Editor’s note: From this week, Susan M B Chen, a high school student at Downe House School in Britain, will share with readers her study and life at this all-girls public school and offer useful information and advice for her peers who intend to study in Britain.

    Dear Readers,

    The idea of sharing my personal experience in an elite boarding school in England was initiated last year when I met a Year-12 student from Zhejiang Province who, like me, attended high school in the United Kingdom. Although we shared similar experiences in the way we boarded overseas, I was shocked by her personal stories of how poor student life was at her state high school near Manchester.

    She barely interacted with her English peers and was little involved in extracurricular activities. She would return straight from school every afternoon when lessons ended at three and kept to herself in her room with her host family. I recognized that for many students from China, the type of school one attends is really what makes a difference in enriching teenage education.

    I am very fortunate that I attend what is known as a “public school” in the United Kingdom. The word “public” can be misleading, but in the United Kingdom, it simply refers to prestigious schools preparing children aged 11 to 18 for top universities like Oxford and Cambridge.

    The public schools I am referring to include all-boys schools like Eaton, Harrow and Winchester and all-girls schools like Wycombe Abbey, Cheltenham Ladies and Downe House, and co-ed schools like Rugby, Wellington and Oundle.

    These schools are able to provide the best opportunities not only in academics but also extra curricular activities and social events. The majority of your peers have a strong drive to enter top-ranking universities, thus, you are in an atmosphere where you are automatically determined to make in your best effort.

    Teachers and administrators in these schools are under pressure to keep their school rankings at the very top of the list. With good finances, these schools provide students with incredible resources and facilities allowing them to make the best of their various skills and thrive in a learning environment.

    There are all sorts of activities you can participate in, from fencing, to lacrosse, netball, and horse riding. As long as you participate actively in your school community, you learn not only in the classroom, but also outside it.

    Yours fondly,

    Susan M B Chen

    Year 13 student at Downe House School