THE HIGH SCHOOL EXAM THOUGHT EXPERIMENT

In a great opportunity on my way of researching about applying the PhD in Neuroscience, I met a

double doctor (a physician and a PhD in Clinical Researching). I got tons of great advice. But that's

not the point I dropped this line. I wrote this article because he asked me one interesting question

that's well worth sharing. He asked me if I have to take the college entrance exam in HK right now, at

this minute, what is my shot.

Hmm...... what an interesting Thought Experiment. And indeed, that question shed insight on my path to be a Neuroscientist, and the way I came through to this decision all along as well. I spend a few

night researching about how HK's college entrance exam is done and how HK's college is using the

exam result. So, here it is, in a parallel universe, if I take HKDSE in a week or so, starting from

tomorrow, without time to learn and study, my result would be ......

Compulsory:
#1. English (5**)
#2. Liberal Studies (5*)
#3. Math (3)

#4. Chinese (3)

Elective:
#5. Biology (5**)
#6. PE (5)
#7. Music (5)

First, let me walk you through it.

The college entrance exam in HK is called HKDSE. Where the grading system is extremely different from American Education System. But roughly this is the comparative grading system:
(5**)=A
(5*)=B
(5)=C
(4)=D
(3)=E
(2)=F
(1)=unqualified

Switching to daily expression, my result is:
2As English, Biology
1B  Liberal Studies
2Cs PE, Music
2Es Math, Chinese

To break it in, you have to take 4 compulsory subjects: English, Math, Chinese, and a general subject pretty much like social studies named Liberal Studies. And then you have to take a few elective

subjects. Almost all HK colleges will take 2 to 4 elective subjects into account. The more the better.

8 is the limit. And which subject is more important depends on which major are you applying. Visual

Art is essential if you are going to Art School; Geography if you want to major in Geology, etc.  

So, let me explain to you one by one, my hypothetical, no nonsense, point blank exam scores.

#1. English and #5. Biology= (5**)
For a PhD Neuroscientist wannabe, I would kill myself if I didn't make it. These two subjects are the only two that I am doing it days by days, hours by hours. Two As is a must.

#2. Liberal Studies= (5*)
I'm not familiar about the ideology and social development of HK, but as long as I could take it using English, I believe I could get a B, at least. And oh, I'm writing a book about Neuroscience, does this

count as an extra credit?

#6. PE and #7. Music= (5)
Sport and music are what I'm constantly doing apart from Science, so if you don't give me the time to learn and study new things, this two electives are my best shot. And for all the conditioning (PE),

composing (Music), and performing (both), I believe it's fair to estimate that I could get two solid mid-ground Cs.

#3. Math and #4. Chinese= (3)
Now here comes the trouble. I didn't use Math and Chinese for years. And after checking the exam

syllabus, it turns out that in no way I could make it. In fact, two Es is an optimistic guess. Hmm......

And then the next question would be, could I make it to the college? (I would not take it as an insult by asking this question from the point of view of a PhD applicant, for Scientific Researching.) So, I checked the HK college application system called JUPAS. In HK, you apply for all the major you want altogether through a central priority reviewing system. You pick 20 majors and rank them descendingly. They then will take high school kids in using the exam scores. After reviewing HK's college major, my

very first choice is HKU Biomedical Science. I pick this major not only because of HKU, but this major give me the best chance to be what I want to be right now: to be a PhD. And the sad news is, I

probably didn't gonna make it (duh).

But again, as my hero the unargubly greatest biologist, ecologist alive Professor E O Wilson said,

never scare of Math and never let that it be the obstacle on the path of science. What if you give me

some time to learn and take the exam next April like every high school kids will be doing next year? I

believe my result would be improving, probably like this:
2As English, Biology
1B  Liberal Studies
4Cs PE, Music, Math, Chinese

Yes, just two grades up in Math and Chinese then I'm in good shape for pushing into HKU Biomedical Science.

Anyway, the grades and the entry is just not the point. What my mentor want me to think through is,

how different you are now from the past you were. Few years earlier, I didn't even think about Science at all. And BOOM! Right now, right here, I am writing my Researching Proposal in Neuroscience. Who knows, may be five years later when you ask me the same questions again after I went through
the entire PhD life, I might get yet another insight. I might got a totally different result. (I might also got kick out of the college again!)  

This Thought Experiment is not just a hypothesis, it lead me through a way to know my strengths and weaknesses. That I need to catch it up with Math and Chinese Language. Isn't our brain wonderful that the level of elasticity is just amazing. How could I came

through to today's me like that? Researching? Scientist? Appreciate what my mentor want to try and tell me about.