University Admission Consultation and Test Preparation

Max knew from an early age that he wanted to work in the medical field. However, he had always wondered which discipline he wanted to study. To explore further, Max chose to try out job shadowing for both medicine and dentistry. Through job shadowing, Max realized that the workday of a doctor did not suit him well, whereas the active and interactive workflow of a dentist appealed to him much more. It was invaluable job shadowing experiences that ultimately helped Max come to a conclusion on what to study.

After deciding that dentistry was the way to go for Max, he had to make another tough decision: where to study. For Max the choice was between the UK and the US. The main concern with studying in the US was the overall time frame: overall, the process for the US takes longer. Meanwhile, Max felt it would be easier to return to Hong Kong after having studied in the UK.

After that, in order to decide which university to choose in the UK, he made spreadsheets comparing academic and critical requirements for each possible school. Max identified the schools that would accept substituting his AP Bio, which was not the top grade, with his SAT Bio score, and used this information to deduce the schools that were most likely to call him in for an interview. This helped Max find the best fit for him, and he got an interview with most of the dental schools he applied for!

Narrowing down the possible universities was not easy, but having done so, Max was able to focus more specifically on the application. The most challenging aspect of that process was the UCAT, but Max found two really useful ways to prepare: preparation practice through CANA, and the online platform Medify, which helped Max to study on his own. The two complimented each other really well.

Through hard work, perseverance, and shrewd planning, Max overcame many of the challenges that present themselves and got accepted to several UK Dental schools.

Consultants in Cana gave me valuable advice on my UCAS application, especially on my personal statement planning. As LSE focuses much on the quality of the personal statement, it took me long to plan and write it. During the process, Joyce provided much help in structuring my PS and ensured the logical flow of ideas. She also introduced me to many new economic concepts I have not encountered before which enriched my economic knowledge. I was also given mock interview practices, admission test practices for my Oxbridge application. Words can’t describe my how thankful I am for their accompaniment throughout the application. Thank you very much!

Cana's team was extremely helpful throughout the application process. In two months, they went through my many personal statement drafts, marked my LNAT practice essays and prepared me well for my interviews. My tutors, graduates from Cambridge, guided me to explore different areas of law in Skype sessions. They explained fundamental legal concepts to me and provided material for further reading. They also kept challenging my answers to push me to my limits. My actual interviews were conducted in a similar academic style, and I could apply the skills I previously honed. Thank you very much, Cana!

Admissions coaching at CANA helped tremendously in preparing me for the real interviews by providing insights into the interview and admissions process. In mock interviews, I was asked to navigate complex legal issues and was probed with challenging questions that I often couldn't answer, the process of which taught me how to approach different interview questions as well as improving my reasoning abilities and argumentative skills. The experience further allowed me to understand the mindsets of different interviewers — which, I believe, greatly improved my performance in the actual interviews.

How would you describe your experience working with Cana's consultants?

This experience has been incredibly insightful and informative. I was given the opportunity to speak to current students studying the subject I wanted to apply for at my first choice university, thus enabling me to gain a better understanding of the course and what it will be like if I would do the same degree. The consultants have also been very supportive and helpful, providing different approaches when facing difficulties and also logging my performance in entry tests so that I may improve as soon as possible.

What is the biggest value add that you think your consultants have provided?

My consultants have made me understand myself better, not only have they identified my strengths but also pointed out my weaknesses so that I could improve as a person. For example, one of my consultants has noticed a trend in the mistakes I made when preparing for the TSA admissions test, thus making me focus on certain types of problems and doing extra practices for that specific type of questions.

Tell us one memorable moment that you'd like to highlight about the consultation.

I remember feeling absolutely guttered after being rejected by Oxford, but all my consultants were so supportive and encouraged me to cheer up and continue to strive for better in the future. This is a very significant moment because I have realised at that point they are not simply consultants who want to help me to get into University but they are also people who help me grow as a person when I face difficulties.

Do you have any advice for new students?

My biggest advice would definitely be: look for a course that interests you, not a university that has a good reputation. It is very easy to be attracted to names of universities, but sometimes having the passion for the subject is more important. Moreover, I think it is crucial for new students to understand that applying for university is a journey that is filled with ups and downs, yet the consultants at CANA will be there to complete the journey with you, therefore do trust them and tell them all your worries and concerns.

Pairing me up with a consultant who really knew the medical application system and had experience working in the NHS was beneficial in understanding the nuances of the application process. They helped me to portray myself in the best possible way, picking and choosing the vital points of my resume to demonstrate in my personal statement. One of the most important things to me about CANA’s Uniapp program was the versatility of it. Whatever session you arrange with the consultant is up to you: some personal statement checking, interview preparation... Each hour was not set into stone. My strongest piece of advice is to be yourself through the application process as that is the easiest way to get through it. CANA will help you define yourself to the admission departments, because at the end of the day, they don’t wish to see pretty words on a sheet of paper, they wish to see the individuality in the applicant behind them.

Katy’s journey through university application offers important insights into what it takes to pursue dreams in medicine. When Katy was young, she experienced the loss of a loved one, and since then, she felt that she should pursue a path to help others in similar circumstances. Katy began by volunteering, which helped her realize just how needed help is in many places, and ultimately, when Katy got the opportunity to shadow a surgeon, it helped her grow immensely. Applying for medicine was less of a choice, and more of a natural next step in Katy’s journey.

Katy knew that she had to be well prepared as medical schools are notoriously hard to get accepted to, and that she had to look beyond the opportunities that Hong Kong has to offer. Katy attended science and medicine-based summer camps, attended career talks, and sought shadowing opportunities. These steps were crucial to Katy’s application process, but also to her own personal development. Furthermore, Katy looked for opportunities in Britain, as she felt that universities there are generally easier to get accepted to, the choice of research fields is much broader, and the learning support is better.

Because of her choices, Katy attended two interviews in Hong Kong and two interviews in the UK. In Hong Kong her interview experience was good, she was pleasantly surprised by the use of technology, and while the questions were difficult, she felt happy afterwards. The experience in the UK was very different, but a good learning opportunity. The interview questions for UK schools had been sent in advance, which allowed her to prepare. This made the interview experience less stressful. During an interview, Katy could rely on her shadowing experience, which was an amazing moment for her, and boosted her confidence. From this, Katy knew that everything she had worked on previously had brought her to that moment and it reaffirmed to her that the path that she continues to go down is the right path for her.