A few days ago, I received a message from a former student who had been accepted to Imperial College London for Neuroscience. The student was also completing an application to UCL and kindly said that our Chemistry lessons had made the subject easier to study.
Imperial is an exceptionally demanding university, particularly in science, engineering, and medicine. Receiving an offer is a wonderful achievement, and I was delighted to hear the news.
Studying abroad can bring extraordinary academic and career opportunities, but students should also think realistically about tuition, housing, living costs, distance from family, and personal wellbeing. London can be especially expensive, and adjusting to life overseas is not easy for everyone.
Some former students completed their overseas degrees and moved into leading companies in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, or the United States. Others later chose to continue their education in Korea. Both paths require careful planning rather than choosing a university only for its name.
Another student was accepted to Yonsei University's Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Many of my students who remain in Korea apply to Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University, KAIST, medicine, or pharmacy programs.
For overseas-Korean and international-school applicants, the most effective academic profile depends on the university, department, admissions category, and year. In my teaching experience, strong AP results in Mathematics and the sciences have often supported applications to KAIST, medical school, and pharmacy school, but students should always verify the current official requirements directly with each university.
Congratulations again to the students who received these offers. The results reflect years of steady work across IB Chemistry, AP subjects, school grades, and university preparation.
I receive many consultation requests, but teaching commitments sometimes make it difficult to reply in detail. I appreciate your understanding, and I remain grateful to every student and family who shares their news.