How is the University of Macau? How does it compare with Mainland 985?

The University of Macau is very good. Compared with Mainland 985, each has its own advantages.

A mainland student’s perspective: What is it like to study at the University of Macau?

I have searched for this question many times, in order to gain experience from the path my seniors and sisters have taken, or to find sharing posts from peers to confirm my inner thoughts. And today, I also decided to write a formal answer. I think this is an in-depth conversation with myself, and I hope it can give future college entrance examination students more inspiration and less confusion when making choices.

Three years have passed, and the time goes back to before the college entrance examination. In the first and second model exams, I was ranked around the 50th in the city's liberal arts. Calculated to the whole province, it is about 300th place, which is 985 in Wuzhongxia level. Although my dream school at the time was CUHK-Shenzhen, I also won the Bowen Scholarship set by it based on my competition experience and mock test results before the college entrance examination. But unfortunately, the college entrance examination did not realize my eighteen-year-old ideal.

With my current grades, I cannot find a satisfactory balance between urban schools and majors. At this time, my family and I set our sights on Macau. After looking at the official website of the University of Macau, it turns out that Hengqin has such a hot spot! All English teaching, an international perspective, a springboard for overseas postgraduate applications, a unique academy system... coupled with the island's comfortable climate, it is only more than three hours away from home by train. The day before the registration deadline, I filled in my personal information and college entrance examination results with the mentality of giving it a try. The text message announcing the results was sent to my mobile phone, and I was admitted to the Business Administration major of the University of Macau.

1. What is an academy?

All aspects of life at the University of Macau are managed by the college. The biggest difference from the general dormitory system is that the college is more like a big family with a sense of belonging. There are ten colleges in one campus of the University of Macau.

Located south of the university is Shaobang Academy, which is close to supermarkets and shops. In the middle are the second college (Zhang Kunlun College, Ma Wanqi and Luo Boxin College) and the third college (Zheng Yutong College, Lui Che Woo College, Cao Guangbiao College). The third college is known as the "school district room" and is within walking distance of the School of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, and School of Business Administration. The distance is less than or equal to five minutes. To the north near the stadium are the four colleges, including Choi Kai Yau College, Fok Ying Tung Jubilee College, Man Chun Memorial College, and Stanley Ho East Asia College. There is a free bus around campus.

Academies in the Mainland are randomly assigned. If you can actively participate in college activities, make certain contributions to the college and do not violate disciplines, you can be guaranteed to stay in the college for four years, eliminating the usual trouble of renting an apartment to study in overseas universities. During the report, college uniforms will be distributed and orientation activities will be carried out. Seniors will help everyone get familiar with the campus environment and learn about UM’s UMMoodle website model, etc.

The colleges will provide breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the meals in each college are somewhat different. The one with the best reputation is in the third college. The dormitories are all double rooms with private bathrooms, and are fully equipped with shoe cabinets, wardrobes, desks, and refrigerators. The academy has public spaces such as a gym, dance studio, and small library. There are also kitchens and study rooms on each floor. The tutors of the college and the student association are responsible for organizing activities.

For example, large-scale high-table dinners, talent shows, badminton matches, mobile phone case making and other entertainment projects help students integrate into the college; professors or industry elites will also be invited to give different types of lectures, such as movie insights categories, career planning categories, and scientific and technological achievements categories to expand students’ knowledge.

2. About learning!

The majors of the University of Macau can be found on the official website, and the training plans for various disciplines in different colleges are also very detailed. The most important aspect of learning here is autonomy. Everyone is an independent individual, with their own class schedule, and there is no class concept or counselor management. In addition to the professional courses that will be directly assigned to you, other general courses and elective courses need to be understood and added by you during the pre-selection stage. Otherwise you are an out-of-school child with an empty class schedule.

Freshmen can ignore the pre-selected courses in the first semester and go directly to the next phase of the add and drop period. Simply put, it gives you time to adjust your class schedule or change professors (to avoid the point killer, commonly known as the killer) ) opportunity. Before the course schedule is finalized, you can use the mini program "Choose a Course" to check past students' evaluations of professors or ask seniors for course selection suggestions. If you do not grasp these two stages well, your grades in subsequent courses will also be affected.

To successfully graduate from UM, you need to complete the credits required for your major, including professional courses (Compulsory Major), general education courses (General Education), elective courses (Free Elective), and required courses (Required Elective) ). Professional courses include basic and advanced courses, which run through four years of college. General courses are divided into four areas (gest science and technology, gelh language and humanities, gega global awareness, gesb social behavior), and eight courses should be completed.

Four of them are compulsory, including quantitative reasoning under science and technology, Chinese language and culture under language and humanities, Macao and Chinese civilization under global awareness, and ethics, morality and law under social behavior. One course; the remaining four courses are taken one in each of the four areas.

The Registrar's Office will list the general courses offered each semester on the official website, and you can choose according to your personal preferences. As elective courses, you can take courses that are not part of your major in the college, or you can take subjects of interest across colleges. Relatively speaking, it is a category with a higher degree of freedom.

Compulsory courses are actually a form of professional courses, but they provide a wider range of choices and are usually set in the third and fourth years of college. The number of credits taken each semester can be flexibly adjusted. Generally speaking, five to six courses are more suitable, and the maximum number of courses required is seven. Especially for freshmen, it is not recommended to take too many courses. It is a very unwise decision to sacrifice your GPA in exchange for credits when you are inexperienced and have not yet fully adapted to the rhythm of college.

The School of Business Administration where I am located is the largest school at the University of Macau. It has obtained three major global business accreditations: AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS, the European Foundation for Management Development. . According to the school’s official website in March 2022, there are less than 100 business schools in the world that have obtained triple certification, and only 12 in Asia. The main majors of the School of Business Administration of the University of Macau include finance, accounting, business intelligence and data analysis, business administration, and international integrated resort management (including two directions: hotel management and gaming management).

The business administration major will be divided into corporate financial monitoring, global business management, human resources management, business economics and marketing in the third year. After the first semester, you have the opportunity to change majors every semester. The main basis is the average GPA. However, the probability of mainland students changing majors across colleges is basically zero, and they can only change within the college. This should be taken into consideration when filling out the application form.

UM’s teaching staff is relatively international, with professors from Macau, Hong Kong, mainland China and overseas. Most of the teachers I met were gentle, academically advanced, and willing to communicate with students. The two required professional courses in my freshman year, microeconomics and macroeconomics, were taught by Professor Situ. Her teaching focuses on logical reasoning and idea analysis, not just on the theoretical level. Students are also very welcome to take the initiative to ask questions after class. One night during the final review week, I worked on the questions until around 11 o'clock and sent her an email when I encountered any doubts. Unexpectedly, I got a reply within ten minutes.

In my sophomore year, I met Professor Grace He on the principles of marketing, which also planted the seeds for my subsequent diversion choice. She is from Hong Kong and received her undergraduate and doctoral degrees from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. During the preparation of the group report project, I went to the office to ask for her revision opinions. The topic of the report was how to improve a soda that has low sales volume. She guided me to start from the psychology of consumers, why not just think about us young people not buying this product. Then I mentioned the major diversion, and she said that marketing requires high English proficiency and is suitable for students who are outgoing, have a desire to explore new things, and have keen insight.

I thought about it and felt that it fits my own characteristics very well. When the stream was about to end, I got full marks in marketing. I was originally struggling with the popular fields of corporate financial monitoring and marketing, but I chose marketing as my first choice. For me, being able to choose freely and follow my inner thoughts is a blessing.

After the diversion, the marketing courses will be more professional, involving the comprehensive cultivation of hard skills and soft power, and will also have a global perspective. In the International Business Environment course, we need to overcome time zone differences, language barriers, cultural identity and other issues to complete industry reports for cross-border teams. After all, in the process, we may encounter African guys who frequently disconnect from the Internet and go on Instagram while traveling. The Indian girl who doesn’t reply to messages, of course, there is also the handsome Brazilian guy who is doing internships and multitasking homework, and the Vietnamese top student whose family immigrated to the United States are in our group C!

In addition to traditional projects such as PPT and reports, international marketing also requires the design of posters and original advertising videos to promote domestic high-tech products to overseas countries or regions, including estimates of the size of new markets and Profit forecasts, etc. Compared with the basic business education in the freshman and sophomore years, the junior year is more like a simulation of a real business environment, which puts forward advanced requirements for the ability to use data to tell stories and draw consumer portraits.

In addition to professional courses, I also met a very excellent professor in a required general course. He graduated with a master's degree from Harvard University and majored in history at the University of Hong Kong during his doctoral studies. He is fluent in English and quotes from many sources. Although the history class involves many proper nouns, which is difficult, it is still a kind of edification and enjoyment. When the teaching assistant's score was not satisfactory, I sent an email to discuss it with the professor. He re-marked my test paper to express his approval, decided to change my grade, and apologized for the previous score.

UM’s scoring system is in line with Western standards. The final grade of the course is composed of multiple assessments, including but not limited to essays, group presentations, attendance, class participation, daily homework, mid-term and final exams. . Therefore, if you want to achieve high grade points, it is not enough to just rely on pre-exam surprises. You also need to develop the habit of reading all-English textbooks, practice literature retrieval skills, and expressiveness in public English speeches. According to the information I know, the scores given by the UM Business School are relatively objective and fair, and deliberately lowering scores is relatively rare. This is one of the advantages for future applications. After all, undergraduate grade points are the most important thing for graduate schools. reference basis.

Generally speaking, UM’s hardware level, faculty, and internationalization are no less than those of Mainland China’s 985. But when it comes to the learning atmosphere, this is where I have always been disappointed with UM. I once regretted this when I was a freshman. UM is a public university in the Macau Special Administrative Region, which means that most of its resources are geared toward local students.

Mainland exchange and internship opportunities almost without exception give priority to local students, and are even limited to Macau ID card holders. Mainland students probably only account for 30%. Macau has high social welfare and does not need to go through the brutal college entrance examination competition. Excellent local students are usually recommended to the mainland's double first-class universities or study abroad in foreign universities. It is even easier to stay at UM and study. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree, you don’t have to worry about a high-paying job. This has resulted in a large number of local students lying flat. When mainland students study late at night in the central teaching building of the library to strive for full grades, many local requirements for courses are just to retake without failing the course.

I think such a contrasting scene is not common in any 985 211 double first-class university. Therefore, when you are wavering between volunteering in the Mainland and UM, please consider carefully whether you have enough self-discipline and strong execution ability to not be affected by the external environment.

The level of undergraduate students varies, and the depth of content taught by professors will also be affected. In a statistics class at the sophomore business school, almost all mainland students scored 90 or above, but there were still students in the class who scored between 20 and 30 to 40 and 50. On the one hand, it is due to the gap in mathematical foundation in middle school, and on the other hand, it is the difference in learning attitudes. So when the group reports on team formation, my suggestion is to choose teammates whose goals and abilities match in all aspects.

Otherwise, if you want to get an A with 93 points, others will think that you can just muddle along with 60 or 70 points. It is not good to force others to face difficulties. Most mainland students have clear academic plans and use UM as a springboard to apply for overseas postgraduate programs. Even though the overall environment at UM is relatively comfortable and relaxed, this small group is still happy. GPA, TOEFL, IELTS, GRE/GMAT, business competitions, internships, examinations, and scientific research are the constant keywords in this circle. It is true that there will be bad emoticons in the circle of friends from time to time, but I prefer to interpret them as the boss's self-deprecation.

In recent years, UM’s rankings have taken off. In terms of postgraduate application, UM belongs to Hainan. Even if some foreign universities require applicants to have a background in a double first-class university, it will not affect the application of Australian students. I heard from seniors who graduated this year that the results of their master's degree applications were generally very good. The students who scored 985 in the college entrance examination at the bottom of the mainland in the past have now entered the financial mathematics master's program of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. It is basically impossible to have such an opportunity if they choose to stay in the mainland to study for undergraduates.

For more examples, you can refer to the public account "UM Study Abroad Duck" to see how Oxford seniors and London Economics seniors can make full use of their four-year undergraduate degree. As for employment, I don't have much say yet. 985 is a pass for academic qualifications in China, but the influence of UM will vary by region. It is highly recognized in the Pearl River Delta region (this can be seen from the inclusion of the University of Macau in Guangdong’s selection list), and its influence will be relatively weakened in the north. . Mainland students rarely choose direct employment. Most of them go to Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States to continue their studies.

In general, Macao, as a port of Chinese and Western cultures, gives us more freedom and space for creative exchanges. Although UM’s management is not strict and its academic atmosphere is average, its strong faculty and exchange opportunities can provide many opportunities! If you grasp it well, it will allow you to have a broader mind and vision after mastering the basic knowledge. However, if you lack self-control and motivation, it is indeed easy to waste four years in college.

3. How to choose university clubs

UM has a complete system of school teams, clubs and student unions, and everyone has the opportunity to find their own shining field. Most of the recruitment time is at the beginning of the semester. Freshmen should pay more attention to the push of emails and the promotion of WeChat public accounts. In terms of student unions, there are the Macao Students Union and the Mainland Students Union. Faculties and colleges also have internal student unions, which are responsible for planning and organizing activities. Clubs include drama club, calligraphy club, and various interesting associations such as bartending and coffee seminars and magic society.

The school teams include a general debate team, an English debate team, a dance team, a choir, a national flag honor guard, etc. Campus reporter, student public relations ambassador... In addition to studying, participating in one or two clubs can open up a social circle and meet friends from all over the world in different majors. Being a team leader can also add a touch of color to your resume.

I am a member of the English debate team and one of the team leaders. The school provides a variety of support for the English debate team. We usually have professional coach training, have concentrated workshops before games, and also have team building activities such as barbecues. The English debate team is one of the most intensively trained teams in the school, training twice a week for three hours.

If it is before a game, there will be some additional training. This is a challenge to balance studies and life, especially when schoolwork is concentrated and exam season comes. The school will also provide exchange program subsidies (ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 yuan) to school team members who have made outstanding contributions. They can be recommended first in summer exchanges without having to participate in the school-wide open competition.

Why choose English debate? From love. Not only do I love English and debate itself, but I also enjoy the feeling of building a debate framework in my mind and the process of deliberating and exploring with the debaters.

From the education system to medical ethics, from abortion policy to the credit system. Our debate topics cover various aspects such as politics, economy, social life, human geography, etc. In the process, the members of the English debate team upgraded and fought monsters all the way, transforming from cute little newbies into eloquent debaters, becoming truly global visionaries. of world citizens.

In past competitions, my partner and I have won honors such as being among the top ten debaters in the competition, advancing to the top of the points table, and reaching the semi-finals. English debate is sometimes like a thrilling level to escape from the busy life, where you will encounter interesting souls and wonderful things. For me now, studies are the main line, and English speaking is a side job. Maybe one day English speaking will become the main theme of life?

4. Life on a Small Island

UM is located in the Hengqin area of ??Zhuhai, but you still have to go through Macau Customs to reach the campus. The ports include Gongbei Port, Qingmao Port and Hengqin Port. The latter two ports were built in a short time, have less flow of people and fast customs clearance, and are more friendly to those with a lot of luggage. Gongbei Port and Qingmao Port are located in the Xiangzhou District of Zhuhai, very close to Zhuhai Station, and are very convenient choices for students taking the high-speed rail; Hengqin Port is closer to UM, and it takes about 15 minutes to drive after passing the border. Arrive at school. Although Macao is an overseas region, in the post-epidemic era, you can pass customs independently without taking nucleic acid tests!

The main way we usually travel is by bus. Download the "Bus Stop Report" to clearly check the transfer route, bus driving trajectory, arrival time, etc. The cost of a student Macau Pass card is 1.5mop per trip, and the cost of a regular trip is 6mop. During the back-to-school season and when you have a lot of luggage during the winter and summer vacations, you can choose to call a taxi to the port. It will be more cost-effective to go in a group or carpool with friends.

Most shops in Macau support WeChat and Alipay payments, and the exchange rate fluctuates around 15% off. However, it is necessary to prepare some Macau Pataca cash with you, for example, you need cash to recharge the Macau Passbuy phone card.

You may be a little worried about the language environment before coming here, and whether it will be difficult to adapt if you don’t speak Cantonese. But in fact, Mandarin is widely spoken in Macau, so normal communication is no problem. The political environment is also very stable. "Love the country and love Australia" is the common sense of the whole society. Many primary and secondary school teachers in Macao received teacher education in the mainland and then returned to Macao to teach. This has also enhanced the new generation of Macao's understanding of patriotism.

There are many local specialties, such as Portuguese cuisine and tea restaurants. But it lacks a hint of mainland fireworks, and food stalls are hard to find. Fortunately, it is quite convenient to clear customs. On less busy days, after class, you can go to the socialist areas to improve the food, eat barbecue, go to the Sun and Moon Shell in Zhuhai to enjoy the sea breeze and chase the sunset, watch movies and play script killing.

The romantic town of Macau is full of colorful fairy tales. In addition to check-in celebrity attractions, there are also streets and alleys waiting for you to explore exclusive memories. The business district in Taipa is very prosperous and is known as a "shopping paradise". The products range from affordable to top luxury goods. Skin care products and cosmetics that girls often buy can be purchased at lower prices, and sneakers and electronic products that boys like to buy are also very affordable. The only troublesome part is that Taobao needs to collect it on behalf of others, so the arrival time will be delayed and extra charges will be incurred.

5. Poetry and the Distance

The once popular TV series He Yi Sheng Xiao Mo contains many of my longings for college and life. A sweet campus love, three or two best friends and confidants. I am very grateful to have met him and them at UM.

In small islands and UM with a high happiness index, we don’t have to cater to too many worldly standards and have more time to experience cultural collisions and discover the meaning of life’s journey, not just Stuck in a "merit-ism" mindset. For those of us who have gone through the road of being a topic writer in a small town, we may find that there is more to the holiday than "overtaking in corners", and we don't have to feel guilty for rest and entertainment. These things that seem a bit illusory and difficult to measure with numbers, are they not required courses for growth?

Even if I think of everything related to the college entrance examination, I still feel regretful. But looking back, I can see that the boat has passed the Ten Thousand Mountains. The GPA that ranked first in my major, the IELTS score that I scored in the first test, the various awards in business competitions... As I enter the 24fall graduate application season, I can finally say that I don’t regret my original choice, and I hope to get it in the future. I was able to reconcile with my 2020 self when I was applying to my dream school.