Yesterday, 6 eleventh-grade students from the Republican Lyceum with a focus on Physics, Mathematics, and Informatics were admitted to prestigious universities ranking among the top globally.
One of those admitted is Nureddin Garayev.
He has been admitted to King's College London (London Royal College) in the United Kingdom.
Modern.az reports that "AzEdu.az" interviewed Nureddin on this occasion.
He noted that he will return to Azerbaijan after completing his master's degree:
"Since the 7th grade, I have been involved in various activities to study abroad, and currently, I have been admitted to King's College London (London Royal College) in the United Kingdom.
This examination process begins in the 10th grade. I also started preparing for the SAT exam during that period and took the exam in June. Later, in August, I participated in the IELTS exam. During the preparation period, I attended various courses, and at the same time, we worked together with my friends. I believe that preparing as a team yields more effective results.
After these exams, we apply to European universities. However, these universities require 12 years of education. Since education in Azerbaijan is 11 years, an additional exam must be taken to bridge this difference. For this purpose, Advanced Placement (AP) exams are taken. For example, King’s College London requires three exams. I am currently preparing for these exams, and they will be held in May. Currently, the university in question has given me a conditional offer and is awaiting the results of the AP exams.
Furthermore, there is no separate entrance exam for King’s College. I scored 1550 out of 1600 on the SAT exam and 8 out of 9 on the IELTS exam. In addition to these results, students' other activities are also taken into account. High school grades, especially “5” in most subjects, are important. Achievements in Republican subject Olympiads are also significant. I also have a bronze medal in informatics.
During the university selection phase, I also considered Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Bristol universities in the United Kingdom. Subsequently, I received offers from both King’s College London and Birmingham University. However, I consider King’s College London to be a more suitable choice".
Staying away from my family for a long time seems a bit difficult and frightening for me
"I have not previously been abroad for educational purposes. I once participated in a robotics competition held in Singapore in 2023. Other than that, I have no experience studying abroad. To be honest, staying away from family for a long time seems a bit difficult and frightening. But I think it can be overcome. My sister is also currently studying in the Netherlands, which gives me additional motivation. My sister also faced many difficulties initially. However, despite this, I believe that everything can be overcome.
When I saw the admission news, I was in class at school. Honestly, I wasn't expecting it at all. I was listening to the lesson when suddenly a letter arrived on my phone. When I opened it, I saw that it was the admission response. I was very surprised at that moment. I truly wasn't expecting it. My classmates and I were very happy. Afterwards, I informed my father, and he was also very happy".
My interest in studying abroad first began with my sister
"She wanted to study abroad. To be honest, I don't know exactly how this idea originated with her. But after her step, my parents saw that it was possible, and we decided to try it too. After my sister left, I also started thinking about it. I didn't have such a plan before, but then I thought maybe I would have a chance too. So, I started preparing. In general, both my father and mother are people who attach great importance to education. Their approach has significantly influenced my desire to study abroad.
If I hadn't considered studying abroad, I would have chosen ADA University, BANM, or if not them, UNEC, which operate in our country".
The United Kingdom has diverse cultures and people, and this will naturally be a different experience for me
"Although I haven't done much research on the United Kingdom and King’s College London (London Royal College), one difference has caught my attention. University education in Azerbaijan usually lasts 4 years. However, my program at King’s College is 3 years. This seems a bit different and interesting to me. Overall, the environment will be quite different from Azerbaijan. This is because the United Kingdom has diverse cultures and different people, and this will naturally be a different experience for me.
After completing my bachelor's degree, I plan to continue my education abroad for my master's degree. However, I have not yet decided on a country or university for my master's education. After completing my master's degree, I intend to return to Azerbaijan. I have not yet fully determined which specific field I will work in. But my plan is to continue with computer science at the master's level after studying artificial intelligence at King’s College. Afterwards, I plan to return to Azerbaijan and work in the IT sector".
Not only personal effort but also the support of people around plays a significant role in one's success
"Out of the 6 eleventh-grade students from the Republican Lyceum with a focus on Physics, Mathematics, and Informatics who were admitted to prestigious universities ranking among the top globally, 5 of us, including myself, are classmates, and the other is a close friend. I believe that not only personal effort but also the support of people around plays a significant role in one's success.
We, along with our classmates and other schoolmates, supported each other and worked together to achieve these accomplishments. We all wanted to receive good news and achieve success in the end. No matter how much effort one puts in, hearing about the success of those around them provides additional motivation. Also, because we worked together, I believe our chances of achieving such successes increased even further".
Our interviewee concluded by offering advice to his peers who wish to achieve success and study abroad:
"My first advice is not to pay too much attention to what other people say. This process is both difficult and very arduous. It is completely normal to get tired and sometimes lose motivation. Secondly, I would recommend paying special attention to academic preparation. The exams I mentioned - SAT, IELTS, and AP exams for European universities - are extremely important.
But I also want to say that, for example, I have Olympiad medals, but this is not mandatory for everyone. I know students who have been admitted without any medals or special extracurricular activities.
Everything is possible. The main thing is to believe in your goal and work consistently".
