LIFE ON THE FAST TRACK
THE South Australian Matriculation (SAM), which is now also known as SACE International (SACEI) programme at Taylor’s College is a popular pre-university programme choice for students who are planning to study abroad in Australia.
This programme is aimed at aspiring individuals who are keen on the fast track. The programme encourages students to be independent learners. Graduates of Taylor’s College SAM have gone on to study in universities across the globe. Of the many graduates, here are the stories of alumni who are now studying in Australia.
Pursuing her dreams
Lee Jing Wei has always been interested in the sciences. She briefly considered medicine but ultimately decided on pharmacy.
When Lee graduated from high school, she knew that she wanted to study in Australia. With this in mind and with some encouragement from her older sister, she joined SAM. While the course was challenging, she enjoyed it thoroughly. Her favourite memories revolved around her fellow classmates and the dedicated lecturers.
“Choosing to study in Taylor’s was one of my best choices because I made lifelong friends and many wonderful memories. I had great lecturers who were like friends. They were willing to help me whenever I encountered problems,” she said. Having dedicated lecturers was motivating for Lee. Even after graduating from Taylor’s College, Lee stays in touch with her lecturers and fellow course mates.
“We still Skype and chat with each other frequently. Even though SAM was short, I was pretty amazed that the friendship we built is so strong,” she said.
Lee believes that SAM taught her to be more independent and disciplined. She faced obstacles that she had to overcome through proper time management and independent research.
“You need to study hard and smart at the same time. SAM might seem stressful but you can definitely deal with the pressure if you’re consistent and approach lecturers when needed. SAM really prepares students for university,” said Lee. With all the effort that she’s put in, Lee is now a student at the University of Queensland where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s of Pharmacy with honours.
Breaking out of his shell
Niroshiman Balasubramaniam, 21. is a second year student pursuing Mechanical Engineering at the University of Sydney. He is an alumnus of Taylor’s College where he was enrolled in SAM.
When Niroshiman started college, he moved into an apartment to be closer to campus. Moving away from home was a significant change for the only child of a conservative family. “It was a change that I enjoyed because I felt more independent. I started off alone at first, but eventually I made many friends,” he said.
At first, Niroshiman was the shy and quiet student of his class but as the year progressed, he started to participate in other activities and took on leadership positions that boosted his confidence.
“These lecturers often inspired us with lessons that may be useful outside the classroom,” he said.
Choosing to do SAM with Taylor’s College proved to be the best decision Niroshiman had ever made. During his graduation, he was awarded the Taylor’s President’s Award as recognition for being an exemplary student for showing both academic and extracurricular excellence in addition to contributing to the college.
“I would not have done anything differently. The challenges I’ve faced were necessary to make me the person I am today. Looking back now, life in Taylor’s has been the most fulfilling one yet.”
Tempered by the challenges
The University of Melbourne is recognised as the top Australian university and is ranked 33rd in the World University Rankings. Rebecca Tan Ying Ping, 20, is a member of the university’s student body after a rigorous journey that started at Taylor’s College.
A second-year commerce student at the university, she will never forget her roots in Taylor’s College. It was where she was tempered by the challenges she faced in SAM. Tan says that her year in SAM was the toughest challenge she had faced. Coming fresh out of high school, Tan had to quickly adjust to the workload and face the obstacles in her way.
“Although it seemed like there was a never-ending workload, it was a wonderful opportunity to meet students from different backgrounds. My friends and lecturers played a major part in making the experience valuable,” she said.
Equipped with the knowledge from her experience at Taylor’s College, Tan has advice for future students.
“Keep a goal in mind that will help motivate you along the way and work towards your achievement. Turn to your friends and encourage each other and remember that those around you are going through the same thing. Work hard, reach high and remember that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.”
Taylor’s College has a long standing heritage, dating back to 1969, of being a pioneer in pre-university programmes for students who wish to study abroad. With 48 years in the field, Taylor’s College is the doorway to world education for students. More than 1,683 SAM graduates from Taylor’s College have achieved Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 80.00 and above.
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