A chat with a world class economist...Jia Yi!

It is always great to hear how students are getting on as they progress through life, moving on to bigger and better things... Many of our students at GIS go on to study at some of the world's best universities and it was wonderful to hear from Jia Yi Lim, who recently moved from Malaysia to the USA and is now settling into life at Harvard University.

When in Year 13, Jia Yi was over-the-moon to have received offers from Harvard, Stanford and Cambridge...having only made 3 applications! Harvard was chosen in the end, but it was certainly a decision which took considerable time, a lot of thought and careful deliberation.

In only her first semester at Harvard, Jia Yi is loving life. Having been fortunate enough to have taught her A Level Economics as well as enjoy watching her debate and witnessed her incredible community service work (Project Smile), I thought I knew what Jia Yi was capable of. However, her contributions so far at Harvard, as I am sure you'll agree, are nothing short of amazing!

Initially, Jia Yi reached out to us (her 'old' A level economics teachers Mark Solomons and Ric Faulkner) to inform us she had been awarded Top in the World for CIE A Level Economics. Having received an award for Top in Malaysia the previous year for her AS exam, this was obviously fantastic news, if not a major surprise! After congratulating her we took the opportunity to ask Jia Yi about her time so far at Harvard and asked for some tips that may be useful to our current and future economists...see her answers below:

So, how's Harvard?

University is going very well. I am really enjoying and making the most out of my opportunities here :)

The environment at Harvard is very exciting but intense, however, I have learned to adjust to it. The term "Work hard, and Play Hard", truly encapsulates my experience here.

What are you studying?

Academically, I am currently taking Game Theory, Math, Statistics, and a mandatory advanced writing class. The Game theory class is taught by Richard Zeckhauser and Chris Avery, both Harvard Kennedy School Professors and close colleagues of the late Thomas Schelling.

Contribution and extra-curricular activities have always been really important to you; you had massive involvement in our community and were responsible for setting up and running Project Smile here at GIS. How are you contributing at Harvard beyond your academics?

I'm currently part of the Harvard College Consulting group where I am researching market entry strategies and alternative revenue streams for a Fortune 50 tax consulting firm.

I am also an Intern at the Harvard Foundation where I work closely with the Harvard administration to plan several college-wide programs to engage students and faculty with issues surrounding intercultural ties and race relations and act as a liaison between cultural groups on campus and the Student Advisory Committee. This involves organising this year's Cultural Rhythms festival as well directing the award ceremony for the Humanitarian of the Year.

This year's Humanitarian of the Year was awarded to Sir Elton John for his work in AIDS activism and in the LGBTQ community. It was a very surreal moment to meet, greet, and even receive a kiss from this humble and wise icon.

So, not too much then?

Well, in addition to this, I am a Harvard College Women's Center Freshman representative. I am also part of Harvard's Intercollegiate Model United Nations team where I represent Harvard on the national and international circuit. I will be an assistant director in both HMUN (Harvard Model United Nations) & HNMUN (Harvard National Model United Nations) for high school and college students early next year.

Impressive stuff, you clearly have a lot to offer and I would love to tap into to some of this for our current students...What advice would you give this year's AS/A2 economists (I will make sure they read this!)?

My biggest piece of advice is to always feel free to talk through Economic concepts with your teachers and classmates. Don't be afraid of making mistakes or expressing your misunderstanding in class. It is always better to clarify any misunderstandings before cementing them into your notes. By talking through what you are learning, it will allow you to articulate the concept in a more cogent manner on paper, and apply the theories more coherently to tricky questions in exams.

What is something about learning that you have changed your mind on, recently?

I have always thought that the most meaningful learning experiences will happen in classrooms. After experiencing the first few months of university, I began to realize how wrong that impression was. I realized that some of my most meaningful learning experienced happened most from outside interactions than inside classroom environments. I learned most from talking with people of different ages, experiences, and background. By being more open-minded to new perspectives, it allowed me to consider and cross-apply what I learned from conversations into my academic setting as well. GIS really prepares students well for intercultural conversations, and I hope more students actively experience this at school and at university.

Jia Yi has promised to do a few more Q&A's this winter break, when she may have a few minutes to spare...