Form 3 Students and ParentsBriefing
Preparing for OverseasStudies at
University
HKDSE or IB?
•Colleges look for thestudents with the bestperformance in thecurriculum they study atschool
External exams
•SATUS universities
•APUS universities, recognized in UK
•ACTAlternative to SAT, recognized in UK
•IELTSEnglish language qualification for UK
•TOEFLEnglish language qualification for US
•GCEEnglish A-Levels
•IGSCEUK form five exam
Preparing for university in the USA
•All students need to take SATs andSubject Tests
•All students should expect to takeTOEFL
•IB students do not need to take APs
Preparing for university in the USA
•Students should plan to take SAT/ACTfor the first time (reading, writing andmaths) in October of form 5
•Students should plan to take SubjectTests in March, May or June of form 5
Preparing for university in the USA
•Students should plan to re-take the SAT(reading/writing/maths) in October ofform 6
•Students should plan to take the TOEFLin April or July of form 5
•Students should actively considertaking the ACT in form five as analternative to SATs. ACTs are held fourtimes a year.
Preparing for university in the USA
•Level of interest:
–Campus visits are strongly encouraged
–Consider summer programs
–Contact the alumni associations
–Contact the admissions office
Preparing for university in the USA
•Apply in September of form 6
–Which means essays should be written inthe summer of form five
–Which means the college list needs to bein place at the end of form five
–Which means students need to havelearned something worth talking about –RoP, SAW, SIP
What the school will do
•Advise about college destinations
•Explain and help with the onlineapplication process
•Prepare counselor’s recommendationsand teachers’ recommendations
•Prepare transcripts and predictedgrades
What the school will do
•Have lots of useful books in the libraryabout the application, essay writing,college visits and exams
•Guide students through essay writingand check their work
•Arrange for students to meet SPCCalumni of target colleges if possible
Preparing for studies in the UK
•Identify preferred universities and courses early inform 5
•Then check to see what entrance exams, if any, arerequired. For example:
–LNAT for UK Law (Oxford, King’s, UCL, others)
–UKCAT or BMAT for Medicine
–STEP for Maths, Engineering (Cambridge andWarwick
–TSA for Science subjects
Preparing for studies in the UK
•Plan to take entrance exams in form 5or autumn of form 6
•For Oxbridge, Medicine and VetScience, the deadline is October 15 inform 6
•For other subjects, the deadline isJanuary 15 in form 6
Preparing for studies in the UK
•The application is based on
– Results achieved in exams already taken(if any) and Entrance Tests
–Predicted grades
–Personal statement
–Referee’s statement
–IELTS (plan to take in April or July of form5)
Preparing for studies in the UK
•Students need a clear idea about whatthey want to study at university in theUK from an early time so that they can
–Read around the subject
–Build up the necessary experiencerelated to the planned course ofstudy
What students should do now
•Arrange to get relevant experience. For example:
–Students applying for Vet Science need to findwork in a veterinary surgery, the SPCA orKadoorie Farm
–Students thinking about Architecture or Artand Design courses need to build upconvincing portfolios
–Students thinking about Music needperformance and composition portfolios,preferably with video.
What students should do now
•Arrange to get relevant experience. Forexample:
–Students thinking about Medicine need tovolunteer at a hospital, a local doctor’soffice or a home for the elderly
–Students thinking about Law should sitthrough a day at court, work in a lawyer’soffice or have some other experience ofthe judicial system
What students should do now
•Arrange to get relevant experience. Forexample:
–Students thinking about Engineeringshould build a machine, or at least takemachines apart and rebuild them
–Students thinking about Business orEconomics should work in a company
What students should do now
•Learn about their area of interest:
–Read related popular fiction or non-fiction
–Watch related movies and TV programmes
–Talk to current professionals in relevantfields (e.g., make full use of the F5 MentorProgramme)
What students should do now
•Start to prepare to take the SATsand ACTs
•Be aware that every grade in everyexam counts from now on (aim forat least 60% in every exam)
Misconceptions
•Students do not need to be all-rounded
•Students do not need to take GCEA-Levels
Thank you