Log In

Reset Password
BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

High achieving students are all ready to soar

(Photo by Akil Simmons)High flying students: Anna Dobson and Matthew Wedlich.

Two Bermuda-born Warwick Academy students are setting records together.Matthew Wedlich, 18, scored 44 out of a possible 45 points on his International Baccalaureate exams, putting him in the top 0.5 percent for IB students worldwide, while Anna Dobson, 18, is the first student from a Bermudian school to become a direct entry undergraduate to the University of Cambridge.Mr Wedlich took biology, chemistry and business management at higher level, while taking french, math and English at the standard level for his International Baccalaureate. Ms Dobson took higher level biology, chemistry and geography, standard English, math and French.Both Mr Wedlich and Ms Dobson completed a section on theory of knowledge and an extended 4,000 word essay.“I’m really thankful having a really supportive family, teachers, really contributed into pushing me to do my best in the examinations,” Mr Wedlich said."We had a history of people scoring in the 41, 42 range, so I kind of realised that this is the top mark. it's kind of scary.”Ms Dobson said: "When I was younger I always wanted to go to Cambridge. I heard of the IB programme at Warwick, when I was in year 12, I had an extra spot in my application, so I applied to Cambridge,” she said. “I got invited to go up for an interview at Christmas 2012, and I was excited because I've never been to UK in winter before. I fell in love with the university, and when I got an offer in January I was extremely excited.”For Mr Wedlich, no other priorities came above studying."I'm sure everyone had to cut back on social things. We tried to have fun when we weren't booking it. Although it is a huge part of your life, you try to have a life outside of it as much as you can. I tried to keep the pressure to a minimum and buckle down in the lead up."Recalling the moment he found out he had scored 44 points Mr Wedlich said: "I was incredibly shocked, and I still am. I didn't think that I was going to achieve this. I was just kind of floored. I thought there was some mistake or typo, but I'm incredibly happy with what I did. I can't complain at all.”Ms Dobson was just as surprised when she found out she made the cut."I'd been very busy studying and had no idea I was going to make the points for Cambridge, so when the results come out through e-mail I was pleasantly surprised."Mr Wedlich, who was offered a bursary by University College of London (UCL), is pursuing his studies of biology at there.“Short term, I see myself finishing university. I'd really like to come back to Bermuda sometime in the future. I realise Bermuda is a really expensive place to live, I’ll keep this up until I get the qualifications to get a good job here.”Ms Dobson is pursuing her studies of Natural Sciences, Bio-Chemistry at Cambridge University.