Alexandru Vlad

I was a pupil at IBSB from Year 2 to Year 13. IBSB was the community in which I grew up, it’s the place where I first learnt to read and write, where I made lifelong friendships, where I discovered my passions and where I received the necessary support to achieve my goals. One thing I am truly grateful for is the teachers of IBSB, whom I respected both as instructors and as people, and who I believe treated me as an individual and eventually as an adult. They not only supported me in every way they could, but also pushed me to accomplish more than I ever would have without them.

What I am doing at University

I am now at UCL and will soon be finishing my Master’s degree; the course is excellent and has allowed me to focus on the area of psychology I find most interesting. I have enjoyed my time in London very much, it’s a vibrant and multicultural city in which there is always something to do in those short breaks between projects. At Cambridge, my main focus was on the weekly essays we had to submit, which were often very different in terms of content since I decided to continue with all three subjects instead of specialising in any one of them. Apart from that, I also continued with my passion for drama through my involvement in a number of student theatre productions.

Advice to prospective Cambridge applicants

Before applying to Cambridge, I believe pupils should think very hard about the subjects they wish to study, not only because of the application process, but also because they will spend three years studying these very intensively. The interviewers want to see evidence of genuine interest or passion for the subject which goes beyond A-Levels and the classroom environment, but more so they want to see that applicants understand the subject matter, not that they can simply memorise and reproduce information. I advise students to read around the subject, and seek extra-curricular activities or work experience that can be applied to demonstrate a strong interest in the subject. Although Cambridge is an exceptionally academic university, prospective applicants should not neglect other non-academic interests, as interviewers also look for those who can contribute to the College community, for example through their interests in drama, sports or journalism.