The Next Big Thing: Andrew Jin

Pudong senior Andrew Jin has been making his presence known at Shanghai American School since he was in third grade, swimming his way up the record boards while pursuing a number of passion projects along the way. Not wanting to leave one of those projects, he’ll be taking a gap year before going to Yale University in the fall of 2025.

Can you tell us more about where you’ll be going to university?

I'm planning to take a gap year, and I’m verbally committed to Yale University to swim and study in the fall of 2025. My intended major is Ethics, Politics, and Economics.

One of the reasons you chose to take a gap year is to focus more time on developing your water safety program. Can you share more about that with us?

At SAS, I had the chance to explore many of my passions; a large part of that is helping others. I did a lot of work with Orbis, an organization teaching visually impaired children how to speak English. This work inspired me to start a water safety program for impoverished children. Death due to drowning is one of the most significant causes of accidental deaths in China. The resources to teach water safety aren’t accessible to many communities in Shanghai or the rest of the country. Next year, I plan to raise more awareness and gather more resources to help impoverished and foster children gain access to water safety education.

What will you miss the most about SAS?

The teachers. I had the pleasure of being taught by Mr. Pardy, who was my AP Psychology teacher and my advisor in senior year. He gave me a lot of advice on general life things and projects I’m doing outside of school. He also provided me with a lot of comfort and consolation when I was struggling. The teachers at SAS are not only great teachers in terms of their subjects but also phenomenal life mentors.

What advice do you have for juniors starting the college application process?

Don’t focus too much on the college name. Think about what fits you the most. Communicate with your teachers and interact with your peers to understand the universities you’re applying to. I would also say do not stress too much about grades. I try to focus on my learning and being a little bit better every day, and I think of grades as just a byproduct of that process.

Good luck in all your endeavors, Andrew. We can’t wait to see what you’ll accomplish in and out of the water!