but in reality, many outstanding individuals fail to receive the opportunities they deserve, which has sparked my desire to explore its causes. Observing the interaction between individuals and society, as well as the scientific study of social structures, sociology seems to offer me answers."

"I saw something online that said, if you want to see the real world, you should go see the anxious families in hospital waiting rooms, the hardworking farmers under the scorching sun, the workers squatting on street corners eating boxed meals, and I felt like I was living in an ivory tower. This stark contrast awakened me." - Felix

During high school, Felix participated in an extracurricular research project on labor rights. He interviewed 19 workers from a Suzhou electronics factory, and one worker of a similar age left a deep impression on him. "He told me that he felt exhausted every night when he got home at 10, but when he heard the scratching of the cat he raised at the door, he suddenly felt that life was still full of hope. This made me realise that although we have similar worries as our peers, our experiences are completely different, and his words touched me more than any data."

Photography serves as another avenue for Felix to observe society; he employs his camera to capture the diverse array of individuals. For three successive years, on the eve of the Chinese New Year, he would venture out to photograph those engrossed in their duties, unable to make it home. He recalled, "One year, I even brought a bowl of dumplings, hoping to see if any policemen on duty were hungry."

Through experiences and observations, Felix has a deeper understanding of the irrationality of the real world. He hopes that through in-depth research, he can not only better understand the fundamentals behind these social issues but also provide his own insights into these problems in the future.

Grow in Dulwich

In Dulwich, Felix began studying Liberal Arts courses aligned with his interests from Year 10 onwards. The course content was as broad and rich as he expected, covering various topics such as psychology and geography, which laid the foundation for his sociological knowledge. During A Levels, Felix also chose economics, which he found surprisingly useful. "I used to have a misconception that discussing social issues was far more meaningful than economics, so I didn't study economics at first. But when I started writing economic essays, discussing the pros and cons of a policy cultivated my dialectical thinking. Previously, when facing complex social issues, my thoughts tended to be more on the extremes, but economics made me realise that these social issues never have definitive answers, and there is no perfect social system. Inspiring people to find the best balance and improve it is the charm of sociology."

During high school, Felix dreamed of working for the United Nations or its subsidiary organisations to contribute to fairness and justice. As a Model United Nations member, he participated in numerous conferences, such as CISSMUN, the largest MUN in Asia. At CISSMUN XIII he and Lawrence Z, also in Year 13, were nominated in the honourable mention for the best delegate award by the 'Human Rights Council, "The participants in MUN are all outstanding students. Through communication and discussion, I learned a lot from them and made many friends." In the school's various co-curricular activities (CCAs), Felix also participated in Chinese debating. In his view, "debating" is not just an argument but also a challenging mental exercise, which coincides with the skills required at the United Nations. He also participated in the "Dulwich Scholars Programme" and delved into interview questions for subjects such as Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at Oxford University, among others, with teachers. He believes that these questions sparked deep thinking and developed his critical and independent thinking abilities.

The speech "We shall never surrender" from Churchill in the movie Darkest Hour and "I have a dream" from Martin Luther King deeply touched Felix, making him realise the power of speech. "I didn't realise language could be so touching and inspiring!" Thus, when he learned that the school held an annual Soapbox competition, he excitedly participated and won the championship for four consecutive years. He reflected, "Everyone has unique insights into the world, and the school provides a platform for us to share our views on social issues, convey the messages we want to express, and call for more attention to the issues I care about."

Furthermore, Felix also served as the Head Prefect in student council, responsible for organising many school activities. We can see that the core motivation behind Felix's participation in these conferences, competitions, and activities is to "speak out" and influence more people through his own efforts. He told us that this drive stems from the goals he once set for himself. "When I was in Year 10, I wrote down a motto: 'I want to leave a part of myself in the world and leave a part of the world in myself.' On one hand, I hope to immerse myself fully in the world, including absorbing knowledge, appreciating nature and art; on the other hand, I also hope to make contributions to the world, discover meaningful issues, and try to change and influence them. This has been the belief I have always adhered to and will continue to influence my future goals."

A ‘Chosen’ NYU

In Felix's eyes, the entire process of applying to universities was a profoundly meaningful journey. "You need to have the ability to multitask, deal with uncertainty, endure setbacks, and adjust your mindset." During the process of selecting an ED school, Felix also felt some anxiety because he found himself perplexed by the subtle differences between various schools, and it was difficult to obtain genuine insights from the vast amount of information on the internet. Looking back now, a profound conversation with the NYU alumna not only affirmed its alignment with his interests but also prompted him to start considering applying. What expedited his decision to apply was an opportunity arising from a research essay.

His practical experience of packing screws with workers in the Suzhou electronics factory allowed Felix to write a paper about worker interests being compromised, using Chinese workers as a sample. In this paper, he applied System Justification Theory and delved into the works of its founder, Professor John T Jost, who was a major source for the paper. Later, he discovered that Professor Jost was teaching at NYU! So, he chose NYU without hesitation and began to look forward to the day when he would engage in genuine conversations with him on campus.

Apart from the opportunity to encounter his academic idol on campus, Felix also chose NYU because it is a prestigious university. Not only does it provide excellent academics, but its location in a large metropolitan city like New York offers students a plethora of learning and practical opportunities. "Considering all these reasons, I am convinced that NYU's Gallatin College is my ideal choice, and I ultimately decided to join this academic community because it is full of challenges and opportunities."

Reflecting on his application journey, Felix recalled that he consistently turned to his counselor, Mr Jack Rau, for guidance. "He struck the perfect balance, offering me ample freedom while remaining ready to provide unwavering support whenever I needed it."

According to Mr Rau, NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study is an ideal match for Felix, as "it offers him considerable flexibility in selecting courses to cater to his diverse academic interests." Mr Rau also emphasised that, alongside exceptional academic achievements, Felix's extensive engagement in student leadership and extracurricular activities distinguished him during the admissions process.

Advice for Lower School Students

You will be feeing anxious towards the uncertainty of your future, which is completely normal. You will be having a lot of time for exploration, but also seize every opportunity possible - from subject choices, to school CCAs, to other extracurricular and outside-of-school activities, use these opportunities to find your interests and your passion. Preparing for your AS exam is also extremely important, as it is the stepping stone for academics in your application. Get your standardized test done as early as possible as well! So you will at least have some certainty when facing towards the unknown future, helping you to lower your anxiety level.

During high school you actually have a lot of opportunities to try different things, use these experiences to slowly find out something you truly cared about, something you find meaningful, you find interesting and you are willing to spend time and effort in it, there are a lot of possible majors in Universities, finding the one that suit you the most is crucial. As time passes you will be able to identify your passion and interests, and discover the academic and career path that is best for you.

Also, do not hesitate for asking for help from your friends, teachers or senior students! Their experiences values more than information online, don’t worry, most people are very happy to help! When making decisions - choosing subject, choosing universities, choosing your major - make sure you have researched from many different perspectives, to make the best choice for you.

Last but not least, do not forget to explore the world outside and the world within yourself during high school! I am sure you will have a lot of valuable and memorable experiences that brings your personal growth and changes, all of these are wonderful resources for writing a great personal statement, which will be showing what a unique and marvelous person you are.