Cha Patra-Yanan:
- What college/university are you attending?
I am attending the Tisch School of Arts at New York University.
- How did the IB program at ISB prepare you for your first semester?
The IB program definitely helped me prepare for college in some aspects, but not as much as all the upperclassmen were saying. IB is definitely challenging and teaches you things about time management and prepares you for the workload, but depending on your major, college work is very different from high school. College work is also much more independent and you have to learn most of it on your own, which is something relatively new because our high school teachers prepared us so well for the IB exams. Also, the IB system is curved, while grades in college are not. Another thing ISB taught me that really helped me in university is how to be well rounded. Everyone at ISB is involved in so many different activities and students are encouraged to take initiative and explore various leadership opportunities. It’s such a proactive community and that will definitely help you succeed in college.
- What are your thoughts on gap years?
I actually was very close to taking a gap year, but some issues came up in July and I ended up having to cancel those plans. I am very pro gap year and I definitely encourage it. We’ve been studying for 13 years straight, so it’s nice to take a break to explore your passions. Gap years give you the ability to weed out interests you thought of pursuing early instead of finding out when you are already in university. I also think gap years make you much more independent, so you enter college as a much more mature and collected individual who is ready to learn. Also, university is such a different environment it takes a lot of courage and confidence to excel, and I think gap years can really help you find that confidence.
Martin Brekke:
- What college/university are you attending?
I am attending New York University at their home campus in New York City.
- How did the IB program at ISB prepare you for your first semester?
The IB program prepared me extremely well, in many ways, for my first semester of college. It taught me how to make the best of the little time I have, and taught me time management skills that have helped me manage the huge workload I have had throughout my first semester. The IB program helped me get used to reading many chapters of a textbook, preparing presentations for the following class, and efficiently studying for tests and exams.
- Do you have any advice for prospective athletes looking to play in college?
Definitely go out of your way to train more to become better. Stay hungry to succeed and focus on one sport, because from what I’ve learned in the one semester I’ve been here, athletics are at a whole different level once you compete at the American Collegiate level. If you are serious about getting recruited or playing on a team, get in touch with as many coaches as you can early on in the process to get them interested in you as a prospective student-athlete.
Jin Ahn:
- What college/university are you attending?
I’m an Industrial Labor Relations major in Cornell University.
- How did the IB program at ISB prepare you for your first semester?
The workload and rigor of the IB program has definitely prepared me well for university. Aside from the extensive knowledge you gain from your IB classes, they teach you to become better writers and thinkers. Time management skills are a huge plus as well. Personally, IB has made me a stronger essay writer and I am reaping the benefits in college. You also feel pretty much invincible after receiving that diploma.
- How did joining a sorority help you acclimate to the social culture at your university?
The Greek life in Cornell is very prevalent. It’s helped me to create a larger, more stable social base and gives me a reason to leave my bed on weekends. Unlike what most people believe, joining a frat/sorority is not all about partying. Each house dedicates itself to a philanthropic cause, makes extensive efforts to connect and give back to the community, and fosters leadership. It’s all about networking and trying to better yourself in the process.
Eng O-charoenrat:
- What college/university are you attending?
I am attending University College London School of Medicine.
- How did the IB program at ISB prepare you for your first semester?
The IB program definitely helped me with getting accustomed to taking notes and staying organized with my studies, especially because we had such a clear syllabus to follow along with. It has also proved really useful in terms of time management, which is crucial to a successful first semester in college.
- Did deciding on your field of study early on in the college process help you in any way with your studies?
I think figuring out I wanted to do Medicine definitely helped me really focus and prioritize tasks, especially in the application process. Applying to medical school comes with many different examinations and essays and deadlines and requirements, so it definitely required me to organize my life and make sure I was on top of everything.
Makena Emery
