Interview with Rebecca Chen, 2012 Graduate of Park Tudor School

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Q: What’s one class in high school that you thought was very interesting? Why?
A: English Literature and Composition, which I took my senior year, was a fascinating blend of literature, history, and philosophy.
Q: What’s one of your strengths in academics? What’s one of your strengths in extra-curriculars? Explain.
A: An ability to write clearly has aided me throughout high school. In extracurriculars, rather than a strength in any particular area, I can stay focused and optimistic through challenges, whether while practicing a particularly difficult violin piece or participating in a close competition.
Q: What are some achievements that you’re most proud of? Why?
A: A math paper that I wrote, Generalized Yang-Baxter Equations and Braiding Quantum Gates, was recently published in Journal of Knot Theory and Its Ramifications. I am rather proud of the work in that paper, which was done over many long months.
Q: You’ve had a very stressful high school career, earning many awards in the process! What are your secrets to managing your time and stress?
A: High school is indeed incredibly stressful, particularly junior year, and I am still learning how to manage time and stress. One thing that almost always helps, though, is taking a step back from a complicated situation and doing something relaxing while reassessing options and priorities.
Q: If you could go back four years, back to the beginning of high school, would you have changed anything?
A: In retrospect, freshman year was the least academically demanding, so I wish I had been more active outside of class and maybe found some more extra-curriculars I was interested in or gotten to know my peers better.
Q: What advice do you have for current or future high schoolers? Science and math competition enthusiasts?
A: For high school students: These four years are a time to take risks and try something new! For example, I took a creative writing class out of curiosity during my senior year and thoroughly enjoyed reading and writing poems, short stories, and screenplays.
On competitions: You probably will not win every competition you participate in. But what is more important is to learn, meet new people, and enjoy the challenge of an exciting contest.
Rebecca Chen will be attending Harvard University where she will major in Computer Science.