A FORMER Tavistock College pupil supported by an educational programme to help bright students from state schools apply to elite US universities has graduated from Princeton University.

Rebecca Banks was able to apply to the Sutton Trust programme with the support of her teachers at the college.

She subsquently attended the Ivy League university in New Jersey to study computer science and is now preparing to start a career as a software engineer in Seattle in the US.

Mum Emma, who lives in Tavistock, said she couldn’t thank the school enough and the family were so proud of their daughter.

She said: ‘Rebecca was supported by Tavistock College and guided by the Sutton Trust program and in April 2018 was offered a place to start in September 2018 at Princeton University in New Jersey, USA to major in Computer Science. She was offered the most amazing financial aid package covering about 95-100% of her fees over her four years there. The cost of attending was $77,000 a year. Princeton’s financial aid program is recognised as one of the most generous in the USA with over 80% of students leaving debt free. Rebecca is one of them.

‘She, along with all other university students around the world, had a huge disruption to her studies due to Covid-19 spending two semesters studying on USA time here at home until she could return to Princeton in January 2021. Those two semesters with her five hours behind the rest of the family was challenging for all.’

Rebecca’s graduation from Princeton in May was the culmination of a long journey which started at Tavistock College, she explained, when Rebecca started her application process for the US universities, supported by The Sutton Trust programme.

‘We just can’t thank Tavistock College teachers enough for supporting her during her long arduous application process four years ago, Sarah Jones, Crispin Chambers, Jo Neill, Elton Lane, Tristan Muller-Forster and Julie Greener to name just a few. All their and Rebecca’s perseverance has paid off.

‘We have just been out to the USA to see her graduate. Such a proud moment. In August she will return to the USA as she will be starting work for Expedia in Seattle, Washington, USA as a software engineer.’

Rebecca was able to apply to Princeton as a result of taking part in the Sutton Trust programme, delivered in partnership with the US-UK Fulbright Commission, which gives students and their teachers the help and support they need to apply for the programme.

She applied to the programme as it had always been her dream to attend a top US university from the age of 14. Her mum explained that the work preparing to go to univeristy in the States had been ‘a bit like another A-level’.

‘Sarah Jones, who was principal at Tavistock College was tremendously supportive. We discovered the Sutton Trust programme over Christmas and got in touch with the school. Sarah emailed and said we will do whatever it takes to support Rebecca. About 1,500 students apply for a place with the Sutton Trust and I think they take on 150 students in all.’

She added: ‘I can’t believe that it has all been and gone. Not only is among the most prestigious universities in the world, but she has come out of it with no debt.’

Rebecca accepted the job in Expedia in Seattle, having worked for software company in London over the summer. ‘Seattle is the cloudiest city in America but Rebecca said it couldn’t be wetter than Tavistock!’ said her mum.