Gao Zhitong | A Rosedale Global High School graduate is prepared to begin his dream program at a Global Top 50 University
Gao Zhitong is a 2023 graduate of Rosedale Global High School’s Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) program with partner Fuzhou Walton School in Fuzhou, China. He will begin studying a bachelor’s degree program in Honours Mathematics at the University of Waterloo—the program is ranked 43rd globally in mathematics by QS World University Rankings.
Of the many differentiated courses Zhitong was able to choose a Rosedale OSSD student, he was always most interested in math and was able to design an individualized pathway along which he could prepare himself to pursue these interests in higher education.
“My mother is a mathematics teacher who has taught me so much. With mathematics, we get to ask so many questions about the world and find solutions,” says Zhitong. “I especially love solving logic problems and applying those principles to my everyday life.”
Before transferring to Rosedale’s OSSD, Zhitong studied in a public school in his Chinese city. The transition into a transformative curriculum that leverages critical thinking and problem solving was both exhilarating and intimidating for Zhitong—he knew Rosedale would be a necessary challenge. Now, as a graduate, he reflects on his experience as a more confident student equipped with the tools and skills he needs to pursue his chosen pathway.
“Rosedale’s OSSD helped me find and apply new information more effectively. The English courses provided my first experience writing essays, I had to quickly learn how best to structure and cite my work,” says Zhitong. “It prepared me for independent study in university.”
Zhitong received offers from eight global universities in Australia, Canada, and the UK for programs in Actuarial Science, Financial Mathematics, Mathematics, Mathematics and Statistics, Mathematics and Economics, and Social Sciences. He was thrilled to receive acceptance offers from McMaster University, the University of Leeds, the University of New South Wales, the University of Ottawa, the University of Southampton, the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, and Western University.
Rosedale emphasizes life-changing learning outcomes for our international students around the world with educational opportunities to acquire in-depth subject knowledge, integrate their learning in different disciplines, and develop transformative competencies. The annual Global Student Success Forum & Rosedale OSSD Elite University Student Recruitment Fair (GSSF) connects students to unique and timely conversations with experts in higher education and exclusive networking opportunities for Rosedale OSSD students where they can meet with global top university admissions and recruitment staff.
Last year’s forum challenged Zhitong to step outside of his comfort zone and interact with the global universities in which he was interested. He could ask questions that were personal to his own experiences and gain invaluable insight he wouldn’t have access to elsewhere.
