Form 3 Students and Parents Briefing Preparing for Overseas Studies at University

HKDSE or IB? Colleges look for the students with the best performance in the curriculum they study at school

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 and Subject Tests All students should expect to take TOEFL IB students do not need to take APs

Preparing for university in the USA Students should plan to take SAT/ACT for the first time (reading, writing and maths) in October of form 5 Students should plan to take Subject Tests 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 of form 6 Students should plan to take the TOEFL in April or July of form 5 Students should actively consider taking the ACT in form five as an alternative to SATs. ACTs are held four times 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 in the summer of form five –Which means the college list needs to be in place at the end of form five –Which means students need to have learned something worth talking about – RoP, SAW, SIP

What the school will do Advise about college destinations Explain and help with the online application process Prepare counselor’s recommendations and teachers’ recommendations Prepare transcripts and predicted grades

What the school will do Have lots of useful books in the library about the application, essay writing, college visits and exams Guide students through essay writing and check their work Arrange for students to meet SPCC alumni of target colleges if possible

Preparing for studies in the UK Identify preferred universities and courses early in form 5 Then check to see what entrance exams, if any, are required. For example: –LNAT for UK Law (Oxford, King’s, UCL, others) –UKCAT or BMAT for Medicine –STEP for Maths, Engineering (Cambridge and Warwick –TSA for Science subjects

Preparing for studies in the UK Plan to take entrance exams in form 5 or autumn of form 6 For Oxbridge, Medicine and Vet Science, the deadline is October 15 in form 6 For other subjects, the deadline is January 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 form 5)

Preparing for studies in the UK Students need a clear idea about what they want to study at university in the UK from an early time so that they can –Read around the subject –Build up the necessary experience related to the planned course of study

What students should do now Arrange to get relevant experience. For example: –Students applying for Vet Science need to find work in a veterinary surgery, the SPCA or Kadoorie Farm –Students thinking about Architecture or Art and Design courses need to build up convincing portfolios –Students thinking about Music need performance and composition portfolios, preferably with video.

What students should do now Arrange to get relevant experience. For example: –Students thinking about Medicine need to volunteer at a hospital, a local doctor’s office or a home for the elderly –Students thinking about Law should sit through a day at court, work in a lawyer’s office or have some other experience of the judicial system

What students should do now Arrange to get relevant experience. For example: –Students thinking about Engineering should build a machine, or at least take machines apart and rebuild them –Students thinking about Business or Economics 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 relevant fields (e.g., make full use of the F5 Mentor Programme)

What students should do now Start to prepare to take the SATs and ACTs Be aware that every grade in every exam counts from now on (aim for at least 60% in every exam)

Misconceptions Students do not need to be all- rounded Students do not need to take GCE A-Levels

Thank you