How far will you go to change the world? The search and the secret to success: Interview Part I

Shangxi

“I want you to change the world.” This phrase may seem like a trite cliché but I still say it to groups of people I meet and to individuals too. It’s a grand phrase, but most don’t take it seriously. I do. I have met enough people who are doing things, big and small, that create significant differences.  But with Shell I didn’t have to say this. She was already ready. In this first part of her interview she will describe how she accomplished things in her education that few do. Those hoping to change things might learn how to approach education in ways they had not thought about.

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1. Can you tell us a little about where in China you grew up and went to secondary school?

Recently, I found out that I could be labeled as a “third culture” individual.

I was born in a rural town in Shanxi, bordering Inner Mongolia, and lived there for 8 years.  My whole life was turned upside down when my father was sent to work in the US, and I went straight from rural China to a middle class suburban town called Bethesda, right outside of Washington, DC.  

When I returned to China, I was already in sixth grade and was falling behind in every subject except for English.  It was also the first time I had to face an important test that determined which middle school I would go to.

I was fortunate enough to be accepted by the Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University, and spent 6 years there receiving the best secondary education China had to offer.

2. How competitive was your school and how competitive were the students with each other?

Our middle/high school was ranked among the top 3 schools in Beijing, and it was extremely competitive to get in.  Only 3 students from my elementary school were able to get in to my middle school.  Then again, during 9th grade, every student has to take the High School Entrance Exam (Zhongkao) to determine which high school he/she can attend, and only around 30% of the student population from our middle school can make the cut.  Usually, around 20% of our high school student population will get into the top 2 universities in China, Peking University and Tsinghua University.

We were constantly ranked by test grades, and it was an extremely competitive environment, but I have never observed any inappropriate or malicious competition.

Bill Gates visiting Experimental High School

3. Did you find that the focus on education was primarily preparation for the Gaokao? Some schools in china teac 3 h creatively for this exam and others stress memorization. Which did your school do or was it a little of both?

Because I attended one of the best high schools in Beijing, my high school life was much easier than most other Chinese students.  Compared to our counterparts in other provinces or other schools, we had more opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities, through which we could develop our own interests and gain experiences outside the classroom.  The opportunities were still limited but it was better than at other institutions.

The end goal is always the Gaokao, but the school gave us a lot more free time to study on our own, as well as allowed us to showcase different talents.  

The last year of high school was solely focused on memorization and test prep, but we were exposed to some creative and skill-building education during our first two years of high school.  However, the levels of critical thinking, creative thinking and individual thinking were much lower than that compared to the US.

4. Most people do not know that the acceptance rate to Beida s approximately 1/7000. You were one who made it? How did you do it?

I have always attributed part of my success to my parents.  First of all, they provided an opportunity for me to live in the US for three years during elementary school, where I learned English.  Years later, this would give me a big advantage for the Gaokao because I spent much less time on English than my peers.  Secondly, they provided an opportunity for me to live in Beijing, which gave me a huge advantage for the Gaokao because the acceptance rate to Beida in Beijing is much higher than the rest of China.

The rest, I think I accomplished through diligence, intelligence, good time management, a relaxed attitude and plenty of sleep.  I slept a steady 9 hours every day from 9PM - 6AM when I was in high school, which I later found out was very rare for a Chinese student.

Beida Opera Theatre

5. Was your experience at Beida (formerly known as Peking University) what you hoped it would be? How would you describe the atmosphere there?

To be honest, I never had the chance to form any expectations about Beida during high school.  It was my dream school because my father attended it and it was considered a top university in China.  Rankings play such an important role when it comes to selecting which university to attend in China.  If you had the test scores, there is a 99.9% chance that you will apply to Beida than another school.

That being said, my two years at Beida were still two of the best years in my life.  It was the first time that I started to experience "freedom", including the benefits as well as the responsibilities that come with it.  I started to learn things outside the classroom and how to take responsibility for my own actions.  I finally started to think about who I am.

My peers at Beida were some of the brightest people I have ever met in my life.  Beida is known for its freedom of thought and wealth of unique personalities. Everyone was extremely talented and many are ambitious. 

However, academically, I did not learn a lot at Beida.  The education style and content was still not up to par with international standards, and most faculty did not put a lot of effort into teaching.  It was easy to earn a pass grade and move on with life.  Most people only cared that you got into Beida.  They don't really care about how you went through it.

6. You made a decision to transfer from Beida to a university in the US. What went into this decision?

Because of my childhood experience, I have always known that I wanted to pursue higher education in the US, where the best education is available.

I was fortunate that I knew a bit more about the US undergraduate application process and my family was able to afford my tuition.  Since I felt that I wasn't learning as much as I could at Beida, I decided to transfer to a university in the US instead of waiting to apply during my senior year.

Shell 

7. When you first arrived in the US did you ever have second thoughts about your decision? What did you find most challenging at your University? What did you enjoy most?

I never had second thoughts about my decision but I was very homesick.  Life at Beida was easy and fun while life at my US university was filled with readings, homework and networking.

The most challenging part of my US University for me was during my first year in the McIntire School of Commerce.  It was the first time that I attended classes where class participation counted for 40% of my grade.  I was used to doing well on exams and getting As, but I never needed to contribute to other people's learning.  Needless to say, I did not do well during my first semester.  It took me a whole year to adjust to this style of learning.

I enjoyed the work hard play hard attitude the most.  In China, it was either all work or all play.  It was refreshing to see that the best students can also be party animals (in limited doses).

8. What did you study? How would you compare professors, classes and students in china and the US?

I studied Finance at the McIntire School of Commerce, and I doubled majored in Mathematics.

The class size is much smaller and class discussion is a much more important part of the learning experience.  Professors are more devoted to teaching and are more interested in interacting with students.  Something that I found surprising when I first came to the US was office hours.  I thought it was amazing because it made the professors very accessible. I could g and talk with them one on one.

Students were more interested in exploring different kinds of things, participated in a lot more activities, and seemed to have a better balance between work and play.

9. Did you get involved in activities and if so which ones were important and why.

I was still a very typical Chinese student and didn't participate in many activities.  

I was active in the Chinese Student Association, which was an interesting experience seeing how Chinese Americans celebrate their heritage.  At that time, there were only 6 Chinese international students in my class, so the Mainland Student Network did not exist yet.

The most rewarding experience was my working at the University Phonathon.  Calling alumni and convincing them to support the university financially was not an easy task.  It was my first meaningful work experience, and I was able to develop many communication skills, which proved to be quite helpful in my later job interviews.

10. Did you find that people had stereotypes about Asian or Chinese students? If so, did this bother you?

A lot of people thought that Chinese students are good at math, are nerdy and study very hard, which I was ok with.  

I think the stereotype that bothered me the most was that Chinese/Asian students were more likely to cheat.  This is due to high pressure from home and self, and perhaps also from forming the habit in Chinese middle schools and high schools, attributable to high-pressure as well.  I am not sure if this is true, but I think it was a horrible reputation to have.

Shell made some decisions about her education that almost no one ever does. For a student from China to decide to leave Beida for a school in the US is rare, very rare. For those in the US it would be akin to a student deciding to leave Harvard or Stanford and going off to a school abroad that many in the US had never heard of. Who would take this risk? 

It’s the creative risk takers that change things. Shell knew early on how the quality of education one receives in secondary school determines many future choices. In Part 2 of her interview you will learn how her passion to transform education has turned into a new initiative in China. Her work at one of the top MBA programs in the US could be used as a case study for future entrepreneurs from around the world.

Shell is, I think, too modest. Her ability to get accepted to Beida after being out of the Chinese education system signifies she has skills few do. But she also knew how to focus on what she needed to do, did it, and then moved on to new challenges abroad. She’s also lucky to have parents who supported these decisions. I hope parents will learn that letting their children develop their passions is a formula for future success in virtually any endeavor. I hope too educators will learn to encourage students like Shell to search for the best ways to achieve their goals, even if it means taking a non-traditional path.