My name is Dima, I'm from Rostov-on-Don, and I’m 18 years old. Now, in 2020, I am a first year student at UCL University (London) studying economics. UCL - University College London is one of the most prestigious and respected universities in the UK, number 1 in London for research work (Research Strength (REF2014), where Dima entered after 3 years of studying at a British school.
My story began back in 2016, when my father decided that he wanted to give me a good Western higher education. However, it is much easier to enter a good foreign university after graduating from school abroad than to enter it after graduation from a Russian school.
The parents contacted the Paradise Company, discussed possible school options, after which they conducted an interview with me to understand my wishes for schools and my level of English. This helped Paradise to offer us the SCHOOLS SUITABLE FOR ME.
On the one hand, I understood that the decision to study in England was excellent, and, on the other hand, I absolutely did not want to leave for England or any other country for two reasons. The first is my doubts about the level of English proficiency and the following difficulties that I would have to face. Simply put, I was scared to step out of my comfort zone. For those who face the same problem, I can only say one thing now: when you leave your comfort zone, you become better. The second problem was much more significant for me: my friends. I was very lucky to find really good, loyal friends. I realized that when I left, I would not be able to maintain regular contact with them. This caused the fear of losing them.
However, one smart woman told me, “Take this as a test of strength. If these friends are really as loyal as you think, then your departure will not affect your friendship." The fact that I saw my friends live only once every 2 months only strengthened our friendship. Our meetings have become much more interesting and fun, and most importantly, we have become convinced of the strength of our friendship. Therefore, I want to say to all those who may face such a problem as mine: do not worry! Your friends, if they are real, will not go anywhere. If they go away, then they are not so real, and such friends are not needed at all.
According to the results of entrance examinations to Queen Ethelburga’s College, which was my favorite, I showed a good level of mathematics, but I had to improve English, and then the Paradise Company offered me a course at the Bishopstrow College summer school. What makes Bishopstrow special is that it is not just a summer camp. Here are the real lessons. This greatly helps to ADAPT TO THE ENGLISH SCHOOL, as a result of which it becomes much easier to start a full-fledged education in a British school. There is a very serious and rigorous approach to teaching here: during the school day, everyone communicates only in English. Other languages "do not exist" from 8 am to 5-6 pm, and for breaking the rules, students face severe punishment. Undoubtedly, this is a great way to speed up your language learning.
So, I completed my training at Bishopstrow Summer School and came to study at Queen Ethelburg's Collegue.
The first week of September is completely devoted to organizational issues and helps new students to adapt:
At this stage, difficulties usually do not arise, especially for the reason that high school students and ordinary students who have been studying at this school for several years are actively helping newcomers.
The only advice I can give is to visit schools in advance and familiarize yourself with them before the start of the school year.
When I acted as a high school student responsible for helping to resettle new students, I was surprised that parents who came with the students asked to show them the school and tell them what and where it is. It turns out that some students and their parents (who most likely entered the school directly, and not through an agency) first saw the school live only on September 1, which struck me.
I ADVISE YOU WHEN CHOOSING SCHOOLS, IT IS MANDATORY TO ATTEND THEM, because quite often it can radically change your choice. In addition, there is some information on the school website, which it is advisable to familiarize with before arriving at the educational institution. In this regard, the Paradise Company perfectly fulfills its functions, informing its clients about all the important aspects of studies and the intricacies of the schools themselves.
Throughout the study, head teachers and regular subject teachers will regularly inform students about what to do and what is required of them. Therefore, in terms of study, everything is quite simple: if you want to study well, study and listen to the advice of your elders.
It is worth noting that the study programs in Russia and England are very different, including the order of study of certain topics in subjects. For this reason, in most cases, English material from an academic point of view (excluding the difficulties arising from a low level of English) seems Russian very easy. So, for example, my classmate, who was a C in profile mathematics in Russia, turned out to be an excellent student in the same profile mathematics in England.
However, it is worth noting that this difference arises because in England certain topics are taught later than in Russia, and not because England has a less strong program in mathematics or any other subject. Some students do not understand this and begin to put less effort into their studies, as a result of which in a year or two they are already C / L in England. I advise you to use this "head start", which has arisen due to the difference in training programs, as an opportunity to study material in English.
For understanding, I will give a comparison of me with my peer in QE (also from Russia): we both were excellent students in Russia, and both knew mathematics perfectly. However, we both had some problems with the English language. Quite often it happens that in a math assignment it is necessary to solve some example, therefore, even without a confident knowledge of the English language, performing several arithmetic operations does not cause any difficulties. In this situation, nevertheless, I read both the condition and the question, and learned new word-terms that are applicable to describe certain mathematical expressions. My Russian acquaintance, on the contrary, did not read the questions and simply performed arithmetic operations. This led to the fact that after a year this student stopped studying specialized mathematics, and after a year and a half he was no longer successful even in ordinary mathematics. And all this happened because he simply did not understand mathematical terms in English.
I, on the other hand, using the time and opportunities correctly, was able to create a certain base of terms and key words, which helped me to successfully study specialized mathematics throughout my schooling. The same approach applies to other subjects.
Finally, I would like to remind you that STUDYING AT THE BOARDING SCHOOL is not just a change of the training program from Russian to English; it is also a STEP TO INDEPENDENT LIFE. A huge number of decisions will be made directly by the student himself. Therefore, I advise everyone to think carefully about where they want to be in 5-10 years. I am not talking about a specific job / profession. Just answer yourself these questions:
The nuance of studying at a boarding house is that the school provides many opportunities. But some confuse responsibility for their actions (independence) with freedom and impunity. Some students stop studying, playing sports, and attending clubs. Perhaps these guys are still having fun and are comfortable with their lifestyle. However, in most cases, such people achieve very little results in life.
Appreciate and enjoy the opportunity to study in England, where students are given a choice of subjects of interest. Can't study? No problem! Go in for sports. The school provides discounts on tuition for students who are on school sports teams competing. There are athletes in QE who play for ENGLAND PROFESSIONAL TEAMS. This is fine too. There are students who have organized large volunteer events. There are winners of various art exhibitions.
The main thing is that the guys develop and improve in certain directions. Ultimately, a long list of personal rewards and accomplishments helps improve your chances of getting into a good university, and just helps you become a more versatile and interesting person. In my case, the main factors of success were two components:
As I mentioned earlier, when you start studying at a boarding school, you are taking the first step towards living independently. The school will provide you with a wealth of opportunities and assistance, but it also provides a choice. The choice is your responsibility. The development of your personality and who you will become in the future will depend on what you choose. The only question is what choice you make, how many opportunities you use.
As they say in QE "Do the best that you can with the gifts that you have" ("Work to your maximum capacity, using all your talents").
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