Question : What are the best graduate school programs available in Hong Kong?
Answer from Anne Murphy, expert in Schools
The three high school programmes that are delivered at international schools in Hong Kong are:
(1) The International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB DIP)
In Hong Kong, the majority of international schools offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP), a challenging two-year curriculum, principally aimed at students aged 16-19. It leads to a qualification that is acknowledged by the world’s leading schools.
(2) As and A Levels
The traditional qualifications offered by British curriculum schools for 16-19-year-olds are the As and A Levels. The A-level course is a two-year program with pupils usually studying four to five subjects in Year 12 at AS-level and three to four subjects in Year 13 at A-level. They are highly considered by colleges, as well as employers.
AS levels can be used as a stand-alone qualification, or as the first part of an A level course. Schools follow a mixture of different examination boards (AQA, CIE and Edexcel) for different subject courses.
Some students take four subjects in Year 12. After AS level exams, they drop one subject and continue the other three through Year 13 to complete A levels.
The subjects a student studies for A/AS level can help shape their future, so their choices are important. Students don’t necessarily have to choose between maths/sciences or English/humanities – it’s fine to mix them. However, if a student is already focused on a particular career, this is a chance to start to specialise.
The majority of students with A-level exams aim to enter UK universities, but opportunities are available to prepare for applications to American universities by completing the SAT Exam.
(3) Advanced Placement (AP)
Advanced Placement program is managed by the US College Board – the same U.S. based examination board that administers the SAT. The AP programme is designed for secondary school students in grades 11 and 12 who wish to undertake studies more severe than secondary school syllabuses, offers more than 30 university-level subject examinations.
The AP programme has several AP awards to recognize exceptional performance by AP students. These include AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, as well as AP Scholar with Distinction.
