Robin Chong, from Malaysia, is a Grade 12 students at CISK who has been studying at CISK for 5 years. He is one of our first IBDP graduates. He has received offers from world-class universities including the University of Toronto, McGill University, University of Waterloo and the University of Melbourne. Robin was exempted from providing additional language proofs and received the offers directly due to his excellent score in English Language and Literature of IBDP.

Universities

Trinity College, University of Toronto

The university is commonly ranked as the best Canadian university, according to various major publications. In QS World University rankings, University of Toronto ranked 28th in the world, 14th in North America and 1st in Canada. Trinity College, University of Toronto is the least accessible and most prestigious college among the seven colleges of the University of Toronto's main campus. Trinity College also has the reputation of being Canada’s Oxford and Cambridge.

McGill University

McGill University is regarded as the Northern Harvard or Canadian Harvard and has been ranked first in the Canadian University Rankings for 12 consecutive years. It is the top research university in Canada. In QS World University rankings, McGill University ranked 33 in the world.

University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is one of Canada's top public universities, and it has consistently ranked third in the list of Canadian comprehensive universities in the Maclean’s magazine university rankings and is one of the best universities in North America.

The University of Melbourne

The University of Melbourne ranks first in Australia and 26th in the world in the USNews World University Rankings. It has already educated 280,000 outstanding graduates from all over the world, including 4 Australian Prime Ministers and 8 Nobel Prize Winners and 120 Rhodes Scholars.

Student Achievements

Robin is a positive young man who loves sports and excels in academics as well. He was identified as being in the top 25% of scores in the Waterloo Math Competition and was awarded a CISK scholarship. He is highly self-disciplined and has high expectations of himself. He began to plan his future as early as the ninth grade, and then proceeded to achieve his goal.

Robin can be seen doing experiments and keeping records in the laboratory, sweating on the basketball court, and actively participating in volunteer services. He has achieved a balance between his studies and life!

Q&A about Robin

How do you balance each subject?

I have always been interested in biology and chemistry, but other subjects can actually help with my study of these two subjects. For example, good English can help me better understand text information. Mathematics provides basic skills for the study of biology and chemistry. Learning history can improve my skills to analyze texts, and check information reliability and authority. Doing biochemical experiments can help me to better analyze, summarize, and write texts in an authentic manner. Therefore, I feel that all subjects are actually integrated.

What skills or qualities do you think are important for succeeding?

I like exploring new things, because I can learn new things as well as expand what I have learned and then integrate them. I am able to formulate an effective learning plan. I never set a big goal at once, but I split the general goal into small goals so that I can achieve them one by one. Also, I feel that I am strong-minded, because I am not easily discouraged when I encounter difficulties in learning, but I will find ways to overcome challenges.

What have you learned at CISK?

I have developed a wide range of interests while at CISK. As you know, I am very interested in biology and chemistry. The teachers here support and respect my choices, so I can further develop my interests while stabilizing other subjects. Moreover, the school has STEAM Fair every year which gives me the opportunity to carry out deeper explorations and show them to others more vividly through hands-on practice.

CISK has a very open environment. I have many opportunities in school to exchange ideas with classmates and teachers. I can consider the same problem from different perspectives.

Do you have any suggestions for your schoolmates?

Try to participate in more outside activities and get to know more people so that you can exchange more ideas with different people. By doing so, when you encounter new things, you will unconsciously think from different angles, so you can make wise choices.

There is also a small tip for your reference, which is, when you are learning, put the phone far away, so that you can concentrate more and not be distracted by the phone.