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Maxim Snytsarev

Meet Maxim from Russia and Israel who attended the Pre-University Online Course in 2023.

Photograph of Maxim

Where were you during the course?


I attended the course while being at home in Moscow and then, thanks to the course being held online, I was able to continue studying during my vacation to Lithuania.

I found it very interesting to study with students from many different countries and nationalities. Moreover, it was great to study a variety of topics, such as medicine and history, as my school usually focuses mostly on maths and computer science. 

During classes we learned a variety of important skills which might be useful for all students regardless of which subjects they take. We discussed the way the essays are written at university and the tips to improve our academic English skills and oral language. Although, we mostly focused on English, we had a number of lectures on different academic topics, for instance, about drug development and the British monarchy.

Why did you choose the course?


There are several factors which influenced my decision to choose this course.

First of all, the course was organised by one of the top-rated UK universities. 

Moreover, as I am currently a high school student and looking forward to continuing my education in university in the UK, the course was a great chance for me to gain experience of studying internationally.

Last but not least, the course was online and that was perfect for me as I was having my summer holidays and was travelling during this time.

Do you have any personal highlights from the course and why?


My personal highlight of the course was studying online with international students and cooperating with peers in English in breakout rooms as it was a completely new experience for me. 

I liked the final assessment task about the climate change as I learned a lot about global warming during my research and preparation for the final essay and presentation. 

Which skills have you developed during the course?


I certainly became more confident about my communication skills as I was able to speak with different people from different countries in English.

The final essay at the end of the course was very useful because I learned how to write in academic English and where to find useful information online.

What do you want to do once you’ve finished high school?


I am looking forward to studying computer science and mathematics at one of the top-rated UK universities.

After graduating, I hope to get a job in IT industry in one of the leading companies. 

What advice would you give to future Pre-University students?


My main advice to future students is not to be shy and not to be silent during the class because they would be missing out on the opportunity to practise oral English and interact with international students.

Before the course I was worried whether everybody would understand my English well, however when the course started it turned out that everybody was very friendly and very encouraging.