Get tips from Taylor’s College Top Achievers and find out how you can prepare yourself for a SACE International (or known as AUSMAT) programme Malaysia below.
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28 Mar 2022
5 Min Read
Josephine Serena (Editor)
Get tips from Taylor’s College Top Achievers and find out how you can prepare yourself for a SACE International (or known as AUSMAT) programme Malaysia below.
Got your mind set to pursue the SACE International programme? If you’ve big dreams and great ambitions to ace in SACEi, we’ve got the best tips from five of our 2021 Taylor’s College Top Achievers (TCTA); Choo Wen Syuen (97.9 ATAR), Muhammad Irfan Iqbal Bin Ridzuan (95.8 ATAR), Loo Qing Wei (95.95 ATAR), Hasya Maryam Binti Ahmad Yusof (97.2 ATAR), and Puteri Intan Sabrina Binti Jamaludin (93.25 ATAR).
Below are some of the key things you should take note of and consider when enrolling into a SACEi programme, as shared by our top achievers during an interview! What better way to learn than from the very top? Let’s go!
In SACEi, a heavy chunk of your results will be based on your college assessments which take up 70%. Whereas only 30% of your final examination is taken into account of. As such, you need to consider your own strengths and ability on whether you prefer to be assessed continuously or more exam-based mode.
“I decided to enrol in SACEi primarily because of the structure of the programme: 70% of college-based assessment, 30% of the final exam itself. Because of the 70% school assessment, which consists of courseworks and SATs, it has helped me a lot in strengthening what I learned…” — Muhammad Irfan Iqbal
If you prefer exam-based assessment, you might want to consider other pre-u options. Otherwise, SACEi is perfect for those who’re able to keep up with college assessments consistently for a year.
“The deciding factor was undeniably the ratio of final examination to coursework where 30% of your marks is from final exam and the remaining is from your coursework. The duration of SACEi is somewhat short which is a plus.” — Puteri Intan Sabrina.
As mentioned in the point above, you’ll be constantly assessed throughout your semesters. Hence, you need to be able to focus and keep up with the workload consistently. So if you’re one who has no qualms with consistency, the SACE International programme is definitely suited for you.
“My advice to future SACEi students is to work consistently. The 70% school-based assessment is a huge advantage for us to excel in SACEi. All that’s required is diligence and not wait until the last minute.” — Muhammad Irfan Iqbal
But if you’re one who procrastinates till the eleventh hour… you might wanna switch up your habit.
“For the first semester, there weren't many assignments or assessments so I’d always procrastinate which wasn’t a helpful habit for the 2nd & 3rd semesters.” — Puteri Intan Sabrina
If you’ve alway relied on doing things at the spur of the moment, you’d need to rethink your strategy. With so many tasks and assessments going on, it’ll do you good to stay organised and keep track of your responsibilities. Maybe even get a planner and plan your work ahead of time so that you’d have enough time to work on your tasks and not leave it to the last minute.
“My advice for future students who plan to enrol in SACEi is to have a well-organised plan and good time management. Always start the assignments earlier so that you’d have ample time to reach out to friends and lecturers if you face any problems regarding studies. Not to mention, emotional support from your loved ones is also vital.” — Hasya Maryam
And sometimes you may have assignments with the same due date, so certain work which may require more research needs to be prioritised first. Besides your academic responsibilities, you should also learn to prioritise and manage different aspects of your life to maintain a balanced lifestyle.
“Learn to prioritise! Prioritise between your studies and social/personal life and also in-between assignments. Yes, studying is important but do remember to take a break!” — Puteri Intan Sabrina
Since the programme spans within a relatively short duration, things can go pretty quickly. Hence, don’t waste time pondering about a problem yourself. You shouldn’t be shy to seek help and ask questions.
“...ask questions whenever you don’t understand as the lecturers in SACEi will definitely patiently answer any doubts of yours regarding the subject so don’t be afraid and always believe in yourself!” — Choo Wen Syuen
With supportive lecturers who’ll always find a way to assist you, why do it the hard way when there are those who can take you there faster? Afterall, they’re fully aware of every trick and tips for you to ace the SACEi programme.
That’s not all, if you’re shy, this is a good opportunity for you to step out of your comfort zone and start sharing your thoughts and having discussions with others to improve your ideas.
“Don’t be afraid to discuss your ideas. Sometimes, the ideas we have for assignments can be redundant or repetitive. Therefore, discussing it with others can widen and enhance your perspective and you’ll get better ideas!” — Puteri Intan Sabrina
It’s no mere saying that with challenges, come opportunities to grow. At SACEi, you’ll need to be open to new experiences and set the right mindset to learn and step out of your shell.
“I think it’s really important to have the correct mindset when enrolling into SACEi which is to always be ready to learn new things. For example, you’ll need to participate actively in classes and come out of your comfort zone where you’ll then be able to expose yourself to new things whether it be educational or life lessons.” — Loo Qing Wei
At the end of the day, you should prepare to be challenged from different aspects. Know that your hard work and openness will transform you into individuals you can be proud of knowing that you’re taking the first step in overcoming the challenges.
“... prepare yourself mentally for whatever challenges you may face in the programme and believe that the graduated version of yourself will be much better than the version before you enrolled into SACEi." — Choo Wen Syuen
Now you’re all set to begin your journey as a SACEi student! If you’re still unsure if SACEi is the right fit for you, you can always consult our academic counsellors who’ll always be here to guide you! And before you step into the appointment, be sure to arm yourself with these questions to ask!
