The best part about closing a chapter is the beginning of a new one. What's next for our Class of 2022? Here is Tyan L's story.

What subjects did you take for A Levels?
History, English Literature, Politics, and Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

Why A Levels?
To be honest, I chose A-levels because I didn't want to do Maths. Now I believe that anyone can do really well in any subject if they put enough effort into it, but I also liked studying subjects that I was truly interested in (for the most part).

Which subjects did you enjoy the most and why?
Somewhat predictably, I liked all three of my A-level subjects. If I had to choose, I'd pick the ideologies component or the US component of my politics course.

What's your next destination and why?
I received offers from Stanford, Yale, Brown, UCLA (The University of California, Los Angeles), Pomona as well as LSE (London School of Economics and Political Science) in the UK. In the end, I decided to attend Stanford because it's known for its progressive Californian attitudes and unrivalled academic rigour. I have plans to major in either Political Science or Public Policy in my second year.

It's rare for a student to obtain offers from two Ivy League universities, how did you do it?
I think what helped me personally was my involvement in a political party, which was born of genuine passion instead of uni-related anxiety. That, and maybe my essays, which I tried to keep as genuine as possible. I spoke about my passion for politics, my beliefs, my drumming and my character. Another factor that may have helped is the research paper on the determinants of foreign domestic worker rights in Singapore that I co-wrote with a professor of Political Science from Columbia. I also started an organisation to help deliver COVID vaccines to countries without access to them.

What are your career aspirations?
I hope to work a meaningful job in politics or the public sector. The future is always distressingly foggy for social science majors, especially those who are oriented towards change in the realm of politics. But I'm hoping to make a change somehow, probably working for a political party in Singapore or in an IGO. Everything will work out if you stick to your guns.

What would you like to do five years from now?
I hope to be back in Singapore with my friends and family.

Tell us about your time at Tanglin. What were some memorable moments?
I joined Tanglin at the beginning of Year 12 and it was such a memorable time. I think in a way, I've learned a lot by speaking to my peers. Just talking to people about their perspectives made me think through and revise my worldview. Admiring different aspects of others also made me reflect on myself and learn to improve as a person.

Is there a teacher you'd like to specially mention?
I'd like to mention Miss Thompson and Mr Loader specifically for being passionate historians and top notch teachers. Thank you for making the incredibly dense Tudors course bearable and (occasionally) very fun!

What advice would you give younger students when it comes to making a choice between A Levels and the IB curriculum?
I think if you'd like to keep your options open and you're not sure what you want to do at university or as a career, IB might be a safer option. Everyone (especially IB students) complains about the rigour of the course, but from my experience both A-Levels and IB are equally difficult.