I am in HK. Hope my application experience is helpful to you

lovelyxiziUID: 2179569

Hi guys, I want to tell you about some of my personal experience concerning application, interview, etc…since I am currently in HK, I think some of my information maybe of help to you. Sorry for typing in Eng as it is difficult to type in simplified Chinese in campus.

I am from mainland as all of you, but have my undergraduate study in a university in HK with scholarship. I started to contact some professors in Nov, 2005, which was quite early for application. Form my view, “Tao Ci” is very IMPORTANT for a successful application as Most of the professors will make up their mind before the general deadline.

First, You should write the e-mail specifically to the chosen professor, at least you should mention some academic-related issues and identify your special interest in one of his/her research project. This will give the professor an impression that you have indeed read some paper of his/her work and you are really interested.

Secondly, send the CV as the attachment with the e-mail, they will definitely read it if they are interested in you. For an undergraduate student, the GPA is the most important thing since it is unlikely we will have some publications. At least this is true for me, as they both said my CV is impressive with regard to the grade (cumulative GPA: 3.80, top 1) . So highlight your grade to get their attention. List all the academic awards you have won in university. Try to focus on the academic performance but not extracurricular activities, this is especially true for faculty of science.

I wrote the e-mail following these rules, and I have got positive response from 8/15 professors I have contacted. As I am in HK, I choose to meet them in person for 6 of them. In the interview, different professors will focus on different issues, so it is quite hard to prepare for the interview.

To generalize, you do not have to have a very deep understanding of their research project, but you should have a general idea of the relevant theories lying behind, especially what they assume you should have learnt from coursework. They will ask you some questions like your current project, but it really dose not matter whether it is related to your proposed field of study.

Some of them will focus on your personality or previous experience, so you should prepare to make an introduction of yourself. Only tell the truth is the rule of thumb. Some of them will ask you to ask questions, so you have to prepare to ask, like the ongoing projects, lab organization, etc. this is very important as you will get the updated information (info from web are always out of date). Some of them prefer to talk in english, even they are from mainland, so try to prepare the interview in eng.

From my experience, the most important criteria thy set is your MOTIVATION to do research and your attitude towards research, of course you should also have a good academic background. Even you are not familiar with the techniques in his lab, if you are highly motivated and interested, they will consider your application. Also they prefer hardworking students rather than gifted ones, so try to proof yourself to be a diligent student. The are also concern about your career goal, to be a professor or at least a researcher is their expected answer.

Other tips I can give to you are:
1.        if possible, try to contact the professors from mainland first. Most of them will response positively to you if you are qualified since we are both from mainland, anyway, it is a natural closer feeling. The local professors may speak very politely, but it means nothing. You will never know what they are really thinking about.
2.        try to prepare some works you have done so once asked, you can show them to the professor. I have shown them the powerpoint of presentation of my work as student research assistant, it really works.
3.        it does not matter whether or not your current supervisor has a relationship with the professor you contacted. None of the professors determined to meet me and accept me know my supervisor. Your own background determine their decision.
4.        do not be too concern about your university ranking or reputation, most of them do not really care which uni you graduate (but someone does). I just come from a very common uni in HK, it is the ranking in your class that really counts.
5.        grasp any chance been given. I have contacted a professor in HKU, although he did not have opening quota to take me, he was impressed by my CV and forwarded it to a professor in CUHK, who got in touch with me later and decided to recruit me. I have also contacted a professor in another department in CUHK through recommendation from a gentleman I met on the train.

I have to admit it is rather a painful process to read papers, write e-mails and make appointments with professors, but my work does pay off. Till now 2 professors in CUHK and 1 in HKUST have promised orally to recruit me as Mphil/ Ph.D student in their lab. You should note that the professor has the right to determine whether to have you or not, so once he has determined, the official offer is only a matter of time. Never give up when they have no response after sending the e-mail. Some may busy attending conference and will reply to you later. Try to contact proper number of professors with emphasis. Do not be dejected when being rejected; have the confidence that there must be someone appreciate you if it is not the professor declining you.

I hope my experience may help your application to some extent. If you have any questions in application or study, life in HK, please feel free to contact me.

luozhi19UID: 2146129

还没看,但肯定LZ是个热心肠,支持先.

toffeeteaUID: 201778

every one has his fate……火车上都可以……强！

赤霄UID: 2104794

好文

收藏

建议加精

Joyce111UID: 2102820

好文
即便第一次陶瓷失败，还是决定春节后再试一下。

蓝海海UID: 2155570

好贴

不过觉得楼主过分强调陶瓷了

而且楼主是理科，应该和文科的情况有所不同

cg1026UID: 13538

thank you for sharing
very helpful~~~

理由UID: 2104374

谢谢，很详细！

wendyyueUID: 2118679

确实是很受启发

3英里UID: 2144576

Thank you for sharing,and good luck!:)

kingkon4713UID: 2179804

beck0729UID: 177247

多谢楼主，好文章

lovelyxiziUID: 2179569

个人认为套磁还是很重要的，因为一旦套上了， 会提供给你很多有用的信息。比如，第一，quota availability. 如果你辛辛苦苦的写了RP or statment of research interest, 而实际上你中意的老师今年不招生的话，付出的辛苦就付之东流了。套一下即使他告诉你今年不招学生，你也就不用再在他身上花力气了。第二，就像我说过的，和老师直接谈他会告诉你他们现在的研究项目，有的是网上没有，最近才开始的，而网上有的可能现在反而不做了。所以通过交谈可以提高你写RP的specificity. 第三，节省真正申请时的精力。因为在正式提交申请表格前我就已经大概知道哪个老师会要我，哪个老师已经把我拒了，我就更可以把主要精力放在最有希望的dept/uni, 而明确拒我的我就根本不会申请了。第四，就算有的老师真是因为quota问题不能要你，他觉得你的条件很好的话，会帮你推荐给其他老师的。就我而言，有两个老师都是这样做的，而且有一个推荐的老师我也很满意，说明这个现象有一定普遍性，而不是我套的那个professor恰好人很nice.因为这些prof帮你推荐的往往是他的合作伙伴或者好朋友，所以得到positive response的机会要远远大于你自己去套，这样等于你发动老师帮你一起找老师，不是很efficient?
当然我的经历肯定是biased by personal judgement, 但的确可以说明套磁的重要性。套磁相对于写RP的投入还是小一些，所以绝对是worthy doing.

hongbopanUID: 175751

so nice
            & terrific