THE MG CIRCULAR – OCT 2022

Get ready for DEADlines 🎃

Throwback to our old Halloween parties!

Nothing scarier than deadlines?

TOK Essay or class tests – which are scarier?

Term is approaching its mid-way point which means that deadlines are coming closer and closer.

For example, last month we gave you (in advance of most schools!) the May 2022 TOK questions, but now true fear is coming – draft deadlines. Most schools need your drafts in somewhere in October, with the finals being before or just after Christmas break.

It’s a daunting task that just gets scarier the longer you put it off (and the questions this year aren’t very easy either!)

And on the topic of scary deadlines – class tests for UPG
It’s not quite mock season, but important UPG tests will be coming up for final years! Your UPG is what goes to Universities so they’re SUPER important – more on applications in a second.

Mocks are normally held after Christmas, but by then many of you would have made applications. It’s time now to boost your grades which will include both studying harder, and also holding discussions with your teachers on how you can improve your grades.

For the non-IB initiated: IGCSE Essays
With a growing cohort of IGCSE students, we want to make sure you guys are prepared as well! While you won’t have to worry about UPGs, your coursework now will impact your final grades and therefore what you can choose to study at IB!

For English, October to November is around the time the Empathic Task is due for first year IGCSE students, and the Poetry Analysis Essay is due for final year IGCSE students. Scary!

As always, get in touch with us by calling or WhatsApping +852 5598 0767 or sending an email to hi@mgstudyhub.com so we can give you a hand!

Uni Applications – the scariest thing of all

You’ve spent the past two years (maybe even four years if you did GCSEs) sitting exam after exam after exam, but what’s the point of high school grades if you don’t apply to University?

Believe it or not, all of us at MG went to University (some of us even finished!) and we know how difficult it can be.

Not only do you have to get good grades, but you’ve got personal statements, personal essays, additional subject tests, portfolios, and if you’re going to the US, your ACT, SAT. The word salad never ends.

Here are important deadlines for our students’ most common destinations. Keep in mind that schools will have their own internatl deadlines that must be followed!

UK (UCAS):

October 15: Oxbridge applications due
January 25: General applications deadline

Hong Kong (JUPAS):

October 6: JUPAS applications accepted
December 7: JUPAS deadlines
December 9: Late applications accepted

USA:
Each University/College has their own deadlines. Generally:

November: Early Action applications due
January: General applications due

Canada:
Each University/College has their own deadlines. Generally:

September/October: fill in application form
January/Febuary: complete submission of additional documents

Apologies if we’ve missed out the country you want to apply to! But our team of expert tutors are always happy to chat. Give us a message!

MG SPOTLIGHT

This month’s spotlight is a long-time MG student who through hard work and dedication got 45/45: Harrison Wong!

After graduating IB, Harrison went straight to the USA to study a major in Business Adminstration. Outside of his studies, Harrison is a big sports fan – but not the type you’d expect. He’s a gifted golfer, an occasional frisbee player and a social basketballer. He’s also an avid F1 fan (his laptop screensaver was, is, and always will be, a race car). Even when he’s taking some time off to game, he’s playing Mario Kart!

Harrison started tutoring at MG before his IB years, slowly he became an integral part of the MG landscape. Though he tells us that we built his work ethic, and challenged and pushed him to become better, the truth is he did the same with us! Harrison’s work ethic pushed our tutors to be on their toes, and to always be extra-prepared for his classes.

(That is with exception to the …several…occasions of him forgetting when class was 😏)

So word of advice to current IB students from Harrison:

“Although I struggled a lot in my IB years with time management and stress, I was able to work my way through it by preparing and doing the hard work. It doesn’t have to be all at once.

Your work doesn’t have to be all at once but a little bit each week goes a long way over the course of 2 years”

As for the future? Well, Harrison admits he’s not too sure yet. But whatever he chooses, we’ll always be here to support!