GSIS vs CIS vs HKIS

gilleshk · 25-03-2009, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by mhc208:

Hi, I am here to clarify a few facts about HKIS. HKIS is the only recognized American school in Hong Kong. It is impossible that HKIS is teaching IB courses since that is a UK thing. Instead, HKIS uses the AP (Advanced Placement exams from the U.S. collegeboard) system so that their students are better prepared for the American Colleges when they graduate.
Both the staff and student body of HKIS are among the best ones you can ever find in any school. To compare HKIS and schools such as CIS and GSIS is like putting Manchester United and a high school soccer varsity team in the same league. Ignorant people should research more on a school before they make such assuming comments.

IB is not a UK thing at all, the headquarters are based in Switzerland where it was founded about 40 years ago.

IB diploma students also get university credits for courses in some North American universities.

AP isn't worse or better, it's simply more subject specific while IB is a whole program.

Not worth commenting on the rest of the drivel...

AsiaKid · 05-05-2009, 09:53 PM

I was reading the HKIS post and i couldn't help but laugh. Especially the one about GSIS and CIS being like Man U vs a varsity HS soccer team - that was a favorite.

I don't go to any of these schools. I teach kids from all three of these schools. This is what I would suggest you do. Ask the school the exit stats. Specifically, how many kids out of how many in the total class went to which top universities. I don't know about HKIS, but I know GSIS in the last two years had crazy stats, with more than 15% of its class going to an Ivy, MIT/Stanford or Oxbridge. Compare that to a top US boarding school, and its still up there (although not in the top 10).

Don't think HKIS has those comparable stats. What I also say is HKIS has lots of legacy kids who get in because of their parents alumni links (I know, i have taught kids that were easily not HYP material but got into one of those three because their mom and dads went there and they are prominent people - although GSIS has its share too).

I ain't a HKIS hater, they got great students too. However, I do think CIS and GSIS are way better at training kids consistently. Much more so than HKIS, which has its share of stars and duds. Again. I am sure there are duds at CIS/GSIS as well, but my personal experience with teaching a whole bunch of them from these various schools is that HKIS kids are (generally) more "confident" about their self-worth while the other two schools' kids just grind it out and do as best as they can - no intrinsic belief that they are entitled to anything without working hard for it.

gilleshk · 05-05-2009, 10:26 PM

I sure hope you don't teach them english

AsiaKid · 06-05-2009, 11:48 AM

I am sure you realize English usage within the context of an online forum isn't representative of one's English ability. If I were to subscribe to that logic, most kids that chat online or post blogs would also be inclined to compose academic papers with arbitrary z's attached to words, and use random/non-conventional acronyms.

big_apple_ken · 06-05-2009, 01:19 PM

I went to GSIS and graduated in 1999. I loved the school but there were at least 3 things they lacked:

1) When I was applying for college in the US I advised my younger brother to transfer from GSIS to HKIS mainly because GSIS' US college advisory was weak. At least back in 1999 I basically did all the work myself and the school policy back then was I could only apply to 6 colleges max. Furthermore, they didn't really prep you for the PSAT/SAT mainly because US colleges where not their deal.

2) Back in 1999 they didn't have too many choices for A-level courses. Basically just the stock courses (English, Math, Geography, History etc) but from what I can tell they have a much wider range of courses now.

3) Their Chinese will always be weak. That is a fact. Unless you go to a local Chinese school or maybe to CIS it is unlikely your Chinese can be strong purely from school. I went to GSIS, took Mandarin in secondary school and also private tutoring at home and I honestly can say I'm really not much better than a 6th grader in Chinese.

The bottom line is every school has it's pros and cons. Just depends what you prioritize your needs:

- If learning Chinese in #1, then go to CIS, a local Chinese school or start tutoring at a very young age.

- If discipline is #1 then GSIS students in my opinion are a little more 'disciplined'. GSIS is a small school and I think an advantage of that is that your child will get more attention and also will have to learn to get along with others more. When your graduating class is 200+ (like HKIS) everyone forms cliques and there's no real need to really associate yourself with the other classmates as much. At a small school like GSIS in a way you are forced to get along with your peers more.

- If going to a US college is #1 priority and you want the school to do the bulk of the work then HKIS I think is a better choice. At GSIS or CIS I think the student and/or parent will have to work harder on their own to give their child the edge HKIS has. For example it will more be your job to schedule your child's PSAT exams if you want them to get a jump on things.

Hope this helps.

Ken

MrMoo · 06-05-2009, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by AsiaKid:

I am sure you realize English usage within the context of an online forum isn't representative of one's English ability.

lol,

Katanga · 06-05-2009, 02:36 PM

I like the views of people who are fairly independent about the 3 schools and also the views of ex-students from the schools.

At the wrath of being red dotted....I have to admit that most kids that I come across from HKIS are really arrogant.