Advice from alumni: Yexia Lin
Yexia Lin from Spain graduated from EF Academy Oxford in 2015 with A-Level qualifications. He went on to study Engineering at the prestigious University of Cambridge. Read more about our alumnus below.
How did you hear about EF Academy and why did you choose to attend?
The daughter of a friend of my mother’s was studying at EF Academy Oxford and she said that it was quite good there. As I wanted to go to university in an English-speaking country, both the US and UK were options. I choose the UK because it’s closer to home.
How would you describe your EF Academy experience?
It is very international, as the students come from everywhere in the world. I believe that it is a good thing in general but of course you get fewer opportunities to know the local culture. However, to be fair, the teachers are very British.
My university is also very international but it is not as international as EF Academy. I personally appreciated the international spirit at EF Academy Oxford; I never had to feel like a minority because everyone was a minority in a way.
What university did you go to afterwards? What did you study and why?
I am currently studying Engineering at Cambridge. Cambridge was my goal because of the reputation and I wanted to see whether I was good enough to receive an offer.
I chose engineering because I think it is challenging. I was sure that I wanted to do science but I felt that I didn’t want to do pure math or pure physics. I think it is more interesting when theory is applied and the course more varied.
How is life at Cambridge?
To be honest, it has been very challenging so far. The course here is difficult, especially because everything is crunched into a shorter time. A normal day for me consists of two or three lectures and labs depending on the day.
I thought I would be prepared for university because I lived away from home already for high school at EF Academy. However, the transition to university has been tougher than I expected and is requiring more time. I had to get used to both a tougher academic pace as well as a less international environment.
What tips do you have for current students who want to study what you study?
Work hard – Don’t think there are any magic formulas to success. It is all about writing a lot of papers and really understanding the concepts.
Make use of the school’s resources – We had good teachers at EF Academy who were willing to help and a nice library close by.
Do you keep in touch with your EF Academy classmates?
Some of them I definitely keep in touch. However, it is not always very easy because we are so spread out.
What’s your favorite memory from EF Academy?
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition (editorial note: this is a competition where participants need to compete in four different areas) was a very nice experience. We went somewhere in the Countryside in England and got to spend a lot of time in nature. I did running, drawing and Model UN for my three activities and received a silver medal. The fact that I did it together with my friends meant a lot.
What do you miss the most?
I miss the international atmosphere. I also miss the Oxford Brookes Library, which is located very close to EF Academy and also the city of Oxford itself.
What is one thing that you learned from EF Academy that you found valuable for university? For work life? For your personal life?
I think it is difficult answer as your personal development is always a continuous process and it is hard to tell by yourself. However, I would think that it would be that I have become more independent because I had to make more decisions on my own and deal with things that came up by myself.
What final tips would you give to current students?
Take the opportunity to work hard but also enjoy the high school years because they will pass quickly and you will never be able to go back.
Short questions:
Name: Yexia Lin
Age: 18
Nationality: Spanish
How many languages do you speak? Spanish, Chinese, English, French
EF Academy campus: Oxford
Graduation years: 2015
Program: A-level (A*A*A*A*)
Residence or host family: Residence
Favorite subject: Further Maths and Physics
Favorite teacher: Toby Blundell, as well as being an interesting teacher he was always there to help us understand things.
Favorite club / society: Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award
Which is the next country you want to visit? Finland or Czech Republic