The secret of elite university admissions
In collaboration with Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions
If your child is in the process of applying for universities – specifically, elite universities – then Hubert Ho and Tina Wu are the experts to consult with.
With experience in the youth-related education field for more than 15 years, Ho pursued his undergraduate degree and master’s degree in Sydney. Five years later, upon returning to Hong Kong, he focused on youth development projects and research on youth policies, and was eventually appointed as the youth policy expert as part of the election campaign for a LEGCO member in 2012.
Wu, meanwhile, is a seasoned admissions counsellor who helps students get offers from elite schools, including Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, New York University, Imperial College London, University College London and more. Before her current career path in admissions, she worked in the banking industry for over 10 years.
As pioneers in admission counselling, Ho and Wu’s dual-counselling pairing approach has helped countless students identify their personality traits and career interests, thus paving their way to success.
Ho and Wu’s secret is in their philosophy – that is, to break through the past and keep changing. What this means is that in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive world, what has worked in the past is not relevant anymore. That is true in the education industry, too.
“While Hong Kong counsellors have a track record of getting students into top universities in the US and the UK, they often overlook the complexity and skill sets required to do so,” says Ho. “We, instead, look at a student profile as a story to tell, a path to transcend as well as a dream to achieve. A stellar student profile is like any great story – there is a clear theme, character development and climax.”
Ho continues to explain that elite universities look for three main indicators – academic index, extra-curricular achievements and personality – when looking at student profiles. Together with Wu, the pair have built a unique method to coach students to achieve all three aspects.
“First, we evaluate students’ “true” strengths and weaknesses based on probing conversations, personality tests and career inventory tools. After comparing these results with students’ school reports and resumes, we reshape our students’ profiles for elite university admissions.” The journey takes about two to three years, “with measurable milestones in-between”.
The work doesn’t just end with the student – Ho and Wu also reach out to the parents to find the right-fit colleges. Engaging the whole family, they help create a “theme” for the student and transform their profile into one that is engaging and personal for the admissions committee.
When asked what distinguishes a good student profile from an outstanding one, Ho answers confidently – “artificiality”.
“Admissions officers at top schools read thousands of applications each cycle; therefore, they are experts in sniffing out artificial profiles, which students and parents try to craft for university admissions,” he explains. “An outstanding profile is one that shows genuine and authentic motivation and doesn’t leave “traces” that students are merely doing this for applications.”
Contrary to other counsellors, Ho and Wu are the first in Hong Kong to talk about future trends and how the old way of admissions counselling is outdated. They are also more than ready to bring innovation to the industry.
“Both Hubert and I are dreamers – we set ambitious goals that motivate us to innovate and try harder when we come into work every day,” says Wu. “This is also why we can resonate with our students who love to challenge themselves and apply to top schools.”
Looking forward, the pair will continue to use their own methodology to help students achieve their educational goals and get into their dream universities.
“Stay tuned for how we will innovate the industry in the near future,” finishes Ho.
For more information, visit the website kaplan.com.hk/ktpa or email Hubert at Hubert.Ho@kaplan.com and Tina at Tina.Wu@kaplan.com
