April 14th 2024.
Maddie Price and her mother, Carla, are planning a big celebration to mark Maddie's achievement of getting accepted to Oxford University after receiving her final A-level exam results. Maddie, a "perfectionist" teenager, has overcome a difficult family background and her mother's battle with cancer to become the first person in her family to receive an offer from Oxford.
At just 17 years old, Maddie poured all of her energy into her studies during her GCSEs while her mother took time off work and underwent treatment for breast cancer. With her mother's illness as a constant source of worry, Maddie took charge of her own studies and was determined to make her mother proud. Her hard work paid off, and she achieved exceptional results.
Maddie comes from a low-income, single-parent family, and she is one of the many students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are supported by the social mobility tech company, Zero Gravity. They helped her with her university applications and provided resources to help her navigate the process.
When Maddie received her acceptance email from UCAS, she was in shock and couldn't believe her eyes. She had to double-check to make sure she wasn't mistaken. She was overwhelmed with excitement and shock and could hardly contain her emotions. To celebrate, Maddie and her family went out for dinner, but they plan to have a bigger celebration in the summer after results day.
Maddie, her mother, and younger brother, William, live in Finmere, Oxfordshire. Maddie's love for languages started at a young age when she attended a French-speaking school in Belgium while her father worked there.
The diagnosis of her mother's cancer came as a shock to Maddie, and she had to step up and become more independent with her studies. She was determined not to let her mother's illness affect her results and worked even harder to prove to herself what she was capable of achieving. She was worried at first that her work and revision would suffer, but instead, it pushed her to work even harder.
The odds were stacked against Maddie's success, as students from disadvantaged backgrounds face many barriers when it comes to top universities. According to social mobility charity, Speakers for Schools, unequal access to work experience and extracurricular activities are just some of the factors contributing to this disparity.
Despite these challenges, Maddie received offers from all five of her university choices and has decided to attend her first preference, Oxford University, where she will study French and Beginners' Italian. She was supported in her studies and university application by a Cambridge student who was paired with her through Zero Gravity.
Maddie is now eagerly awaiting her final A-level results to confirm her place at St Catherine's College, informally known as Catz, this September. She had to give up her interest in dance to focus on her studies, but she hopes to join another team at the university.
Maddie's mother, 49-year-old Carla, has since fully recovered from her illness and has been told there is no longer any evidence of the disease in her body. She is incredibly proud of Maddie's achievements and was in awe of her determination and drive during her GCSEs and A-levels.
Carla recalls how Maddie's exams gave her a focus and helped her worry less about her mother's illness. She believes that Maddie's grades truly reflect her capabilities and is thrilled that her daughter has been given this amazing opportunity.
Maddie's hard work and determination have paid off, and she is looking forward to fully immersing herself in university life at the best university in the world. She is excited about the opportunities Oxford has to offer and can't wait for her year abroad.
To learn more about Zero Gravity, click here. Maddie and her family are also taking part in the Agency's Lifeline campaign, which has teamed up with Young Lives vs Cancer for 2024. They will be taking on the Jurassic Coast Challenge to raise funds for the charity.
In the end, Maddie's story is a testament to her resilience and determination. She is an inspiration to others, proving that no matter the challenges one may face, with hard work and support, anything is possible.
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