Private Concern
the concern of getting into a private college in Hong Kong

The day I visited Hang Seng Management College was rainy, and the sky was grey. But this sober weather didn’t put my passion and curiosity about the school down when I was taking bus to visit the noticed management college and the nearly-be-former school of commerce, Hang Seng Management College.

Hang Seng Management College is praised as the management college with greatest potential and the breed of future commercial prestigious. And this year is the second year that Hang Seng held its government recognized degree programs. It offers secondary students six hundreds school placement in four disciplines, Business Administration, Global Supply Chain Management, Translation for commerce and Journalism and Communication.

Though this school is obviously lacked of experience in holding degree programs, many people believed that it would not be a problem as every new schools are designated to explore ways to run their schools with failures and administration issues. However, the question should be whether the school is able to provide students, who apply with mediocre A-level examination results, with quality education and countless opportunities to improve and equip themselves. When we are going to make an assumption that the school will or will not achieve this desirable outcome, first we have to know how to measure the result of its education. The diameters we can measure are graduates’ starting salaries, graduates’ knowledge in their disciplines, graduates’ willingness to continue study, to name but a few. At a time, Hang Seng degree students still have to study for at least three academic years; however, it is too early for anyone of us to make our assertion on the performances of those newly established private colleges, like Hang Seng and Shue Yan University.

"The school has more resources and the flow of professors is free, finally and under competition between schools, privates schools will have the most competent team of educators."

And things change when the constraints and limiting factors change. Economist, Professor Steven Cheung once mentioned in his book, the reasons for why private schools in the United States are more outstanding in teachers’ qualifications and students’ performances are many folds. The first reason is that private schools offer higher pay to those more competent professors, who cannot tolerate the flat wage level with those mediocre professors. This means so clearly that if the school has more resources and the flow of professors is free, finally and under competition between schools, privates schools will have the most competent team of educators. The second reason is that private schools allocate resources well. Private schools simply would not waste more than the public do. But, as far as I know, there is little information for me to compare the actual situations between private educational intuitions and public educational intuitions, so I cannot make a conclusion here.

But, anyone, the reasons I apply for Hang Seng are that my result of A-level is “mediocre” and that I have faith in this school. As I remember, a profound professor in Business discipline was employed by the school in the first year, and somebody told me there will be more in the future. This phenomenon indicates the economic examples I mentioned above. So, here comes the potential and the great possibility that the school would offer the best tertiary education. And the other reason is that it is four-year tertiary programs which consist of one year general education. In principle, four-year tertiary programs could provide students well-rounded educations which can solid students’ foundation in languages, history, and mathematics, etc. I thought.

During the interview, the professor shows much kindness and witty. The interview was conducted in English and in Chinese for the Q and A section. First he asks some open ended questions and some about the academic performances on the secondary academic years. He disagrees a lot, in a nice way. And I ask a lot about the competence of school, and the reasons why the school is so successful in getting grade As in A-level examinations. His answers illuminated me. After I heard his answers, I found myself that I had long been making thought complicated, and blinded myself. He said “I am not surprised by what A-level students in this school achieved, as they are the best student in Hong Kong. When you have remarkable students and quality education, you cannot really tell exactly what would be the constraint of the result.” He laid and explained it viciously like introducing some new concepts of his, and he continued “According to what you had asked, I cannot give you a precise answer as the method of study and how the school educates require you to explore yourself, and it various with people. And this is something that you cannot get your answers from others, but yourself.” I was amazed by his charm. After we finished the conversation, I realized what my hair stylist said before, hesitate to much would delay you from holding a chance. When hesitation is raised by lacking of self-confidence, all you need to do is to get set and go.

"Even though degree programs are quality and lectured by experienced Doctors, once the programs are not globally, or in district, recognized, studying at a private college would only be a waste of time and money."

After the interview, I continued my research on academic intuitions and others programs, the more I research, I found there are uncertainties that study in local private colleges. First worry is a common concern of all applicants, but also sociologists, educators and policy makers. It is the legitimacy of private colleges’ degree programs. To most of the students, the drive to continue tertiary is to find a high pay job as a degree holder. And to some, global legitimacy of the programs would definitely link to the chance of study overseas. However, even though degree programs are quality and lectured by experienced Doctors, once the programs are not globally, or in district, recognized, studying at a private college would only be a waste of time and money as the majority of business units do not admit you to apply degree knowledge to their work.

After the interview, an offer letter was issued two days later, admitting me as student and, of coz, asking me to pay $6000 as an admission fee, which will be considered as one fifth of the charge of the first year degree program. When I asked my father to provide me with financial assistance, he gave me the answer without hesitation. He said what scores did you actually get? And, how come you enroll a school that is not recognized and is it wasteful for me to spend almost twenty thousands dollars on you to study for an illegitimated cert? Why don’t you just go to study an associate degree, as it is much cheaper than this fucking course! Son, $60000 a year is not a small number for you and me.

"$60000 a year is not a small number for you and me."

I understood his concern. And I found he was quite firm on his point. So it is so hard for to me to check $6000 to Hang Seng account. My father is a wise person. His worry is always reasonable. I know it is so unaffordable for my family to give me twenty-five thousands dollars to study in the following years. And I felt sorry for them, as once my results was great, every problems would not happened, and they could go to boost about their clever son and his colourful public examination result. But actually I am not. And tomorrow is the deadline of paying Hang Seng admission fees. If I had not paid it on time, they would cancel my application. It is cruel. And there are about eleven days left form the announcement of the admission of government founded universities, which are the most popular schools in Hong Kong, where private schools are inexperienced and mostly not socially recognized like the government founded ones.

Education is always a luxury for everyone. And the situation is better in Hong Kong, where almost every young citizen owns the change to pursue tertiary education, but the high quality ones are for those who are academically successful. I am so grateful that I can finish my secondary education, but I am so sad that I finished it with mediocre results. I could do better, but I didn’t. Up untill this moment, I am still not sure whether I can pay this fee on time. So I sincerely hope that there will a way for me to get over it.

An afternoon Visit at Polytechnic University-Fashion and Textile Discipline Fashion students show the preface of getting into the glamorous fashion industry, and reveal the hardships behind the look of beauty.
2011-05-21

Fashion is glamorous, but the people who are ready to involve in this glamorous industry proclaimed once again “Besides those luxurious and chic looks patrolling in fashion shows, and before those stunning pieces displayed on mannequins in retails stores come out, fashion is all about practical experiments and hard work.”

On this Saturday, I pay a visit to Polytechnic University responding their consultation day for Jupas applicants. Raining heavily, but my desire to understand the subject was still not .Gathered with almost all young fashion lovers in Hong Kong at the venue MN underground hall, where an accessories exhibition is hold, in which lecturers are answering student’s worries about the admission’s requirements and preparation of the interview. And  fashion students who look fresh and chic are eager to share their experience in their disciplines , talking like an insider of fashion.

And they explained: Spending three years on study a bachelor of Fashion and Textile Studies in three streams, including Fashion and Design, Fashion Business and Textile Technology, we are required to develop in-depth understand about the full spectrum of fashion, from knitting fibres into a fabric, tailoring with a mannequin to construct a gown, to managing the production lines of fashion and merchandising techniques... The ultimate goal of this subject is to educate fashion-passionate young talents into well-rounded and versatile master of the industry, rather than just illustrating drawings and tailoring.

When we visit the studio where they work skillfully with their scissors and mannequins, and there are few of them working on their ready-to-be-judged works, a girl is cutting a funny face off a fabric, the others are sewing their complicated patterned gown, and a students is wondering how the patterns be look like. A year-2 student, Alfred expressed “Though the progress is harsh, competitive and sometimes mundane, I still enjoy it, as I experienced the power of fashion long before I came here, and it still motivates me to go for it."

A hundred times harder than what we watch in Project Runway, fashion students, in order to gain credits in certain design specialists, they are accustomed to tailor in the laboratory overnight and co-operate with hard-to-deal-with partners on some critical examinations. “It is frustrated when the work doesn’t come out as what you had expected, which is just like fashion insiders always feel. It would be better if you get used to it, I believe, and start it all over again. It is scary. But, that’s the only way.” told the chic student in black. Though being innovative is the key to success in this field, but to create an avant-garde is not enough. The creation of student is expected to meet certain standards, for example, the innovativeness of the design, the technique applied, market value and whether it can present the philosophy of students themselves-in short, whether it got the sound and presented well.

“Though the progress is harsh, competitive and sometimes mundane, I still enjoy it, as I experienced the power of fashion long before I came here, and it still motivates me to go for it. “

“So many students came with a misconception that fashion is always glamorous and about drawing beautiful silhouettes and tailoring. And they all finally scared off when they dealt with the hardships, like inventing a new form of fibre with chemistry and mathematics needed to apply.” recalled by a lecturer. And he mentioned that something minors are usually ignored by students, like the production of certain raw materials and transit time of fabrics. Marvellous piece is constructed by many structures which turns a gown into a master piece with  exquisite details. And this kind of making process require a lot of collaborative work, experiments with different combination of materials and colours and patience. And, before getting started, many have to wait for the inspiration comes out and catch it.

Even though a garment is made, this doesn’t mean the process is finished. Students, like today independent designers, have to manage the supply chain and transition of time of material in order to master the skill of fashion manufacturing. And we visit the conceptual shop, called the Future Retails Store, in which a lookingglass with digital function to show what costumers would like is installed.

Students who choose Fashion Business stream, after finishing fundamental studies in year one, need to learn to manage a production line, and retails management related subjects in Fashion Business Stream to possess knowledge to produce and sell. “Timing is crucial.” a lecturer expressed, “You see two seasons in fashion, added with resorts and cruise collections, and mass-production companies like Zara and H&M even have to supply various new designs between seasons to encourage consumption, so you have to ensure the garments are made punctually and ready be put on racks. And that is how they can survive.” Fashion students are prepared to manage all these, studying the supply chains and comparing raw material prices, how to maintain efficient production lines and keeps wide personnel net-work in the industry, to learn to survive in a world that one day they are in, and the next day out.

When garments are made, they should be sold in a season, as the trends change, the stock is designated be sold in half price, which means a loss. However, merchandising strike to avoid this and make shopping into a wonderful experience to encourage target customers to spend.

Fashion students should be able to foresee changes in trends and consumers’ preferences.

“It sounds quite interesting that the way we prepare for this stream when compare it with others subjects. When other students buried their heads in books and papers, we are obligated to enjoy the fun of shopping as a form to study consumers’ behaviours and windows designs.” This can develop an insight in fashion. Having an insight in the up-coming trends is a strength that fashion students should be able to foresee changes in trends and consumers’ preferences. “This would be a disaster when the buyers purchase a gull collection, and this would cause more than a 5% loss of the retails company.” So that is why fashion-senses are needed. “The best way to be an up-to-date is to involve in the rapid changing trends. So why not shopping and throwing out the books and fabrics?”

No matter which streams students take, a numerous of projects which push them to analysis current trends, changes in costumers’ tastes and garments’ traits will be featured in the study. Being insightful and far-sighted does enable students to deal with future work tasks in all fashion careers. As a buyer, you need to conduct good evaluation about consumers’ tastes and preferences as a profession to ensure good sales; as a fashion editor, to discover new talents and provoke new trends like instincts is a must; not to mention as a creative director, always design according to what people like and need. And this is a recipe to innovate ground-breaking designs and to discover new looks and silhouettes.

When mentioned shopping, it is difficult to avoid discussing the phenomena of the road of High-end boutiques, praised as a road in which the total profit made on the street is enough to support the stores in different parts of the world-Canton Road. “It is not a weir experience that you met our students and their work at Canton Road and Chun Wan”, a lecture of the department joked wittily. “Our students have remarkable career prospects. They are sure to involve in the industry as a designer, marketing executives, fashion editors, textile designers, and production-line manager or start their studios. So it is common that you recognise their work and faces in the street of luxury goods” Besides, bachelor students can also receive further studies as a master in Fashion and Textile. And most importantly, they can do what they cling to.”▋