Star student Kevin shares IGCSE success advice
Kevin is from China and has been at Harrow Bangkok since 2014, and this year he achieved an exceptional 12 A*s and 1 A at IGCSE. Kevin reflects on his journey through Harrow Bangkok and shares some IGCSE advice.
My family heard about the school from friends whose children also attend Bangkok international schools, and decided that Harrow Bangkok was the most suitable for me.
I love Harrow Bangkok's academic resources. Each department has their own system of academic support, whether it is the past paper questions pack, study sessions or the feedback about classwork and homework that teachers give to students. This is crucial to guide students to achieve their academic goals and provides the fundamentals for academic success.
Additionally, the amount of extracurricular and super-curricular activities provided to students nurtured me to become an all-rounder, not just academically, but in sports and music as well. The school facilities allow students to get involved in the community, from sports facilities, such as the school gym, to the countless music rooms accessible by students
Harrow Bangkok has accomplished many things in the past few years; there is now a Rayleigh (Sixth Form) Centre, a CPA building full of modern equipment tailored to the needs of our artists, and a newly renovated Dining Hall.
My advice to other students would be that perseverance and consistency are the two key qualities needed to achieve a high standard of results in IGCSEs, without a doubt.
The most difficult thing about IGCSEs are not about the depth of knowledge, rather the variety of subjects. Even with choices narrowed down, some students are still required to study subjects that might not be their favourite. It is crucial to push through this reluctance and study all subjects, ensuring an equal distribution of effort.
It is of the utmost importance to treat every single aspect of a subject with full attention, including homework, classwork and common assessments throughout the two years. Finishing homework on the day it was set, progressing on coursework early, periodically reviewing subject knowledge, and studying ahead during holidays were some of the techniques I have utilised to help me reduce academic stress. Of course, to make time for all of this, I have forced myself out of procrastinating, and have realised how much time is spent on scrolling through social media after being conscious about fragmented time usage.
All of this effort throughout the two years cumulates into a degree of intellectual fluency that will bring boundless benefits when exam season hits, as it is definitely more favourable to spread the workload.
For my future studies, I am aiming to pursue further scientific research in Biomedical sciences, currently considering the field of Pharmacology or Immunology. The human body has always interested me and these fields of study hold great potential.
My top university choices include the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, both of which are considered the world's most prestigious (and some of the most competitive) universities and colleges. It is no easy attainment, but working towards these prestigious universities would definitely enhance my studies to a much higher level of proficiency.