Admissions committee
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Fatima Zahra Idrissi

Bachelor of Science in Physics

Morocco · French Baccalaureate, 17.8 of 20 · IELTS 6.5

Interviewed 15 October 2026 at 8:57 · 8 min

Summary

Fatima showed genuine, self-driven interest in physics, rooted in a childhood radio and sustained by olympiad problem solving and independent quantum reading. Fatima was clear and committed, though less certain about the realities of a physics degree and the reasoning behind choosing Khalifa University.

Check before deciding

  • The national olympiad medal is mentioned without detail and should be verified.
  • The applicant did not describe day-to-day physics work concretely, so familiarity with the profession remains uncertain.

Khalifa University interview criteria

  1. Proficiency in English communication

    4/5

    The applicant answered clearly and fluently with some hedging and self-correction, which is strong for an interview setting.

    “I want to understand why it helps with some problems and not others.”

    Fatima, in the interview

  2. Familiarity with the relevant profession

    3/5

    The applicant admitted uncertainty about daily physics work but showed some real familiarity through olympiad problem solving and quantum reading.

    “I think they do experiments? And calculations, maybe more calculations than I imagine. I'm not sure, honestly.”

    Fatima, in the interview

  3. Commitment to pursue a professional degree program

    4/5

    The applicant gave concrete evidence of sustained effort, including an olympiad medal and self-directed study of quantum computing despite difficulty.

    “It's hard, I don't understand all the math yet, but I keep going.”

    Fatima, in the interview

  4. Reasons for choosing Khalifa University

    3/5

    The applicant gave relevant reasons such as research focus, lab work, and English instruction, but they were fairly general and partly convenience-based.

    “Khalifa is in Abu Dhabi, and it's a research university, and I read there is a lot of lab work for students.”

    Fatima, in the interview

  5. Evaluation of potential leadership capabilities

    4/5

    The applicant personally started a physics club and described concrete steps taken to grow it, though the results were modest and reflection was limited.

    “I asked my teacher if I could start one. Nobody came the first week. Then four people came.”

    Fatima, in the interview

Full transcript

19 turns
  1. Nura

    Hi Fatima, I'm Nura, and I'll be doing your Khalifa University admissions interview today. It takes about six minutes and there are no trick questions. To start, what first got you interested in Physics?

  2. Fatima

    Um, I think it started with my grandfather's old radio. He let me open it when I was like nine, and I wanted to know how the sound came out of it. After that, it was, like, everything.

  3. Nura

    That's a great place to start. What do you think someone with a physics degree actually does day to day?

  4. Fatima

    Uh... I think they do experiments? And calculations, maybe more calculations than I imagine. I'm not sure, honestly.

  5. Nura

    That's an honest answer. Can you give me one specific example of a problem you really enjoyed working through?

  6. Fatima

    Okay. In olympiad prep there was a problem about a particle in a box, and I kept getting the energy wrong, like a factor of two. I redid it like five times. When I found the mistake I was so happy, I was laughing alone in my room.

  7. Nura

    Thanks, that gives me a clear picture. What have you done outside of class toward physics?

  8. Fatima

    I did the national olympiad and I got a medal. And I'm reading about quantum computing, a book about qubits and some online lectures. It's hard, I don't understand all the math yet, but I keep going.

  9. Nura

    What did you take away from that reading so far?

  10. Fatima

    Mostly that a qubit is not just zero or one at the same time. It's more like a direction, but the books explain it in confusing ways. I want to understand why it helps with some problems and not others.

  11. Nura

    Why Khalifa University, and not another university?

  12. Fatima

    Umm. Khalifa is in Abu Dhabi, and it's a research university, and I read there is a lot of lab work for students. Also the classes are in English, which I need. My family is in Morocco so it's far, but I think it's a good place to start.

  13. Nura

    Thank you. Can you tell me about a time you took the first step on something, or led others?

  14. Fatima

    Last year our school didn't have a physics club, so I asked my teacher if I could start one. Nobody came the first week. Then four people came.

  15. Nura

    What did you do after that first week?

  16. Fatima

    I made simple posters, and I did a short demo with a laser and a glass of water, for refraction. People liked it. Some of them were scared of the math, so I made the problems smaller, step by step.

  17. Nura

    Thank you for sharing that. Is there anything you'd like the committee to know that we haven't covered?

  18. Fatima

    I think... I'm quiet in class, but I'm not not interested. I do the work. I just do better when I have time to think before I talk. I hope that's okay.

  19. Nura

    Thank you, Fatima. That's all the time we have today, and best of luck with your application.