Yisi Boluo Overseas Study Student Shares: From an independent institution to KCL, She Did These Four Things Right!

Date：2023-08-09   Author：admin

Student Zhou

Institution Background: Chengdu Jincheng College

Professional Background: Accounting major

Standardized test scores: Average score 87, IELTS 6.0 (5.5)

Admitted institution: King's College London

Admitted major: Master of Global Affairs

01. Regarding the choice: Heartbroken at a Hong Kong university, fulfilling the dream of going to the UK

In fact, I have had two application seasons in total. After a year of heartbreak at a Hong Kong school, I resolutely switched to the UK. At that time, due to the pandemic, my family hoped that I would go to Hong Kong, so I only applied to a Hong Kong university. That year, the competition among Hong Kong universities was beyond imagination. For students from non-prestigious universities without many years of work experience, it was simply a huge challenge. Moreover, the processing speed of Hong Kong universities is well-known to be slow, and the waiting process is particularly exhausting. Even rejection letters have to wait for five or six months.

Therefore, after a gap year, I chose to apply to the UK. Most master's programs in the UK last for one year, which can save me both time and cost. Moreover, compared with Hong Kong, there are many schools in the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings in the UK, providing a wide range of choices. Then there is the proximity to Europe. During the vacation, you can also take a look around and experience different cultures.

Xiao E said

Due to the large number of applicants to Hong Kong schools in recent years, the entry requirements have also risen. If students for the 2024 fall intake do not want to end up with nothing, in addition to improving their own conditions, they can also consider applying jointly to multiple places to increase their chances of being admitted. Do not pin all your hopes on the highly competitive Hong Kong schools. Apart from Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Australia are also very good choices. The application process and materials are similar. Both belong to the Commonwealth education system. The application difficulty is lower than that in Hong Kong. There are many top-ranked institutions, making it very suitable as a regional choice for joint applications. If your budget is limited or you want to study nearby, you can also consider applying jointly from Macao, China, Hong Kong, China and Singapore.

02. Regarding school selection: At least one school and one major must be guaranteed

When determining the positioning of a school, a direct reference is the situation of the previous batch of seniors. You can learn in detail about their school selection plans, application results and final success rates. At that time, I consulted many previous students from our school who had gone to the UK, and I had a general psychological expectation of the schools I could apply to. However, the application requirements may change every year. Before deciding on a school, be sure to reconfirm with your planning teacher.

When it comes to choosing a school, my own thought is: It's better if you can match your major. If you can't balance both, then try your best to get into a good school. After all, you have to ensure that either the school or the major is good.

Although I majored in accounting as an undergraduate, my master's application scope covers multiple programs in business and humanities and social sciences. This is actually a school selection strategy. For the schools at the front, I aim for rankings, so I chose some relatively easy-to-apply majors. For the schools at the back, I applied for some popular business-related majors to ensure their quality. Because the bar of business schools in top-ranked schools is very high, it is difficult for students from non-prestigious universities to get in. In contrast, the competition for general business or social science majors under other schools is relatively less intense. Besides, although some programs are indeed friendly to cross-disciplinary applications, it is still not recommended that you blindly change your major. It is better to choose a school based on your own major, internship experience, etc., and not go too far.

Xiao E said

Choosing a school or a major is an eternal conundrum and a problem that most international students struggle with. Due to background restrictions, it is difficult for students from non-prestigious universities to have access to both high-ranked schools and popular majors. Therefore, they can make appropriate choices between the two. For students from non-prestigious universities, if the purpose of studying abroad is to pass the resume screening of domestic big companies with high-ranked schools or to meet the requirements of civil servants, public institutions, and state-owned enterprises, they can give up their major and maximize their own interests by choosing top-ranked institutions. If you are studying abroad to pursue the field you are interested in or for further research, please follow your heart!

03. Regarding the application: Proceed step by step and move towards the goal

The background of an independent college is a major shortcoming in my application. To enhance my overall competitiveness, I have to make efforts in other aspects. British universities are well-known for their "average score control", and the higher the average score, the better. When I applied, my score was around 87, which can be regarded as one of my application advantages. In addition, I have six internship experiences. Among them, four are related to business, and the other two were in government agencies. Therefore, the application documents for the two directions I set are also very relevant to the professional direction. The key point to note is that the application time is really important! At that time, I was in a rush for the first round of applications. At that time, there were still plenty of admission places available, the competition was relatively less intense, and I could get the admission result more quickly. So if everyone is ready, it is recommended that you submit your application as soon as it opens.

During the application process, a reliable agency that can stand by your side is also very important. The first person I met at Yisi Boluo was the beautiful and kind-hearted teacher Zeng. Not only did I have a good impression of her from the very beginning, but our subsequent communication has also been very pleasant. The planning teacher, Mr. Bie, and the document teacher, Mr. Xu, whom I came into contact with later, were also very patient and professional. As I had set two major directions at that time, there was still a considerable challenge in the writing of the application documents. However, Teacher Xu was very good at digging out application document materials. She understood the key points of each school's major and, after multiple communications and revisions, the application documents were very closely related to my own experiences. Compared with templation-based application documents, they added a lot of points to my application.

In addition, the two business industry analysis courses I attended at Yisi Boluo have provided me with a lot of inspiration and assistance in career planning. The teachers are all very professional. They not only explain in detail the employment directions and development paths of finance, accounting and marketing, but also share the interview processes and skills for different positions. Teachers will also be very considerate and offer corresponding suggestions based on each student's resume. There are also mock group interviews and even opportunities for internal referrals. If there is such a course in the future, I still highly recommend that everyone take it. It never does any harm to learn more about job-hunting information and the market.

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Thank you, Yisi Boluo, for your company, witnessing my growth, understanding my anxiety, and sharing my joy. Not only did I receive an offer from my dream school, but I also deepened my understanding of my major and industry. More importantly, I made steady progress towards my goal and the joy of achieving success in the end, which made me realize the value of growth.

Xiao E said

Behind every case of a "double non" making a comeback, it is not an overnight leap but rather a need to set clear goals and maximize one's own strength. For students from non-prestigious universities, the average score is undoubtedly very important. Especially if they want to aim for top-ranked institutions, they must at least raise their average score to 85 to have a chance. When the background of the institution and academic performance are already set, one can only start from the soft power aspect and enrich one's internship experience as much as possible. Although it cannot fully make up for the deficiency of background and academic performance, it can still have a finishing touch effect. Also, the bonus of the application documents should not be overlooked. For instance, KCL attaches great importance to the content of the applicants' application documents. A professional and targeted application document will also make you stand out. It is also necessary to remind students that currently, many schools in various regions follow a first-come, first-served application system. If your background is not particularly outstanding, you must start preparing early to seize the time advantage.

04. Regarding mindset: Try to do well what you can

Before applying for study in the UK, I took a gap year. During that year, I was also extremely anxious due to mental exhaustion, but I never regretted it. Everyone will have their own pressures and troubles at any stage, but it is very important to learn to value one's own feelings. Taking a break might give one more strength. gap is not as terrifying as you think. In fact, you have more time to do what you want to do. Everyone has a different definition of a gap year. If you want to "compete", you can go for an internship at work. In this way, when you return to China to look for a job, you will have a longer period of work experience than your peers. Or you can do whatever you like or want to do. In short, a good attitude is very important.

I think it's half luck and half hard work that can make my dream come true at KCL. To some extent, applying for study abroad is also a kind of mysticism. We can't fully control the outcome. So, just try to do well the things you can, such as improving your average score and language proficiency, and enriching your internship experience, etc.

At no time should you belittle yourself. Don't feel dim just because others shine. Everyone has their own shining points. Even students from non-prestigious universities deserve to attend prestigious schools. I hope everyone can focus on themselves, eat and drink as usual, and get the offer they want during the application season!

Xiao E said

In recent years, the difficulty of applying for study abroad has visibly risen, especially for the top universities, which are even more challenging. As a result, many students have fallen into anxiety. In the face of this situation, everyone should keep a calm mind, because we cannot predict future changes. Only by stabilizing ourselves, making reasonable plans, and doing the things that can be seen and grasped to the best of our ability can we better deal with various situations!

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