D. The architect

Having eventually settled on architecture as a career, Amandine came to London from the USA and started building a portfolio of her work by attending local college courses. This got her onto a university foundation art course and then into the highly competitive Architectural Association (AA) school. “I picked the AA because it has such a close-knit family atmosphere, which for me is essential. But I knew I couldn’t go there unless I got a scholarship because the fees are so high, especially given that the course takes seven years. Even though I had two-thirds of it paid for me, I still owe a fortune, the debt is a huge weight on your shoulders at my age. I now have a job in a company that has always interested me, thanks to friends that worked here and could vouch for me. It's great to have an impressive CV but even better to have a good character reference.”