One of the fundamental principles of the school is that we want our students to be able to go to the university that is the best possible one for each individual student. For some this will mean places at highly selective research-intensive universities, which includes some of the Ivy League in the US and the G5 universities in the UK, but for others it will mean some high-performing liberal arts colleges in the US or Art or Music colleges whilst others will want to attend excellent universities in other countries around the globe.
—— Mark Bishop, Executive Headmaster
The Class of 2023 have begun receiving offers from around the world, including from well-known universities in the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries and regions. So far, students have had offers from top universities in the US such as Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Cornell University, Duke University, Brown University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Chicago. Showing the cohort’s diversity of interests, they have also received offers from top liberal arts colleges and performing arts colleges including Williams College, Amherst College, Pomona College, Wellesley College. For institutions in the UK, Pao School students have received offers from Oxford University and Cambridge University, Imperial College, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and University College London (UCL), amongst other Russell Group universities in the UK. Top art schools offers including: Parsons School of Design, New York University Tisch School of the Arts, Berklee College of Music in the US. At the same time, the class have received offers from top academic institutions in other regions and countries such as Hong Kong China, Australia, Canada, France, and the Middle East.
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Vanda
Rice University
Economics, Sports Management, and Media
A home away from home
“Pao School is like a big family. Whether you encounter the good or the bad, you are always surrounded
the encouragement of friends and teachers – who make you feel the warmth of home.”
—— Vanda, Year 12
After 12 years at Pao School, it is like a home away from home to Vanda. She has many precious memories of the kindness of the community over the years, such as when she was preparing for her IB oral exam. As she practiced her speech at the end of the dorm corridor late at night, her voice was heard by the Chinese teacher Claire Weng. Instead of chastising her, Ms. Weng gave her some chocolate and words of encouragement. “Teachers are kind and caring, they are always supporting you. They are even willing to spend time with you discussing academic issues after class,” Vanda explains.
Vanda has loved sports of all kinds since she was a child, including football, frisbee, archery, tennis or sprinting. One of her most interesting experiences took place during the SSSA 4x300 boys’ relay in Year 7. She remembers, “At the last minute one of the boys could not participate in the competition, so the coach put me on the field instead. The competition was very intense, and I even surpassed a competitor during the race, which was really exciting.”
Due to her love and talent for sports, Vanda chose to pursue advanced IB Sports, Exercise and Health Science (SEHS) – which she explains is not like a traditional physical education class. The course takes a scientific approach to sports, combining research, theory and practise. The course covers a wide array of topics including anatomy, sports biology, sports psychology, nutrition, and sports rehabilitation.
During the university application process, the intense pressure made Vanda unsure of her choice. However, Martin Jones, her SEHS teacher, noticed that her state of mind and took the initiative to encouraged her to have confidence in herself during a discussion after the class. Vanda’s university counsellor also told her through, though the competition is fierce, she must believe in herself. It was through this encouragement and support that Vanda resolutely decided to pursue this path.
Becoming a well-rounded individual
"Don't expect to be a perfect person, but to be a whole person," says Vanda, explaining that when she has encountering adversity in the past, Pao School's whole-person education philosophy has always given her strength. She believes that whole-person education is not only the balance between academic development and personal interests, but also exploration into different fields. As Vanda also hopes to become someone with a ‘rich heart’, she is especially grateful with the various opportunities Pao School has given her to try new things. Through various programmes such as the school’s daily extracurricular activities, annual Zhi Xing trip, or career forums organised by the UCO, all students can explore new interests and grow as people.
Of her many achievements at Pao School, Vanda is most proud of a short film she made about urban changes. In her spare time, she likes to walk around the city with her camera to record snapshots of life and the people living here. In addition, she has also been inspired by her Chinese studies to make a short film about the relationship between people and urban landscape, alongside the changes between old Shanghai from her childhood memory and the even changing modern Shanghai.
In addition, Vanda is interested in mixing and blending fragrances to create a perfume of her own. She has been searching for her own unique ‘character’ and describes herself as a mix enthusiasm, tenacity, and self-confidence – especially when playing football. For this reason, she concocted a perfume with these scents "Perfume is a window to understand yourself. When you find your own unique scent, you can exude the qualities that make you you." comments Vanda.
After twelve years, Pao School has a significant place in my family’s hearts. Pao School acts as a partner with parents, always practising good communication between home and the school, whilst both parties jointly take responsibility for the children's character education. Pao School’s whole-person education allows children to gain different perspectives, thereby forming their own interpretation and understanding of the world around them. The teachers' tolerance for the children’s students' personalities helps them to expand their thinking, deepen their empathy, and broaden their horizons, whilst gaining an enjoyment in embracing all kinds of cultural differences. The world is always changing, but no matter what they encounter, Pao School alumni will have to confidence and courage to face the whatever path they may walk down in the future.
-- Vanda's mum
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Jack
Claremont McKenna College
Economics
Jack has been at Pao School for 12 years, summarising his experience in different stages:
character building in Primary School, interest exploration in Middle School, and academic
research in High School. Throughout each campus, he feels the campuses are connected through
their open environment, rich curriculum, and the silent companionship given by the teachers.
Jack fondly recalled his primary school learning, when both in and outside the classroom, primary teachers led students on the journey to explore different subjects from music and sports, to art and science. Once in the middle school, Jack turned his personal interests into love for academic course subjects and he refined his academic interest down to economics, business and physics while at the high school.
The friendship of a teacher
Differing from the primary and middle schools, where homeroom teachers help students with their life and studies, Pao School’s tutor programme at the high school is a natural fit for the communal nature of a boarding school, which allows students to connect with teachers outside of classroom. The system not only serves an academic purpose, but also provides students with an extra layer of psychological support through the emotional connection they build with their tutors.
The tutors are mostly on-duty teachers who live in the dorms, each having their own group of approximately 8-12 students with whom they meet regularly to discuss daily life, character education, or any topic of interest. The programme also provides an important platform for parents learn more about their child. Jack mentioned that tutees meet with their tutor every Tuesday to Thursday. Sometimes meetings are focused on the whole group, while other times a tutor might spend time with one tutee while the others are engaged in another activity. Some meetings are more casual, while other times more formal topics are discussed. His tutor group recently discussed social engagement and the many ways people interact with one another.
The tutor as it is known at Pao School, is a ubiquitous role at most US and UK boarding schools. Tutors guide
students through the peaks and valleys of the experience. Like a parent, the tutor is the reliable figure in the
child’s life at school and builds a relationship through daily interaction. Tutors have scheduled time to meet
regularly and talk through topics related to daily life, character education, or any other matters they and
their students may wish to discuss. Tutors are the primary interface between students and their parents
and also communicate closely with the Housemaster/Housemistress, teachers, coaches, and other Pao School
staff. Many students view their tutor as their primary role model and develop close relationships with this
person, some even maintain close relations with their tutors after graduation.
As Jack's mentor, math teacher, and football coach, I am very happy that I get to see every aspect of him – whether it is in the classroom, on campus, and on the field. I’ve known him for five years, so I am also very happy to see him grow and improve, both physically and mentally. I hope he continues to work just as hard towards what he wants to be in the future.
-- Li Yingkai
High School Mathematics Teacher
Jack describes his tutor, Mr. Li Yingkai, as both a teacher and a friend. Coincidentally, Mr. Li is not only Jack’s maths teacher, but also his football coach. Due to this, they often train and watch football together - allowing them to bond over football in addition to topics surrounding academics and life. In Jack's view the teachers mainly focus on academics, house masters/mistress care about students' residential life, and tutors are easy to speak with. Therefore, when a student is stressed or confused their tutor is the best person to go to for advice and comfort.
Facing failure
When talking about his hobbies, Jack answered decisively: football. Football is something he has liked since primary school; nowadays a member of the varsity football team. For Jack, football is not only a fun way of exercising, but it has also taught him the importance of learning and growing from failure. He explains that when he was younger he would be frustrated when he lost a game, but as he grew older he learned to take the loss as a learning experience. Therefore, after each game he now reflects on what did/didn’t go well during every game and identifies what he can improve in the future. It is through the football practices where he learned how to face failures and setbacks in his life.
Jack also incorporated his passion for football into his personal statement in his university applications, which connect his passion for football to his desire to lead a healthy and balanced life. These feelings for football and love for the Pao School community also helped Jack focus on liberal arts colleges when applying for university. In his opinion, liberal arts colleges and Pao School have a similar culture and atmosphere: the community is relatively small, everyone is supportive of each other, the bonds between students are strong, and teachers give each student plenty of attention and care.
