#GraduateStory | William Li: Rhythm in Uncertainty

Part 01

Academic Interests: From Mathematics to Economics

My main academic interest is economics, particularly macroeconomics and econometrics.

I first became interested in mathematics and computer science. Preparing for AMC and AIME, along with mathematical modeling competitions, drew me to the rigor and elegance of mathematical reasoning. Macroeconomics then showed me how mathematics could explain complex systems in everyday life.

Studying models such as the Solow growth model helped me understand how capital and labor relate to technology in mathematical terms. Changes in the savings rate or technological progress could have substantial consequences for economic outcomes over time. Using models to understand the world encouraged my lasting interest in economics.

I went on to enter the National Economics Challenge and International Economics Olympiad. My main responsibilities were financial analysis and developing the reasoning behind our team's proposals. I applied tools such as net present value (NPV) to investment decisions and the analysis of macroeconomic trends. Reading more advanced material, including CORE Economics and Mankiw's textbook, helped me see the complex interactions between institutions and behavior, and the influence of policy.



Research projects also deepened my understanding. In the Elite Scholar and Pioneer Scholar research programs, I investigated economic development and the relationship between artificial intelligence and economic structure, along with digital currency regulation. My reading included the World Bank's WGI indicators and the UN SDGs, as well as BIS reports. I developed indicator frameworks and analytical models, gradually learning to combine programming and data analysis with economic modeling to investigate complex practical questions.

I also began examining the gap between economic theory and observed behavior. The Lucas critique, for example, helped me understand why econometric models based solely on historical data can fail when policies change. I became more attentive to differences between a model's assumptions and how people actually respond.

My interests have gradually expanded from mathematics and computation to using computational tools to investigate economic questions. I hope to continue economic research informed by data and develop stronger connections between theory and practice.



Part 02

Applications: Finding Direction Through Experience

Application season gave me an opportunity to review my experiences and understand myself systematically.

Writing essays led me to reconsider what I had done. I used my years of playing soccer to explore my role in a team and my response to pressure. I considered how I exercised judgment at critical moments and balanced caution with initiative when working with others. Reviewing my activities and projects also taught me to identify what I had learned from each experience. I came to appreciate essay writing as a way of deepening my understanding of myself.



Applying to several countries involved much more pressure than I expected. I often had to prepare for standardized exams and interviews while completing several sets of application materials. Managing these demands simultaneously and working efficiently with limited time became a practical challenge.

Setbacks affected me, too, including disappointing exam results and uncertainty about admissions decisions. Through repeated adjustments, I learned to focus on completing the tasks in front of me and maintain a consistent working routine, giving short-term outcomes less control over my emotions.

Looking back, I learned to keep taking action amid uncertainty and discover a direction that suited me. Each decision could help me progress even while I was still weighing the possibilities.

Part 03

Growing Through Exploration and Challenge

My greatest change in high school was learning to evaluate myself more broadly. I developed a clearer idea of who I wanted to become and took greater initiative in developing different abilities.

Adjusting to BAID initially proved difficult. Years in an education system focused on exams had accustomed me to judging myself by grades, and I hesitated to speak in class or conversations. Essay writing and research projects, along with public speaking, were new challenges. At first, I concentrated on meeting requirements and struggled to find my place in a group.

Through classes and competitions, as well as research, I gradually became comfortable with a more open approach to learning. I began asking questions and developing arguments, then taking on greater responsibility within teams. I learned to contribute to discussions of complex problems.

This was especially evident in teamwork. In the International Economics Olympiad, I initially focused on organizing data and improving presentations. In later projects, I began proposing ideas and taking responsibility for the overall argument. During discussions of accessible game design, I suggested a solution for players with visual impairments and worked to strengthen its reasoning and feasibility. I became more attentive to the purpose of our work and realized I could help determine a project's direction.



My communication and practical problem-solving developed too. In the Cultural Wings volunteer project, classmates and I supported foreigners in Beijing who were learning Chinese. With little teaching experience, I initially felt uncertain about planning lessons and conveying material effectively. Gradually, I adapted lessons to learners' backgrounds, using role-play to practice Chinese in everyday situations. I learned how strongly language learning depends on understanding and using expressions in context, alongside vocabulary and grammar. Seeing learners speak more naturally and begin using more complex expressions showed me the effect of my efforts. I also became more comfortable communicating across cultures and adapting how I expressed myself.

These experiences helped me appreciate high school as a time to explore interests and develop abilities. I began seeking balance between academic work and practical experiences, including relationships with others, so that different aspects of my development could support each other.

Part 04

Advice for Younger Students

I would make few changes if I could repeat high school. Choices that seemed imperfect later helped me understand myself and grow. I prefer to keep adjusting in the present and preparing for the future.



My advice is to develop basic time management skills early and learn to work consistently under pressure. At BAID, several tasks often demand attention simultaneously, disrupting plans. Keep making progress with the time available, even through small steps. Accept occasional mistakes and uncertainty while continuing to work toward the best you can achieve.

For music, I recommend hip-hop. I value it as a form of expression that welcomes different musical elements and develops in many directions. My strongest album recommendation is My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Its elaborate production is impressive, and its expression of complicated, conflicting, sometimes fragmented emotions particularly draws me in. Kanye West combines orchestral and electronic music with soul and hip-hop, using bold arrangements and sampling to explore ambition and arrogance, loneliness and desire, and self-reflection.

Hip-hop encompasses many styles. Some emphasize melody and atmosphere; others focus on accounts of everyday reality. Chinese hip-hop increasingly explores local culture and daily life. That diversity lets me keep discovering music and finding different connections with it.

Part 05

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the people who supported and influenced me during these three years.



Thank you to Ms. Liu Jie for her patient guidance and encouragement throughout applications. Her support with essays and activity planning, and with pressure and uncertainty, helped me organize my work and understand myself more clearly. Ms. Liang Xiao helped me develop my love of economics and advised me about learning and applications, as well as my future. My parents gave me attentive, consistent support so that I could explore what I loved with confidence.

I am also grateful to Ms. Zhou and Director Xiao, my Homeroom Teacher, Ms. Liu, and the other teachers and classmates, as well as friends, who supported me. Ideas from classes and collaboration in activities, together with encouragement during difficult times, enriched my high school years and helped me become who I am.

Part 06

A Message from My Parents

Some of the most valuable education happens through exploring the wider world and discovering new possibilities. Our son's time at BAID began with uncertainty, continued through challenges, and brought substantial growth. We learned several lessons from that experience.

First, be yourself. Discovering interests and participating in activities gave him opportunities to enjoy himself and understand who he was. He learned to pursue his own development and become an interesting individual. Authenticity allows others to know us more fully. Second, keep your options open. Applying to several countries gave him freedom to explore different futures. We encouraged him to consider his interests broadly and use systems thinking to plan his development. Third, take responsibility. We offered reminders and respected his decisions, helping him break goals into manageable steps while encouraging him to try things and reach his own conclusions. We also explained that he was responsible for the consequences of his choices. This approach helped him explore with greater confidence and composure, discover his potential, and achieve growth we value even more than admissions results.

BAID's support made that growth possible. The motto Better Me, Better World and the ethos Harmony in Diversity, Joy in Learning guided his daily studies and longer-term development. We were pleased to see him thinking more independently and developing his own motivation to improve. His College Counselors helped him identify directions and consider wider possibilities. His Homeroom Teacher and subject teachers supported his everyday learning and found opportunities for development, becoming trusted people he could speak with openly. Throughout applications, they patiently examined the advantages and drawbacks of his options with his long-term development in mind. Their professionalism and responsibility impressed us deeply. He received encouraging offers from institutions among the top 30 U.S. universities and the U.K.'s G5, as well as the top three Hong Kong SAR China universities. We appreciate the teachers' dedication and our good fortune, and are grateful both for those results and for his growth. We wish Beijing Academy continued success in helping more students flourish.