He didn’t rely on cram schools or shortcuts.
Instead, he combined rigorous math and science training with global perspectives, interdisciplinary curiosity, and the guidance of mentors.
Preston—a thoughtful, determined student from Guangzhou No.2 High School—was admitted to Canada’s top Computer Science programs.
他没有靠补习班，也没有走捷径。
他将广州二中扎实的数理基础与全球视野、跨学科兴趣和导师陪伴相结合，
成功拿下了加拿大计算机科学专业排名第一的大学录取通知书。
His journey shows us:
True education is not about chasing scores. It’s about discovering who you are, and how you’ll shape the world.
他的故事告诉我们：
真正的教育，不只是分数与排名，而是找到自我，并思考如何参与这个世界。
启程的夏天：第一次踏上加拿大土地，第一次对未来发出真实的提问The summer before Grade 11, Preston joined a Canada–China sister school exchange program between Guangzhou No.2 High School and a public school in Calgary.高一升高二的那个暑假，Preston 作为广州二中的学生代表，参加了由AQG安侨教育主办的中加姐妹校夏令营项目，前往卡尔加里。
Living in the dorms at the University of Calgary, he experienced university life firsthand.
在卡尔加里大学宿舍生活期间，他第一次体验了北美大学的节奏与氛围。
During a day trip to Banff National Park, he looked into the turquoise lake and asked:
“If I want to study engineering, is Canada where I should begin?”
在班夫国家公园的绿松石湖畔，他问自己：
“如果未来我想学工程，加拿大会不会更适合我的发展？”
He brought his questions to the AQG Canada team—about university majors, engineering specializations, co-op programs, and career paths.
他带着满脑子的问题走进AQG加拿大办公室，向老师们提问：关于大学专业、工程细分、实习计划、未来就业……
That summer, he made a decision that changed everything:
“I’m coming to Canada—to live and learn on my own terms.”
那个夏天，他做出了改变命运的决定：
“我要来加拿大，走出一条属于自己的成长之路。”
After moving to Kimberley, BC, Preston developed a quiet ritual.
每天下课后，他都会骑着山地车穿过Purcell高尔夫球场边的小径，
背包里装着英语原著和几块喜欢的点心。
By the St. Mary River, under the pine trees, he learned to slow down.
在圣玛丽河边，在松林的轻风中，他第一次放慢了节奏。
He began to hear his inner voice again:
“I don’t want to study just for exams. I want to learn to understand.”
他第一次清晰地听见心里的声音：
“我不想只为考试学习，我想真正理解我在学什么。”
In Canada, his learning shifted from memorizing to questioning, from solving equations to exploring meaning.
在加拿大，他从死记硬背转向主动思辨，从做题找答案变为探索问题背后的本质。
He discussed AI ethics with his mentor Randy,
debated vegetarianism with his host family,
and read The Three-Body Problem and Sapiens with growing interest.
他与导师Randy讨论AI伦理，与寄宿家庭谈论素食文化，
阅读《三体》和《人类简史》，开始不断提出自己的想法与疑问。
He discovered:
Engineering isn’t just about code. It’s about impact.
他意识到：
工程不仅是技术，更是责任，是人类与未来的连接。
He also understood that compared to the uncertainty of H-1B visas in the U.S.,
Canada offered a more stable and opportunity-rich pathway for international students in STEM fields.
他也了解到，相比美国工程专业对国际生的签证不确定性，
加拿大的路径更清晰稳定，实习与发展机会更多。
That winter, Preston joined a cultural workshop led by a Ktunaxa First Nations chief.
在寒冬时节，他参加了一场由原住民酋长主持的文化讲座。
It wasn’t just a history lesson—it was a personal story of loss and resilience.
那不只是一次历史课程，而是一段关于流放、挣扎与文化复权的深情叙述。
He realized:
Education must include empathy. It must teach us to see through others’ eyes.
他意识到：
教育应该唤起同理心，带我们走入别人的世界。
In the spring, Preston dove into independent research on vegetarianism.
春天来临，他开始自主研究素食主义的哲学、生态与宗教根源。
He learned to embrace ambiguity, to accept complexity, and to argue with clarity.
他不再只追求“正确答案”，而是接纳复杂，表达清晰，展开多角度思辨。
Through conversations about AI and humanity, design justice, and sustainable tech,
he started becoming a thinker—not just a student.
从AI与人性的对话，到工程美学与技术伦理，
他开始成长为一个拥有独立思想的学习者，而不仅仅是一个“好学生”。
A year later, Preston joined the AQG Student Forum in Vancouver,
where he shared his reflections on education and future careers with UBC alumni and Amazon engineers—many of whom, like him, came from Guangzhou.
一年后，Preston 参加了 AQG安侨教育在温哥华举办的导师论坛，
与来自广州、现就读或毕业于UBC的学长，以及在 Amazon 就职的工程师深度交流，
分享了他对教育与未来职业路径的理解。
From Guangzhou’s academic foundation, to Kimberley’s connection with nature,
to Vancouver’s multicultural community and urban integration,
he had grown through three cities and two countries.
从广州打下的学术根基，到金伯利带来的自然思辨，
再到温哥华多元融合的大社区参与，
三城两国的成长轨迹，已悄然塑造了一个更加成熟的他。
Preston’s application didn’t rely on test prep or essay templates.
Preston 的申请材料，不靠补习和模板作文。
It was built on academic strength, thoughtful projects, and personal insight—
guided by mentors, and rooted in the rigorous training he received from Guangzhou No.2 High School.
它建立在他真实的学术实力、深入的项目研究、独立的思考能力之上，
并得到了 AQG 安侨教育导师团队的陪伴与二中严谨教育的支撑。
He was admitted to:
他获得了以下录取：
• University of Toronto (St. George) – Computer Science
• University of British Columbia (UBC) – Computer Science
• Simon Fraser University (SFU) – Computer Science
• ……
It wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning.
这不是终点，而是全新的起点。
One snowy evening, his mentor Randy said to him:
“You don’t need to be the first. You just need to be yourself.”
一个雪夜，导师 Randy 对他说：
“你不需要成为第一，你只需要成为你自己。”
This sentence stayed with him. It still does.
这句话，如一粒种子，在他心中静静发芽，直到今天。
Now he passes it on:
To every student finding their own rhythm in a noisy world.
现在，他将这句话送给每一位在喧嚣中寻找自我节奏的学生：
Be real. Be curious. Be you.
做真实的你，做好奇的你，做独一无二的你。
（UBC学生温哥华聚会）
蔡同学最终选择了多伦多大学，在另一城市开启他不一样的精彩人生历程。