Chapter 337
Shirley couldn’t help rolling her eyes as Olivia finished talking. It was so obvious she was throwing shade at Charlotte for not being well-rounded.
“Relax,” Charlotte said, noticing Shirley’s irritation. She reached over and gave her cheek a gentle squeeze, a playful smile on her lips. “She’s not getting in.”
“She’s not?” Shirley’s mood did a complete one-eighty. She turned to Charlotte, eyes bright with curiosity. “How do you know?”
Olivia’s grades really were impressive. Even the admissions officers kept nodding as they looked through her scores.
Charlotte leaned on one hand, her face the picture of calm and disinterest. All she offered was a soft, “Yeah.”
“Olivia, you placed second in the exam. That’s a great result. Do you have a specific university or major in mind?” one of the panelists asked.
With the spotlight on her, Olivia laced her fingers together and answered eagerly, “Honestly, all the schools here are ones I’ve dreamed about.”
Wow. Could she lay it on any thicker?
“But I’ve always loved numbers,” Olivia went on, her smile never wavering. She looked straight at the vice-chancellor of The Cabinda University, who hadn’t said a word the whole time. “I’d really like to study finance at The Cabinda University, if you’ll have me.”
The room buzzed. Even the professors seemed surprised at her boldness.
She sure knew what she wanted. With her scores, she had a shot, but it all depended on whether The Cabinda University would say yes.
The vice-chancellor skimmed her transcript and gave her a polite smile. “Alright, we’ll think about it.”
Really? That was all?
Last year, someone with twenty points less got into the same program, and now they had to “think about it”? If Olivia had picked any other school, they would’ve welcomed her on the spot. The uncertainty clearly made her anxious.
“Next, Shirley.”
Shirley stood up and rattled off her awards confidently.
“I want to apply for the physics program at The Cabinda University. I hope to study under Professor Lane.”
The panel immediately started whispering and chuckling.
“Professor Lane only takes one student every four years. His standards are… let’s say, unusual,” the vice-chancellor said, checking Shirley’s file. “He’s never accepted a student through early admission. If you want to be his student
there’s only one way.”
Shirley listened closely.
“First, you have to take the regular entrance exam and meet the requirements. Second, every four years, Professor Lane hosts a physics competition with problems be writes himself. Only the first place winner can become his student.”
Shirley’s face scrunched up. She knew there would be hoops to jump through, but this was a lot.
“Shirley, getting an interview isn’t easy. If you’re not sure about this, I’d suggest considering a different school or major,” the vice-chancellor said gently.
Every year, plenty of students tried to get in through the interview, hoping to bypass the tests. But as soon as they found out about the extra steps, most gave up.
Shirley stood tall, thinking it over for a long moment. Finally, she looked up, her voice steady. “I want to try again.”
That meant giving up her current interview spot. The professors couldn’t hide their surprise at her determination.
“And finally, Charlotte.”
She was number one in the country,
the first ever to score perfect marks
in five subjects. As soon as her
name was called every professeron the panel
name woked up eyes wide with
anticipation.