The outsiders
Last week, I wrote in this column that, even though Ivy League and the new 'Ivy' universities such as Stanford, Chicago, MIT and Caltech are among the preferred choices for Hong Kong students, and the best in the US, local students shouldn't disregard other less well-known institutions when choosing to study abroad. I had no intention to degrade Ivy League institutions, but was merely stating the fact that it would be doubly hard to get into a university with a very good reputation.
Local writer Heung Shu-fai recently commented in his column that getting into the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles, would be tantamount to mission impossible. He pointed out that even scoring a perfect grade point average of four wouldn't necessarily guarantee a place, which was the case for the two sons of a friend of his.
UC Berkeley, UCLA and eight other prestigious state universities in California are the top choices among Hong Kong students. But, according to 'America's Best Colleges 2010: National Universities' by US News & World Report, UC Berkeley is ranked 21st and UCLA 24th, which fell far behind my choices. Washington University in St Louis is at 12th, Rice University, Vanderbilt University and Emory University, are all joint 17th, and my own favourite, University of Notre Dame, is 20th.
One should always take a strategic approach when choosing overseas universities. Instead of going for the best known and everyone's favourites, one would do well to consider the less well-known private institutions, many of which have high academic quality. And the fact that they are not as well known in Hong Kong means there is less competition here for places.
Speaking of less obvious choices, Carnegie Mellon University, which is ranked at 22nd, and Georgetown University (23rd) are excellent alternatives. Georgetown University is the alma mater of many respected US and foreign political figures including former US president Bill Clinton.
I honestly believe it's a waste of time for Hong Kong students to try to fight their way into any top American state universities such as UC Berkeley and UCLA. Having good grades is not the ultimate answer. State-owned universities are publicly funded; therefore, they need to give priority to students within the state. Not only are admission requirements much tougher for outsiders, including those from other states, overseas students also have to pay extra.
As for those who insist on state universities, community colleges are the best short cut. After having studied at a community college for two years and received full credits, students can easily get transferred to a state university.
There are some lesser-known reasons to explain why the University of California, which comprises 10 campuses, five medical centres, three national laboratories and scores of other institutions, is somehow forced to cold-shoulder overseas students. It is bound, in its own words, to establish 'a student body that both meets the university's high academic standards and encompasses the cultural, racial, geographic, economic and social diversity of California itself'.
When it comes to admission requirements, many prestigious American universities will consider more than just academic achievements. An overall profile of the student is often the deciding factor. Athletic students always have an advantage because many famous universities offer sports scholarships. A balanced racial mix and the international factor also affect admission quotas.
All universities under the California state system have to give priority to local students; therefore more than 90 per cent of students from both UC Berkeley and UCLA are from within the state, with only 3 per cent from overseas. Both campuses have about 25,000 students, of which Asians and Caucasians each make up about 40 per cent, Hispanics about 14 per cent, and African Americans, 4 per cent.
Albert Cheng King-hon is a political commentator
