Tereza Podhajská

I come from Prague where I went to the Nad Alejí Grammar School in Petřín. In 2013, I transferred to the private Open Gate Grammar School, and graduated from there in 2017 thanks to the generous support from The Kellner Family Foundation. I passed both the Czech school leaving exam and the International Baccalaureate.

I seek to pursue a plethora of activities in my spare time. Music is the most important one of them, taking up a big part of my life. I sing in a choir and solo, and in university I plan on joining a cappella ensembles, singing without any accompaniment. For years, I also played the clarinet and bass clarinet in a small orchestra and a clarinet ensemble, and I played the piano and flute for seven years. In addition to music, I also like other art genres such as painting, drama and film. I was in the Open Gate drama troupe all four years of my studies.

Discovering new languages and cultures is my next passion. I can speak Czech, English and French; I plan to add Swahili, Hindu, Spanish and Russian soon. I love travelling and getting to know different ways of living because this enhances my understanding of the world. To date, I have been to most of Europe and parts of the U.S. and India – and in the coming years I plan on going to East and South Africa and Brazil. My hiking passion is closely related to these plans. I love discovering nature both in the Bohemian basin and abroad. I spent many beautiful days in the Alps, Himalayas, Scandinavian Mountains and Šumava Mountains.

I have volunteered since an early age and intend to continue. I worked as a teacher with children and young people and assisted in events for the elderly. I believe it is crucial to get involved in the community where you live, so that you are truly integrated in it in all senses of the word. Volunteering is perfect for this purpose, so I want to do it while studying in the U.S.

Tertiary education in the U.S. has captivated me by the concept known as a ‘liberal arts education’, where bachelor’s students are encouraged to try multiple disciplines to gain across-the-board knowledge and skills for various activities. Specialization only comes in the second year, and even then students can take one or two subjects that are unrelated to it. Since I have always been interested in a broad range of subjects, this approach suits me perfectly.

If you are considering studying in the U.S. or want to ask any questions I can answer regarding my studies abroad, don’t hesitate to write me at: podhajskat@gmail.com.

Secondary School

The Nad Alejí Grammar School in Prague (2009 - 2013),
OPEN GATE - Grammar School and Primary School (2013 - 2017)

University

Yale University (2017 - 2021), USA

E-mail

podhajskat@gmail.com

Goals

My goal for the near future is earning my Bachelor’s degree and then gaining practical experience in my field. As for my long-term plans, I would like to travel the whole world, learn at least three more languages and find a rewarding job.

Interests

Music, hiking, foreign languages, art, travel