Malaysian Students Share Their Journey Of Getting Accepted Into Top Global Universities
One resource available to students is their college's University Placement Services (UPS).
Published for Taylor's College, 19 Aug 2024, 05:57 PM
Meet Wardina Mohd Nizam and Rameeya Ganesan, two Taylor's College students who will soon be studying in their dream universities abroad
Wardina and Rameeya are about to embark on an exciting new chapter of their lives. Wardina is headed to the London School of Economics (LSE) to study Accounting and Finance, while Rameeya is set to study Economics at the University of Cambridge.
For Wardina, her time at Taylor's College laid the foundation for her future academic and career ambitions
She pursued the Cambridge A Level programme with a focus on Accounting, Economics Further Mathematics, and Mathematics. Her dedication to her studies was evident through her consistently high grades and active involvement in extracurricular activities.
Wardina was an active member of the Community Service Initiative (CSI), participating in various impactful activities. She joined donation drives for indigenous communities, organised flower sales, set up donation collection booths, and even volunteered at Zoo Negara. These volunteering experiences not only enriched her college life, but also strengthened her leadership and teamwork skills.
Rameeya had an enriching and memorable experience pursuing her A Level at Taylor's College too
She focused on Economics, Further Mathematics, Mathematics, and Psychology in her A Level programme.
Rameeya's active participation in various activities significantly enriched her college experience. She competed in the Economics Case Study competition organised by LSE, which honed her understanding of economic theories and their real-world applications.
Additionally, she engaged in peer-to-peer tutoring and served as the Director of Design for the Bursa Young Investment Club. These experiences deepened her knowledge of economics and different investment types, while also enhancing her analytical and leadership skills.
Speaking to SAYS, both Wardina and Rameeya shared their journeys of getting accepted into top universities:
"Getting accepted into a top university in the UK is challenging but definitely achievable," said Wardina
Her journey to the LSE began with her dedication to her studies. Right after receiving her AS Level results, she started working on her UCAS application and preparing for IELTS.
The most challenging part of the application process for her was crafting a standout personal statement that distinguished her from other applicants.
"I knew that all applicants to LSE needed excellent results, so I focused on perfecting my personal statement to stand out.
"The personal statement is crucial for showcasing your interest in your chosen field, so I seized the opportunity to demonstrate my passion and qualifications. I included multiple reading materials that I found interesting and provided my opinions on them," said Wardina.For Rameeya, her journey started when her lecturers told her parents that she should try applying to Cambridge or Oxford
The encouragement from Rameeya's lecturers and parents was what sparked her confidence in applying to Cambridge. Despite her initial doubts, her lecturer, Miss Sonika, saw her potential and motivated her to aim high.
After her AS Level exam, she was initially unsure how to tackle the application process. However, the University Placement Services (UPS) team and lecturers at Taylor's College guided her through each step.
"I received the most help from my lecturers for my personal statement and assessment test. My Further Maths lecturer, Dr Poova, helped me ace my Maths assessment test," Rameeya shared.
"One of the conditional offers to study at Cambridge was to get an A* in Further Maths, which included knowing Further Mechanics as well. Since I wasn't a Physics student, it was hard for me to understand it. I had many sessions with Mr Chin and Mr Tava to ask questions and grasp that topic.
"For my interview stage, I did a mock interview with my economics lecturer, Miss Vani, and the UPS team," she added.
She mentioned that in the interview, it's not about whether you answer correctly, but your thought process in problem solving.
Her achievements were made possible with dedicated and passionate lecturers who patiently guided her through one-on-one tutoring sessions, attentively addressing her unique needs as she transitioned to humanities subjects in A Level.
One thing that both girls noticed was that many of their peers gave up on applying to top universities
"I want to encourage more people to apply to top universities because I've realised that among my peers, they actually stop at the beginning stages because of the fear of rejection.
"I want to change the perspective among students and encourage them to try, because you never know until you do," said Rameeya.
Wardina echoed her sentiment, challenging other students to dream big.
"My advice is to take the opportunity and apply to top universities, even if it seems unlikely that you'll be accepted. You have nothing to lose by believing in yourself. The most important thing is to turn your dream into a goal and work towards it," she said.
All in all, both Taylor's College students said that their college support system and the UPS team were fundamental in pursuing their dream university
Both students emphasised the importance of choosing a good college for their foundation. Taylor's College provided access to better resources, experienced teachers, and events that prepared them for university applications.
"Choosing a good college for your foundation is extremely important. A good college provides access to quality resources, experienced educators, and events that can help you prepare for university applications," said Wardina, who also shared how UPS at Taylor's helped her to come up with effective personal statements.
As for Rameeya, the UPS helped her prioritise what she needed to do, which started with focusing on her studies, followed by practical application steps.
"The guidance from UPS was structured and strategic. They advised me to focus on my studies first, then broke down the application process, which included the personal statement, assessment test preparations, and once that was settled, I prepared for the interview sessions," Rameeya said.
A standout feature of Taylor's College is its one-stop UPS, a dedicated centre for current students to access detailed information about universities and application processes. The UPS team provides personalised counselling, guidance, and support for direct or transfer applications to universities, both locally and overseas.
Ready to begin your journey to success? Visit Taylor's Lakeside Campus and discover how Taylor's College can help you transition seamlessly to top universities around the world.
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