University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is one of the world's leading public research universities in Oxford, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of universities and is known as the "Golden Triangle" and the "G5 Super Elite University". The University of Oxford is recognized as one of the world's leading higher education institutions for its high academic status and influence in many academic fields like mathematics, physics, medicine, law, and business.

The University of Oxford was ranked No. 1 in the 2021 Times Higher Education World University Ranking and No. 4 in the 2023 QS World University Ranking. In particular, the University of Oxford was ranked No. 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Ranking 5 years in a row from 2017-2021.

G12 Jiaming Ping

The night of January 10 was unforgettable and exciting for Jiaming Ping: the only letter of acceptance from the University of Oxford in Wuxi arrived in his mailbox. At that time, all the anxiety had turned into a vision of the future ......

"There is a flame in everyone's heart, but those who pass by only see smoke." Jiaming is just like this quote from the artist Van Gogh to his brother Theo. When you first meet Ping, you will think he is a quiet and introverted student. After getting to know him, you will discover his kind and friendly character, his exuberant curiosity, his inexhaustible desire to learn, and his persistence and enthusiasm for his hobbies.

For Dipont School of Arts and Sciences, a school that was founded five years ago, receiving an offer from the University of Oxford two years in a row is certainly a great achievement. Perhaps this is because of our belief in the importance of individual development: We believe that only by developing students’ academic competence, moral quality and service spirit can they obtain truly successful lives. That is why we make sure we provide students with enriching experiences both in and outside the classroom, giving them ample opportunities to realize their academic potential, cultivate fluency in both Chinese and English, and become well-rounded, confident, independent thinkers who are highly sought-after at the world's top universities.

Now, let's follow Jiaming's footsteps to join this extraordinary journey at Dipont School of Arts & Sciences ......

Part 1. Meet DSAS for the first time

When Jiaming transferred to Dipont School of Arts and Sciences, he was worried that he would have a hard time integrating into this unfamiliar group. In the beginning, he did feel a little awkward. But soon, he adapted to the new environment. "The teachers and students here are very friendly. All the students here have their own strengths and are willing to communicate with others. The teachers also share some extracurricular knowledge and life experiences during the lessons. The elective class system and the relatively small student number also gave us the opportunity to get to know each other better. Even though I'm not a very social person, I made some friends very quickly."

Unlike Jiaming's previous school, the classroom atmosphere here is more active and free. In the classroom, students have a lot of opportunities to discuss and do hands-on work. Teachers also tried their best to make the class more interesting. "For example, my physics teacher, Mr. Naleen, always teaches in an interesting way." When learning about power and energy, he showed us a Youtube video about "Which block will fly higher? The one with a bullet shot in the middle or the one with a bullet shot at the edge? ". After intense discussion, we agreed that the block would fly higher when shot in the middle. However, the experiment turned out that both blocks flew almost the same height. Mr. Naleen then analyzed possible reasons together with the students. Everyone was engaged and learned a lot from the active discussion and prediction of the results. Jiaming also mentioned his English teacher, Mr. Davidson: In class, he introduced many cultural differences and his own thoughts. Students felt they were learning a culture rather than just a language.

"At Dipont School of Arts and Sciences, I can develop my hobbies." In the area of sports, Jiaming participated in the school's fencing CCA. After attending this to him brand-new activity, he felt like he opened the door to a new world. To play a game with both physical and mental strength on the small fencing path was a great experience. In addition to PE classes and numerous sports CCAs, inter-house tug-of-war and basketball tournaments also allow students to experience the joy of sports.

Music is an indispensable presence in the life of Ping Jiaming. He received his amateur grade 10 certificate in both guitar and violin. By playing music, he made a lot of friends. You can see him playing guitar at the upper secondary school assembly, Friday Gig, and New Year concert. He has also founded a music club, which provided a platform for students who love music to learn, communicate and perform, allowing the seeds of music to be sown on campus.

“The school's activities go far beyond that. In addition to the various CCAs, academic competitions, or outdoor explorations like the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, there are also small events like the Halloween treasure hunt. These activities make me feel that each day is a fresh start and my life is full of color. Through every effort I pay to accomplish a goal, and every exploration I make to find something new, I felt my life is filled with energy. It is no longer numb and meticulous, but leaps for each dawn."

Part 2. With love in his heart, he runs to the stars

Jiaming has a wide range of academic interests. He not only loves mathematics and philosophy, but also has his own opinions on physics, computer science, music, and other majors. He decided to apply for the major of mathematics and philosophy because, from his perspective, these two disciplines are the most important ones for human beings to explore the essence of the world.

Jiaming's interest in philosophy originated from a hospitalization experience. During his hospitalization, he finished reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, a philosophically enlightening classical book. The ideas of the book helped him calm his anxiety and gain inner peace during his illness. Afterwards, Ping read many more philosophical books, such as the famous book "The World of the Sufis". In his opinion, there are many small and insignificant things in the world that are worth exploring, but many people take them for granted.

When it comes to mathematics, Jiaming has unique insights. In his opinion, mathematics starts from abstract concepts that evolve themselves over generations, characterized by the pursuit of absolute correctness. Interestingly, many mathematical concepts cannot find their physical counterparts in real life, such as infinity. But mathematicians can use these concepts to prove theorems and apply them to real life. These theorems even become the basis of various disciplines. However, there are many phenomena in human society that cannot be solved by mathematics, such as morality. This is where philosophy comes into place. From this perspective, mathematics and philosophy are interpenetrating and complementary to each other. This is what motivates Jiaming to study mathematics and philosophy further at the university level.

During high school, Jiaming actively participated in various competitions such as AMC, Physics Bowl, CTB, and Young Musician of the Year, and received very good results in all of them. Among these competitions, the most impressive one to him was the John Locke Essay Competition, which requires participants to analyze the role of faith from the perspective of psychology. Jiaming collected lots of relevant materials in just one month, studied psychology on his own, and analyzed the power of faith with both behavioral and cognitive psychology knowledge. His essay was finally made to the shortlist. "Through this competition, I studied psychology systematically and my essay got recognized. It was a great pleasure to be able to express my views through a world-class platform."

"The joy of learning lies in the process of learning and problem solving itself. The conjectures that mathematicians and philosophers have been trying to solve may not seem to be directly related to our daily lives, but the process itself embodies the human spirit of seeking self-breakthrough. It is just like why we have to climb the highest peaks in the world." With such a belief, Jiaming will definitely encounter more challenges and fun in his future journey.

In the eyes of his math teacher, Dr. Wang, Ping is a low-key, introverted student who doesn't talk much, but that doesn't affect the glow that he casts.

Academically, Jiaming is well-rounded. He is able to integrate his knowledge in all subjects and performs well in almost every class. He is particularly gifted in mathematics: In class, he can easily understand all kinds of difficult mathematical concepts and give the solving process of each problem in a very logical way; He enjoys participating in class discussions and sharing his ideas, so that other students can benefit from his thinking and insights; Outside of the classroom, he seeks every opportunity to further his mathematical knowledge and actively participates in various mathematical CCAs and competitions to consolidate what he has learned in the classroom. He tries to expand his knowledge network by keeping exploring new knowledge areas.

Jiaming still remembers the unfamiliarity and uncertainty he felt when he first stepped into the campus. Now, when he walks around the campus, he is able to enjoy the clear river with ripples and the budding roses climbing the wall. Sometimes when he finished studying in the library, The setting sun has already kindled the sky; Sometimes when he came downstairs after the math competition class, the moon and stars were already shining outside the window. He did not speed up because of this - there was still plenty of time to study and enjoy life. "School is like a little paradise outside the city, with breezes blowing from all directions. The cars passing by won't stop for a long time. 'Whoosh-'They drive away, slowly disappearing into the distance where the road meets the lake. The experience here will be like a journey for you to discover yourself."

Years later, when the boy looks back, he may feel surprisingly joyful – just like how he felt when he first saw the two black swans on the creek. Following the journey at Dipont School of Arts and Science, there will be a more arduous journey. But it will be fine, because he's ready, with every fallen flower and leaf here taken into his pocket...... The boy who chases the light has already shone brightly!