"Amidst the pandemic mayhem of 2020, I have somehow been lucky enough to be gifted with the opportunity to be welcomed, yet again, to the industrious community of Park Lane, this time working alongside their sterling staff. Though I have limited professional and scholarly expertise, I’ve endured the full rigour of the IB programme and as such, I hope to share all my insights and learnings from my academic journey with the current students."

It was great to have Nina back in school to chat to us before she heads off to Newnham College, University of Cambridge, UK, to study Land Economy. She is here to tell us about her journey through Park Lane and into Cambridge University of Cambridge So, what did it take to be accepted to study at Cambridge? Well first I put the UCAS application together with many drafts of my personal statement and the University of Cambridge was my first choice. I had to do some research and comparisons to add my college preference, but looking at all the options available for Land Economy, I chose Newnham. Having good grades is a priority, if you don’t have the right grades to meet the entry requirements, the university will not even consider giving you an offer. There wasn’t an entrance exam for Land Economy, but I did have to submit supplementary essays and then wait to be interviewed. The admissions officers were looking for intellectual curiosity, academic potential as well as a genuine interest in the subject. What is also important for Land Economy is that students must be able to handle the quantitative aspect of the course as well as the essay writing. They are therefore looking for people that have a strong mathematical background but are also capable of analytical writing. The interviews were intense as I had multiple with a range of questions. I am glad I did a lot of preparation for these in advance and my former debate coach, my friend who studied Land Economy as well as the teachers from school helped a lot. I am sure, after all the work I put into the application, it was the interview that was the deciding factor. What is Land Economy? Land Economy as a Bachelor degree is unique to the University of Cambridge. Law, economics, and their relationship to the built and natural environments are central to Land Economy, along with other areas such as business regulation, the financial aspects of real estate and international development. The multidisciplinary nature of the course is particularly relevant in the 21st Century where the environment, law and economics and the control of scarce resources affect the daily lives of people around the world.

A Park Lane Graduate, Class of ’23, Ori G took a gap year after completing her IB Diploma before she went off to university. Here is what she had to say: Your reasons for taking a gap year? The reason I took a gap year was to explore what I wanted to pursue in the future. The gap year reinforced my decision to study Psychology at University. How well did that work out and how beneficial was it? I believe taking a gap year was beneficial, as it meant that I could take a break and explore new things. I advanced my skills in teaching, time management, and adapting to my students’ needs, which are skills that I will use in my job in the future. What did you do with regard to working at Park Lane and any other activities outside of school? In Park Lane, I worked in the SEND team, where I worked one-on-one with some amazing students. I also worked in the library, where the older students could come and ask for subject-specific help. Outside of school, I dedicated a lot of time to tutoring for Maths, Sciences, and English. I enjoyed this because it challenged me to be creative with teaching approaches and it was rewarding because of the students’ progress. What did it mean for your university applications? Taking a gap year removes any worry from university applications – since I had already received my grades, I got unconditional offers. It also meant that I could spend more time on university essays and entrance exams. Any advice for students considering a gap year? For anyone considering taking a gap year, I would recommend that you choose a position that would give you job experience in an area you would like to pursue. This will help test whether you actually want to follow this career path as well as look great on your CV! How is it going at university now, tell us how you are getting on? I am very happy at the University of Amsterdam! I believe that my subject choices in IB prepared me for this course and that the gap year helped me handle the responsibilities of living alone.