Overseas Pre-U Programs.

1. The most common is obviously A-Levels. There's a one-year A-Level, but most commonly, A-Levels would take up two years. A-Levels is basically SPM all over again. It is 100% based on Final Exams. You'll ahve two major exams, at the end of the first year is the AS and the second year is A2. A-Levels is based on the British system. You only need to take four or three subjects and the English subject is not compulsory. A-Levels is available in most pre-u institutions. KYUEM (Kolej Yayasan UEM, Lembah Beringin, it's a very SECLUDED but POSH place, most corporate bodies like UEM, Khazanah, PNB and TNB like to send their scholars here) is fully for A-Levels only. The danger with A-Levels is there is no margin for error on that final exam, if you screw that, then you're screwed. Oh, there are also many different types of A-Levels, should probably ask the INTEC kids about this.

2. The second most common AUSMAT (Australian Matriculation) or SAM (South Australian Matriculation) - if you're going to Taylor's College. This is 50% coursework (as in assignments, quizzes, internal exams and tests, presentations) 50% Final exam. You take up to five or six subjects and the duration is about one-and-a-half years. Ausmat is also quite common. INTEC, Taylor's College, Sunway College, INTI College.

3. IB. (International Baccalaureate). This is one of the toughest! and most expensive. It's about two years. I'm not quite sure on their subject selection, but English and Malay is compulsory. You have a lot of field work, and thesis to write. Not much info on this, it is rare that our students end up doing this, but Fatimah Zahra of 0206 did this. IB is offered in Taylor's College Sri Hartamas and Kolej Mara Banting, I don't know about other places.

4. ADP (American Degree Program). In INTEC, you have ADFP (F stands for Foundation) or ADTP (T stands for Transfer). ADFP is one year, and you enter an American university as a Freshman. ADTP is two years, and you're doing a credit transfer to a US university. ADTP is obviously more cheap, and you're already starting your degree, so, it cuts time. But you only get like two years in US or less. The US program is more coursework-based, which means less stress when Final exam finally comes, but you have to get consistent marks in your assignments and quizzes. ADP is also available at Taylor's College, UNiTEN, I don't know where else. Usually, the English Proficiency test for ADP is TOEFL. (Test (I'm not sure what O stands for) for English as a Foreign Language). And you also have to sit for SAT (I forgot what it stands for).SAT is basically an exam that tests your Maths and your English (this, I swear to God, is damn hard).

5. CPU (Canadian Pre-University). Since, it's my program, so, obviously, I'm going to be biased and say it ROCKS! CPU is 70% Coursework and 30% Final Exam. So, if you're doing well in your 70% less stress on the final exam, but some lecturers like to take your final exam mark to be your final mark. It's a very hectic program, you have lots of presentations and projects and most of them are due back to back. At first, it feels like it's killing you, but then it feels fun! Because CPU people are very crazy people. At Taylor's College (CPU is only offered at Sunway College or Taylor's College, obviously, Taylor's is the best!), the 80% of the CPU lecturers are Canadian, so, you get eye candy 0.0. The duration is a year or a year-and-a-half, if you have to repeat subjects. Usually sponsors will only allow a year. There's two semesters. Each semester is 6 months. Each semester you take 3 subjects (total of six subjects), and it's a different subject every semester. each subject will be divided into a few Units, and the number of these Units will determine how many Tests you will have throughout the semester. Quizzes, obviously every week, homework, obviously everyday. All the assignments and tests and quizzes and projects and presentations are worth different weightages. The weightage ranges from 1 to 6. 1 being the one with least marks, and 6 being the most. Tests have a weightage of 3. The Canadian program is more similar to the American program, which is an anti-thesis of the A-Levels program. The difference between the Canadian program is it is actually a high school degree. So, technically, you're not doing pre-u, you're in Canadian high school. The Canadian program also emphasises more on English proficiency. English is a compulsory subject. They have a special English test called OSSLT (I forgot what it stands for) and you have to take IELTS. The Canadian program also makes 10-hours of community service compulsory. At first, it feels like a drag, but it's actually quite fun, and 10 hours is not that long. You can do it at orphanages, refugee schools, zoos, and you learn lots of things too. For my community service, I performed in a musical for charity.


These are basically the English pre-u programs. There are also French, Russian, German, Korean, Middle-Eastern, Japanese programs, but I'm not too familiar with these programs.

All these overseas program also require you to take an English Proficiency test. The most common is IELTS. Only the American program takes TOEFL (I'll write more about these two tests in the future). I might also write about local uni life some other time.

So, this is basically an 'idea' on what's next after high school. For interview tips and how to dress during interviews, you can refer to the archives: http://thefarisiancommunity.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-be-professional.html

http://thefarisiancommunity.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-look-corporate-for-girls.html

http://thefarisiancommunity.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-look-corporate-for-guys.html


For interview processes for each corporate body (they have different interview processes. some are in stages), feel free to ask. I am more than happy to help where I can. I'll keep posting useful stuff when I can come up with it.