Columbia MBA Essay-4:

Please select and answer one of the following essay questions. (Recommended 250 word limit)

a. Please tell us what you feel most passionate about in life. b. If you were given a free day and could spend it anywhere, in any way you choose, what would you do?

A free day to be spent anywhere in any way seems to be a condition of absolute freedom. Naturally, I would commit this rare opportunity to the most important undertaking.

As a forefront educator, I would like to have Mr. Donald Tsang, the newly-elected Chief Executive of Hong Kong, visit our school. Intensely concerned with the on-going educational reform, I expect a vis-à-vis dialogue on educational issues, issues with far-reaching consequences for Hong Kong as an international metropolis.

With my insider’s knowledge of this government-promoted reform, I will argue the policy of designating Chinese as the medium of instruction, despite its patriotic orientation, will deteriorate students’ English proficiency. Conventionally, the competitiveness of Hong Kong as an international metropolis derives much from the tradition of English education cultivated over the past century under the British rule. In this age of globalization, English as an international language should be adhered to. Changing teaching medium would fatally undermine Hong Kong’s global competitiveness. Also, I will explain to Mr. Tsang how the current exam-oriented education system creates heavy burden for teachers and students and I will urge him to incorporate this issue into the educational reform.

Additionally, I will propose to Mr. Tsang that government’s expenditure on education be expanded to help schools develop holistic education. I will also propose that government encourage the business sector to support free learning programs delivered by nonprofit organizations to students. This will allow the business sector to assume greater corporate social responsibilities by participating in synergic efforts with other sectors for the long-lasting prosperity of Hong Kong as a whole.

Determined to engage myself in an education-oriented profession, I believe sound decision-making process precedes sound education. It can be attained by taking into account the society’s real needs and by devising innovative initiatives. This is how we can meet new challenges in the knowledge-based global economy of the 21st century.