" We found that modern society needs talents with transferable skills such as communication, teamwork and problem solving skills. Employers do not want employees who collapse at the first sign of a difficulty. Universities do not want students who cannot cope just after their first few weeks in because parents and teachers are not telling them what to do anymore. Only those who accept failure and keep trying to succeed can cope with the changing environment. The EPQ program requires students to independently complete a research learning program. Students are highly motivated to participate in EPQ projects in the UK. They choose a topic of their own real interest, communicate with different people to formulate a feasible plan and sometimes they work closely with a team. They conduct in-depth research on the subject, propose and solve the problem. EPQ wants to develop students' skills so that even if their parents are not around, even if the teacher doesn't tell them what to do, they know how to be independent. If there is a problem, it is not the end of the world, they can find a way to solve the problem. When students write EPQ experiences into their university applications, these experiences are the highlights of their personal statements. They also talk of their EPQ experiences during interviews at universities. Students demonstrate that they have developed skills through an in-depth project that will have a profound impact on their future study and work."

EPQ impacted me a lot. I never thought I could get into Oxford University. My EPQ topic is "how to extend the shelf-life of bread in the supermarket". In order to complete this project, I entered a local bakery for a short internship. Through different experiments, field research, second-hand research about related topics, I invented a new bread formula, successfully extended the shelf-life of bread in the supermarket. This formula was also adopted by my intership bakery, and they gave me good feedback. When I was interviewed at Oxford University, the interviewer was also very interested in my research experience and methods.

EPQ is my most unforgettable and proud academic experience in high school. I learned in my A-level biology class that "garlic" has a good bactericidal effect, so I think, since garlic has a good bactericidal effect, why not use "garlic" instead of "mint" to make toothpaste. In the first few trials, I found that garlic was so bad that I couldn't get a fresh breath at all, so I changed my research plan in the early days, focusing on the effect of natural substances on oral bacteria. I collected a variety of mint plants extensively, carried out many experiments, and finally selected 4 species for in-depth research. This project fascinates me.  By studying raw materials, I also synthesized my own toothpaste. EPQ taught me how to plan projects, how to get resources from different channels, how to ask questions, deal with changes and solve problems. I believe that these skills will play a positive role in my future life.

I've always been interested in sociology and business. I took part in a summer study program in New York, and I found that even if American and British ideologies were similar in many places, the advertising display in the two countries was very different. I think if it is a more different country, then the difference will be greater. So, I wonder, what are the social reasons for these differences?  When I started to choose my EPQ topic, I chose to study how the UK companies tailored their marketing over the past 50 years due to a change in social acceptance. I conducted in-depth research on three topics: smoking, gender equality, and the rights and interests of the disabled. I read a large number of cases, while studying the changes in the relevant laws in these three aspects. I enjoyed the process, which allowed me to delve into topics of interest to myself and present my views.