“十五岁的我正处于人生低谷中。

我精神和心理的层面堪危，身体也越发不健康。我妈妈为了让我开心点带我去领养小猫，希望以此来弥补我内心的空洞。……于是抱走了两只小猫的我，从此开启了新的生活。”

去年，Vivian在彼时实习的心理公众号上写下了这段文字。回想自己的15岁，就读于昆山市重点初中的她觉得压力大到无法喘息。不仅是学业压力，更多来自老师的侧目，“只要成绩不够好，不管做什么事都是错的。”Vivian说道。

她身上的闪光之处在那样的环境下被遮蔽，性格外向、开朗大方、有主见反而成为了可以被挑刺的存在。眼看Vivian的光彩逐渐黯淡，父母决心做出改变。于是在15岁那年，和两只小猫的到来一同改变生活的，还有Vivian去到的新学校——昆山狄邦华曜学校。

在狄邦华曜的个性化教育体系下，经过了四年的学习生涯，今年Vivian一举收获了多伦多大学（Maclean's加拿大排名2）、英属哥伦比亚大学（Maclean's加拿大排名3）、女王大学（Maclean's加拿大排名 9）等众多加拿大名校心理学专业的offer。

Vivian的故事是公立里的脆皮学生转换国际赛道的一个缩影，也让我们看到了个性化教育的力量——它能够发掘孩子的天赋与潜力，让每个她/他都绽放独特光芒。

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"At fifteen, I found myself in a tough spot.

I was struggling mentally and emotionally, and my physical health wasn’t great either. To cheer me up, my mom took me to adopt kittens, hoping to fill the void I felt. With two kittens in my arms, my life took a new turn."

Last year, Vivian typed these words on a psychological wellness WeChat account where she was interning. Reflecting on her 15-year-old self, Vivian remembered the intense pressure she felt at a key junior high school in Kunshan. It wasn’t just the heavy academic workload; it was also the constant judgment from her teachers. "No matter what I did, if my grades weren't high enough, everything was considered wrong," Vivian said.

Vivian’s outgoing, cheerful, and assertive nature often made her a target for criticism. Seeing her lose her spark, her parents knew it was time for a change. At fifteen, with her new kittens by her side, Vivian started a new chapter at Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan.

Under the personalized education system at Huayao Collegiate, Vivian has reaped the rewards of her four years of study by receiving offers from numerous prestigious Canadian universities for their psychology programs this year, including the University of Toronto (ranked 2nd in Canada by Maclean's), the University of British Columbia (ranked 3rd in Canada by Maclean's), and Queen's University (ranked 9th in Canada by Maclean's).

Vivian's story is a microcosm of students from traditional public schools transitioning to the international track, showcasing the power of personalized education. It demonstrates how this approach can uncover children's talents and potential, allowing each individual to shine uniquely.

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来到这里，学习对于Vivian而言变成了一件友好的事。她稍许偏科，数学是最大的症结所在。过去，课堂上老师总会花最多的时间讲解最难的大题，但对基础不扎实的学生而言能有多少收获呢？Vivian甚至做好了“摆烂到底”的打算。这里的“一人一课表”却允许学生根据自己的学习能力、兴趣爱好和专业发展方向来进行选课，课程难度分为荣誉课程CP、大学预备课程ECP、大学先修课程AP、大学先修进阶课程EAP共四个等级，在合适的难度里学习才真正调动起了Vivian的积极性。

比如，她选择了数学中阶课程。老师注意到她学习态度认真却鲜有长进，便提醒道“如果上课感觉都会了，但分数还是提不上去，应该是做的题还没多到能够融会贯通。”她于是约着同学每晚一起做题、互相讲解，遇上两人都不懂的便询问老师。

一学期的努力后，Vivian的数学成绩已接近满分。轻松的学习氛围更令她找回自信，课堂上的发言越发积极，“以前我想都不敢想自己能在数学课上底气十足地指出老师的计算错误。”她笑道。

个性化教育不仅帮助她打开了正确的学习方式，她还发现这里“没有对成绩的执念”，再也不用担心因不拔尖的成绩而招致莫名的批评或刺耳的嘲讽，心灵的解脱令她终于可以毫无顾虑地释放自己的天性，外向、热情、活泼、大方、爱表现自己……老师也得以看到她更多的闪光点，给予她被大家看见的机会：早会、家长会、学校大大小小的舞台上几乎都能看见Vivian手持话筒的身影，她还成为了学生会文宣部部长，负责学生会公众号、活动宣传海报等事务。

Vivian的性格自由洒脱，是一个想到什么就会立刻去做的姑娘。对咖啡感兴趣，她就买来咖啡机和各式风味、不同烘焙深度的豆子进行研究，类似这样天马行空的研究不时出现在生活中。“尽管浅显，但你也不能说它没用，有些东西就是会留在脑子里。”涉猎广泛的她在挣脱束缚后，终于有时间去探索学术之外感兴趣的事。

在体育课上，她接触了水球、划艇和棒垒球，学习新技能的过程让她直呼好有意思；在每日下午的Life Block（延展课），她尝试了羽毛球、排球、Hiphop Dance、戏剧，还成为了排球校队的一员，更在校园戏剧《查理与巧克力工厂》中饰演了人生第一个主角威利·旺卡。校外，她会因对心理学感兴趣而去心理公众号做小编，也会因为律师的职业“看起来很酷”、满足对职场白领“左手一杯咖啡右手一台笔记本”的向往而报名参加律所的实习。

世界不缺枯燥的书虫，独缺有趣的灵魂。Vivian闪亮的性格在狄邦华曜得到了很好的保护，在一次次的探索过程中，她也越发成长为了立体、有特色的人。“这个年龄段不应该被学习塞满，应该去看更多人，见识更多事。现在不做，难道等到30岁再做吗？”她说。

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At her new school, learning became a positive experience for Vivian. Math had always been her biggest challenge. In her old school, teachers focused on the toughest exercises, leaving little room for students who needed help with the basics. Vivian almost gave up. But at Huayao Collegiate, the personalized "One Student, One Timetable" system let her choose courses based on her abilities, interests, and career goals. With four levels of difficulty, from College Preparatory (CP) to Enriched Advanced Placement (EAP), Vivian found her motivation again.

She picked a mid-level math course. Her teacher noticed her hard work but slow progress and suggested, "If you understand everything in class but your scores aren't improving, you might need more practice to fully grasp the concepts." Encouraged, she began studying with classmates every evening, discussing problems and asking teachers for help.

After a semester, her math scores were dramatically improved. A relaxed learning environment boosted her confidence, and she became more active in class. "I never imagined I could point out the teacher's mistakes in math class!” she said with a smile.

This personalized approach didn’t just help Vivian find the right way to study; it also showed her that academic excellence wasn’t the only measure of success. Free from the fear of being scolded for less-than-perfect grades, she felt free to be herself—outgoing, enthusiastic, lively, and generous. Teachers celebrated her qualities, giving her opportunities to shine at morning assemblies, parent-teacher conferences, and school events. She became head of the student council's publicity department, managing social media and event promotions.

Vivian is spontaneous and adventurous. When she developed an interest in coffee, she bought a coffee machine and experimented with different flavors and beans. This kind of free-spirited exploration is a regular part of her life. "Even if it seems trivial, it’s not useless; some things just stick with you," she said. Free from constraints, she finally had time to explore interests beyond academics.

In sports, she discovered water polo, rowing, and baseball, enjoying the thrill of learning new skills. During afternoon Life Block sessions, she tried badminton, volleyball, hip-hop dance, and drama, eventually joining the school's volleyball team and playing Willy Wonka in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Outside school, her interest in psychology led to an internship with a mental health WeChat blog, and her fascination with law, inspired by the idea of a professional life with a coffee in one hand and a laptop in the other, led to an internship at a law firm.

The world has plenty of diligent students, but it also needs unique personalities. At Huayao Collegiate, Vivian’s vibrant personality was nurtured, and she blossomed into a well-rounded individual. "At this age, life shouldn't just be about studying; it’s about meeting people and trying new things. If not now, then when? At 30?" she wondered.

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几年前，Vivian能够想到的高中生活不过是“拿着中游的成绩在学校里过苦巴巴的日子”，高考会如何始终是个未知数。如今，她却即将前往加拿大多伦多大学开启全新的生活。问及申请感悟，Vivian直言“太顺了”。

在狄邦华曜的美式课程体系下，相较于IB、A Level等国际课程体系，对如Vivian的普通学生而言申请加拿大高校确实更为轻松。原因主要有二：

首先，美式体系没有大考，学生提交的绩点将作为招生官考虑的重点材料之一。由于狄邦华曜重视学生学习的过程、能力、方法和态度，相较于记录期中期末考试成绩，学校采用形成性评估的方式记录成绩，从作业、随堂测验到实践、汇报等，学生的每一次表现都将记录在册换算为绩点。如此一来便是将统考的压力分摊到了在校的每一天，无需担心因一次考试成绩而影响大学申请；

其二，前文所提及的灵活的分层和选课制度不仅能够帮助学生选到自己感兴趣的、难度适合的课程，它实则还允许学生根据时间安排和个人需求进行课程选择。比如，当学生面临标化、SAT、AP考试，或是繁复课外活动的情况时，为了确保能够兼顾校内课程，学生可以适度降低课程难度，将AP课程换成ECP课程。当然，由于难度不同，在获得相同分数的情况下，CP、ECP所获得的绩点一定比AP和EAP低。但对于大部分普通学生而言，这也不失为一个保全绩点的良策。

回顾Vivian的申请历程，她不仅找到了自己热爱领域，还在稳步提升中取得了优异的GPA，同时提交了与她申请专业相关的 AP 成绩，让大学看到了她的学习能力与未来发展的潜力，最终Vivian 如愿以偿前往心仪大学深造。不禁让人感叹，在人生的岔路口选择与努力同等重要。

如果留在体制内，Vivian也许仍面对着学业与环境的双重压力，不堪重负。但转轨后，她在适合自己的环境中快乐地自由生长，如愿以偿前往心仪大学，不禁让人感叹，选择有时真的大于努力。今年夏天，Vivian即将接触更广阔的世界，探索更多新鲜事物，认识更多的人群。成绩不是唯一，对有趣灵魂的欣赏与保护，何尝不是教育该保留的纯粹和初衷呢？

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Vivian once saw high school as a dreary experience with average grades and an uncertain future. Now, she’s ready to start her university journey in Canada, the goal she set when she changed schools. Reflecting on her application process, she described it as "incredibly smooth."

Huayao Collegiate's American curriculum made applying to Canadian universities easier compared to IB or A-Level systems. This was for two main reasons:

First, the American system doesn’t rely on major exams but on cumulative GPA, which is a key factor for admissions. The school tracks progress with formative assessments like homework, quizzes, projects, and presentations, spreading the pressure evenly throughout the year. This approach removes the fear that one exam could ruin university chances.

Second, the flexible course structure lets students choose subjects based on their interests and abilities and adjust their course load according to other commitments. For instance, students preparing for standardized tests like the SAT or AP exams can opt for less challenging courses like ECP instead of AP, without hurting their academic standing. While CP and ECP yield lower GPAs than AP and EAP, they offer a strategic choice for maintaining grades.

Reflecting on Vivian's application journey, she not only discovered her passion but also steadily improved her GPA, achieving excellent results. Additionally, she submitted AP scores related to her intended major, showcasing her academic abilities and future potential to the universities. Ultimately, Vivian fulfilled her dream of attending her desired university for further studies. This journey highlights that at life's crossroads, both choice and effort are equally important.

Had she stayed in the traditional system, Vivian might still be struggling with academic and environmental pressures. Instead, she thrived in an environment that suited her personality, achieving her dream of studying abroad. This shows that sometimes, making the right choice can be more effective than sheer effort. As summer approaches, Vivian looks forward to exploring the wider world, discovering more, and meeting diverse people. Grades aren’t the only measure; appreciating and nurturing unique individuals is a core value that education should uphold, don’t you think?

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