St. George's School, Vancouver - Review #1

What made St. George's unique for me was the ability to explore basically everything I was curious about over twelve years. I started there in kindergarten as a day student and moved to boarding in grade 10, which gave me a really different perspective than people who just came for high school. The school allowed, maybe even encouraged, students to try multiple things rather than forcing you to specialize early. I ended up involved in an absurd number of clubs and activities, from competitive programming and robotics to beat-making and esports, from chemistry and physics clubs to volleyball and rugby. That kind of intellectual exploration isn't always supported at schools that push you to pick one lane. The transition from day student to boarder in grade 10 showed me two completely different experiences of the same school.

The best thing was developing a real curiosity across different fields. The school let me dive into chemistry, biology, programming, and even random stuff without forcing me to specialize too soon. That exploration directly led me to my major now. Keeping a 4.0 taught me discipline, but the love of learning mattered more.

I’d tell my younger self to be a bit more selective. I tried everything. It’s good to explore, but you don’t need to join every single club. Focus on what you genuinely love. Also, the shift from day student to boarder is big so give yourself time to adjust.

The intellectual environment that encouraged exploration. The strong science program, the continuity of having teachers know you for years. The school balanced academics with athletics and other interests without forcing you into a single identity. The transition from day student to boarder showed me different ways of experiencing the same institution.

If you come here, explore at first, then go for what you love. The science teachers are fantastic. You don’t have to be a star athlete or student council president to have a great experience. Boarding teaches you a lot. Enjoy Vancouver. Stay curious.

Really strong, especially the sciences. My chemistry and biology teachers are why I’m studying nutritional science at Cornell. They didn’t just teach facts; they showed how everything connects. The workload got heavy, but being there so long, you sort of learn how to handle it step by step. It was challenging but in a good way. It definitely made starting university feel more manageable. Teachers knew my academic trajectory and pushed me toward increasingly complex material. The small class sizes meant you couldn't hide or disengage. The academic preparation has made Cornell manageable so far, though obviously university is a different level.

I played volleyball, senior rugby, 3rd varsity basketball. I wasn’t the star, and that was okay. The coaching was good, focused on building skills and being part of the team. The facilities are great. It was a good balance to all the time I spent in labs or at my computer.

I was in OPUS, the music program, and tried the Beat-making Club. The arts scene felt supported. I wasn’t deep into drama or visual arts, but friends who were seemed happy with it.

This was my thing. The sheer number of clubs meant you could try anything. Some, like the STEM clubs and academic competitions, were core to my path. Others, like esports or chess, were just for interest. The school let you explore without every single thing needing to be for your resume.

I started boarding in grade 10 after nine years as a day student. It was a big shift. Dorm life was steady, though. Having a routine helped. Late nights were for studying or just talking with roommates. It taught me real independence and how to manage my own time. Being bilingual (Chinese/English) made it easy to connect with everyone.

The dining hall was fine. The food did the job. It wasn’t amazing, but there was variety. Mostly, it was a social spot to catch up with people from different grades.

Being in Vancouver was ideal for someone like me who liked science and technology. The city offered resources like universities, research institutions and tech companies that connected to academic interests. As a day student initially I knew Vancouver well and as a boarder from grade 10 on I still had chances to explore the city on weekends. The surrounding area felt safe and accessible. Being in a major city meant cultural diversity and opportunities beyond what a smaller town could offer.

It was decent. Being there twelve years meant I knew a lot of people across different grades. My main friends came from shared interests in STEM clubs and academics. It wasn’t super cliquey. Weekends as a boarder were for hanging out, working on projects, or exploring the city.