BISS is celebrating 20 years of premium British international education in Shanghai next year. For this anniversary, we’ve reached out to our alumni to see what direction they took after BISS, and how our school proved to be the perfect pathway for their dream careers.
Name: Baiqing Chen (Jack)
Year Graduated from BISS: 2019
University: Singapore Management University
Subject: Master of Applied Finance
1. How do you think the decision to join BISS Puxi changed your life?
Speaking of my timeline, the decision to join BISS changed my study mode. The school consolidated my pathway to study oversea and gave the best preparation for university life. When I started my new journey at undergrad level, I felt at ease compared to other freshmen who were confused as to how university works. I was an ESL student back then. The environment that we had accelerated my progress in my English. The progress I made was huge - I’ve studied in Canada I’m currently pursuing a master’s degree in Singapore.
2. How did the BISS community inspire you to achieve your goals and guide you through your education?
I met a lot of excellent students back then who shared a lot of good qualities which I could learn from. One thing I found helpful for me on my educational path was the culture of embracing excellence. We were always encouraged to have an open mindset while being ambitious and this has been helpful for further growth and development moving on from the early stage of life. We all pursue lifelong success and it doesn’t stop when you leave school at the age of 18.
3. Which extracurricular experiences at BISS do you think helped shape you as a person?
We had a lot of sports activities and field trips. The activities are well organised and provided the best experiences for me. I appreciated the fact that I’ve had the chance to compete at a high level for our sports teams in my final IB year.
4. On reflection, what did the IB Diploma at BISS do to set you up for success at university?
The benefit is obvious. I have six credits awarded to me (which is equivalent to two courses at Canadian Universities). The IB courses cover a lot of content which is important for first and second years at university. I met the requirement for my degree in summer 2022 and it was awarded to me in the Autumn Convocation of 2022.
5. For current IB students, what advice would you give to them as they look towards applying for university and figuring out future careers?
As a senior, the best advice I can give is always look at your current situation from a long-term perspective. Things have changed in the past few years and when you apply to university you not only focus on academia but also pay attention to future trends. One thing to mention is AI, which changed our mode of study and career development. ChatGPT is robust enough to teach some basic skills and we discuss how AI tools will affect the labour market in the future.
6. For families considering BISS for their child, what would you say to them?
The BISS community is a small part of the whole society, but it has a huge positive impact.
7. Looking to the future, where would you like your career path to take you?
I’m focusing on the financial field now. Learning about Finance, my potential pathway could be as an investor or analyst. Options are available but the field needs practical experience. Everything is changing quickly and I can’t predict what will happen after my master’s study. Feel the moment and you can create a better future.
