Graduating Student Voice: From Mustang to Marketing Major

In this series of Student Voice articles, Marketing and Communications Intern, Richard, Year 11, catches up with our Year 13 students as they prepare to embark on the next steps of their educational journey.

Richard, Year 11
Marketing and Communications Intern

In this article we meet Curtis, who has received offers to study marketing from all the universities he applied to.

Q: Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m Curtis and I'm in Year 13. I've been at this school for six years and I am from England.

Q: Can you tell us about the conditional offers that you have received?

I have received conditional offers to study marketing within the UK at Bath, Plymouth, De Montford, Huddersfield and Hull.

Q: Does receiving these offers before your examinations give you pressure ahead of your examinations?

I think it gives a healthy pressure as there are incentives to work harder now that I have received these offers. I now know what I must work towards so there is a pressure to aim high and work hard, but it is not to the point that I am stressing myself out.

Q: How did you find the application process?

The application process was very straightforward because of the support my teachers provided to guide me through the process.  As I applied to universities in the United Kingdom, it was very simple to apply through the UCAS system because the website is very good at connecting us with universities that I would be interested in attending. Also, certain aspects of the application process like writing personal statements were easier as I always had my teachers there that were readily available to help me. Especially with my personal statement, I was able to obtain quick and direct feedback from Ms. MacSweeney, my form tutor. Receiving different views about my personal statement from my teachers was helpful as many of my teachers have gone through a similar process.

Q: Why did you decide to choose a marketing degree? 

I chose marketing because I knew already that I wanted to study business further, and I wanted to know what part of business really connects with me. I feel that through marketing I can directly observe the impact of the work I put out. For example, if I study finance, I may not be able to see the real-world implications of my work. However, in marketing, I can see how a certain advertisement or product has been received by everybody else, and that is something that really interests me. I also had conversations with my business teacher, Ms. Hearn, about my decision to study marketing. She encouraged me a lot and helped me come to my decision. Another reason why I wanted to pursue marketing was as a result of being the Marketing and Communication Intern last academic year. The internship gave me a deeper insight into what I might be doing in the future if I were to go into marketing.

Q: What did you enjoy about your Marketing and Communication Internship? 

I think the most enjoyable part about the internship was being able to have conversations with students and teachers and guests that I wouldn't have the opportunity to speak to. It’s very rare for a Year 12 student to be talking with a Year 7 or Year 8, so being able to have that variety of conversations and engage with different people around the school was something that I really enjoyed about the position. My favourite guest to have interviewed was Mark Grist because it was the first guest I had interviewed and the first podcast I had ever done. I was able to share a piece of poetry that I had written with Mark Grist, an internationally reknowned poet and rapper. To have that support from my English teacher, from Mark Grist himself and from Mr. Matthews is something that I'll remember for my whole life.

Q: What have been some of your favourite memories at Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi? 

I'd say some of my favourite memories have come from the different school trips we have been on. At the start of the academic year, we all seem very scared or worried about how others think of us, but after our residential trips have finished, we are able to have fun with each other. A particular memory I have was our hiking trip in Year 10 when we went to Thailand. Going through that experience with my teachers and classmates just connected us even more as we were able to be in pain from the physical exercise, but still have a smile on our faces. Another memory I have is Founder’s Day because it's a day where you see everybody come together in the school. It is enjoyable to see our community together to celebrate our school heritage and how much we have developed as a community.

Q: Has it been difficult to manage your time in IB? 

It has been difficult, especially at the start of Year 13 when you must complete IAs (Internal Assessments) and there are other deadlines to meet as well as university applications. But one thing I learned especially this year, is to not run away from your problems. It is crucial to talk to your teachers and see how you can plan your homework out, how you can plan your university applications and how you can balance your time. When having discussions with your teachers, you can relieve that stress and get back on top of all the work that you've missed.

Q: Did you find it challenging to speak to your teachers and ask for help? 

There were times where I found it difficult because I was far behind, I felt that I was not doing something right and I was not fulfilling my role as a student properly. After having those conversations with my teachers, everything became easier, so the hardest thing was just getting over my own thoughts and starting these conversations with my teachers.

Q: How has being in different leadership positions like Head Student and the Marketing and Communications Intern helped you? 

The Head Student leadership role helped me with my communication skills because not only did I have to speak with students privately in Student Council, but I had to communicate with a variety of different people. The public speaking opportunities that the role provided also helped me. In my speeches in assemblies I was incredibly nervous and shy, but now, because I've gone through that experience, I'm able to be more calm and collected if I have to do any public speaking in the future.

Q: How have you grown and developed during your time at Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi? 

I think I've grown significantly at this school because when I first joined, I wasn't very confident in my education. I didn't feel like I was at the same level as my peers. But after being at the school for six years, I can say that I am a better student for being in this school because I've been taught how to better manage my time and what I need to do when I'm in positions where I'm feeling down or demotivated. Being at Dulwich has helped me get the skills I need for when I go to university. One massive thing I've learned from Ms. Hearn, my business teacher, is to have faith in myself and don't question my own thoughts. If I have a thought or an opinion in class, I'm usually right, but when I second guess myself, that's where I mess up, so I have learnt to be more confident and to never give up.