Helping youths to soar high
DISTED College students shone yet again in the Cambridge A-Levels and South Australian Matriculation (SAM), which are internationally recognised foundation pathways to universities all over the world.
Their fine achievements of world-class standard are a strong testament to DISTED as a choice college with a proven track record in pre-university education.
The reputation of DISTED is further attested by the 5-star excellent rating accorded to its A-Level and SAM course cluster by the Malaysian Quality Evaluation System for Private Colleges (MyQUEST) 2012/2013, conducted by the Ministry of Education.
MyQUEST also ranked DISTED a 5-Star College in recognition of its excellent quality and performance as a tertiary education provider.
In 2013, the Cambridge A-Levels examination results brought glad tidings of excellence to DISTED, with Cassandra Low Ju Yee emerging the ace achiever with 5 straight As comprising 4 high distinctions (A*) in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics, and an A in the General Paper.
Ng Wei Yao too excelled with stellar results of 5 straight As comprising 3 high distinctions (A*) in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, and 2As in Mathematics and the General Paper.
Aaron Tee Khai Ern and Ng Jack Min each scored 5As with 1 high distinction, while Looi Shi Hao scored 4As and a B including 3 high distinctions. Sarah Chang Sue Lin bagged 4As including 2 high distinctions and Tan Sing Min achieved 4As and a B including 2 high distinctions.
The top scorers were among the 42 DISTED students who attained excellent grades of ABB and higher last year.
With her fine achievements, Low is now reading a pharmacy degree at the University of Manchester in Great Britain. She chose the Cambridge A-Levels, a British pre-university programme, as she had intended to further her studies there.
“It is also challenging, academically stimulating and internationally recognised for university entry,” she said of the programme.
Low attributed her sterling success to her lecturers and parents, adding that her lecturers inspired students to excel through good teaching that facilitated understanding of subject topics.
Ng, who plans to take up medical studies, similarly attributed his success to “experienced lecturers who not only teach well, but also provide valuable learning support thorugh online lesson notes and revision tutorials.”
“I preferred the Cambridge A-Levels as it’s a gateway to university studies worldwide,” he added.
In the 2013 SAM examination, DISTED student Teh Xian Zhi obtained a sterling Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 99.60, and a subject merit award for exceptional performance in Specialist Mathematics.
His success ranked him among the top most 1% of all SAM high flyers in the world last year.
A total of 19 DISTED students placed among the top 20% of all SAM achievers in the world for attaining ATAR 80 and above.
Nine of them, including Teh, achieved ATAR 90 and higher, ranking them within the top 10% of all outstanding SAM achievers in 2013.
The others were Goh Wan Ling (ATAR 98.30), Nilasha Krishnan (ATAR 97.50), Jolene Joan Anthony Dass (ATAR 97.35) and Daniel Tan Yong Ming (ATAR 96.90).
Teh, who plans to read for an applied mathematics or engineering degree in Singapore, commented, “The coursework component in SAM adds excitement to learning and is useful for developing academic and soft skills.”
Pharmacist wannabe Goh added, “SAM can be completed in a fast-track pace of 1 year and provides a holistic education experience
by combining coursework and examination.”
Students with good academic and extracurricular achievements, as well as of deserving socio-economic background, may apply for the Wawasan Education Foundation and the Yeap Chor Ee Charitable Trust Awards which are worth RM8,000 each for the Cambridge A-Level and SAM courses.
Merit Awards are given to SPM / O-level achievers with 4As and above to pursue preuniversity courses. Sports Excellence Awards are also available.
The upcoming intake for the Cambridge A-Level and SAM is on March 17. Students are given a RM300 or RM150 tuition fee rebate if they enrol at least four weeks or two weeks before the intake date, respectively.
Forecast SPM results are accepted for provisional admission. For details on DISTED’s courses and financial awards, call 04-2296579 or check out www.disted.edu.my.