Meet our alumni: Park Chaeyeon, Class of 2022

Park Chaeyeon grew up and attended school in South Korea before relocating to Hanoi in 2019. She enrolled at BIS in Year 11 and completed both IGCSE and IBDP programs at the school.

When Chaeyeon first started at BIS Hanoi, she was anxious about studying in a new environment with a completely different curriculum. However, with the support of her friends, the dedicated guidance and assistance from her teachers, as well as her own strong determination, Chaeyeon was able to push through and excel in her academic studies. 

Her amazing perseverance earned her a perfect score of 45 points and made her one of the top performers in the 2022 IBDP exam. Following this incredible accomplishment, Chaeyeon chose Pharmacy as her major at university, aiming to contribute to the healthcare field in the future. 

Here is Chaeyeon’s story at BIS Hanoi. 

To start with, please could you tell us a little bit about yourself. 

Hello, my name is Park Chaeyeon. I grew up and studied in South Korea before moving to Vietnam in July 2019. I joined BIS Hanoi in Year 11 and completed both IGCSE and IB Diploma here.  

What was it like when you first joined BIS Hanoi? What are your favourite memories of BIS Hanoi? 

Being in an international school for the first time made it extremely difficult for me to get used to a new academic curriculum. But I really appreciated how close the teachers and students were to one another. All of the lessons were carried in a free vibe, and I soon realized how much I enjoyed them.  

House competitions will always be my favorite memory at BIS Hanoi. Whether it was a sporting event or other special occasion, there was a high level of competition between the four Houses. It was so exciting to wait for the House competition results at the end of each term! I'll never forget how great Team Hanoi was! 

The IB organisation claims IB students develop strong academic, social and emotional characteristics. Would you agree with this statement? (and why?) Can you share some of your experiences? 

I strongly agree with the statement. I was able to develop a variety of characteristics thanks to all of the IB courses and works. For instance, Internal Assessment (IAs), an essential part of the IBDP, helped me to develop my way of thinking independently. In IAs, students are required to plan, conduct experiments, interpret and analyse the results as well as writing the final essays on their own. Of course, we can ask for assistance from our teachers, but their main role is to keep us on course; and so, it is our responsibility to complete all the tasks by ourselves. As a result of the independent knowledge exploring process, my perspective on understanding the world and my understanding of learning both deepened and expanded. In other words, I felt like I was on the path of becoming a genuine learner.  

How did you feel when you received your perfect score?   

To be honest, I did not expect that I would receive 45 points. It has always been an unrealistic goal for me, because I’ve never achieved a perfect score in my PCTs or predicted grades. It took me ten seconds to believe the results in front of my eyes on the announcement day. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and it felt like a huge reward for all of my efforts during the tough program. I just wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude to the BIS faculty and staff! This incredible accomplishment would not have been possible without the assistance of all the teachers at BIS Hanoi.  

Now that you have graduated from BIS Hanoi, which university are you attending next year and why do you choose that university/major? 

I have received an offer from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and I’m still waiting for more from other Korean universities. Although I haven't decided which university I'll attend, I know I'll major in Pharmacy. My dream is to become a hospital pharmacist, who will collaborate with doctors to develop the most effective prescriptions for patients.  

As you reflect on your past at BIS Hanoi while getting ready for your next challenge, what advice do you have for your BIS fellow students as they continue their journey through BIS Hanoi, and get ready for the IB? 

I won’t pretend that my IB journey was easy. It was tough. What matters, though, is the significant reward that followed the diploma.

Therefore, I would advise other students to start the IB programme without hesitation. 

Time management, in my opinion, is the most important skill for success in the IBDP. How well you utilize your spare time will determine the outcome. To my BIS fellows, let's make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with no regrets! 

Thank you Chaeyeon!