Student Spotlight - Ruoyun and Qingyun Li
Ruoyun Li, 13, and her younger brother Qingyun Li, 12, are two of Everett Community College’s youngest students.
Read their story in The Herald. Watch their story on Fox 13 News.
During the pandemic when their elementary school classes went online, the two needed more challenging work. They read through a box of National Geographic magazines and listened and learned while their father taught online computer science classes at Bellevue College from their home.
Middle school was too easy. Seeking another challenge, the two studied for and took the ACT college entrance exam. Ruoyun scored 35 out of 36, and Qingyun aced the test. Next, the two sought out college classes with the help of their dad. EvCC was the only college or university in the Seattle area that would admit them, through a special underage admissions process.
Ruoyun and Qingyun are on their way to a college degree before they even start high school.
“I hope that our experience will inspire others to fearlessly explore their potential and pursue their passion,” Ruoyun says. “Anything is possible.”
Why did you choose EvCC?
Ruoyun: Coming to EvCC was originally unintended but turned out to be a great choice for us. It literally opened the door to a whole new world. We have been attending online schools during the pandemic, and things have been too easy. So, we spent most of our time learning coding and computer science. By April of 2023, however, we started to wonder about our progress at school. We were in grades 6 and 7. As a challenge, we decided to learn everything as fast as possible and then check our progress using the ACT test. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I scored 35 while my brother earned 36, a perfect score. “Why can’t we take some college classes?” we asked ourselves confidently. But there was virtually no way for us to take college classes or AP classes in our school. Fortunately, EvCC is the only college that provides a special underage admission program for middle school students. We were excited. This choice was a no-brainer.
Qingyun: Before the pandemic, I was just like any other kid, learning and playing at school. However, during the pandemic, I suddenly had a lot of free time and decided to take that as an opportunity to focus on my interests. My dad was a college professor, teaching online classes in computer science. So, I just attended his classes and learned everything I could. It took some effort, but I knew I could make it. I had a lot of fun. In April of this year, we decided to take a break and check our progress at school. I challenged myself to learn all the math topics from grade 7 to grade 12 in two months, and it worked. I got a perfect score on the ACT test while still at the age of 11. I am eager to learn more math and improve my English writing skills. EvCC was a great option for me.
What are you studying at EvCC?
Ruoyun: We were initially placed in a Pre-Calculus class, but we really wanted to take Calculus. So, we came to EvCC to take the Math placement test and both got perfect scores. We are taking MATH 146 Statistics, MATH 151 Calculus, and ENGL 101 in the Fall of 2023. Special thanks to the professors who were willing to take us.
Qingyun: Same
What’s it like to take college classes while you’re in middle school?
Ruoyun: The college classes are fast-paced and challenging compared to the ones in middle school. Sometimes, it feels like drinking from a fire hose. But most of the time, it feels like enjoying a feast, very fulfilling and rewarding. In addition, the 1:1 office hours are awesome.
Qingyun: I feel like I am playing two roles, being both a middle school student and a college student simultaneously. But those two roles often talk with each other as a team. For example, the conic functions I learned in middle school can also be derived from calculus learned in college. Also, the vertices of a polynomial learned in middle school are simply the places where the derivatives become zero. This experience helped me have a deeper understanding of their physical meanings.
What is your favorite college assignment so far?
Ruoyun: My first writing assignment was to write a college application essay. I chose to pick a prompt to reflect on my personal growth and self-discovery. It was a natural choice since my life has been a great journey so far, and EvCC just opened the door to a whole new world for me.
Qingyun: My favorite assignment was where I learned about derivatives in calculus. They connected with so many of the previous concepts I had learned before the ACT and gave me a much more complete understanding of them as well. This is just one example of why I like to learn multiple related things all at once.
What are you working on outside of classes?
Ruoyun: This year is special for us, since we are full-time students both in EvCC and middle school, taking 9 courses in total. But we still have some free time, especially at night and on the weekends. We have focused on coding and computer science during the pandemic and continue enjoying that whenever we can. We competed and won in the USA Computing Olympiad. Other than that, teaching our younger siblings is fun, too. It reminds me of myself at their age.
Qingyun: Other than coding, I spend a lot of time playing chess, tennis, and soccer. I enjoy winning, but I still learn when I lose. Recently, I became very excited with artificial intelligence technologies, so I spent quite some time playing with those generative AI tools with my siblings. Eventually, we had an “aha” moment and patented a new idea about digital photography. We are currently working on the prototype. It is very challenging and requires some advanced math skills, and that’s why I am so motivated to take statistics and calculus courses at EvCC.
What advice do you have for young students who want to take college classes?
Ruoyun: I initially intended to challenge myself with the ACT to see how fast I could learn, but this experience gave me great confidence for college courses. I hope my experience inspires and encourages other young students to explore their potential and pursue their passions. Taking college classes is just one of the many explorations. So, be sure to have a plan and commit to it. You never know what you can achieve and where that might lead you, but it is the hard work and experience that will naturally prepare you for the next step in your life.
Qingyun: To overcome any challenge, it is critical to work as a team. So, I strongly suggest forming a team with friends who share the same passion. It will be a lot more efficient to support and learn from each other. I am very lucky to do it together with my sister. To get ready for college classes at a young age, there will be a lot of roadblocks, so it ultimately takes teamwork to overcome them and make the whole experience tremendously enjoyable.
What do you plan to do after EvCC?
Ruoyun: At our current pace, we may have taken a lot of college classes before we became qualified for Running Start. In parallel, we are also looking at some accelerated high school programs. We will continue at university for sure; the only question is how soon. I aim for a PhD degree eventually. I want to be a professor, teaching AI. I believe that the more people understand and use AI, the more powerful it will become.
Qingyun: I like building things, so I want to learn as much as I can in the short term and have fun. In the long term, I want to build something useful to make people’s lives better. AI is the new industrial revolution, and I cannot wait to be part of it. But I don’t worry too much about the exact path in between. The possibilities are unlimited. I believe my passion will guide me through it.
Anything else you want to add?
Ruoyun: We are so grateful for the opportunities offered by EvCC. This is also a journey with a lot of challenges and uncertainties but, at the same time, is very rewarding and enjoyable. I hope that our experience will inspire others to fearlessly explore their potential and pursue their passion. Anything is possible.
Qingyun: Everybody has their own unique strength, which takes courage, effort, and sometimes a little luck to discover. It is the door to a new world. So, find your door, open it, take a breath, and walk through.