By Alumni, For Those Who Follow
The things we wish we'd known — about UWC, the IB, and the years that follow.
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Coursework, wide-ranging reflection, and the long road through applications, college, and beyond.
Full index
Everything published so far, listed by language.
English
The default English edition of each guide.
Life after UWC
Decode the jargons of college applications to understand the roles, systems, and processes behind it.
Life after UWC
From the flow of money to the academic ecosystem, rethinking how to choose among American universities.
Life after UWC
From subfields to career paths, a survey of the CS discipline.
Musings
Reflections on a metric-obsessed world, and the founding intent behind this guide.
Academics
Tom's study methods, resources, exam techniques, and general learning frameworks for scoring a 7 in IB Physics.
Life after UWC
Rethinking elite schools, elite identity, and college choice from the perspective of personal growth.
Academics
About IB Film
Academics
For students with an instrumental foundation, the key to a 7 in IB Music is mastering a DAW for efficient production and proactively getting feedback from the teacher to refine your portfolio before final submission.
Academics
This piece starts from the basics: what a portfolio actually is, how it relates to the rest of your application, how to think about choosing schools and majors, and a general approach to putting one together. The first half stays broad and applies to most people preparing a creative portfolio; the second half gradually narrows to my own application field (industrial design).
Life after UWC
If you are interested in life and the world, but don't want to remain solely in words and observation; If you love concrete objects, materials, and structures, but don't want to create only technology itself; If you have keen observations and insights, and wish for these perceptions to transform into creative power, then design might be an excellent direction for you.
More guides are on the way — and we'd love your contribution.