Shrewsbury International School Bangkok is proud to announce that no less than eight students from its hugely successful Riverside campus have received offers to study at Oxford and Cambridge universities next year; a remarkable statistic that underlines the school’s reputation as a regional leader for academic excellence.
Drama scholars Yanissamone (Jane) Ngarmnil (Chemistry) and Yasmin Nguyen (Human Sciences) receive offers to Oxford’s Balliol College and Mansfield College respectively. Both are currently preparing to take lead roles in the school’s major annual stage production, demonstrating that academics are just part of a balanced and successful education offered at Shrewsbury. Meanwhile, Natcha (Pun Pun) Yongphiphatwong, recent TEDx speaker and winner of the Bangkok Economics Essay Competition, also receives an offer from the University of Oxford’s St. Peter’s College to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE); one of the world’s most highly regarded (and hotly contested) undergraduate courses.
Head Girl, Pimara (Pimmy) Soongswang is amongst five students to receive offers from rival Cambridge University. Pimmy’s passion for sustainability and environmentalism is reflected in her choice to read Land Economy at Queen’s College.
There’s also quartet of Cambridge offers to undergraduate Engineering courses; traditionally a very popular choice for Shrewsbury students. Panisa (Mew) Poksawas weighs up on offer from Sidney Sussex College whilst Natchanan (Sense) Sunyabhisithkul considers her offer from Selwyn College. Meanwhile, Thirat (Pon) Wongwaisayawan, gains an offer from Fitzwilliam College, and Vichayut (Firm) Leelayana gains a chance to follow Class of 2017 alumni Earth and Ki-Ki at Gonville and Caius College.
Shrewsbury’s association with both Oxford and Cambridge grows year on year. In 2017, Tachakrit (Earth) Tachatirakul became one of just a handful of international students in Cambridge’s history to be offered a place on the University’s medical programme, whilst recent news from Class of 2016 graduate Puriwat (France) Sophonariyanan underlines Shrewsbury’s priority not only to help students gain the they need to continue to top universities, but to nurture the skills and resilience to thrive there.
France finished his first year of engineering as the 4th highest achieving student in his cohort; another incredible milestone on an extraordinary personal journey. France joined Shrewsbury as a Sixth Form student in September 2014 with the goal of gaining a Cambridge offer. He was quick to benefit from the School’s advanced, “beyond curriculum” mathematical and Higher Education expertise, and having transferred from a school where English was not the first language, also gained particularly from the support that Shrewsbury was able to offer in developing these skills. Reportedly nicknamed “The France father” by fellow Cambridge students, France is clearly continuing to adapt well, earning the respect of peers and professors alike.
Giving her own perspective on this year’s haul of Oxbridge offers, Director of Higher Education Jo Fretwell comments, “I think that one of the keys has been open and honest communication. Students here have access to an amazing level of advice and expertise, both from the Higher Education team and from our teachers and alumni, but in embarking on what is a very time-consuming, intensive and challenging application and interview process, we have also challenged students to be honest with themselves about what they want to achieve at University”
Ms Fretwell continues; “Our focus at Shrewsbury is to ensure that all students are given the advice and support they need to pursue Higher Education choices that are right for them. In the case of the Oxbridge admissions process, this is something that both Universities themselves are renowned for testing with unrivalled rigor, and why they offer just a handful of places for every thousand applications. Being given a chance to interview, let alone being offered a place, at one of these universities is a huge achievement in itself, and requires students to demonstrate a genuine and exceptional degree of academic curiosity in their chosen subjects, beyond the core curriculum. The culture of academic curiosity that exists among the students at Shrewsbury, which encourages them to go above and beyond their subjects to achieve their goals, has been fostered by our outstanding staff and their commitment to our pupils”
On 29th March Shrewsbury will host recruitment personnel from the University of Cambridge to give a presentation on the University’s courses and admission process; an truly opportunity for Shrewsbury’s current students, and for students from around Bangkok, to learn more one of the world’s most prestigious universities.