BBSG Students Unlocking Global Success

Last week, the BBSG QUEST Talk series welcomed a special guest: Professor Christopher Bickerton, Full Professor at the University of Cambridge & Official Fellow at Queens' College, Cambridge. He delivered an insightful session for our secondary students and parents, offering a masterclass in top university expectations. The highlight of the event featured four BBSG students taking the stage to engage in a spirited FAQ.

From left to right: Anny Z (G7), Dora L (Y10), Prof. Bickerton, Bernice H (Y11), Jacky R (G8)

Guest host Ms. Winnie Tsoi (Executive Director - External Affairs at CTF Education) set the stage with her insights of a key trend: in the AI era, employers prioritise "human-centric" traits—judgment, empathy, and creativity—alongside tech skills. As global needs shift, how must education recalibrate?

With over a decade of experience in undergraduate, master's, and PhD admissions at Cambridge, Prof. Bickerton possesses a profound understanding of the admissions criteria at the world’s top institutions. Having taught many Chinese students throughout his career, he also holds unique insights into their specific strengths and challenges. The talk began by debunking common myths and evolved into a sincere dialogue about the ultimate purpose of higher education.

What Does an Oxbridge Interview Actually Test?

“You’ve likely heard the stories—that you walk into an Oxbridge interview and the first thing the professor tells you is to throw a brick out the window. In reality, no one does that,” Prof. Bickerton addressed several persistent rumours, clarifying that the interviewer’s role is to use their expertise to guide candidates into an unfamiliar territory, observing how they navigate the unknown, to assess the intellectual flexibility and creativity that Cambridge is looking for.

“If you only like to discuss topics you are already familiar with, a Cambridge interview might be very uncomfortable to you,” he noted. This is a common hurdle for students coming from exam-heavy backgrounds. In an interactive educational environment, students who are used to "being taught" will need to learn to express themselves proactively.

The "truth about interviews" was the highlight of the session. When Jacky R (G8) and Bernice H (Y11) asked how to "stand out," Prof. Bickerton was refreshingly blunt: You don't need to put in extra effort in showing "uniqueness" for its own sake. The core remains academic strength and interview performance.

BBSG student Dora L (Y10) posed a sharp question to the veteran interviewer: “How do you personally tell the difference between a student who truly loves a subject and one who is just pretending to look good for applications?”

Click to find out Prof. Bickerton’s response

You Might Not Suit Cambridge

And Cambridge Might Not Suit You

Labels like “G5,” “Oxbridge,” or “Ivy League” can also be misleading, as Prof. Bickerton noted. Institutions with the same prestige often have vastly different admissions policies, teaching styles, and campus cultures. Finding the "best fit" is one of the most important decisions, and that is a task for students themselves, not parents.

“Do the research yourself, look online, look at the courses you're interested in, look at the videos on Rednote or TikTok of students sharing their university life—you’ll probably just see them sitting in the library—because that is the reality of Cambridge.”

While it is a "dream school" for many, a research-intensive institution like Cambridge isn't for everyone. Prof. Bickerton sees students who are unhappy or burn out at Cambridge every year. Once the excitement of the admission offer fades, they find themselves among equally brilliant peers, realising they have sacrificed much for a path they don't truly love.

When Grade 7 student Anny Z asked how to find such passion and remain curious, the dialogue shifted from mere sharing of "interview tips" to insights about the fundamental drive for lifelong learning.

Where Passion Meets Purpose:

The BBSG QUEST Programme

The core philosophy of the BBSG QUEST programme is “Follow Your Own Bent.” Starting from Grade 6, we help every student build a personal profile, guiding them to explore their interests in the real world and transform that into the mindset and capabilities that prepare them for their "dream destinations". Under the guidance of the QUEST programme, students have already achieved remarkable results:

At the end of the session, Prof. Bickerton left the students with one last piece of advice: “Don’t fixate on just one place. Be happy to go to a number of different places.”

Cambridge is not the finish line, nor is the world. The true destination is to become a person fueled by passion, continuous reflection, and constant growth—ready to realise the "100 possibilities" of your life.

Stay tuned for BBSG Video Channels for more insights from Prof. Bickerton.