Samuel – from Japan via Sigtuna to New York

Samuel has been accepted to all the universities which he applied to so far: Syracuse in New York, Penn State University and The University of Vermont to which he has been offered a scholarship. A number of smaller universities have also accepted his application.

Students at SSHL are regularly accepted to
top ranking universities across the world and this year is no exception.
We have spoken to three of our most ambitious students about their future adventures.

Samuel Cederwell came to SSHL from London last year to attend an Academic Gap Year. He had just finished five years of upper secondary school at Marlborough College and needed some time to gather his thoughts about the future while improving his academic aptitude. Samuel is half Swedish but has never lived in Sweden, so he also hoped to improve his Swedish language skills during his stay.

– I lived in Japan when I was little. When I returned to England, I decided to take a gap year to recuperate and plan for the next adventure seemed like a good move, Samuel says.

Samuel came to SSHL for an academic GAP year.

He explains that SSHL has provided him with a really inspiring and supportive environment during the past year which has helped him learn to study more effectively. The school offers a lot of support and opportunities for one-on-one time with teachers and house tutors as well as a lot of options for extracurricular and recreational activities. He has improved his mathematics skills considerably and his Swedish language skills are much better now, even though he only claims to understand and not to speak fluent Swedish.

Appreciates the mix of Swedish and international students

Samuel thinks there is a big difference between English boarding school and SSHL. There were no day students in his school in England, so life there was much more sheltered. He appreciates the mix of Swedish and international students at SSHL and that the culture is much more open and caring.

– The food here is much better! And we have more opportunities to explore the area beyond campus. I have explored Stockholm a bit, which is very nice.

Studying in Sweden also an option

Samuel was born in Japan where he spent the first twelve years of his life. His mother is Swedish and all his maternal relatives live in Sweden. Another advantage to his year here in Sigtuna is all the new friends he made. Beyond all the American universities that are falling over themselves to welcome Samuel, he now also has the option to stay in Sweden to study at a Swedish university instead of leaving for the US.

– Handelshögskolan in Stockholm only accepts 7 percent of its applicants. Admissions are really tough there, but Handelshögskolan is absolutely an option if I get the chance, he says.

There are still a few weeks left before Swedish universities finalize their admissions selection, and Samuel is waiting eagerly to hear the results. Samuel is grateful for his abundance of choice, but selecting where to go is is difficult when some of the best universities in the world are on the table.

About Samuel
Age: 18
Class: Business Management BM19
Hobbies: rugby, politics and hunting
Lives: in London and at SSHL
Favourite food: sushi and steak