Why study in the English Stream?
The English stream concentrates on strengthening the students’ linguistic and cultural skills so that they would be better prepared to connect with people all over the world, in the freetime, when studying or at work. Learning foreign languages and about foreign cultures is a way of learning to look at things from a different perspective, widening one’s own world view. Even if technological advancements and AI may make many jobs redundant, good social and linguistic skills are always needed. All you need to do to verify this is to check any job vacancy ad available and there it is.
What extra value do the students get then by studying in the English stream? It is a good and valid question as many of the English stream’s students are already fluent in English when they start studying at our US school. Studying in the English stream gives the students a chance to deepen their linguistic and cultural skills, to participate in different events and to learn from guest speakers, not to forget a chance to study with like-minded students.
May all the English stream students have a strong belief that the world, indeed, is their oyster.
The atmosphere at KSYK is incredible, there is truly a sense of belonging.
Teachers, staff and fellow course mates truly made studying a joy. I’ve visited many schools, but no school has ever come close to KSYK in this respect. You gain a lot of cultural awareness when you spend a few years at KSYK. Moreover, you gain a wider perspective on all subjects, as people from all over the world study under one roof. For me, applying to a university abroad was an easy decision after gaining those experiences at KSYK. The amount of resources and help available is enormous.
Even after leaving KSYK, I was able to get very useful advice from study advisors and teachers concerning personal statements, the admission process and even my future career. Without this kind of guidance, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
I think the best thing about KSYK’ s English stream was the international sense throughout my studies. As a young upper secondary school student who is open to change and observe the world through different points of view, the KSYK English stream made my thirst for an international education grow. I felt that the world opened up for me with all its possibilities, as I learned to use English as the tool for developing my thoughts.
I have gained such good, practical advice for my academic future that my words fall short. I have the teachers to thank for all that. At the core, I would say that the best thing I learned at KSYK is gathering my thoughts and expressing them with credibility in an academic context. By learning to form solid arguments, my self-confidence has grown significantly.
The most positive advantage of KSYK is the variety of languages it has to offer. Russian, Chinese, Korean and for me, especially Japanese are rare, but very motivating languages to study once begun. After having studied a bit of Russian at KSYK, I moved on to study briefly at a summer school in Moscow in 2015, and after having gone through introductory Japanese, I finalized my thoughts on wanting to study in Japan in the future. I am very grateful for the chances I have gotten by knowing these languages, which is also why I respect KSYK.
When I started studying in KSYK I had no idea what was going to happen or what I should have expected from my three years! Starting high school in Helsinki was exciting but also daunting with all the added stress of final exams in only three short years and with all the decisions I was going to have to make before graduating. KSYK staff, the teachers and student counsellors really made it easier for me. They offered me the support I didn’t even know I needed and they offered me the best teaching there was, I still remember my Swedish lessons and how our teacher was there for us students, and how he got us all to actually learn Swedish while making it fun!
All that I learned from KSYK, from studying in English, writing essays and interacting with people from all around the globe truly helped me when starting my bachelor’s degree. I think for anyone thinking of doing their university degree abroad, studying at the KSYK English stream will be extremely helpful, but it will also be useful to those who wish to stay in Finland.
So, if you’re doubting whether of not to participate in the English stream, just ask yourself “Why not, what is there to lose?” Trust me, no matter what you will end up doing after high school, having done your high school in English at KSYK will help you succeed because at KSYK you will learn how to learn. Learning how to learn is one of the greatest tools you can get out of any education, and doing so while further developing your language skills is “an added bonus”.