Anna J.

About Me

Hi, I'm Anna! I'm a current, part-time 9th grader at Stanford OHS, and I've been at the school for 3 years now (since 7th grade). I live in Guangzhou, China currently, which is a full 15 hour time difference from Pacific Time. This does cause headaches sometimes, but I've also lived in Atlanta, Georgia for a few years in elementary school. Moving wasn't easy, but it gave me more perspective on different educational systems, as well as a more extensive understanding of different cultures.

In my spare time, I love to go hiking, skiing, listen to music (I love all genres!), play piano, read (also love all genres!), visit museums, cook yummy food, do photography, draw, advocate for climate change and human rights, etc...

Why I Chose Stanford OHS

I applied to Stanford OHS because it was the best fit for me at the time, and I've stuck with it ever since. I knew that after returning to China with my family in 7th grade, it was unlikely that I would get used to the Chinese secondary schools, so I applied for Stanford OHS instead.

At first, I was a part-time student at Stanford OHS because my parents were worried that I wouldn't be able to adapt to a fully online environment at such a young age. However, even as a part-time student, I could tell how different Stanford OHS was from the schools I'd attended before. Most of the classes at my old brick-and-mortar school had been lecture based, with minimal class discussion time. It was the complete opposite at Stanford OHS, where we usually have to do class preparation beforehand and then discussed it during class. It reminded me of seminar classes at universities, with a focus on critical thinking and writing. To sum it up in one sentence: Stanford OHS teaches you how to think, instead of what to think. I've learned to question and doubt what I read and what I am told instead of blindly trusting everything.

Stanford OHS's Core curriculum is unique from other schools. It focuses on philosophy and critical thinking. During 8th grade when I was at a brick-and-mortar school, I took the Human Nature and Society course from the Core sequence as a supplement. It was a nice challenge for my brain after skating through my classes earlier in the day. I have had a great experience with Stanford OHS overall, both academically and socially!

What I Love About Stanford OHS

I really love the academic rigor of the Stanford OHS curriculum, but I also love how supportive the learning environment is. Even though the courses are challenging and the workload is heavy, all my teachers are passionate about what they are teaching and help with anything I don't understand. There isn't any negative competition or rivalry between students, and cooperation is encouraged. Everyone in class is really engaged, which is a big contrast to some of the brick-and-mortar schools I've attended, where hardly anyone participates in class discussion.

There are also so many wonderful clubs and activities. Even though I can't attend everything, a lot of them have really interesting events, with topics ranging from mosquitoes, to Oscar Wilde, to climate change. There are so many ways to pursue my interests, as well as try something new and meet new people.

I also love how flexible the schedule is: you get to choose whenever and wherever you have your classes. It overcomes obstacles such as location or time differences found in traditional classrooms, which is also why Stanford OHS has such a diverse student body. It's also great for students who have extracurriculars that take up lots of their time, like student athletes.