Abi’s Story

Name: Abi Chen

Subjects studied: Biology, Chemistry and Psychology A Levels

Former school: Penrice Academy

What’s next: University to study Medicine.

Abi had the confidence to apply for Medicine thanks to the Medics Academy and the help of her tutor and has since been successful in securing offers to study medicine at top universities including the Russell Group, University of Exeter.

Abi is currently studying Biology, Chemistry, and Psychology A Levels, alongside the Medics’ Academy, which is part of the College’s Enrichment programme and focuses on helping students apply for Medicine at some of the UK’s top universities.

Speaking of her A Level choices, Abi explains: “I knew I wanted to do Medicine before coming to College anyway, so I needed to do Biology and Chemistry, and I thought Psychology would be helpful with my Medicine degree, it’s already helpful now looking at it, and it’s really interesting, it’s so nice trying something new.”

After being unconfident that she would get any university offers, Abi now credits the knowledge she has gained through the Medics’ Academy, as well as advice from her tutor, Emily Myatt, Deputy Team Leader of Science, for giving her the confidence to apply.

Abi said of Emily: “She’s one of the best teachers I’ve ever met.

“She was our Medics’ Academy lecturer and she was absolutely amazing. I was so adamant I wasn’t going to get in, so I think the best thing was her telling me I was good enough, and I was going to get a place, and I did.”

Abi continues: “Lecturers are absolutely amazing, if you need extra help there will be a lecturer that helps you so much, everyone finds that one lecturer they get on so well with.

“You can find that bond easily here, I can talk to Emily about anything now.”

To Abi’s delight, she has already secured an offer: “I have got an offer from Exeter, so it’s really exciting! I’ve still got others coming through, so I haven’t decided exactly where I’m going yet.”

Outside of her studies, Abi says her favourite thing about life at Truro College is the freedom it has given her: “I came to Truro because you get more freedom, it’s a bigger town, and the study centres are a lot more open. it’s a bigger place, you’re meeting different people, I just thought it would be a better option for me and I would get a better experience of what uni might actually be like as well.

“I didn’t even know most of my friends in secondary school, and now my best friends are all from different places in Cornwall, and I’m going to different places in Cornwall I wouldn’t normally go.

“It’s nice meeting people I get on really well with.”