SHREWSBURY TO NEW YORK STATE - ROSE’S JOURNEY

Palinee (Rose) Maskati is yet another success story to come out of the students from Shrewsbury International School, Bangkoks class of 2021. Rose will attend a top-ranked Liberal Arts university, Bard College in Upstate New York, USA. Shrewsbury prides itself on its ability to access pathways to hundreds of universities around the world. In some cases, our students attend smaller, yet equally prestigious tertiary institutions that better suit their learning style. After starting at Shrewsbury in Early Years 1, she departs for Bard College with two A's in her A levels and a positive outlook.

The first thing that appealed to Rose occurred on a visit to Bard in 2019. 

"The diversity," she exclaimed immediately. "There are people here from so many different walks of life, and the School is small, so everyone is engaged with each other and willing to share and listen. I am familiar with that coming from a school like Shrewsbury," she continued.

The ability to study a broad range of subjects also appealed to Rose as she isn't entirely sure what the outcome of her university days will be. Liberal Arts Colleges such as Bard promote personal growth and encouragement to finding a career that best suits each individual.

"I love to dance, sing and play percussive instruments and Bard College has a dedicated part of the campus that caters to people like me. Meanwhile, I can continue with the subjects I took at Shrewsbury. It is very immersive," she said.

Shrewsbury's wide range of extra-curricular activities has undoubtedly given rise to Rose's passion for trying everything. From playing an active role in the School acapella group Harmonix to the residentials and a Silver Duke of Edinburgh International Award - Rose took an immersive path in her learning at Shrewsbury from a young age. 

"I think Shrewsbury, through its curriculum and student engagement, is able to continually build a great community where everyone strives to be better and work collaboratively. It can be competitive, especially during exam time, but it is healthy competition. I loved the ability to study hard but also enjoy myself in several activities daily."

This competition earned Rose fabulous exam results, resulting in a confirmed offer to Bard College. As she sits in her dorm, she reflects on the tremendous support offered to her by the Higher Education Team, who supported her desire to attend Bard from the outset.

"The fact Shrewsbury US advisors with experience in the US system is awesome. They were quickly capable of understanding what Bard wanted and then aiding me with my application letter. Application season can be extremely stressful, but I was clear in my goals, and the HE team supported me every step of the way."

Now that Rose is alumni she is excited to impart her experience if called upon. After being at Shrewsbury for 15 years, she is excited to start a new chapter but still considers the School to be a second home. Congratulations on a great result, Rose and good luck with your studies!

What did you do for A LEVELS?

Biology, Geography, Maths

Grades?
C, A, A

Off to, excited? What are you studying?

Bard College

Big dance community - hard to find in a Liberal Arts school. Have family in Boston - so I could be close to them. Beautiful campus in the suburbs. 2019 visited the school. At first, it was raining and I wasn’t sure. You can choose so many different subjects. The range of different people from different backgrounds. Everyone is open about their backgrounds. It has so easy to make friends - The more research I did the more I realised Bard was my choice. I Had a great application process from as early as Year 11. Mrs Overton helped with that. Bard really promotes personal growth - I 

Pathways to success - HE team/teachers

The application process can be stressful and our timetable is challenging. COVID-19 didnt help with that as we had to do re-sits. But my application allowed me top use a narrative I was comfortable. The HE team were fantastic. The fact we have US advisors with experience in the US system is awesome. I was able to gain an understanding of what they wanted and execute.

Extracurricular activities?

In the orchestra (percussion) Harmonix as well. The choir from year 1 to 11. TYook voice lessons so I really enjoyed. Doing Ballet for 15 years but I also enjoy Spanish and Jazz. That was my outlet outside of school. You can major in Dance at Bard!

The community at Shrewsbury - what is it like?

Generally, Shrewsbury has a friendly community. I don’t really look Thai but I am. There is healthy competition most of the time. Shrewsbury has really high standards which means I am disciplined and a take care of my work. Rejection and failure is something that I have trouble with. You can feel oppressed because the standard is so high. The teachers are always there not just from an academic standpoint. There are few flaws in the system. I was conditioned to deal with pressure and structure - now at university, I am a lot freer to express myself. 

As alumni - do you look forward to keeping in touch with the school?

It is my community. My life for 15 years. I have deep-rooted connections that can’t be broken so I will stay in touch and am happy to help any way I can.

Best memory?

Going on residential trips. The geography trip was great as well. A great way to connect as a year group. Took a break from the academic side and allowed us to enjoy ourselves. IA treks - silver award. Gain skills through suffering. Geography class was always my favourite.

What would you say to Sixth formers and the wider school this year if they wanted to follow in your footsteps to be successful in uni applications?

Manage your time well. Not your work - the balance between work and friends has to be solid so you can breathe! It was hard to say goodbye and you will miss everyone, so ensure you make memories together. Listen to your internal monologue and enjoy your time with classmates. You can underestimate how much teachers want to help. I learnt to be communicative so that I could be helped - had a smoother journey.