In the world of water polo, one PLC student has been making waves. Izzy Scott (Year 12) has accepted an early offer into Stanford University via the athlete pathway, made possible by studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
Last year, during Year 11, Izzy took a bold step. She reached out to the coaches of two prestigious universities, Stanford and Harvard, and shared her gameplay footage.
As Year 12 commenced, Izzy flew to the US to meet with the coaches, and once again presented them with current gameplay highlights. These visits included campus tours, meetings with athletes, and sitting in on classes. John Tanner, the coach of Stanford’s water polo team, was notably impressed by Izzy’s dedication and progress. He observed the significant improvement in her gameplay over the course of a year, reinforcing his belief in her potential. Meeting her in person, he was equally convinced of her compatibility with the team’s culture. Izzy’s early outreach in Year 11 allowed Tanner ample time to get to know her, ultimately playing a crucial role in her acceptance.
Both Harvard and Stanford vied for Izzy as their top recruit. It was a difficult choice for her to make, but one of the factors that swayed her decision was the reputation of Stanford’s water polo coach, John Tanner, as a world-renowned elite coach. The university’s outstanding team culture and its global academic reputation further solidified her choice.
Once Tanner expressed his desire to have Izzy on his team, the formalities followed. She submitted her school transcript, which was reviewed by the admissions team to ensure it met the university’s high standards. Her application included numerous short essays and long-answer questions. Two weeks later, the good news arrived – Izzy had been accepted to Stanford University.
Izzy also credits the fact that she studied the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) as one of the reasons why these universities were so keen for her to join their teams. The IB is an internationally-recognised pathway and being able to compare her IB marks helped Stanford’s admissions department assess if her marks were of high enough standard – simply being a good athlete is not enough at Stanford.
“They take the academic side of things very seriously and they also loved that I was a debater and Debating/Public Speaking Captain, amongst other things,” reflected Izzy.
“I would have loved to attend Harvard, where my brother currently studies,” Izzy remarked, “but I believe that under John Turner’s coaching and Stanford’s education, I will become not only the best athlete I can be but also the best person I can be,” Izzy said.
Izzy’s journey to Stanford will commence in September next year where she will be the first Australian water polo athlete to join this prestigious institution.
Discover more about the IB Diploma.
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