It all begins at ANC!

ANC congratulates Yadurshini Raveendran on launching a rewarding career at Cornell University, an Ivy League Research University in New York

Yadurshini Raveendran was enrolled on ANC’s US Transfer Program in spring 2013, right after her O levels completed in Singapore. It didn’t take long for this bright and bubbly teenager to adapt to college life and excel in her studies, for ANC ensures a smooth transition from O level to university level study for any student who joins ANC. Above all, Yadurshini was prepared to succeed: “Opportunities don’t get dished to us on a silver platter, your success is based on your how much you want it,” says Yadurshini who graduated from the University of Albany

(SUNY) last year to land a lucrative career as a research coordinator attached to the Cornell University, one of the most prestigious universities in the world, at the age of 21! She is grateful to ANC for directing her in the correct path to achieve her higher education dreams, which in turn propelled her towards her career goals. ANC congratulates Yadurshini on her accomplishments!

Yadurshini discusses how ANC ensured a seamless transition from O levels to undergraduate level studies in the US, whereas the University of Albany inspired her to reach her fullest potential:

Joining ANC in spring 2013

Soon after I finished my O levels, I was eager to go to college. Like most of my friends, I had that irresistible desire to pursue my higher education in the USA; nevertheless, I wanted to be back home for a while after a long period of time spent in Singapore. I returned to Sri Lanka to be enrolled on US Transfer Program offered by ANC, which had continued to gain stature as the only place where you could have access to the same standard of education as practiced in America.

Freshman life at ANC

US colleges require you to take a wide variety of General Education classes. It was at ANC I completed my General Education program designed for all undergraduate students regardless of major. We had classes in several subjects, such as, Math, English Composition, History, IT, Natural Sciences, Sociology, World Literature, etc., so by the time I was pre- pared to transfer I had already been exposed to the US education system, learned about US culture, and improved several skills including writing and critical thinking skills, presentation skills, computing and quantitative skills necessary to succeed in college. All these courses were delivered by dynamic faculty in an interactive setting.

The experiences ANC students have outside of the classroom are also wonderful: opportunities for involvement include several student clubs and societies. I was the president of the Performance Arts Club in 2014. It was a one- of- akind experience which enabled me to work with an amazing group of friends who were there for one another to find the right balance between academics and extra curriculars. All in all, we had fun while maintaining near-perfect grades.

Transferring to the University at Albany

I had earned 80 academic credits at ANC, and almost all the credits got transferred to UAlbany. Thanks to ANC’s US Transfer division, it was a hassle free process. Ms Manouri, the Head of US/ Canada University Placement Program, attends to everything from one- on- one meetings with the student and parents to discussions with representatives from US universities and embassy to college and visa applications to ensure a positive acceptance. After all, ANC had worked in close collaboration with several universities in the SUNY system for more than a decade, so everything went off without a hitch.

Student life at UAlbany

It’s a world of opportunities available in America for any student determined to succeed. Located in New York’s capital, University of Albany was indeed an attractive option. Named one of “America’s Top Colleges” by Forbes, Albany offers students abundant opportunities of a comprehensive public research university. It propelled me towards my career goals.

I double majored in Biology and Human Biology while taking on a minor in English. I also got the opportunity to work as an undergraduate research assistant for a Molecular Biology lab, as a student assistant for the Athletic department, besides working for the Global Institute for Health and Human Rights, an NGO involved in raising awareness of the intersection between health and human rights with emphasis on reproductive health, maternal and childcare, HIV/ AIDS. This was such an eye opening experience that triggered my interest in humanitarian action. I worked with a number of scholars from world renowned universities including Harvard and Oxford. Some of them shared in first hand experiences of the issues discussed and challenged us to reach the fullest potential. This invaluable experience combined with strong academics led me to land a rewarding career as a research coordinator at the Cornell University upon graduation. I’m currently working on a research project carried out in Mumbai: it’s a study focusing on malnourished children in the slums of Mumbai.

Message for prospective students

From my vantage point now, I can see that I made one of the most important decisions in my life at the age of 16-to go to college right after O levels. That was the crucial choice and I wasn’t even aware of it. It was an enriching experience after all. I took on two majors in addition to a minor in English. I had done three jobs by the time I graduated last year. I have met amazing people throughout my academic career. I’m grateful to everything/ everyone that made me who I am today. You have enormous choices; you have to discipline your own time. If you are motivated and committed, you can achieve great things at any age. Hard work always pays off. Anybody planning to study in the US can get a good start at ANC: as far as my career is concerned, it all began at ANC! For more information, please con

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