劍橋哲學係offer申請經驗分享

劍橋大學作為(wei) 英國頂尖名校，離我們(men) 有多遠？

曾就讀於(yu) 北京德威中學的Chloe兩(liang) 年前就在機構的幫助下考入Westminster 16+, 就讀A Level，而今年她收到了劍橋大學哲學係的錄取offer！ 年紀小小的Chloe如何考入劍橋？又是如何愛上哲學？這篇文章為(wei) 您詳細講解....

金燦燦的劍橋錄取通知書(shu) ， 背後是多年的規劃與(yu) 努力...

兩(liang) 年前Chloe申請了英國16+的Westminster、Wycombe Abbey 和 CLC三所學校，並最終都收到了錄取通知書(shu) 。 目前她就讀於(yu) 威斯敏斯特學校Westminster 13年級，學習(xi) A-Level 的英語文學、經濟、地理和哲學。

Chloe對於(yu) 哲學的興(xing) 趣，源自於(yu) 兩(liang) 年前進入威斯敏斯特的申請，每個(ge) 學生在申請時必須申報4門A level科目，並接受各院係老師的測試和麵試。 Chloe在確定了英語，經濟和地理的三科選項之後，第四門猶豫不決(jue) 。

起初，由於(yu) 父母從(cong) 事金融，她覺得數學是理所應當的選項；又由於(yu) 鋼琴彈得不錯，她也考慮了音樂(le) 作為(wei) 選擇。但她明顯感覺，對數學和音樂(le) ，沒有感受到其他三門同樣的熱情。

機構的谘詢師根據對她平時的了解，在仔細溝通後發現她擁有相當優(you) 秀的批判性思維能力，也看過她平時寫(xie) 過的一些文章，便建議她選擇"冷門"科目哲學。這四門以人文為(wei) 主的A Level科目可以將她的興(xing) 趣和優(you) 勢發揮到極致，也相信她一定會(hui) 愛上這門課。

同時谘詢師認為(wei) ，國內(nei) 申請該專(zhuan) 業(ye) 的學生很少，這一選擇將讓Chloe在國際學生的競爭(zheng) 中更有優(you) 勢。 因此，出於(yu) 學生自身的特色，和戰略布局，學生和家長大膽地接受了選擇哲學的建議。

果然在威斯敏斯特的麵試中，Chloe對哲學這門課的選擇，引起了老師的注意，也被老師問到了“為(wei) 何作為(wei) 中國學生對哲學感興(xing) 趣”這個(ge) 她早有準備的問題。

決(jue) 定哲學方向後，Chloe開始在機構接受正式的哲學課的學習(xi) ，從(cong) 此開始了她自己所說的"我與(yu) 哲學的愛情故事"。  

回想起在機構上課的日子，Chloe說：  “在決(jue) 定去威斯敏斯特入學考試的之前的兩(liang) 個(ge) 月內(nei) ，我開始與(yu) 一位優(you) 秀的哲學教授進行一對一授課輔導。   盡管老師的日程很忙，他始終致力於(yu) 幫助我建立哲學課程的框架和基礎。  

讓我感到很驚訝的是，老師每節課後為(wei) 我準備的課後總結筆記居然有2000字！

除了教給我認識論和倫(lun) 理學的基礎知識，這位哲學教授還啟發了我對於(yu) 學術研究和哲學學科的激情，他不僅(jin) 僅(jin) 是中東(dong) 哲學的專(zhuan) 家，還涉及其他哲學子領域。  

除了學術上的幫助外，教授還傾(qing) 囊而出給予我很多辯證對話和麵試的技巧，這些都在後來劍橋的麵試中用到，真的非常感謝！” 從(cong) 認識、了解到熱愛：從(cong) 此全身心投入哲學研究 成功完成威斯敏斯特入學考試後，Chloe想更深入了解哲學領域。

還在北京的時候，為(wei) 了幫助自己尋找哲學中更加小眾(zhong) 的領域，她報名參加了約翰·洛克（John Locke）論文比賽，她撰寫(xie) 了一篇關(guan) 於(yu) 新無神論的興(xing) 起以及它們(men) 給基督教信仰觀念帶來的認識論挑戰的文章。  

機構的哲學教授，以及另一位神學教授對她進行了指導，介紹了很多重要的神學概念，深化了Chloe對論文主題、探討方向的見解。

【約翰·洛克（John Locke）論文比賽】

約翰·洛克是一位英國哲學家和醫生，被廣泛認為(wei) 是最有影響力的啟蒙思想家之一，通常被稱為(wei) “自由主義(yi) 之父”。洛克被認為(wei) 是英國最早的經驗主義(yi) 者之一，他的工作極大地影響了認識論和政治哲學的發展。

約翰·洛克研究所鼓勵年輕人培養(yang) 將優(you) 秀學生變成偉(wei) 大作家的品質：獨立思考、知識深度、推理清晰、批判性分析和有說服力的風格。  

旗下的論文比賽每年會(hui) 邀請學生在學校課程範圍之外探索各種具有挑戰性和有趣的問題。  

所有的論文獎均由來自牛津大學和普林斯頓大學等頂尖大學的資深學者組成的評審團進行評審，評審團主席為(wei) 劍橋大學前哲學家傑米·懷特博士。

(圖為(wei) 2023年約翰·洛克論文比賽哲學組選題）

評委將從(cong) 七個(ge) 學科類別（哲學、政治、經濟學、曆史、心理學、神學和法律）中選出他們(men) 最喜歡的論文，然後選出各學科最佳參賽作品的大獎獲得者。此外，還有一個(ge) 單獨的獎項頒發給 15 歲以下青少年類別的最佳論文。  

最後Chloe獲得了三等獎，對於(yu) 她來說是一個(ge) 裏程碑式的成就。也更增加了她學習(xi) 哲學的自信和熱情。 在短短的一年的學習(xi) 中，Chloe從(cong) “對哲學一無所知”，到“逐漸形成細致入微的理解”，形成了自己的價(jia) 值觀和判斷力。

進入威斯敏斯特， 更是學習(xi) 哲學的殿堂

回想起在威斯敏斯特的時光，Chloe認為(wei) 這裏進一步為(wei) 自己提供了參與(yu) 哲學的平台。 “盡管比起經濟學、數學等國家奧賽很多的學科，哲學學習(xi) 相對參與(yu) 課外活動的機會(hui) 較少，但威斯敏斯特學校與(yu) 皇家哲學研究所建立了獨特的聯係，因此學生們(men) 可以聆聽來自 KCL 和劍橋大學教授的講座，這有助於(yu) 我們(men) 了解活躍的哲學世界，這種麵對麵交流學習(xi) 甚至超越了亞(ya) 裏士多德和康德的教科書(shu) 。” 此外，Chloe還申請並在2023年年輕哲學家大會(hui) (2023 Young Philosopher’s Conference)上發表了一篇論文。

最近，Chloe對女性主義(yi) 哲學和人工智能之間的交叉點產(chan) 生了興(xing) 趣。在學校哲學係主任的鼓勵下，她寫(xie) 了一篇關(guan) 於(yu) 有偏見的人工智能的性別倫(lun) 理影響的4000字論文，該論文被送到哲學係發表。

此外，Chloe與(yu) AI協會(hui) 主席共同發表了一場關(guan) 於(yu) 人工智能倫(lun) 理的演講，並邀請了一位嘉賓一起探討了人工智能對英國宗教的影響。 談及高中生活，Chloe滿是對威斯敏斯特和機構的感謝,多年的厚積薄發，最終讓Chloe收獲了今天的一切。  我是在北京長大的國際學生。

回顧過去我對英國大學申請的準備工作很大程度上始於(yu) 十年級，當時我開始為(wei) 16+做準備。 雖然不能說英國頂尖的公立學校極大地提高了進入牛津劍橋的機會(hui) ，但它確實使你接觸到不同的觀點，並幫助你熟悉英國教育體(ti) 係的運作方式。

最終選擇了Westminster主要是因為(wei) 其與(yu) 眾(zhong) 不同的價(jia) 值觀，特別是在社會(hui) 講座和課堂討論方麵，以及其令人難以置信的地理位置和交通便利。

這就是我的哲學之旅。機構的導師和輔導員為(wei) 我提供了獨特的觀點和見解，甚至幫助我認識自己都不知道擁有的某些技能。

我覺得從(cong) 機構哲學老師那裏學到的核心分析技能很重要，同時教授自己對哲學的整體(ti) 熱情，以及我的谘詢師對更大格局的戰略關(guan) 注，真正幫助我完成了轉變，實現了夢想。

Hi everyone. I’m Chloe.I’m a Y13 student currently studying at Westminster School. My A levels are English, Econ, Geography and Philosophy. A month ago, I received a conditional offer from Cambridge to study philosophy, which I’m really excited about. I thought I’d share some insights into my own application process that will hopefully be useful. Coincidentally, the process of entering Westminster during 16+ was the beginning of my love story with philosophy. While applying to the school, students have to declare 4 A level subjects, which they are tested on and interviewed by teachers from respective departments. While choosing my A level subjects, I was certain about English, Economics and Geography but struggled to find a fourth subject that I could connect with and love as much. While I was leaning towards maths and music because I did quite well at both at GCSE level, my counsellor from 機構 said that after getting to know me, she thought I would really enjoy philosophy because I engage with critical thinking. Initially I was unsure as I had grown up in Beijing which is largely secular, so I had never systematically studied religious studies unlike some other students who apply from the UK. But she actually replied saying that because so few people apply fromChina, it would grant me a competitive edge over other international students as opposed to maths and music. Interestingly, during my Westminster general interview I was actually asked why as a student coming from China I had an interest in philosophy. Having decided on philosophy 2 months prior to the Westminster entrance exams, I began tutoring sessions once a week with an absolutely amazing philosophy professor at 機構. Despite his busy schedule, he was really committed to helping me build my philosophical foundation. I remember being shocked to find that his homework questions and consolidation notes after each lesson were about 2000 words long. Aside from teaching me the basics of epistemology and ethics, I was inspired by his passion for the subject and academia in general as a specialist in middle eastern philosophy, amongst other philosophical sub-areas. The sessions were not purely academic - he further introduced me to dialectic conversation and taught me interview tips that I later used for my Cambridge interviews. Around the time I finished the Westminster entrance exams, I wanted to dive deeper into the niches of the subject. Entering the John Locke essay competition, I wrote a piece about the rise of New Atheism and the epistemological challenges they brought to Christian notions of faith. After liaising with my tutor, I also spoke with another theology professor who introduced me to important theological concepts that deepened my understanding of the essay question. Ultimately, I won 3rd prize - to me it was a big achievement because through a year of tutoring, I went from being quite clueless to having a more nuanced understanding of philosophy and I could even develop my own lines judgment. Westminster further provided me a platform for me to engage with philosophy. While I believe opportunities to engage with philosophy outside of the classroom are relatively rare compared to other subject like economics and maths that has national olympiads, Westminster uniquely had connections to the Royal Institute of Philosophy, so prospective students could attend lectures made by professors from KCL and Cambridge, helping us understand the vibrant world of philosophy that is active and goes beyond the textbook cannon of Aristotle and Kant. Moreover, I applied for and defended a paper at the 2023 Young Philosopher’s Conference. Recently, I became interested in the intersection between feminist philosophy and AI - encouraged by the head of my school’s philosophy department, I wrote a 4000 word paper on the gendered ethical implications of biased AI, which was sent around my school’s philosophy department. In addition, I gave a joint talk with the President of AI society on AI ethics, and afterwards we invited a guest speaker to talk about the impact of AI on religion in the UK. I’m an international student who grew up in Beijing. Looking back, a lot of the preparation for my UK uni apps began in Y10, when I began preparing for 16+. While I wouldn’t say that top UK public schools greatly improve your chance of getting into Oxbridge, it definitely exposes you to different perspectives and help you familiarise with the workings of the UK educational system. I ended up applying to 3 UK boarding schools: Westminster, Wycombe Abbey and CLC and was accepted into all 3. I went to Westminster in the end largely because of its liberal values, especially when it comes to society talks and classroom discussions, as well as its incredible location and access. So that’s my philosophy journey. From my experience, the tutors and counsellors from 機構 are not bogged down by discussions of skill - rather, they provide unique perspectives and insights, helping me recognise certain skills I didn’t even know I possessed. I feel like while the core analytical skills I learned from my tutor were important, his overall passion for philosophy, as well as my counsellor’s strategic focus on the bigger picture, was what truly helped me complete the circle from an agnostic student in Beijing to someone who now studies and loves philosophy.