For 18-year-old Rehan Ali, an extraordinary academic feat of earning ten top grades in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) was not born solely from cramming or endless study marathons. Instead, the recent Naparima College graduate, who is set to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a doctor at The University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine this September, credits his success to a deliberate combination of intellectual curiosity, consistent discipline, and intentional strategies to avoid academic burnout.
Over his two years in Form Six, Ali sat for ten CAPE examinations and walked away with all-A profiles in nine subjects, spanning a diverse range of disciplines from Biology, Chemistry, and Physics to Building and Mechanical Engineering Drawing (BMED), Caribbean Studies, and Communication Studies. In an exclusive interview with local outlet Express on Thursday, he opened up about the structured, intentional preparation routine that carried him to this outstanding outcome.
Rather than overwhelming himself by attempting to master every subject at once, Ali adopted a paced approach: he focused on one subject per day, working steadily through the official syllabus before supplementing his in-class learning with additional resources. These included advanced textbooks, educational YouTube tutorials, modern artificial intelligence study tools, and one-on-one guidance from his experienced teachers. Ali emphasized that setting small, achievable daily goals was the foundation of his consistent progress, rather than relying on last-minute cramming ahead of exams. He also urged future CAPE candidates to center conceptual understanding over rote memorization, a habit he cultivated by constantly asking “why” whenever he learned new material to deepen his grasp of core ideas.
Ali did not shy away from sharing the challenges he faced along the way. The jump in academic workload from the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) to CAPE was far steeper than many students expect, and during his first CAPE unit, Ali came dangerously close to full mental burnout. It was his inherent passion for the natural sciences that pulled him through the slump, he explained. “My passion for the natural sciences made learning less of a chore and genuinely interesting, and I’d definitely advise students to choose subjects they enjoy,” he noted. “If it wasn’t for that sense of curiosity and interest, studying consistently would have become extremely difficult.”
Even with his love of science, two subjects stood out as particularly grueling: BMED and Caribbean Studies. Ali recalled that these two courses demanded far more time and dedication than any of his other subjects, bringing moments of frustration and self-doubt along the way. Of all his accomplishments, he says achieving a distinction in Caribbean Studies means the most to him, as the high-volume, conceptually distinct subject pushed him further than he expected. The reward of a top grade after months of hard work made the effort all the more fulfilling.
Determined not to repeat the burnout risk he faced in Unit One, Ali redesigned his approach for Unit Two to prioritize work-life balance over nonstop studying. He remained an active member of multiple school clubs, competed on Naparima College’s badminton and swimming teams, and carved out regular time for family, friends, video games, and casual social gatherings to recharge outside of academics. Even with these healthy outlets, exam season still brought moments of overwhelm, but Ali stayed motivated by two core goals: making his family proud and advancing toward his medical career. Ultimately, he says his greatest drive came from an internal desire to test his own limits and see what he could achieve with his full effort.
To hit that goal, Ali made intentional sacrifices, cutting back on time spent gaming and scrolling through social media to free up space for his studies. He also developed a simple mindset trick to manage pre-exam anxiety: before every test, he reminded himself that once he had prepared as thoroughly as possible, he could not ask any more of himself. “I told myself that if I felt that I prepared as best as I could, there was nothing more that I could do, as I cannot do better than my best,” he explained. This perspective kept exam-night anxiety in check and eliminated post-test regret, letting him move forward to his next exam with clarity.
Looking back on his seven years at Naparima College, Ali says the institution shaped him far beyond his academic transcript. Beyond classroom learning, the school taught him the value of community service, collaborative teamwork, and intentional time management, and connected him with lifelong friends who pushed him to aim higher. “I cannot select a single favourite memory, but I will miss the fun, interactive classes, the teachers, the clubs and the sports teams that I was a part of during my seven years at Naparima College,” he said.
Ali was quick to credit his support network for making his success possible. He singled out his parents, Hafiz and Laura Ali, and his sister Saheli, who made significant personal sacrifices to support his academic journey, helping him stay focused while recognizing when he needed rest and emotional support. He also expressed deep gratitude to his teachers, who dedicated extra time and effort to support his learning beyond their required duties. “I attribute a large portion of my success to them, as well as my teachers and my school,” he said.
In a joint statement, Hafiz and Laura Ali said they beamed with pride not just for their son’s academic achievements, but for the person he has become. “We are so very proud of Rehan, and by that I mean not only his achievements but, more importantly, the person,” they said. “His determination to succeed is nothing short of remarkable. He has always been a very curious child, always wanting to know ‘why’ and challenging every answer. It is a blessing and a joy to witness his determination, growth, development and commitment to achieving his goals, while remaining caring, humble and always offering to help and support those near and dear to him.”