Overseas admission success: what schools and curricula work best?

The IB Diploma is the most “international” of curricula. Some international schools with strong or direct links with a particular country may offer the curriculum of the “mother” country – often alongside the IB – with the expectation that many of their students will return there for their higher education. But which curricula work best?

These curricula differ in terms of the subjects offered, the breadth of study demanded and in terms of methods of assessment. Many national systems and the IB Diploma expect students to continue to study a broad range of subject areas in their senior years. The GCE A-level system, however, allows greater specialization in three or four subjects. This reflects the greater specialization at undergraduate level for a three-year rather than a four-year degree.

In reviewing a student’s academic profile, universities will look at the following: the grades the student has achieved, or is predicted to achieve; the qualification or programme studied; and the rigor of the chosen programme.

Admissions officers will be more familiar with the domestic curriculum of that particular country but will claim that they look at each student in their unique context. Their ability to do the latter will vary by country, institution and even individual.

International schools are not guaranteed to give students an edge over local schools in applying to overseas universities. Some local schools actually have what is effectively an “international” stream, where some students study the IB Diploma rather than the HKDSE. Most international schools have higher education counsellors whose function is to advise and support students in their overseas university ambitions.

Your choice of school and curriculum should be the same as your choice of college or university: that is, not one based on perceived advantages in terms of advancement but on intrinsic value. Ask the question: “Is this a place where my child will thrive?” and you will have your answer.

For more details, visit the website www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2166592/overseas-admission-success-what-schools-and-curricula-work