University hopefuls must go beyond exam scores
Dou Wenyu says that, increasingly, university applicants must go beyond exam scores and learn to distinguish themselves in interviews by demonstrating critical thinking
The "3+3+4" education reform (three years of junior secondary, three years of senior secondary and four years at university) has undoubtedly been the most talked-about issue related to the "two-track" academic year.
It is plain to me and my colleagues that students are mainly worried about their academic results when it comes time to apply to university, sparked in large part by their frustration at the lack of clarity in admissions requirements.
Many who have taken the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education examination believe that their results are their only bargaining chips at application time.
Although they might know that colleges are looking for all-rounders, the process, from their perspective, remains largely unchanged. What they do not understand is that the admissions requirements have become more comprehensive for the four-year degree curriculum.
Whole-person development is our main criterion at the College of Business, where our key graduate degree is the Bachelor of Business Administration.
This comprehensive approach has enabled us to look not only at students' academic results, but also at their attitudes towards education and their spontaneity, through interviews.
During our large-scale interviews held early last month, we met more than 10,000 students over the course of eight days. We found the "human touch" and face-to-face approach yields the most promising candidates and, eventually, we believe, the best industry professionals.