How My Student Got Into Johns Hopkins’ Most Competitive Program
Imagine being an average student struggling with IB Chemistry and, despite that, securing early admission to John Hopkins, one of the world’s most prestigious institutions, for its most selective biomedical engineering program.Introducing Ying Ying
When Ying Ying(of Singapore) first came to me at the start of Year 12, she was just an average student- not naturally exceptional. But what set her apart was her mindset, motivation, and her commitment to improving. She is currently in year 13, and her IB exams are due this May(2025). But even before taking those exams, she had already secured her place at Johns Hopkins University, US. And not just for any program but their highly sought-after and competitive biomedical engineering course. Students from her school applied for three years in a row with no positive results. Last year, six students from her class applied to Johns Hopkins, but only she got in. Ying Ying’s dream is to go into medtech entrepreneurship. She is interested in researching muscular skeletal diseases and injuries. This transformation from an average student to a determined learner is what made her journey so inspiring.Why Johns Hopkins?
Johns Hopkins University is one of the most prestigious research institutions in the world, known for its groundbreaking work in medicine, science, and engineering. Many well-known scientists, including Nobel laureates, doctors, and researchers, have been associated with this University. It has been at the forefront of medical discoveries and is home to some of the best minds in healthcare and technology. The University was featured in the inspirational movie Something the Lord Made, which tells the true story of the groundbreaking work in cardiac surgery pioneered at Johns Hopkins.Tutoring and Study Approach
From day one, Ying Ying never left anything to chance. She didn’t wait until the last minute to start preparing. She came to me twice a week for chemistry tutoring, ensuring she stayed on top of her studies. Many times, she wanted me to explain entire chapters to her. She wanted to make sure she truly understood the material. She didn’t just passively listen—she asked straightforward, precise questions, breaking down exactly what she didn’t understand. Every 10- 15 minutes, she would summarize what she had learned, checking with me to ensure she got it right.Practice and Preparation
We didn’t just go through theory—she practiced—a lot. I taught her how to dissect and tackle topic-specific past exam questions and gave her extra exercises to try outside her tutoring hours. She would share her mistakes with me to review them in our next session. This thorough preparation was a key factor in her success.Overcoming Exam Anxiety
Another challenge she faced was test and exam anxiety. Knowing the content was not enough—she had to learn to perform under pressure. I counseled her on strategies to help her stay calm and confident during exams. I reassured her that I know my students and that I had been predicting grades accurately for my students for years, and almost all of them achieved the exact grades I had expected. I told her that if she continued following the same structured approach, she was on track to get a perfect 7 on all her tests and exams. This reassurance boosted her confidence immensely. She was so impressed, and, more importantly, she trusted me. That trust transformed her mindset—she was on fire, working harder than ever. She no longer doubted herself, and it showed in her results. And just as I told her, she scored a perfect 7 in her predicted grades for IB Chemistry on the end of Year 12 exam.
