Life at Bellerbys College

Blogs from Bellerbys Oxford Business Students

With Bellerbys’ new extra curricular business programme up and running, we’re able to bring you blogs from two students taking part in the Dragons’ Den-style project.

Aishwarya Palaniappan (seen here 4^th from left) is representing the group Tutor Heaven and Denis Chernov (6^th from right) is a member of The Soup Team.

Denis Chernov

"This is my first club, which I have found very interesting. I really like it and I think that this experience will help me when I start studying at university and start working. It has already helped me to improve my presentation skills.

When I heard that we would present our business idea at the Saïd Business School, Oxford University, I was really interested because I really wanted to know more about the school. The MBA mentors there were really friendly people. When I talked with them at the OBX Marketplace event, I saw that they were interested to help us improve our
business idea and they listened to us very carefully.

The MBA mentors, who will now be working with us following this event, are very important. I think that they will help me to understand basic concepts of business, which will help me in the future."

Aishwarya Palaniappan

"On the 3^rd of November, we walked into Said Business School with our hearts in our mouths and full of enthusiasm. We were a ball of nerves, experiencing a cocktail of emotions like excitement, dread and happiness.

The room had an air of sophistication. Upon walking into the Conference room, we were immediately told to pick a table and set it up as we wished. Everyone was moving chairs and tables, fussing with their appearance and rehearsing their
speeches.

Within minutes, the MBA mentors started making their rounds. They seemed attentive, curious and interested in what everyone had to propose. When the first mentor made his way to our side of the room, we jumped at the chance to
impress him; two of us ready with our laptops, the others briefing him on our business idea and answering questions. Overall, he looked very pleased and impressed with our group.

As a group, we worked well together, easily dividing up our roles and executing them. Some of us worked on research for our business proposal, some worked on the PowerPoint presentation and once we finalized and perfected our business plan, we came together to rehearse our oral presentation. It took a few nights of hard work, but it
was definitely worth it in the end.

This opportunity to work on a business idea in a group and present it to professionals has really inspired us. It made us feel like we were doing something of value, which made our teacher Zelga, our school and most importantly ourselves proud.

It was a whole lot of fun, especially coordinating our outfits to look professional on the day of the presentation. Thankfully, all our hard work paid off. Our love for business is at an all time high now!"

Read more about Bellerbys Oxfords business programme here

The Dreaming Spires!

Posted by Autumn @ Bellerbys Oxford

Hello beloved readers!

Guess what? I'm finally BACK!

It has been so long since I last logged on to this blog, to be honest, and I sincerely apologise for my tardiness.

After posting the last post, I comfortably went back to my country and enjoyed my summer whole-heartedly. It was boiling hot in my tropical home country but the scorching sun was not a strong enough deterrent. I did spend days in the sun hanging out with my old classmates.

However, I also spared some time to read the pile of books that I brought back home, in order to prepare for my most important year of A levels. And I am so glad I did that. Not until I returned to the cool and serene Oxford did I realise that there was such a giant leap from AS to A2.

Yes I said it! A2 is much more difficult than AS and I'm no longer able to procrastinate. The course is more demanding and tough, and I have to put more effort into studying.

However, I do believe that there is a positive correlation between the difficulty of the course and its fascinating nature. My subjects are getting more and more interesting every day, especially Economics and Politics. We are currently studying Socialism and Marxism, which is of particular interest to me, as I was born and raised in a socialist country.

The past month was extremely hectic for me and my fellow aspiring Oxford applicants. We had to cope with the seemingly sudden huge amount of work and prepare our UCAS application simultaneously. All we did after school was researching universities, and all we discussed at lunch was about the application process.Personal statements were drafted and torn into strips and redrafted.

We were always in a hurry, which resulted in anxieties surfacing on an hourly basis. Time seemed to fly at a neck-breaking speed, and before we were even aware of it, the deadline was looming on the horizon. Everyone simply freaked out.

The constant pressure we withstood was intense. We held our breath when pasting our personal statement into UCAS Apply, hoping that we hadn't gone over our word limit. We frantically ran down the corridors, looking for our tutors and teachers and asking them to take a look at our most-recently-updated-drafts-of-personal-statement.

I personally had more than 13 drafts saved on my laptop and kept changing the tiniest details every night (I was so sure that my tutors must have been really tired of reading my personal statements, yet they were still so patient with me!).

When I clicked 'send', I heaved a sigh of relief.

In retrospect, the whole application process was unbelievable. We have pushed (and been pushed) ourselves to the extreme to climb one more step up the ladder of success, to take one more step towards our dream of the dreaming spires of Oxford.

We have learned and mastered the skills necessary to effectively deal with academic pressure and tight schedules. The tremendous support we received from our teachers and tutors is invaluable. Applying to Oxford is truly one of many unforgettable experiences I have had and will have at Bellerbys Oxford (although I doubt that anyone would want to relive it!)

Now it's time to cross our fingers!

 Posted by Autumn, studying A Levels at Bellerbys Oxford

Graduating Class of Year 2011

 

Pleasure is the flower that passes;

remembrance, the lasting perfume.

-Jean de Boufflers

 

Don’t you feel that sometimes time passes so fast and before you realise it, you’ve reached the end of yet another stage of your life?

Indeed, in the blink of an eye, all the exams ended as swiftly as they came by. And right when we have just gotten used to the daily routine: getting morning calls from everyone to wake up early, be one of the first to reach Jubilee Library for a day’s worth of mugging and then finally the long awaited break time over the dinner table - right when we thought that this could continue on forever, we realised that people have started to dump all their files, notes and textbooks into the recycling bins and luggage are packed awaiting for the storage company to come and collect them. The obvious explanation: Exams have ended.

It’s a wonder for a moment how you tried thinking back on when the exams have actually started, but to no avail, it seems too long ago that all lessons have stopped, we went on study break and our papers started just too soon.

Sometimes, you wished you had more time, maybe not entirely to be used for studying but also you wished that you had the time to spend with your friends, say your proper goodbyes and not just leave in a hurry right after your last paper.

Where are you catching the train to? What’s the hurry? The long summer awaits you. The thing you probably have the most right now is: time. You got all the time in the world.

Well, the last fond memory I had before the main exams came by is probably the May Ball. This year’s theme was A NIGHT IN PARIS. It was probably the last formal gathering we had as the graduation class of year 2011. As such, the night was filled with everyone searching for their friends and grabbing each other for photos. Of course, I was no exception too. :)

 

MAY BALL 2011: A NIGHT IN PARIS

From left: Kana Maniwa, Eunice Aw, Me, Wong Yan Chi and Sylvia Liao

 

From left: Sylvia Liao, Wong Yan Chi, Ayda Borjian, Me

 

Livia Chou and Stephanie Alexandra Morphew

 

Abdul and Jonathan Hui

 

Toh Shi Jie, Queena Wong and Wong Wen Kai

 

Marcy Zhao, John Lau, Wong Yan Chi and Murad Khalimov

 

Joanna Zhang, Tina Huan and Artin Jalooli

Jacky Yip and Alan Chan

 

Reshveen Rajendran and Mai Osuga

Taekeun Cho, Wong Yan Chi, Hisham Talib and Weeny Nguyen

 

Yvonne Cheung, Cloud Vu and Jamie Tan

 

Nelson Ten, Eunice Aw, Sarah Gopal and Shriveena Naidu

Wong Yoon Cherng Billy and Chonsen Mok

Eunice Aw and Wong Yan Chi

 

From left: Chonsen Mok, Eunice Aw, Wong Yan Chi, Me and Wong Yoon Cherng Billy

 

This year's May Ball experience was quite different from last year mainly because Eunice and I have moved out to the college residence, into private accommodation aka one of the flats near our college. As such, we decided that all of us (Me, Eunice, Yan Chi and Mok) shall go to Billy's room in the college residence to prepare for the May Ball. Haha it's amusing to see how both the girls and guys rush for time and helping each other to get dressed and prepared for the ball. They say that the time has come when even guys care as much as girls about their appearance too. HAHA

 

So after both the May Ball and exams have ended and everyone all gone, I stayed back for a couple of weeks to tour around the UK with my mom and my friend who have came over. We went to places like Manchester, Oxford, Sevens Sisters, London and etc. We even managed to go for the Harry Potter and the Death Hallows Part 2 London Premiere at Trafalgar Square!

 

Also, I got to meet and catch up with a couple of friends after everyone has gone back home...

Me and Ka Hong Yan Fang Fang

Taekeun Cho and Long Pham

 

I think my two years in Bellerbys is definitely a memorable one. I've made great friends, met lots of great people and learnt many life lessons.

I started out in September 2009 for a 6-term A levels course and throughout the 6 terms I see many people leaving and coming. Especially after the summer term in June 2010 when many of my good friends left for university because they were either in a 3-term A level course or in the Foundation programme.

But then, in the A2 year, I made new good friends and became closer with many people who were once just acquaintances. That's the funny thing about life, things come and go, good things do go, but better things still come in the end. Imagine that all of us were from different intakes, September 2009, January 2010 and April 2010, but in the end, our lives still crossed paths, we strived through the exam period together and eventually ended all at the same time: June 2011.

From left: Chonsen Mok, Wong Yoon Cherng Billy, Me, Eunice Aw and Wong Yan Chi

 

 

Teaching Staff

And of course, not to forget the teaching staff which made everything possible...

To Mr. Corcut, our A level Programme Manager and also the Vice Principal, thank you for your dedication to us students. Whenever I needed help and advice in my studies and academic related things, you are always there for me. I like how you are very approachable towards the students and we can discuss any matters with you easily. You not only dealed with the A level students academic work, you were also involved in the Student Council, Medics Meeting and other matters like our Voluntary Work. For that, I salute you for supporting us in everything we do.

As I move on now to the next stage in my life, I would bring along with me what you have taught me so far. And the most memorable lesson of all (which is also coincidentally what you taught us in the very first Medics Meeting) would be: Sine Qua Non, which translates to "without which there is nothing".

 

To my Chemistry teacher, Dr. Andrews, thank you for your effort in always being so accommodative to our pleas and moans for our tests, mocks and homework. Haha my most memorable moments with you would be the times when you always have to encourage us to use the StudySmart application to get our past papers and additional notes. Thank you also for always being there for us whenever we need help in Chemistry during the exam period when all lessons have stopped.

To my Physics teacher, Dr. Cameron thank you for making Physics so easily digestible for me by keeping me interested with lots of outside knowledge because towards the end, I find myself being fascinated and amused with lots of Physics concepts. And that ultimately fuelled my interest in taking up this subject till the very end.

To my Biology teacher, Ms. Kingham, thank you for always keeping Biology lessons so interactive with all the games, quizzes and activities in class. I really appreciated it because subjects like Biology can be very dry at times but you never fail to keep us interested in it with all the stuff you have prepared for us.

 

And for my two History teachers, Mr. Baker and Mr. Knight... Thank you for making History my second most favourite subject. Haha really. I really enjoyed History lessons because they are so different from the other classes which I take. Thank you Mr. Baker for your notes with the funniest (and maybe weirdest haha) photos in them which always got us laughing real hard. Thank you Mr. Knight for always being so friendly and approachable whenever I needed help in History, even when you are not teaching me anymore.

Also to my Maths teacher, Dr. Fisher whom I have unfortunately not had the chance to take a photo with, thank you for being so patient with us for these 2 years especially with all our jokes in maths class. Thank you for willing to actually take the time to sit down and explain to us the maths questions slowly when we can't solve them. I am really grateful towards you in all the effort you have put in for us because you will always be willing to help us whenever we needed help.

 

Thank you Bellerbys for this 2 years worth of fun, peace, joy and laughter and most importantly, 2 years worth of memories which would last me for a life time.

 

And right when you think that everything has come to the end, in fact, it isn't!

The best is yet to be.

Because...

2 weeks after college have ended, we had our very own gathering in Singapore.

Yes, We got everyone to fly from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan and Vietnam and all meet up in Singapore!

And as for the Singaporeans, we became the tour guides of course!

 

Graduation Trip in Singapore

Guys sitting the MRT train in Singapore (equivalent to London's tube).

From left: Wong Wen Kai, Jacky Yip, Long Pham, Chonsen Mok, Gordon Loo, Alan Chan and John Lau.

 

We also went to the newly opened Universal Studios in Singapore.

From left: Wong Yan Chi, Queena Wong, Kana Maniwa, Eunice Aw and Me

 

 

From left: Alan Chan, Gordon Loo, Jacky Yip and Jason Soong

 

Jacky Yip and John Lau

Wong Yan Chi and Eunice Aw

 

Gordon Loo and John Lau singing K

 

Me and Kana Maniwa

 

Kana Maniwa, Jonathan Hui and Queena Wong

Wong Wen Kai and Alan Chan

 

Alan Chan and Me

 

Wong Yoon Cherng Billy, Chonsen Mok and Jonathan Hui

 

Me and Wong Yan Chi

Wong Yoon Cherng Billy and Chonsen Mok

 

Chonsen Mok, Wong Yan Chi, Eunice Aw and Wong Yoon Cherng Billy

 

Group photo of us!

 

Haha the guys hugging before they depart!

 

Me, Eunice Aw, Wong Yan Chi, Wong Yoon Cherng Billy and Chonsen Mok

From left: Jonathan Hui, Hisham Talib, Eunice Aw, Long Pham, Kana Maniwa, Wong Wen Kai, Reshveen Rajendran, Chonsen Mok, Wong Yan Chi, Me and Wong Yoon Cherng Billy

 

ALL OF US!

1st row from the front: Toh Shi Jie, Wong Wen Kai

Second row: Wong Yoon Cherng Billy, Jonathan Hui, Queena Wong, Kana Maniwa, Me and Wong Yan Chi

Third row: John Lau, Long Pham, Eunice Aw, Gordon Loo, Jacky Yip, Chonsen Mok and Alan Chan

 

AND WITH THAT THE GRADUATING CLASS OF YEAR 2011 HAS OFFICIALLY BECAME HISTORY

 

Signing off for the last time,
Belinda Ong

 

Belinda studied A Levels at Bellerbys Brighton

Last Term at Bellerbys College

Posted by Jamie @ Bellerbys Brighton

There's not much left to go. Exactly one month until the end of Bellerbys. I've been thinking a lot about home lately and what the future has in store for me. I'm about to take a massive leap forward in my life and I'm not so sure I'm ready. I'm moving to the West Coast (represent!) to study in CalArts - a dream of mine I've kept since I was 11. You'd think that I'd feel a little prepared for living on my own after staying in Brighton, but truth be told, I'm really nervous. Culture-wise, we're talking about an entirely different entity. Somehow, I feel like maybe I'd be more exposed to nitty gritty aspects of life in the US of A; England was somewhat of a small stepping stone for me.

Nevertheless, it feels extremely satisfying (yet strangely poignant) to finally strike a bold, black line through the first part of my step towards Pixar, and essentially, towards being somebody to the world.

After UCAS applications were done, people keep asking each other where they're going to end up after this. Everyone always replies with a resounding, 'Warwick', or 'UCL', or 'Manchester', or 'Hertfordshire' (okay, maybe not so much the latter). I'm really happy that everyone got what they wanted, but I can't help but feel like a nomad when I say I'm heading to 'California'. Everyone will get to hold onto each other for a little bit longer while I'm the only one crossing the pond. Albeit, I am really grateful for the opportunity, I just... maybe wish I had a little more time?

I'm really going to miss the Art Department the most. The studios have somewhat become my sanctuary and the teachers my family. Honestly, this school puts you in such an enclosed environment, where you're living with your friends, that you can't help but create intimate relationships with your teachers and peers.

Personally, I fair better with people who are older than me, so maybe that explains why I feel like my teachers are my closest friends. It could also explain why I'm always chatting away to Mr.Nix as if I think he wants to listen (yes, I know you can barely stand me sometimes, if not most times). He's been such a father figure to me in so many ways, and sometimes, more so than my real dad has been. You don't get to meet that kind of person very often.

The relationship between Mrs. Dreiling and I is a completely different creature. She's like my non-existent older sister - old enough to give me reaaaaally good advice, but young enough to share the same interests. I can't imagine a day when she's ever without a smile! Also, she and Mr. Nix are like my secret antidote when I'm feeling exam jitters.

I'll probably never forget Dr. Lively and her amazing Psychology classes, nor will I EVER forget the best Math teacher I've ever had, Dr. Cheng. Very different characters, but equally as awe-inspiring. Dr. Lively has really encouraged me to change my eating habits and I love the fact that we can trade our food secrets and tips every class (sort of like your personal nutritionist). Dr. Cheng pushes me like no other teacher has before because she knows I can do it. And to have that kind of support really touches me.

Alas, I can't go without giving credits to my friends. I'll probably find some other time to really expand on this part, but for now, let's just say they've been great.

Who knows? Maybe I'll start an even better chapter this September in California.

Jamie is studying A Levels at Bellerbys College Brighton 

Visit to UniFIS 2011

Posted by Autumn at Bellerbys Oxford

It has been a long time since I last posted. Exams are coming and everyone is simply freaking out. But it did not stop us from enjoying ourselves and having an extremely good time at the very informative UniFIS 2011, University Fair for International Students, where we were given the chance to 'meet some of the UK's most prestigious and popular universities'. (direct quote from UniFIS website!).

It was raining when we assembled at the rail station on Saturday, 07 May, 2011, to set out for London. The sky was gloomy and the rain was not helping at all, but we were still able to kid around, excited about the trip. The coach arrived at 9am, and off we went; our destination was Covent Garden, London.

The uneventful trip took around an hour and a half or so, and I spent most of the time chatting with my classmate about everything we could come up with. It was great to have a break after all those painstaking review sessions.

If the weather hugely disappointed us, the fair compensated for it...and more. The fair was held at The (super-cool) Grand Connaught Rooms. We were greeted warmly at the reception, where we all registered and waited for the opening time.

At 12pm, the fair officially started. We quickly divided ourselves into small groups of 2-3, and started wandering around.

As I had actually highlighted some of the universities that I want to apply for beforehand (surprisingly), I did not feel particularly lost and overwhelmed by so many university stalls there.

I headed for Durham University, which was on the top of my list at that moment. The lovely representative of the school eagerly welcomed me and my friends and we earnestly bombarded her with lots and lots of question, regarding a variety of topics like courses, tuition fees and accommodation to name but a few. The lady answered all our questions with grace, and offered us the prospectus and brochures.

The most popular university seemed to be Oxford University. When we reached the stall of the university, it was crowded. The representative of the university was surrounded by students and parents, who were all so interested in this prestigious university. The questions were mostly about some of the most popular courses offered by Oxford University such as Economics and Management, and Philosophy, Politics and Economics, etc.

The representative, who himself was an Oxford alumni, answered every question in great details, providing us with some insights into how course were taught and by which way the students were expected to study at Oxford University.

At about 3pm, when I had more or less visited all the stalls, we left the fair for lunch and a brief tour around Covent Garden. It was a Saturday afterall, and the place was crowded with shoppers and tourists.

At 4pm, we all gathered at the meeting spot and the coach left the capital for Oxford half an hour later.

The fair was fantastic and so informative. I did manage to collect quite many prospectuses and brochures, and a lot of valuable information. Now it's time that I worked hard to get the best grades possible and to apply for my dream university.

Posted by Autumn, studying A Levels at Bellerbys Oxford 

Riding into the Waves of Exam Month

Posted by Jamie @ Bellerbys Brighton

Well, it's safe to say that I'm definitely not going to be an Ivy League girl. I got my rejection letter at pumpkin o'clock and felt quite upset at first, but decided that it's probably for the best. I'm not so sure I can keep up with the fast pace of Harvard life, anyway.

Nevertheless, I'm really happy to say that I'm heading to sunny-side California! Funnily enough, I didn't get chosen for character animation - the course I had applied for initially. This September, I'm going to study Experimental Animation, which actually sounds way cooler, come to think of it! Many have asked what experimental animation is. To sum it up, it's Pixar meets Tim Burton meets Damien Hirst.

Something like that.

Anyhow, the point of this post was to update you guys on my current status - busy.

I finished my Photography Unit 4 exam last weekend and I'm just about to hit the most hectic two weeks of my life. I've got my Art Unit 2 eight hour exam next weekend and a 12 hour Unit 4 exam the weekend after.

People tend to think that Art is easy, but it really isn't. Studying written subjects is basically reading other people's words over and over again, but Art is more than that. It's like a continuous seething wound of creations you have to squeeze out all by yourself.

 

Here's a peek at one of my final photos:-------->

On top of that, we're in the midst of preparing for the biggest social event of the year, the May Ball. (Or June ball, if you must). It seems like it's going to be a "capital time" as they used to say in the '50s.

I'll keep you posted.

-J

Jamie is studying A Levels at Bellerbys College Brighton 

Sixth Form Cambridge Law Conference Trip

Posted by Asel @ Bellerbys Brighton

At the end of last term I attended the Sixth Form Cambridge Law Conference and now I’d like to share my impressions with you.

The whole thing was amazing!  It was an unforgettable experience.  During the Conference which lasted four days I was living in Pembroke College which is located in the very heart of Cambridge. So it presented no difficulty to get to any place where the actual conference took place.  Accommodation was very comfortable: the room was quite big, the window was on the sunny side.  The only minor inconvenience was the fact that the toilet and the shower were downstairs.

The meals were absolutely the same as they are in Bellerbys.  However the canteen was different.  If you’ve watched Harry Potter movie you would be able to imagine what it was like: four long tables for students and one standing perpendicularly to others - for Fellows and Lecturers of Pembroke College.  This hall is performed in Gothic style with typical high ceiling. Along the walls there are different portraits of College’s patrons. So it was a fascinating place to eat!))

The Conference was made by the committee which consisted of current Cambridge Law students whom I would like to thank for such splendid work and for being so fun and easy to work with!  The programme of the Conference was very intense, as we had to be introduced in every piece of Law.  So I had to wake up at 8 am and could go to bed only at 11 pm!

We went to the Law Faculty where all lectures took place we were introduced to Law as the whole academic subject, and afterwards had lectures about European Union Law, Intellectual Property Law, Sentencing and Penal System, Legal Problems, Land Law, Roman Law and International Law.

After a short break we were divided into small groups and taken to different workshops. I was in Linklaters workshop. Linklaters is a British solicitor’s Law firm on an international scale which specialises on Commercial Law. In this workshop I was given various valuable advice on how to perform successfully during the interview in a law firm by Linklaters’ representative.

After dinner there was a Debate at Cambridge Union - a special building for debating. The motion was: “This house believes that we are too harsh on criminals”. I have never seen such a perfect debate in my life: for the proposition were Professor John Spencer, who is also a co-director of the Cambridge Centre for European Legal studies and a President of the European Criminal Law Association, and a current Law student at Cambridge; for opposition were an MP and Paul Stanley, a barrister and a former student of Cambridge University. The debate was very heated and sharp, and in the end the opposition was proclaimed a winner.

The next day we had lectures in Constitutional Law, Contract Law, Tort Law, Criminal Law and Family. Afterwards two former Cambridge students gave talks about the job of a solicitor and a barrister. Then another person, who had attended the Conference many years ago but later went to Oxford University gave a talk about an alternative perspective for Law students - to become a teacher. I personally became very interested in working at Bar.

That day’s workshop was negotiation skills, where we were divided into teams and tried to negotiate and make a beneficial for us deal. The night’s activity was different from the previous one: instead of a serious event we had an extremely funny Mock Trial!

And finally, on the last of the Conference before departure we had two lectures.  First, with the Lecturers about applying to Cambridge, and second, with the members of the committee, about life in Cambridge.

All in all, the Conference was one of the most enjoyable event in my life in England!  And now all I have to do is to work hard to go there next time as a University’s student!

Asel is studying A Levels at Bellerbys College Brighton

Special Report 2: An(other) Extremely Brief Introduction to University College London...

Posted by Autumn @ Bellerbys Oxford

Welcome again to Autumn's extremely short introduction. Our destination this time is University College London, University of London.

UCL is a world-leading university. Its worldwide reputation cannot be denied, and is a "true academic powerhouse". (UCL website). As many of our students here have expressed their ambition of applying to UCL, Bellerbys College Oxford has organised a school trip for AS level students to visit UCL on 9th March, 2011.

The only drawback of the trip is that it started too early. All of us had to arrive at the rail station, where the coach was waiting before 7am. Complaints, of course, were made. However as we all understand the importance of a university trip, which would eventually aid us in deciding to which universities to apply, all of us were there on time. And we set off uneventfully.

The trip from Oxford to London took a little bit more than an hour and a half. At around 9h30am, we arrived at UCL, on a perfectly sunny day in London.

Situated at the very centre of London, UCL has a very convenient location. Bus stops, Tube station and Rail station are all located around the area, allow the students to commute there easily. As we were early, we were invited to visit the cafeteria to have some refreshments and coffee before the tour officially started.

UCL buildings are different the colleges here in Oxford. They have different architecture, and are centred on one street. The buildings were quite empty when we came in, given that it was still not time for school. We rested for a bit in the cafeteria, enjoying coffee and (in some cases) having breakfast. At 10am, we moved to our main avenue.

Like any standard university trip, ours began with a informative and educational presentation. We were provided with an overview of UCL: how the school was founded in 1826, how it earned its now-too-well-known name, and why UCL is one of the best university and research institution in the world. We were also informed about the requirements of UCL, and about some of the changes in tuition fees and modern languages requirements for 2012 entry.

After the 45-minute presentations, we were introduced with UCL ambassadors, a group of current UCL students (mainly Law and Politics and Medicine students, I noticed) who had volunteered to guide us around UCL and answer our enquiries. Due to my interest in Politics, I and my Politics classmates grabbed Aisha, a pretty Politics and Eastern European Studies third-year student. (It's a pity that my clumsiness prevented me from taking a photo of Aisha).

Aisha guided us around the campus. We visited the Main Library and UCL Union Building, as well as the accommodation for students (well, we weren't allowed inside the building, though). Aisha also introduced us Jeremy Bentham, whose embalmed body is kept on public display at the end of the South Cloisters in the main building of the college. (Fun Fact: for the 100th and 150th anniversaries of the college,he was brought to the meeting of the College Council, where he was listed as "present but not voting" ~wikipedia.com)

While making our way around the university, Aisha explained her undergraduate course and highlighted the key factors of the course and what to expect. She also enthusiastically gave us some advice on student academic and social life in university. What a kind and energetic young woman!

At the end of our tour, after receiving the UCL undergraduate prospectus for 2012 entry, we said goodbye to UCL and hurried back to the coach in order to make it in time for the afternoon lesson.

Posted by Autumn, studying A Levels at Bellerbys Oxford

Special Report: An Extremely Brief Introduction to University of Oxford...

...that was delivered to me last Saturday, 19 February, 2011.

Posted by Autumn @ Bellerbys Oxford

There are quite a few Vietnamese students, both undergraduates and postgraduates, studying in the University of Oxford. In order to unveil the mystery shrouding the famous university and their application process, as well as recruit more Vietnamese students for the next academic year, a Vietnamese Open Day was grandly organised by the dedicated and enthusiast Vietnamese students in University of Oxford.

The Day was planned a good few months ahead. In December, while we were enjoying our awesome holiday, the seniors busied themselves with preparations for the big day. Posters, banners were spread around on the internet, a proper website was put up and links were shared on Facebook. Daily!

After days and days of planning, discussing and advertising, the big day came.  And it was raining cats and dogs that day...

...which was a little bit unfortunate, but the fickle weather of UK didn't stop me, or any attendees from enjoying Oxford Open Day.

We were supposed to gather at either the rail station or the coach station. A member of the society committee would be there to greet us and lead us to the main venue, St.Catherine College. It was really great to see my peers, coming to attend Oxford Open Day for Vietnamese from faraway places.

At 11am, despite some tardiness and and confusion, we finally arrived at St.Catherine. The President of Vietnamese society was already there to welcome us, and lead the way to the meeting room, where the presentation was to be held. At the entrance, we alll were given a booklet and an Oxford prospectus.

After we had settled down, the presentation began.

To sum it up, the presentation gave the attendees a short overview of University of Oxford at a whole. We were informed about how to apply to University of Oxfors, the range of colleges, how the teaching style was here in Oxford and how Oxford students, or Oxonians, as they are called, socialise.

After that, we had a Q&A session with Oxford undergraduate and graduate students.

I luckily met an Economics and Management graduate, who was so nice and kind. I asked her about lots of things, concerning the application process, whether or not the university is suitable for me and whether or not I am suitable for the university. Our kind lady has given me lots of advice.

Oxford university is quite academic-oriented, unlike other university. The knowledge one gains from the university is so academic that there is no actual application for some of them practically. But the key thing that one can obtain from Oxford is how to think properly and distinctively.

A free lunch in St.Catherine followed the session. Then we were divided into two groups to start our tour around Balliol and Worcester, two magnificent colleges.

 

Both colleges looked moderately small when we first entered. But the main entrances soon proved to be greatly deceptive. The whole college is so big to the point of being mind-blowing, especially Worcester. My feet hurt after the 2-hour tour. 

At 4pm, we parted. The Oxford Open Day ended nicely.

Oxford, the city of dreaming spires....

...which can present us a incredibly broad outlook from their windows.

Posted by Autumn, studying A Levels at Bellerbys Oxford 

 

Debating Club at Bellerbys Cambridge

Posted by Tien @ Bellerbys Cambridge

Here at Bellerbys Cambridge we have a new debating club. I joined a lot of publish speaking competitions before I came to the UK. But I have never done debating before. I started learning during lessons.

“Debate or debating is a formal method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion.

Though logical consistency, factual accuracy and some degree of emotional appeal to the audience are important elements of the art of persuasion, in debating, one side often prevails over the other side by presenting a superior "context" and/or framework of the issue, which is far more subtle and strategic.

In a formal debating contest, there are rules for people to discuss and decide on differences, within a framework defining how they will interact.

Informal debate is a common occurrence, the quality and depth of a debate improves with knowledge and skill of its participants as debaters. Deliberative bodies such as parliaments, legislative assemblies, and meetings of all sorts engage in debates.

The outcome of a debate may be decided by audience vote, by judges, or by some combination of the two. (Of course, this implies that facts are based on consensus, which is not factual.) The major goal of the study of debate as a method or art is to develop one's ability to play from either position with equal ease.”

Our school Debating Club is run by my History teacher – James Underwood. I think it a very interesting club us it’s not only helping us in order to improve English but it also teach us to talk, think, … in other words it’s a very effective way to practice critical thinking.

On the 1st day of Lunar New Year, I went to the Oxford Union Debating competition with my classmate – Natalya. Motions were very really difficult, about British army, homosexuals … It was a great chance for me to learn and just to have a great time!

Later, I went to Manchester Union Debating competition. The trip starts from 3:30 am from Cambridge train station to Manchester. It was a really long day, travelling.

We didn’t win all the rounds but luckily we came 1st once!!! It was a big victory especially or us – non-UK students. The motion was “This house believes that all judges should be elected.” Finally, after a hardworking day we came back to Cambridge at around 2 am!

I think debating club is one of the most interesting clubs we have here at Bellerbys Cambridge. It’s so useful for every subject as it the way we talk and express our opinion. At the same time it's useful because we are learning new things even after one hour of practice. And I am sure it’s a big PLUS for those who want to go to top universities in the UK! As for me, I love it and it’s a good choice! ;)

Tien is studying A Levels at Bellerbys Cambridge