“Thanks to ANC - Northwood partnership I had the golden opportunity of starting an American degree with O levels…”
Thousands of O level graduates consider university pathway options every year, for the job market is getting increasingly competitive and A levels is no longer a passport to college. However, a majority of students and their parents are left confused as they are deciding between foundation year programmes and A level, for most degree programmes offered in many countries including the UK, Australia, and Sri Lanka require that the student has either taken A levels or followed a foundation year programme. That said, US universities accept O levels for admission, which enables students to graduate by the age of 21 to start off on the right foot with their career.
After completing his O levels at Trinity College, Eshan Aluwihare was enrolled on the US Business degree programme offered at ANC in 2014. He graduated with a
BBA in Business Management from Northwood University in 2017, completing his full degree at ANC. A yo u n g p o l i t i c a l enthusiast with an e n t re pre n e u r i a l spirit, Eshan is currently working as a sales analyst at Nestlé, while reading for his MBA. He is grateful to ANC for the “golden opportunity of starting an American degree with O levels” as it enabled him to graduate college early and kick start his career as he hit 21.
Some excerpts from the interview with Eshan follow:
Q:Many students choose to study overseas after OLs; why did you decide t o complete your degree at ANC?
A: The first reason why I opted to complete my degree at ANC is that I wasn’t ready to leave home, my family. They had been very supportive throughout, so I could not afford to be parted from them. Second, ANC gave me the opportunity to follow a recognized US degree here in Sri Lanka right after O levels. I was allowed to start year one of my degree from day one. Graduating college two years early helped me accelerate my career. Also, ANC – Northwood partnership provides world class qualifications and prestige of a US university, while offering the convenience of studying at home: Northwood University is ranked among the top 10 private business universities in the USA, and we had access to the same standard of education as practiced in America. I never regret my decision to complete my degree in Sri Lanka.
Q: Adapting to life at uni versity can be challeng ing for a 16-year-old. Did ANC help you make a smooth transition from O levels to college life?
A: ANC offers an outstanding network of support which includes dedicated academic advisers who provide students with valuable one-on-one mentorship and faculty members, very friendly and approachable; if they are not sure what they want to do after OLs, ANC students are given enough support to choose programmes based on their interests and career goals. And the US education system accommodate this by allowing students to explore several options before committing to a major. The General Education programme is designed for all undergraduate students regardless of major. We had classes in several subjects, such as, Math, English Composition, History, IT, Natural Sciences, Sociology, psychology, Communication, etc., which helped us improve several skills including writing and critical thinking skills, presentation skills, computing and quantitative skills necessary to succeed in college and even after graduation. Also, remedial Math and English classes are given free of charge for any student who needs additional support.
As far as the student life is concerned, it’s a caring environment where you are respected for who you really are and pushed to make the most of the college experience inside and outside the classroom: there are many activities organized throughout the year, including New Student Orientation that help freshmen prepare for their transition into college l i f e, make new friends, and meet staff members.