Cambridge offer recipient, Alice, reflects on her time at SGGS
Communications Committee student, Camille (Year 12) conducted an interview with Alice who has recently received an offer to study at Cambridge University. We asked Alice to reflect on her time as a Sixth Form student at Stratford Girls Grammar and comment on how she believes the school has helped shape her future.
How was your experience at SGGS?
During my time at SGGS, I have thoroughly enjoyed being academically challenged, whilst also experiencing the vibrant community that has moulded me into a determined and confident young adult. This school has helped me become more independent, from the leadership opportunities to the freedom and trust you are given, especially in sixth form. The support and genuine care in the community is what encouraged me to apply to Cambridge. When deciding on what degree to apply for I was torn because I study both Biology and Chemistry at A-level and love them both, which is partly due to the high quality of teaching here. The Natural Sciences course at Cambridge appealed to me as it allows you to study a broad range of topics within science.
How has SGGS guided you throughout your application process?
The application process was challenging due to early deadlines, admissions tests, and interviews, but I received lots of support from the school. We had several assemblies giving us guidance on how to approach writing personal statements and my chemistry teacher Dr Geden was very supportive by helping me edit and structure my statement. While preparing for my interviews, the school arranged 3 mock interviews for me which were extremely useful as they gave me the opportunity to discuss certain topics in the scientific field with university professors and fellows, giving me more confidence when going into the real interviews.
Have SGGS stayed true to our motto of 'Shaping Futures'?
Equipping me for the wider world ahead, I value the experiences SGGS has given me. The nurturing environment that our school provides has helped me strive for success which was really important when applying to universities as I was pretty sure that I wasn’t going to get an offer from Cambridge but if I didn’t apply, I would not have had the chance! SGGS has played a significant role in my life, from shaping me as a person to always keeping me academically stimulated. As I go forward into my future, I will value and look back on my time here with appreciation.