There is so much information on "education" everywhere that students and parents easily find themselves drowning in this sea of information. The job of a consultant is to guide students and parents through the process: helping them avoid common pitfalls and end up on the best pathway to their future careers.
Very often, consultants elsewhere are only familiar with one part of the story. Perhaps they are familiar with UK curriculum but not the IB; or familiar with the science/math subjects but not the language/humanities subjects; or familiar with law and medicine university courses but not history and sociology university courses. My strength is in my knowledge and familiarity of:
- all aspects of the main international curricula (IB, UK, US);
- different subject areas across STEM and the humanities;
- how to choose a college/university and how to make a strong application.
Very often, consultants elsewhere are only familiar with one part of the story. Perhaps they are familiar with UK curriculum but not the IB; or familiar with the science/math subjects but not the language/humanities subjects; or familiar with law and medicine university courses but not history and sociology university courses. My strength is in my knowledge and familiarity of:
- all aspects of the main international curricula (IB, UK, US);
- different subject areas across STEM and the humanities;
- how to choose a college/university and how to make a strong application.
Areas of Specialty
Educational pathway advice
- Analyzing a students suitability for different curricula in school.
- Analyzing a students suitability for university/college in different countries.
- School subject selection (for I/GCSE, IB or A-level)
- University course/major selection
- Analyzing a students suitability for university/college in different countries.
- School subject selection (for I/GCSE, IB or A-level)
- University course/major selection
College/university admissions advice
- Application timetable and procedure
- University and college selection
- Application profile (including ECAs, work placement,...)
- Personal statement
- University and college selection
- Application profile (including ECAs, work placement,...)
- Personal statement
Interview preparation
- Oxford/Cambridge interviews are technical and based on subject knowledge. I have previously successfully prepared students for Law, HSPS, Economics, Engineering, Physics and Maths interviews
- UK Medicine interviews
- Universities in Hong Kong (including Law and Medicine)
- US college alumni interview
- UK Medicine interviews
- Universities in Hong Kong (including Law and Medicine)
- US college alumni interview
Consulting services
Meetings are priced per hour and depend on whether parent/guardian attends in addition to the student. Meetings can be conducted in English, Cantonese or Putonghua. For more information, send me an email at [email protected] or fill in the enquiry form.
Sample questions
Here is a selection of questions that I have been asked before by students and parents and my answer to them.
1) I study the GCE A-level and want to study politics at university, should I take A-level Politics?
Clearly, Politics at A-level is relevant to a future politics university course (but it is NOT a required course). However, A-level politics has a significant UK politics focus (House of Commons etc.). Although this knowledge is certainly transferable, as a student from Hong Kong at a boarding school in the UK, the course may not be interesting to the student. A course of a similar nature is A-level Philosophy, political theories are all rooted in philosophical arguments; History is also of a similar nature and is a more "traditional" subject so universities MAY view this course more favourably. These are options the student might consider.
2) I heard that studying Economics in most universities in the UK requires IBHL Maths but I'm not sure I can handle the course. What should I do?
All Economics courses in top UK universities will require Mathematics HL. On the other hand, all the top universities will require a 7. In the event that the student is not confident in getting a 7 in Mathematics HL, the student can consider a joint course e.g.
- Economics and politics
- Economics and sociology
- Economics, politics and philosophy (PPE)
The math HL requirement may be loosened for these courses but there would still be a fair amount of mathematics in the course. Another possibility is Economic History; this is not strictly a joint course - it is the study of historical economic events from various viewpoints.
- Economics and politics
- Economics and sociology
- Economics, politics and philosophy (PPE)
The math HL requirement may be loosened for these courses but there would still be a fair amount of mathematics in the course. Another possibility is Economic History; this is not strictly a joint course - it is the study of historical economic events from various viewpoints.
3) I study Maths, Physics and Economics - should I apply to Engineering or Business?
This is a very very common misconception. The list of courses this student can consider is too long list here. Students are often not aware of these courses - they may not even have heard of some of these courses. Here is a sample list (with the required subject in parentheses):
- Computer Science (Maths)
- Materials Science (Maths and Physics)
- Finance (Maths)
- Maths and Statistics (Maths)
- Actuarial Science (Maths)
- Accounting (Maths)
Notice that none of these subjects require Business and only one requires Physics. The many courses with no specific prerequisite can also be considered.
- Computer Science (Maths)
- Materials Science (Maths and Physics)
- Finance (Maths)
- Maths and Statistics (Maths)
- Actuarial Science (Maths)
- Accounting (Maths)
Notice that none of these subjects require Business and only one requires Physics. The many courses with no specific prerequisite can also be considered.
4) I want to be a lawyer so, of course, I should apply for law right?
There are many pathways to being a lawyer in Hong Kong. The only mandatory steps are the final ones: a postgraduate certificate in law (PCLL) in a university in Hong Kong followed by either
2 years training at a law firm to qualify as a solicitor or
1 year pupillage with various barristers to qualify as a barrister
The standard pathway to law is to study an undergraduate degree in law (LLB) followed by the PCLL. However, another possibility is to do an undergraduate in another subject (common choices are politics, psychology, and economics but there are no fixed requirements) followed by a conversion course in law and then the PCLL. A conversion course is a postgraduate qualification which "converts" your degree into a law degree. These include GDL, graduate LLB, or JD courses.
An advantage of this pathway over the "traditional" pathway is that it delays the decision to pursue law by 3 years or more until the student may be better equipped to make such a decision; many people start the conversion course after several years working in another field. In addition, the knowledge acquired from the first degree could confer advantages over students taking the LLB in the future e.g. Economics could help in corporate law.
2 years training at a law firm to qualify as a solicitor or
1 year pupillage with various barristers to qualify as a barrister
The standard pathway to law is to study an undergraduate degree in law (LLB) followed by the PCLL. However, another possibility is to do an undergraduate in another subject (common choices are politics, psychology, and economics but there are no fixed requirements) followed by a conversion course in law and then the PCLL. A conversion course is a postgraduate qualification which "converts" your degree into a law degree. These include GDL, graduate LLB, or JD courses.
An advantage of this pathway over the "traditional" pathway is that it delays the decision to pursue law by 3 years or more until the student may be better equipped to make such a decision; many people start the conversion course after several years working in another field. In addition, the knowledge acquired from the first degree could confer advantages over students taking the LLB in the future e.g. Economics could help in corporate law.
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