Stories of Remarkable Success

Michelle has excelled in academics since she was young and has been determined to apply to medical school since her third year of junior high school. She attends a local traditional girls' school that offers British A-Level courses. To lay a solid foundation for her dream of studying medicine, Michelle chose challenging subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics. In the summer vacation after completing the IGCSE exam, Michelle interned in a cardiologist's clinic for five days through our arrangement. During her internship, she deeply realized the busy schedule of doctors and their sense of mission for the recovery of patients, which made her more determined to become a doctor.

Academically, Michelle took a UCAT preparation course during her first Christmas in the A-Level course, and learned various exam techniques under the guidance of the tutor, mastering how to quickly understand questions. She eventually scored an excellent 2830 in the UCAT exam and obtained a level 1 in the situational judgement test, which led to an interview invitation from the University of Nottingham Medical School. During the Easter period, she attended a personal statement guidance course. With the advice of her tutor, Michelle chose appropriate extracurricular activities and revised the content of her personal statement to make it more clearly express her passion and motivation for medicine. In addition, Michelle also took the BMAT exam (note that the BMAT has now been cancelled) and obtained a good score of 12.7, which exceeded the qualifying score and increased her chances of entering medical school.

To ensure that Michelle can fully express herself in the interview, we recommend arranging three targeted mock interviews to ensure that the areas that need improvement can be accurately improved. Finally, Michelle received an interview invitation from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong through the Non-JUPAS application. Her efforts finally paid off and she successfully received admission notices from the University of Nottingham and the University of Hong Kong.

After sharing Michelle's case, for students who aspire to enter the medical school, starting preparation one to two years in advance can indeed significantly increase the chances of success. Michelle's story not only inspires other students, but also proves that with planning and hard work, pursuing your dreams is achievable.

David attends a top secondary school in the UK and has excellent academic performance, with all 9s in GCSE and all A* predicted A-level grades. His dream has always been to become a doctor, and he has worked hard to achieve this goal. However, David unfortunately encountered a setback in the interview for a British medical school in January. The failure of the interview for his first application to a medical school made him depressed and anxious, and he began to doubt his abilities and future. At this time, his father contacted us at Ascent Prep for advice and suggestions.

We first comforted David and encouraged him not to give up his dream. Although he missed the chance to apply for medical school at a British university, the start date of medical school in Australia is half a year later than that in the UK, so he still has a chance to enroll. We suggested that he consider switching to medical school in Australia. In order to help David overcome the difficulties in the interview, we analyzed the reasons for his failure and found that although he was knowledgeable, he was flustered in the interview, especially lacking logic in judgment and problem-solving questions. We developed a personalized coaching program for him, including mock interview training and various coping skills, such as the STAR rule, responding to open-ended questions, and demonstrating passion for medicine and personal traits.

Through these intensive trainings, David's interview skills and confidence have been significantly improved. He also used the summer vacation when he returned to Hong Kong to retake the ISAT and UCAT exams and continued to practice under our guidance. At the same time, he continued to work as a research assistant at HKU, enhancing his medical experience and understanding of medical biology. Eventually, David successfully obtained admission notices from three Australian medical schools, including the University of New South Wales (UNSW). This proves that as long as you persevere, you can overcome challenges. His experience inspires other students pursuing their medical dreams, demonstrating to them the importance of persistence and hard work.

Brian is a student with a passion for medicine and his goal is to attend one of the top medical schools in the world. In order to realize this dream, he not only worked hard in his studies and achieved excellent results, but also actively participated in various extracurricular activities to comprehensively improve his abilities. Brian observed in the hospital’s cardiology department for a week and participated in the BSMS Virtual Work Experience, which allowed him to gain an in-depth understanding of the medical field through technological simulation. He not only learned the skills and qualities required to be a competent doctor, but also experienced the close relationship between doctors and patients.

After learning about Brian's goals, we encouraged him to set his sights on the University of Cambridge Medical School, whose outstanding reputation in medical research and teaching quality are impeccable. We also advised him to apply to other G5 medical schools such as Imperial, UCL and KCL. In order to improve his BMAT score and interview skills, we arranged a 15-hour BMAT preparation course ((Note that BMAT has been cancelled), which provided systematic training by experienced tutors, including problem-solving skills, test-taking strategies and time management. We also conducted several mock interviews for him, specifically targeting the interview style of Cambridge University, and designed relevant questions to help him prepare and better deal with academic and ethical issues.

Brian submitted his UCAS application in mid-October, took the BMAT in November, and received an interview invitation from Cambridge University in December. He was successfully accepted by Cambridge in January and also successfully obtained interview invitations from ICL and UCL. In order to reduce his financial burden, we encouraged him to apply for the Hong Kong Excellence Scholarship Scheme, which offers a scholarship of up to HK$300,000 and can support outstanding students to study in well-known overseas universities. In the end, Brian not only achieved high scores in the BMAT exam, but also was admitted to Cambridge University Medical School and KCL. He finally chose to go to Dowling College, Cambridge, England to pursue higher academic goals and realize his dream.

Michelle is a student studying A-Level courses in the UK. She is very interested in both medicine and dentistry, so she is very confused about choosing university subjects (UK university joint admissions can only apply for one subject). Furthermore, her knowledge of medicine was very limited, and she had no idea what to do when it came to the UCAT exam. Most importantly, she had not done any preparation for applying to medicine or dentistry, such as shadowing or volunteering, which would have been key to demonstrating her passion and interest in medicine.

In March, Michelle approached Ascent Prep and asked us to help her prepare for her application to medical school in the UK. Time was tight, and we had to help her make up for the gaps in her medical knowledge, familiarize herself with the UCAT test questions and test-taking skills, and improve her personal background, which were crucial for applying to medical school.

To help Michelle confirm her interests, we first arranged for her to participate in shadowing at a specialist doctor and a dental clinic during the Easter holidays. There, she observed the daily work of doctors and dentists up close, experienced different medical environments, and gained a deeper understanding of the differences between the two professions. Finally, Michelle officially embarked on the path to becoming a doctor and decided to apply for medical school. In addition to Shadowing, we also suggested that she participate in Church Service at school so that she can demonstrate the spirit of serving the community by participating in such activities.

On the other hand, in order to improve Michelle's medical knowledge and test-taking ability, we arranged for experienced Oxford and Cambridge tutors to give her one-on-one medical knowledge classes and provided UCAT preparation training. The tutors explained the various parts of the UCAT exam in an easy-to-understand manner, taught Michelle the most suitable test-taking skills and strategies, and adjusted the teaching content according to her learning progress to ensure that she can effectively master the test skills.

Michelle is a very hard worker. She actively participates in class discussions and does a lot of practice in her spare time. In the end, Michelle scored 3090 points in the UCAT exam, which exceeded her expectations, and got Band 3 in SJT (Situational Judgement). As her UCAT score was very ideal, she strategically chose Liverpool and Nottingham, two universities that rejected SJT Band 4, hoping to increase her admission success rate with the advantage of her UCAT score. At the same time, she also applied to Newcastle and Bristol, which do not consider SJT scores. These four universities are all on the List medical schools, which means the competition is very fierce.

Finally, Michelle received interview invitations from both Liverpool and Nottingham universities. Under the guidance of a professional tutor, Michelle fully prepared for common interview questions and conducted multiple mock MMI interview trainings. On the day of the interview, she confidently answered the interviewer's questions and was eventually admitted to the University of Bristol Medical School. Michellei's story proves that as long as you have a clear goal, the right guidance and unremitting efforts, it is never too late to start.

Vivian dreamed of becoming a doctor since she was a child, and she longed to put on a white coat and save lives. During her high school years, she actively participated in various activities to enrich herself, and hoped that these experiences would add points to her future medical school applications. For example, she once participated in the “Shadowing” program at Queen Mary Hospital to closely observe the daily work of doctors. In addition, she also volunteered at a nursing home to gain a deeper understanding of today’s medical needs and challenges. These experiences have strengthened her determination to study medicine. However, the failure in the DSE exam hit her hard. Although she received conditional admission to the university's medical school, her DSE results did not meet the requirements and the door to her dream seemed to be closed in front of her.

Fortunately, Vivian did not give up and sought help from Ascent Prep after the results were released. We encouraged her not to give up her dream and guided her to turn the failure of DSE into motivation to move forward. Our professional consultant analyzed Vivian's strengths and weaknesses. She received very good results in her DSE elective subjects Phy, Chem, and Bio, but she failed slightly in Chinese and Mathematics. We then tailored a complete study plan for her so that she could register for I-A Level as a self-study student.

Vivian needed to study three A-Level subjects on her own within one year. When preparing for the A-Level exams, she participated in our UCAT preparation courses and interview training, gradually improving her test-taking ability and skills. Vivian’s efforts paid off. She eventually obtained excellent results of A*AA in three subjects in A-Level, a high score of 3250 in UCAT, and successfully passed the interview of the Medical School of the University of Birmingham. The moment she received the admission letter, Vivian finally overcame the shadow of failure in DSE and realized her dream.

From a young age, Jessie was passionate about sports, especially football and competitive jump roping. An injury during a jump roping competition that required physical therapy piqued her interest in the profession. Jessie chose Biology and Chemistry as her subjects, and her predicted DSE scores met the entry requirements. However, she had doubts about her suitability due to her petite stature and introverted nature, fearing these could be obstacles to becoming a physical therapist. Despite Jessie's excellent grades, her father was also concerned about her career choice, worrying that Jessie was blindly following a trend without truly considering her interests and abilities, as choosing this field would mean committing to a career as a physical therapist.

Our education consultant recommended the shadowing program by Ascent Prep, the only official preparation program recognized by AEAS, offering students clinical internship experiences and professional mentorship. Seeing it as an opportunity to resolve her doubts and increase her chances of being admitted to higher-ranking universities, her father enrolled her in the program.

During the shadowing process, she gained in-depth knowledge of a physical therapist's daily duties, including assessing patients, developing treatment plans, and guiding patients through rehabilitation exercises. Though challenging, she found the work meaningful. Throughout this period, Jessie had the opportunity to ask many questions, particularly about her concerns. After completing the shadowing program, her determination to become a physical therapist was strengthened.

When preparing her personal statement, Jessie tried writing it herself but felt it lacked persuasiveness. With her tutor's guidance, she realized many areas needed improvement. The tutor helped her reorganize her experiences volunteering in physical therapy, highlighting her passion and dedication to the field. During interview training, she learned how to showcase her strengths and effectively answer the interviewer's questions. For example, Ascent Prep tutors taught students how to answer common situational questions, such as:

• What do you think are the basic professional ethics for a physical therapist?
• How do you view the relationship between physical therapists and their patients?
• How would you handle conflicts of interest with patients?

Ascent Prep tutors prepared students for these ethical questions and situational challenges to test their problem-solving abilities, such as:

• How would you deal with a patient unwilling to cooperate with treatment?
• How would you respond to an emergency during treatment?
• How do you collaborate with other healthcare professionals?

Ultimately, with Ascent Prep's assistance, Jessie was accepted into the Physical Therapy program at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and also received offers from the University of Nottingham, University of Birmingham, Brunel University, and the University of Salford in the UK. Among these options, she chose the University of Birmingham and was awarded a scholarship for her outstanding performance.

This journey highlights the value of Ascent Prep, offering practical clinical experiences and professional guidance, enabling students to not only improve academically but also to find their direction in their future career paths.

Sophie is a high school student from Hong Kong who has been passionate about architecture since she was young. She excelled academically and actively participated in various architecture-related activities, such as architectural model competitions and visits. However, as the time for further education approached, Sophie began to feel somewhat lost, due to her very high standards for herself. She knew that to gain admission into architecture programs at prestigious universities like Cambridge or UCL, she needed not only excellent academic grades but also well-rounded abilities and creativity.

By chance, Sophie attended a lecture by Ascent Prep, where the instructors shared their experiences in helping students gain admission to top universities. Ascent Prep introduced her to a mentor who was studying architecture at Cambridge. The mentorship and classes were designed to help students develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and encouraged Sophie to think critically about the core of architectural studies, enriching her personal statement with diverse elements. In these classes, Sophie learned about architectural history, theory, and design. Her tutor explained complex concepts in an engaging way, making it easy for Sophie to understand.

For instance, during a mock interview, Sophie encountered a challenging question: "What do you think are the professional ethics of an architect?" She had never considered this question before, but with her tutor's guidance, she was able to articulate a well-thought-out answer, boosting her confidence for the actual interview.

The art portfolio is a critical component of university applications, and Sophie's tutor helped her create a portfolio that was both deep and creative. The tutor meticulously guided her through the selection and arrangement of her works, covering her academic research, practical experience, and personal interests. Under the tutor's guidance, Sophie revised her portfolio multiple times, resulting in an impressive collection of work.

Sophie's efforts were rewarded when she was accepted into the Architecture program at the University of Cambridge. Her portfolio showcased her unique understanding of architecture, including a sustainable design proposal that received high praise from her tutor. Moreover, Sophie performed excellently in her university interviews, demonstrating her academic abilities and personal charm.

Sophie's success story is a testament to the effectiveness of the Ascent Prep program, which is dedicated to helping students realize their potential and achieve success in their educational pursuits.

Andy attended a local Hong Kong secondary school. Despite having average grades at school, he has always been afraid of English, to the point of hesitating to speak it. Andy is a typical slow starter; when under pressure, he easily feels overwhelmed. This became even more evident after he took the AEAS test unprepared, resulting in scores far below expectations. The AEAS report recommended Andy to undertake an English course for 20-30 weeks, and the substantial cost of attending a 30-week language course in Australia, including tuition, accommodation, and student insurance, caused considerable concern for his parents. Not only were they considering the dual factors of time and finances, but they also hoped that Andy could have more opportunities to apply to his desired schools. That's when they found us, the only official preparatory course institution recognized by AEAS. In the 1-on-1 courses at Ascent Prep, students receive meticulous instruction from teachers and consultants, improving their English skills and gradually overcoming their fear of English. To the parents' surprise, the child performed excellently in the AEAS test. By achieving good results in Hong Kong, the AEAS report reduced the required language class from 30 weeks to just 4 weeks before entering mainstream schools in Australia. This not only saved money but also allowed the child to integrate into the Australian mainstream education system sooner.

I remember the first time I met Timmy and his parents, I noticed that Timmy was a well-prepared student. That day, he brought a three-page resume to meet with the consultant. Opportunities are for those who are prepared, and Timmy, who started studying in the UK from Year 9, has always been actively involved in school activities such as debating, volunteer service, youth exchange programs, and Model United Nations (MUN), among others. During the meeting, Timmy was excited to share his first trip to the UK at the age of 12 to join a study tour in Cambridge. Since then, he has dreamed of studying at a traditional and prestigious university and has been very proactive in preparing himself. Knowing Timmy's strengths were in Humanities, his parents sent him to study in the UK early. After achieving excellent results in his GCSE exams, Timmy solidified his desire to study law and began to engage with Ascent Prep to enroll in an LNAT course. Timmy was one of the few students who approached us on his own, stating that since the LNAT does not assess legal knowledge but rather focuses on textual analysis, he wanted to prepare early to allocate time for revising for public examinations later. To apply for the Law program at the University of Cambridge, which requires at least a score of 27, the persistent Timmy, after 10 months of preparation, achieved an impressive score of 29 and smoothly received an interview invitation from the University of Cambridge's Law Department. He often emphasized how patient his teacher was in explaining the parts of the questions he answered incorrectly and suggested that he meticulously record every mistake he made. By reviewing these notes continuously 2-3 days before the exam, he reminded himself not to repeat the same errors. He believes this strategy was one of his keys to success and is very grateful for Tutor Tami's advice and guidance.

Ronald attended a traditional boys' school on Hong Kong Island and took the HKDSE examination. He developed a strong interest in computer science from junior high school and always wanted to study it, believing it to be the major trend driving future societal development and considering it to have unlimited job potential. Unfortunately, his school did not offer ICT as an elective subject. However, most universities in the UK accept students who have studied Physics to meet the mathematics-related requirements, without the need for computer science studies during secondary school.

Initially, when he approached Ascent Prep, he only planned to apply for computer science at Imperial College and began a MAT Admissions Preparation Course. After four classes, Ronald learned that the TMUA required by the University of Cambridge's computer science department was not as difficult as he had imagined and had many similarities with the MAT, so he decided, with his tutor's advice, to aim higher and apply to Cambridge. Because of his decision to apply to Cambridge, Ronald's application deadline was moved up by more than three months, necessitating that he use the summer holidays to complete his Personal Statement and start preparing for the potential Cambridge interview.

Upon our suggestion, Ronald agreed that his academic knowledge in computer science was insufficient, so he took additional Knowledge Building classes to expand his understanding of extended mathematics and computer science knowledge at the university level, along with studying some academic literature to better equip himself. Ultimately, Ronald's wishes were fulfilled, and he was delighted to receive an interview invitation from the University of Cambridge, proving his excellent performance in the TMUA and his outstanding Personal Statement. He was very thankful for the encouragement and support from his tutors, which emboldened him to challenge himself, and he could hardly believe he had the opportunity to interview at Cambridge, considering it an achievement well beyond his expectations.

Michelle has always excelled academically from a young age and aspired to apply to medical school as early as her third year of middle school. She attended a local traditional girls' school, which offered the British A-level curriculum (IAL), choosing to study subjects she felt confident in: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics. During the summer after completing her IGCSEs, she became acquainted with Ascent Prep and, through our arrangement, did a five-day internship at a cardiologist's clinic. What struck her most during her internship was the doctor's busy schedule, visiting patients who had just undergone surgery early in the morning to follow up on their recovery progress, and then seeing patients non-stop from noon, which gave her a profound sense of the mission of being a doctor. Michelle started a UCAT Preparation Course during the Christmas of her first year of A-levels, where the tutor taught exam techniques, such as how to quickly understand questions, save time on answering, and patiently solve questions that were answered incorrectly. Eventually, Michelle achieved an excellent UCAT score of 2830, with a Situational Judgement Band 1, and received an interview invitation from the University of Nottingham's medical school. Around Easter, she began attending Personal Statement Guidance classes, where the tutor taught her how to select worthwhile extracurricular activities to include in her Personal Statement, pointed out the lack of academic literature references, and suggested revisions. The final product not only contained medical academic content but also clearly expressed why she wanted to study medicine and her passion for it. Due to her studies in Phy Chem Bio, she also took the BMAT exam and scored 12.7, surpassing the cut-off score and receiving an interview opportunity from Imperial College. With the chance to attend a G5 medical school, another consultant advised arranging three additional targeted mock interviews for her for Imperial College, highlighting areas for improvement to ensure she was in the best possible state. Michelle also sought opportunities to attend local medical schools, applying through Non-Jupas and was delighted to receive an interview invitation from the University of Hong Kong's medical school. This shows that for a student aspiring to study medicine, it is recommended to start preparing one to two years in advance to increase their chances of success.