Case Studies

Although our remit at LEAPS is to work with students up to the point that they leave school, since 2001 we have been following the success of former LEAPS students through their university careers. We are now looking to find out about the paths that students take after they graduate from higher education. If you attended any of the LEAPS Summer Schools from 1996 onwards and have since graduated from higher education, we’d like to hear what you’re doing now.

Kris Smith, formerly Tynecastle High School, graduate of Summer School 2001 (pictured above)
I attended LEAPS Summer School in 2001 after sitting my final exams at Tynecastle High School, Edinburgh. I had a conditional offer for university based on my Higher and Advanced Higher Mathematics grades. As high school grades are not known until the following August, I went to Summer School and undertook the Mathematics and Economics courses. Fortunately, I got into Heriot-Watt University based on my high school grades. LEAPS did prepare me for university life in both an academic and social sense. Their courses are taught and examined at first year university level and the teaching/studying environment is different to that of high school. Students that go to LEAPS Summer School are likely to be more prepared entering university than those that don't.

In 2006 I graduated with a First Class Masters of Engineering Degree in Structural Engineering with Architectural Design. I spent my Masters (5th) year overseas at the University of Calgary, Canada. I enjoyed my time in the Canada so much that I returned to work in Alberta's booming construction industry in January 2007. I am now a Structural/Construction Engineer with CH2M Hill Canada Ltd, one of North America's leading EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) companies, working on a number of large energy, water and wastewater, and transportation projects around Canada.

Kirsten Kerr, formerly Forrester High School, graduate of Summer School 2003
I attended the LEAPS Summer School in the summer of 2003 and before that I was a student at Forester High School. It was one of those eye-opening summers which taught me lots of very useful skills and tricks of the university trade. I was able to learn what my good and bad learning points were, and tidy them up before I started my course.

 I studied Communication, Advertising and PR at Napier University and graduated in July 2007 with a 2:1. It was a very ‘hand’s on’ course, and ensured I graduated with employable skills.

While I was at university I did some volunteering with LEAPS by helping in school workshops, and I was also a Summer School Personal Tutor in 2005 and 2007. I really enjoyed these summer’s as I was able to meet and talk to students about my experiences - where I went right and wrong! It also meant that I could meet people from other courses, and learn from their experiences too while making great friends.

I now work for an international PR agency, GolinHarris, in London and started in September as part of a graduate scheme. Life in London is certainly VERY different from Edinburgh, and university for that matter. It’s not easy, but was definitely the right decision for me, and one where I know that the sky’s the limit!

Case studies of Summer School graduates who have recently entered higher education are featured in the LEAPS Annual Report each year.