Known as the 『mom』 among her group of friends, Shanghai American School student Heidi Cao 』20's compassionate nature, strong academic acumen, and her natural passion towards human anatomy and physiology made medicine an obvious choice for her. Come fall, the senior, from Puxi campus, will be starting on this long and exciting journey with UNC Chapel Hill.
上海美國學校2020屆畢業生Heidi Cao被她的朋友們親切地稱為「老媽」。她富有同情心，具有較強的學術敏感度，天生熱愛人體解剖學和生理學，因此醫學自然成為了她的選擇。今年秋季，這位來自上海美國學校浦西校區的十二年級學生將前往北卡羅來納大學教堂山分校就讀，開啟激動人心的求學之旅。
Welcome to our WeChat series where we celebrate just a few stories from the Class of 2020.
歡迎來到我們的微信系列文章，一起了解2020屆畢業生的故事。
Tell us where you will be going next year.
I will be attending University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill). My long-term goal is to attend medical school and UNC is amazing for preparing students for that. They’re also known for their own medical school. UNC is more affordable and in my home state, as well, so I can be near my dad, and my sister who also attends the same school.
跟我們講講你明年將去哪所大學就讀！
我將前往北卡羅來納大學教堂山分校（以下簡稱UNC）就讀。我一直以來的目標就是上醫學院，UNC能夠讓學生為此做好準備。他們也是以自己的醫學院而聞名。對於我來說，UNC的學費更加負擔得起，而且它還坐落在我的家鄉，因此我可以離爸爸和姐姐近些，我的姐姐也在這所學校就讀。
What do you plan to study there?
I plan to major in Biology / Biochemistry with a pre-med track.
I』ve always enjoyed math and science courses. In my grade 10 biology class, I found myself spending an unnecessary and excessive amount of time researching each project, which I didn’t mind because I found it so interesting. I was also especially picky about the quality of my work in this class.
This continued in my junior and senior year, when I took AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and IB Sports Science. I also began watching YouTube videos of anatomy, etc. for fun. As for medicine, other than being a huge Grey’s Anatomy fan, I've always liked taking care of people around me. This, combined with my curiosity about the human body, made medicine an obvious choice for me.
你計劃修讀什麼專業？
我計劃修讀生物學/生物化學（醫學預科）專業。
我一直以來都非常喜歡數學和科學課。在十年級的生物課上，我會花大量時間研究每個項目，我對此並不介意，因為我發現這很有趣。此外，我對自己的生物課作業質量要求異常嚴格。
這種情況一直持續到了十一年級和十二年級，我修讀了AP生物學、AP化學和IB體育科學課程。此外，我還開始觀看解剖學等方面的YouTube視頻，我覺得這很好玩。在醫學方面，除了是《實習醫生格蕾》的鐵桿粉絲之外，我還一直喜歡照顧身邊的人。再加讓我對人體結構的好奇，醫學自然成為了我的選擇。
Could you talk us through how the college-hunting process was like for you?
I wanted to take into account the quality of education for its price, and how worth it it was. Medical school is expensive, and so is undergrad. I made sure to apply to schools of different selectivity to have a safety net, of course, but I also wanted to make sure if I were to go (and be able to go) to a 70k school, it would be for a good reason.
能不能跟我們講講大學申請過程對於你來說是什麼樣的？
我既考慮了大學的教學質量，又考慮了大學的學費，以及這是否值得。醫學院的學費非常昂貴，本科的學費也是如此。我申請了幾所不同的大學，確保自己不會落榜，但我同時希望確保如果自己要前往學費高達七萬的大學就讀的話也是值得的。
When did you hear you got in?
I actually didn’t know that the results came out when they did! I didn’t get an email to check my portal.
Since my sister currently attends UNC, and has a friend whose younger sister also applied to UNC, she found out that the results were out from her friend and quickly called me to check. I couldn’t find the link to the right portal and she was so anxious and excited that she offered to check for me. I finally figured it out and saw that I was accepted!
你是什麼時候知道自己被錄取了的？
其實我當時並不知道錄取結果已經出來了。我沒有收到通知我前往申請網站查看錄取結果的電子郵件。
我姐姐就在UNC就讀，她一位朋友的妹妹同樣申請了這所學校。我姐姐從她那位朋友那裡得知錄取結果已經出來了，急忙打電話讓我去查錄取結果。我找不到申請網站的連結。她既著急，又興奮，於是主動幫我查錄取結果。經過一番周折，我看到自己被錄取了。
How do you feel about going to UNC?
I’m a little scared about starting over in a new place with new people, but am excited about all the different types of classes I can take that are not offered in high school. I’m also really excited about being able to work in a real lab, and to help perform actual research.
I』ll miss all the amazing people I have met, and my wonderful friends from school, of course. Especially since I had six months with them taken from me. I will miss my time at SAS so much, and I wish I could have had a proper goodbye.
你對前往北卡羅來納大學教堂山分校上大學是什麼感覺？
前往一個全新的地方，結識一群全新的朋友，這讓我有些緊張，但能夠學習高中階段沒有開設的各類課程，這讓我感到非常興奮。此外，我非常期待能夠在真正的實驗室裡幫忙做研究。
當然，我會想念曾遇到過的人們，想念學校的朋友，特別是疫情的爆發讓我們少了六個月的相聚時間。我會非常想念自己在上海美國學校度過的時光，真希望能夠好好告個別。
You’re always welcome back to SAS, Heidi, and congratulations on getting accepted into UNC!
Heidi，上海美國學校隨時歡迎你回來，恭喜你考上北卡羅來納大學教堂山分校。
Our seniors are off to amazing places around the world, and we are excited to be sharing those stories. Keep an eye out for our next edition of 「The Next Big Thing」.
我們的高中畢業生們正出發去往世界各地的大學，我們也非常樂於分享這些求學故事。請關注下期「下一件大事」。
Click on 「read more」 for the Class of 2020 college/university acceptances.
點擊「閱讀更多」，查看最新的2020屆學生錄取院校名單。
Founded in 1912, Shanghai American School (SAS) is the largest and most established international school in China. In short, it's the kind of school you wish you would've attended when you were a kid.
創建於1912年，上海美國學校是中國最大的也是歷史最悠久的國際學校。簡而言之，如果你能回到小的時候，這會是一所你想要去的學校。