Job Discussion Forums

[southerngirl]

For Hong Students aspiring to attend American universities what options
are available for SAT exam preparation?

[Yes Sir I Can Bogey]

You seem to have a mistaken idea as to HK and the students. Very few HK students would be allowed to go abroad for their university education (their parents would not allow it). Very few of the local students I have taught at universities in HK were even permitted to live in student accommodation, which is now pretty much exclusively for exchange students and, increasingly, students from the Mainland. Undergraduate students in HK � for the most part � are just kids. I have even seen a first year undergraduate student being walked up to the university entrance gates by their mummy.

Also, it costs a fair bit of money to go overseas for three or four years and very few locals would able to afford to go to a university abroad. If they could then they would either already be overseas at a boarding school (or whatever), or would have gone through the international school system in HK, meaning that they would have either completed the international version of the British A level, or, more likely, the IBD. Either way, SAT is simply not relevant to them, hence no one replying to this thread. This is HK; not Americanised South Korea.

Besides, very few locals 'aspire' to go to an American university. British universities seem to be the preferred choice, understandably, followed I think by universities in Australia and NZ. Indeed, outside of MIT, Harvard and a few other institutions, the term 'American university' would be regarded as something of an oxymoron by many locals.

[texasisthereason]

[texasisthereason]

sorry---here's the link---for univerisities
http://www.topuniversities.com/worlduniversityrankings/results/2007/overall_rankings/top_100_universities/

[Yes Sir I Can Bogey]

Again, as stated above, very, very few locals can afford to send their kids abroad. If they could then, typically, they would either already be abroad at a boarding school (many people in HK have an educational allowance specifically for this) and so SAT preparation in HK is not relevant, or they would be in the international school circuit in HK, which essentially means that � unless they have attended the American International School � they would have completed A levels or, as is now more commonly the case, the IBD. Either way, again, SAT preparation in Hong Kong is simply not germane, which I guess is most likely the reason why no one responded to this thread before.

You can throw terms like "dunce" around if you like, that is, if it makes you feel like a big, strong man, but it only reflects badly on you and the country from which you stem, about which you are clearly insecure.

As for the number of US universities that are on the 'top 100' list, so what? You seem to think you are dealing with normal, rational beings, but you are not. It wouldn't matter one iota whether 101 US unis were on the 'top 100' uni list. HK is the place where women really seem to think that rubbing a magic cream on their chest will make it grow larger. This is the place where professors with three degrees in the hard sciences really seem to think that pressing the button for the lift will make it come faster, and that once in the lift the button for their desired floor needs to be repeatedly pressed lest the ghost in the machine 'forgets' to stop at that floor. This is the place where people boil vinegar in the communal landing if there is talk of a virus. This is the place where people take food and drink to graves so their ancestors can have a feast. This is the place where people burn 'Hell Money' so the same dead ancestors have money to spend in the afterlife. This is the place where people put up umbrellas even when it is not raining. This is the place where people get out of the swimming pool if it begins to rain. This is the place where, immediately prior to the Handover of 1997, con artists were able to make an absolute killing going around selling 'universal passports' to members of the HK Chinese middle class, claiming it would allow them to enter and reside in any country in the world they wanted.

So, I wish you luck with your logical thinking and quoting of 'top lists' from the Internet.

[Yes Sir I Can Bogey]

[texasisthereason]

bogey--when you make a statement such as "American universities are an oxymoron" and then I send you a link to prove otherwise---it does make you a bit of a 'dunce'. You obviously have a bit of venom for America(ns). It's OK mate---keep it up. And yes------by having that many universities in the top 100 does make your stance on our educational system run a bit thin.

You never responded to my argument that you didn't understand logic.

You also have zero information to back up your statements as fact.

AND the mods are sniffing you out.

How is N. Africa treating you now?

[kevinsays]

well, I have to disagree with you on this one texasisthereason. he stated that american universities were an oxymoron to locals. i don't believe he is stating that himself. so the argument lies in whether hk'ers and their parents think that american universities are terrible.

it's interesting because seoul has an american culture because of americas involvement with their history and hk has a british culture due to british involvement in hk history, but i think bogey needs to have a disclaimer stating that his information is based on his experience of hk and thus are generalizations based on what he's seen.

while many around the world don't look at the US the same as they did before Bush, I have yet to get the opinion from any hong konger that if they could go(whether for money or family reasons) to the USA to work or live that they would decide not to go. Additionally, I have not heard of any hk'er choosing the UK over America for university. i do agree that hk'ers will have a harder time getting a visa from the US than they would from the UK.

Bogey, you seem to paint a horrible picture of HK? any specific reasons as to why you're still there?

fyi - my relatives are all from hk/southern china provinces. i was born and raised in america.

[texasisthereason]

[Pelican_Wrath]

[texasisthereason]

[Marcoregano]

Of course Texas is right - it is inflammatory nonsense to suggest that HKers don't know that the US has good universities. They tend to prefer UK or Oz unis for historical or cost-related reasons.

[southerngirl]

Indeed,Texas you are correct.

Pelican, Texas is correct in her observation that bogey boy spends large blocks of his free time denigrating not only Hong Kong;but teachers from the USA, as well.

I have to disagree with his claim that the SAT is irrelevant to Hong Kong students. Granted, not "EVERYONE" from HK can go and study abroad and American universities are not considered oxymorons - during my undergraduate time (4 years), I met about 100 students from Hong Kong. And I know for certain that HK students were attending many other excellent American universities at that time. They would NEVER HAVE BEEN granted admission without an excellent SAT score.

Due to all the poison being spewed on the HK board about Americans and US universities, I've been asking many questions as to the accuracy of bogey boys claims.

My HK native friend in Seoul who works for the UN says that American accents are becoming more desirable and that upper middle class professional parents are willing to pay for effective SAT preparation.

Again, as Bob Dylan sings "the times, they are a' changin'.

Speaking of change, South Korea is not as "Americanised" as bogey boy seems to think (has he ever been here?). At the time of my arrival, the preference was most definitely for a North American accent. However, for the last several years, the British Council Kindergarten has had a 6 month to 1 year waiting list for admission. Thus, many Korean parents -especially from the nicer neighborhoods in Seoul and Busan - like the idea of their kids sounding like Colin Firth (he's very popular here) or Princess Diana (God rest her soul)

Hey, like Oprah Winfrey, I could listen to Sir Anthony Hopkins read the "YELLOW PAGES" phone book.

Kevinsays, you made an excellent point when you pointed to the historical involvements between South Korea/America and Britain/Hong Kong. Such is,indeed, the case from a historical perspective. However, both locations are "opening up" their eyes. The students will be better off for it.

And, I have never met an American who would turn down the chance to go to Oxford or Cambridge were they afforded that opportunity

[Travelista]

The College Board, which actually authors the SAT exam, offers both an online prep course as well as a SAT guide book both of which would be good resources. Im not sure if Hong Kong has the same internet restrictions as the mainland but I cant imagine them blocking the college board. Their "Test Preparation Center has links to the online course, the book, as well as test questions and study guides. Here's the URL http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/prep_one/prep_one.html