提升獲牛津、劍橋及G5大學錄取機會的關鍵
以下是Oxbridge過往的面試問題,您知道答案嗎?
“Why do many animals have stripes?”
“Do bankers deserve the pay they receive?”
“How important is social interaction in language acquisition?”
“Is it ever morally right to kill someone?”
沒有額外的學術課堂加以鍛鍊,一般都很難回答牛劍的面試問題。
要獲得牛津、劍橋及其他英國G5大學的錄取,發展獨特的思維模式至關重要。如果沒有事先接觸這些充滿挑戰性的面試問題,您可能會感到困惑。在這種情況下,Knowledge Building便能派上用場,這種方法能夠加深和擴充與學科相關的知識,為有志之士提供競爭優勢。
入讀牛津劍橋必看
Ascent Prep 的 Knowledge Building 三大優勢
1. 訓練學生牛津、劍橋的思維模式
牛劍的面試問題艱深,不會問學生已理解的知識,而是需要學生利用既有知識推敲答案。牛劍重視學生的思路軌跡和思考過程,而並非具體答案。Knowledge Building 所學就是超越中學程度的super-curricular,將會在牛津、劍橋,或是其他G5大學的面試中大派用場。
2. 協助學生選擇合適學科
大學開辦的學科如法律系、物理治療、醫科、工程學等等,大多數學生都未曾在中學階段時有所接觸,因此未必真的了解這些科目到底是學什麼、會否適合自己。
舉例,如果數學成績出眾,應該報讀牛劍的數學系還是物理系呢?Knowledge Building 可協助您深入了解各個學科的知識層面,助您精準確立大學選科目標。
3. 協助學生撰寫深入探討學術議題的Personal Statement
一般學生會在 Personal Statement 解釋為什麼喜歡所選的學科、有什麼過人之處等,但牛劍或其他G5大學不僅僅要求這些,而是期望學生能帶出與學科相關、強烈深入、並具個人見解的學術探討,需要閱讀學術書籍及資料搜集配合完成,而這些正正能從Knowledge Building中,掌握相關主題與學術概念。
Knowledge Building 如何提升面試質素?
以下挑選了兩條過往牛劍的面試問題,由Ascent Prep牛劍背景的導師示範建議答案,以供參考。
Question 1: Do bankers deserve the pay they receive?
Suggested Answer Approach: A simple answer might be that since banks are generally private firms and workers are free to work where they wish, then the pay they receive is just the outcome of a competitive labour market. In this story, bankers earn a lot because they are very skilled and have rare talents. It is hard to see a reason for government intervention in this case – though on equity grounds one may want to have a progressive income tax system that redistributes some of this income.
Note: A good candidate would wonder why it is that seemingly equivalently talented people can get paid so much more in banking than in other occupations. Do we really believe that bankers are so much better than other workers in terms of skill?
Question 2: What does it mean for someone to ‘take' another's car?
Suggested Answer Approach: There is no right answer to this question. For example, can you take a car without driving it, or even without moving it? Our focus is on the candidate's reasoning – how he or she formulates an initial definition, and how he or she then applies and refines that initial definition in response to hypothetical examples provided by the interviewers.
Note: One example might be: 'I am walking along the street when it starts to rain. I open the door of an unlocked car and sit there for 15 minutes until the rain passes. Have I ‘taken' the car?' The aim of the interview is to give the candidate a chance to show his or her application, reasoning ability, and communication skills.
從導師建議的示範答案可見,當中要求學生展示批判性思考的能力,平日需閲讀課外學術文獻,對報讀的大學學科有深入的學術理解,從而探究學生有沒有學術潛質並培育成學者。
Knowledge Building 的導師會就着學生感興趣的學科,提供並建議數個主題進行學術研究和探討,以培養答題思路和知識。即使不知道面試的問題,學生依然能在答題時例舉相關的學術理論支持,言之有物,進而跟面試官展開有質素的學術交流。
Knowledge Building 如何令 Personal Statement 更具競爭力?
以下為優質的 Personal Statement 示範。
背景:該學生報讀法律系,在文中提出與人權法相關的研讀,並引用並解釋時事 the ‘Windrush’ scandal 的關聯性。這相比起只描述聽過某個 online lecture 或看過某本人權法書籍,更能令大學面試官留下深刻印象。
“ Attending a lecture on human rights law, I learnt about the government's policy of creating a hostile environment for illegal immigrants and the reduced rights they may suffer, such as not having the right to vote. I also became aware of the circumstances where deportation may be challenged, for example, having a child or being a refugee. This encouraged me to apply this information to current events such as the ‘Windrush’ scandal. The hostile environment led them to be stripped of their privileges of being a UK citizen, leading to wrongful deportation. From this, I aspire to continue the study of human rights law at university. “
要提升入讀牛津、劍橋及其他英國G5大學的機會,Knowledge Building非常重要。透過Ascent Prep的Knowledge Building,學生將獲得牛津、劍橋及G5大學等的思維模式訓練,增加成功入讀牛津、劍橋及其他英國G5大學的機會。
Ascent Prep 可提供針對任何大學學科的 Knowledge Building 課程,熱門選擇如醫科、法律系、工程學、數學系等等,適合 Year 10 或 中四及以上程度的學生修讀,如有興趣了解更多資訊,可向 Ascent Prep 顧問查詢。
延伸閱讀:
Related Articles & Topics
Non-JUPAS Admission Guide to HKU and CUHK Medical Schools
Mock UCAT & Interview Exams Workshop
Second Round Non-Jupas Application: How to write a Personal Statement that works for UCAS & Non-Jupas?
Ready to Hear Success Stories? See Why Ascent Prep is a Student Favourite!
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.