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“I wanted to challenge myself,” says Emily*.“ In Chinese middle school, I could already see my future mapped out for me from high school to my first job. I was very shy and knew I needed to make a big change in my life to challenge myself. That is why I decided to come to the US for high school.” She laughs, “When I told my parents I wanted to study in the US, they were surprised at first.”
Emily, now in her final semester at Charles Wright Academy near Tacoma, Washington, seems to have made the right decision: She just found out recently that she was accepted to Cornell University via early decision. She plans to study Applied Mathematics in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Since I am Cornell University alum myself, we chatted for a while about freshman housing, the core requirements for graduation, as well as the things Emily is excited or nervous about. She’s looking forward to trying out the liberal arts classes Cornell offers and is excited about learning more about logic and proofs, especially how mathematicians derive their theories using modeling.
She attributes this interest in part to her classes at Charles Wright Academy, in which her “excellent” teachers helped prepare her for college coursework. Her parents stay up to date via their Cambridge Network contact, receiving regular academic and residential progress reports (which are translated by Cambridge Network into Chinese).
Emily has been very involved on her high school campus; she is the president of the International Friends Club and part of the dance team. She also volunteers at the Charles Wright International Student Orientation and enjoys providing guidance to new students.
International Student Coordinator, Ann Vogel, says that Emily has grown in confidence and skills during her time at Charles Wright Academy. Not only does she take great care with her own classwork and activities, but she also reaches out to new students to help them feel welcomed and a part of the community. “We are very proud of her.”
Echoing those comments, Head of the Upper School, Bill White (who hosts two Cambridge Network students), adds that Emily was an integral part of the school’s four-day International Student orientation program, too.
When asked what advice she would give to future Charles Wright students about how to be successful in high school, Emily says: “Plan ahead and know yourself and your passions. It’s very challenging at Charles Wright and there are a lot of different opportunities to choose from. It’s important to know what you want to pursue and stay focused.”
*Student’s name has been changed at her request.
