SINGAPORE - Andrea is no stranger to modelling competitions. She won her first at 10.

"I won a catwalk competition for kids in a mall. I came out tops and I won a few bags of potato chips and other toys," she said.

"The surprising part is that I looked rather dorky when I was young."

These days, the dork is a beauty, but old ways are hard to give up.

She said: "I believe that beauty is only skin deep.

"Physical beauty will fade with time, but intelligence will not only lead to good grades and a good job, it will also contribute to having higher self-confidence and self-esteem."

So it is not a surprise that she is good at maths.

"I like how everything is either right or wrong. There is no in-between with maths," she said.

"There is also a sense of accomplishment after finishing a tough problem."

This level-headedness extends to how Andrea sees life.

She said: "I don't have to be the prettiest, smartest or most perfect person.

"I feel comfortable with just being myself and I also try to have a good balance between reality and optimism."

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