High achievers revel in campus life
Ginny Ng Tsz-ying received her local university education through the Early Admissions Scheme (EAS) with six distinctions and four credits in the HKCEE in 2003.
Ms Ng is studying a five-year double-degree course in bachelor of business administration (law) and bachelor of law at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). She was awarded her first business degree with first class honours and is now continuing her law studies.
'When I learned of the EAS in Secondary Four, I worked hard on my studies to do better in the HKCEE,' said Ms Ng, a graduate of Diocesan Girls' School.
'After I joined the EAS, I could learn more from different activities, not just from textbooks. I needed to focus not only on public examinations. It is beneficial to my learning experience,' she said.
She chose to study at HKU believing it would give her wider exposure. She said she would come across different local and overseas students in the campus. 'HKU also guarantees good exchange programmes for EAS students,' she said.
She also joined the bridging programme organised by the three EAS-participating universities, HKU, the Chinese University and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. The programme professor teaches university fundamental English, mathematics and general education. Ms Ng said it allowed EAS students to meet and adapt to university life earlier.
She said Form Six EAS students should choose their subjects according to their personality.
Another EAS student, Bosco Leung Lap-kiu, 19, from Chinese University also successfully adapted his campus life, saying that the first year allowed him to join many activities, enriching his learning. The second year quantitative finance student scored six As in HKCEE in 2005. He joined the EAS last year.
He said EAS students could try different extra-curricular activities in the first year, while devoting more time to studies in the following three years.
'I support EAS, as a university can allow students to meet more people and sharpen their learning and working skills, it is better than taking a public examination,' he said.
Striving to maintain the best standards, EAS not only recruits top local students, but those from around the world provided they meet the required standards.
Philip Li Hei, 18, was admitted by the University of Hong Kong (HKU) through the EAS last year.
This programme mainly recruits students with outstanding results in General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), one of the four stipulated examinations under the Commonwealth education system. Mr Li scored 10 As in 2005. A year later he was admitted to the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery course at HKU.The Hong Kong-born second year student lived in Kent, England, with his family for 14 years.
Mr Li missed Hong Kong. He described the courses here as more intensive and the peer pressure greater than in England, but he enjoyed studying in this environment. HKU provided students many opportunities to explore in different perspectives, he added.
At first he thought he might have less exposure to university life but now he is fascinated by the array of campus activities and variety of sports.
