On March 29, 2024, as the spring season blossomed, SHBS welcomed admissions officers
from Downing College, Cambridge University, to embark on a journey of academic and career exploration. This seminar aimed to provide insights into Cambridge University's college system, application process, admission criteria, and to address various questions related to the application process, offering students a valuable opportunity to understand the admission process of top universities. Both students and parents eagerly participated in this seminar.
Downing College is an official college of Cambridge University, founded by Sir George in 1800. It
currently has approximately 450 students, with around 120 new students joining each year.
College System and Application Process
Admissions officers first provided students with a detailed introduction to the history and college system of Cambridge University. The college systemat Cambridge University provides students with accommodation, dining, tutoring, and other services.Additionally, each college is responsible for undergraduate admissions. Through vivid examples and detailed explanations, admissions officers helped students gain a clearer understanding of how to choose the right college and course based on their individual circumstances.
Career Planning and Practical Experience
Regarding career planning, admissions officers emphasized how students should choose majors and career paths based on their interests, personalities, and strengths. Byintroducing the practical opportunities and international programs provided by CambridgeUniversity, admissions officers encouraged students to actively participate in order to enrich their academic and practical experiences.
Q&A Session
During the seminar, admissions officers provided detailed answers to questions that students were concerned about, including how to prepare personalstatements, write recommendation letters, and prepare for interviews. Especially in interview preparation, admissions officers shared valuable experiences and advice from previous applicants, helping students better understand what interviewers focus on and how to better present themselves. The admissions officer mentioned that Cambridge doesn't show favoritism towards any particular curriculum system. Each curriculum has its corresponding evaluation criteria, aiming for fair assessment of qualifications and considering a broader educational background. Following the seminar, there was a face to face discussion sessionbetween admissions officers, students, and parents. In this seminar, parents and students not only clarified their doubts but also gained a better understanding of the summer school schedule and significance.
Through this seminar, students not only gained a deeper understanding of Cambridge University but, more importantly, they also gained clearer goals for their academic and career planning. Next, the school will welcome more industry experts and alumni to share their insights, helping students to understand and prepare for their future from multiple perspective. Let us look forward together and strive for even greater achievements for SHBSstudents in their future academic journey. This semester, our school's college counseling department has invited universities such as Nanyang Technological Univeristy, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and University of California, Merced, to conduct college counseling seminars at our school. Moving forward, the college counseling department wil continue to bring more university information sessions to SHBS students.
