STPM Form 6 VS College Part 3

STPM Form 6

(SMJK Katholik, Science Stream, Physics class. By anonymous.)

A little bit of intro of subject combinations offered in CHS form 6: Accounts + Economics + Chinese Language / Biology + Chemistry + Maths (T)* / Physics + Chemistry + Maths (T) / Biology + Physics + Chemistry + Maths (T). So everyone has 4-5 subjects including the compulsory Pengajian Am for all form 6 students. I chose physics, chemistry, maths and pengajian am (well I didn't actually choose PA but yeah). Oh, don’t forget everyone has to sit for Malaysian University English Test (MUET) later in form 6 too.

Catholic High School form 6 is considered mode 2** where STPM studies are carried out in the same school as form 1-5 studies ie we co-exist with kids aged 13-17. We have arguably the best canteen among public schools around (with a wide variety of foods), sufficient classrooms for all classes, science experiment labs for different forms (you should just come visit to get an idea of what facilities do we have) There are around 3000 (?) students in the entire school. The student demographic here consists mostly of the chinese race, conversations are mostly in chinese and or english. I would say there’s an equal share of different races of teachers (just get your hands on a copy of our school magazine) Morning assemblies every Monday, Wednesday and Friday except rainy mornings or exam weeks. Co-curriculum is compulsory for all public schools with 1 uniform body, 1 society and 1 sports club. Most form 6 students go Tai-Chi for their uniform body, while you’re automatically in badminton club and 6th form student society if you’re a form 6 student in CHS.

I would say life is pretty repetitive because we pretty much just spend our day in our small classroom (we only have around 13-18 students in a form 6 class) with the exception of a short canteen-time in the middle of the day and a few lab sessions a week, so we kinda do kinda don’t co-exist in the same atmosphere with the rest of the school haha.

STPM is definitely challenging I would say, but I believe schooling, after primary school level, is dependent on us students to get our shit together (plan your own study plan, seek help if you need etc.) So far I don’t attend tuition for any subjects (some of my friends have tuition for a few subjects or even all subjects so whether to attend tuitions or not is purely up to you), I wouldn’t say I’m the brightest student haha but I’m trying my best to balance everything I have in my hands for now.

I don’t wanna be the one who tells you why you should or should not go for STPM. Everything below is solely my opinion and only represent me, so don’t take anything blindly, just use it as reference and make YOUR own decision :)

What to expect if you enroll for form 6?

PEERS. There will be mainly two types of people: 1. chosen form 6 themselves to achieve whatever future goals they have, AND 2. got no direction, just taking form 6 because it’s a (pretty much) free pre-u program and requires no signing up (just accept offer when the offers are out) if you’re the first type, good job for taking charge of your own life and good luck! If you’re the second type, it’s okay to bail out half-way through form 6 for another more suitable program, it’s YOUR life anyway

CCA. Co-curricular activity is compulsory (just like back in primary school and high school) and depending on where you are studying, it might be the norm to be active in CCA, and the CGPA for your CCA is significant if you’re looking to enter a local public university after form 6. In CHS, the clubs we form 6 students are involved in are pretty much run by form 6-ers ourselves so no worries about some meaningless camp held a week before your trials etc. But if you’re really not into compulsory-1-badan-1-persatuan-1-sukan kind of CCA (like me because I don’t see the point of it at this stage of education), it won’t be a problem only if you’re 100% certain in not applying for local public universities and you don’t need friends-outside-of-class anyway I guess

TEACHERS. I don’t know about mode 1 schools, but in mode 2 schools, your teachers might be occupied with teaching other forms too and just like any other public school teacher, there are things-form-teachers-do or stuffs teachers have to key in online etc that your teacher might have to do so teaching you isn’t their only job. Form 6 teachers are generally pretty responsible at their job but just in case you get a shitty teacher I think you just gotta deal with it because you ain’t payin them lmao maybe try talking to the Head of 6th Form or worker harder or tuition or transfer/ quit… you find your way. Because again, it’s your life.
ATTENDANCE & class. School attendance is just like back then so you can’t just skip class/ school and disciplinary action can be taken on you if your attendance is shit, unlike in a few private institutes where the school will only issue a letter to your parents because you’re actually their customer cus you pay lol AND don’t forget about school events such as any majlis, sports day, merentas desa or any perayaan they beraya for half a day or maybe the entire day where you’ll miss out on class. School holidays are the same as any other public school so expect study-two-weeks-then-break-one-week kinda situation, I find it disruptive and momentum-killing. In addition, I find this timeline of cramming every semester’s studies into +/- half a year with holidays pretty tight if not insufficient. Sometimes I don’t even feel like school holidays haha.

HOMEWORK. Your teacher might expect you to complete your homework on time and actually do it neatly with your name class date title and all when you hand it in for checking/ marking (kinda messes with my own study schedule sometimes) whereas some of my friends who are doing private programs have to look out for extra exercises themselves but they can do it at their own pace. Reference sources might be limited too because STPM is a local program whereas some pre-u programs are international.
FRIENDS and leisure. STPM isn’t the most common program form 5 leavers pick so you may be separated from your old besties. It will be fine if you and your friends enrolled for form 6 together and signed up for the same subject combination or if you manage to form a bond with your classmates and make new friends, but for me that isn’t the case since I don’t bother putting much effort in friendships to survive this 1½ year program. Although I have company during recess and lunch, nothing compares to the 5-year-old friendships I’ve had in high school. Of course you can make time to meet up with your old friends, but with the varying exam and class schedules, I hardly see my girlfriend once a month and my bro even lesser. Anyways, studies first I guess.

Money is probably one of the many reasons people pick form 6 but if the exam-based system really isn’t for you or if you actually know which foundation/ diploma etc. course is actually more suitable for you and your future plans, please do consider to speak up that STPM really isn’t for you because ultimately, you’re the one studying, not your parents nor your relatives nor anyone else. Life is an adventure, there no rights or wrongs. One road leads to another and you'll achieve your goals if you take control of yourself. It doesn't matter who's faster nor slower because that's their exploration and you are on your own adventure. (Although it may be hard to keep the comparisons out of your head)

If you’re reading this while deciding on which pre-u program to pick, my main advice is everything you read/ hear is from someone else and they are speaking from what they’ve gone through. Take it just as a reference and make your own decisions for what’s the best for you. Study hard while you can. Make yourself available and eligible for different programs. Even if you chose to do form 6 where you just have to pass SPM and get a minimum credit (?) for the relevant subjects, you can look back and know you’ve put in the effort and achieved something for yourself. Don’t give up on doing the best you can just because you’re “set” to do form 6. You’re almost an adult now, time to get your shit together and prove to  your parents you’re capable of that. If you’re reading this just for fun, thanks (?) haha

One important reminder from me to everyone is: just because your program is free doesn’t mean other programs are business ploys; just because you pay for your program doesn’t make you a class above anyone; just because you feel your program is tougher doesn’t mean others are dumber for doing it; just because you made this choice doesn’t mean you can speak ill of other programs. Mind your own business, respect each other.

* Maths (T) includes Algebra and Geometry, Calculus, Statistics; Maths (M) includes Algebra and Calculus, Statistics, Financial and Decision Mathematics

** Mode 1 form 6 institutions are schools where there is only STPM study being carried out (smtg like college, but STPM.)

The last paragraph is the BOOM! -Blogmaster-



(SMJK Katholik, Science Stream, Pure Science Class, Chong Jia Hui)


Why science stream? Actually I have no idea why, hahaha. I just wanna go by the flow, not wanna be worried by other things. I am taking 5 subjects, including 3 sciences, Math T and Pengajian am. The only reason i took 5 subjects at once is that Chemistry has always been an eyesore in my academics yet I have to take Chemistry( Chemistry is a mandatory subject in science streams in CHS). Thus, this is my only choice.

To be honest, form 6 is not as tough as I thought it was. For me, STPM syllabus is much more interesting than SPM, weird right? You have gotta drill yourself, do more exercises in order to keep up with teacher's pace, and they are in God Speed! Surprisingly, I found that my results improved quite a margin as compared to few years ago. However, in STPM, I would say the experiments being carried out are completely in a different level on contrary of any other experiments you have done in past(Eg: in SPM). Guess what? You may confuse while tryna catch up with studies, but the very answer to all the scientific knowledge is through the experiments, unraveling the intricate riddles and mysteries of science! (很多你想知道的原理，只能单靠这些奇怪的实验来挖掘出自己的疑惑).

Sports Day! Spot the lenglui Day

Ironically, none of our experimental results are 100% correct nor accurate, but they never bother me anyway (pretend its like Elsa never bothering the cold hehe) because on this path to hell, I am more than blessed as I know I never die alone(When I fail, everyone fails together because no one should be left behind!)! Previously, I mentioned that f6 syllabuses are interesting yet no offence, life in form 6 is saddening for me. I can summarize my life in form 6 with 3 words, 'study, eat, sleep'. Nothing else. There's only 4 students in my class and I'm the only boy. Needless to say, all we get to talk is nonetheless about school homework, and most of the time, I would plant myself into books 24/7. And that's my life in a nutshell. Even though, I am not being neglected by peers from the other classes, yet there are still some boundaries which I can't cross, thus turning me into a lone-ranger in this path... (一有时间，我们讨论的东西也只是课业的事情，不然就是啃书。虽然我不被大家排斥，但是大家始终不同班，稍微有些时差，显然无法跟大家混在一起) In short, I just hope that my F6 life will get to the end ASAP. So, for anyone who is reading this or preparing to join us in this ride, please look for more friends to join you, not only in form 6 but in the same class.

Too bad we are from different classes!

I have translated some part of it into English, but remain the original sketch by Chong. -Blogmaster

College 

(Taylor's College, Subang Jaya, South Australian Matriculation, SAM, Looi Teng Fung)

The text stated below is purely personal experience and has no conflict with the college included.

Life after 17 year old is undeniably crucial to an individual as one has to make decisions for their own future. Same goes to me. Therefore, right after I graduated from my high school, I decided to further my studies in Taylor’s College, Subang Jaya.

In college, I took the course South Australian Matriculation, which commonly abbreviated as SAM or SACE International. It consists of 70% internal assessment and 30% external assessment. You can choose from a list of subject combinations, each consists of five. As for me, I took the combination of pure science, mathematical methods and English as an additional language. Before we continue, you might want to know how my life while studying SAM was, and now I will tell you. Frankly speaking, studying SAM was just like taking a bullet train. You constantly have works assigned to you and due dates where you have to submit your completed assignments, just like the multiple stations where people will go on board or drop off along the trip. Hence, as a kind advice, you will definitely need a well-organized calendar to remind you of the due dates.

My life at college is undeniably amazing. The people there are friendly and enthusiastic. However, there is a significant difference between my college life and others. What makes my college life so different from others is that my class is a permanent class, while others have to change their classes according to the subjects. As for me, this is a good thing because all of my classmates have formed an unbreakable bond during the time we spent together. My classmates consist of people blending in from different states of Malaysia. They had always brought back snacks or food from their hometowns and shared it with the class. I got to admit that these people are definitely the craziest people I have ever met in my life. Not forget to mention my subject teachers, they are the kindest group of teachers that I have ever met. They gave us consultations patiently while guiding us along the way to achieve better in academics. What made them special was that they would follow the dress codes that we set within our class, watching movies together and going on field trips on weekends. I hereby thank my subject teachers for their efforts in guiding us to strike better achievements.

At my college, there is no cafeteria available for the students to have lunch. Therefore, our only way to fill up our empty stomachs is to walk around SS 15. There are restaurants which are affordable for students with limited budgets as well as cafes that have had good environments. It is all up to you to decide where to eat but believe me, this is the hardest question in the college life. Besides that, my college provides a good environment for study, printing machines, laboratories and even computer labs. It is definitely convenient.

If you really want me to point out what isn't so good about the college life, it will be the constant incoming assignments. However, you have to take note that the course I took is 70 percent internal assessment, which means all of the homework that have been assigned to you and the tests that you sit for are included in your overall achievement. The reason why I considered it as cons is that it was hard to adapt to this form of learning when you came from an ordinary high school. By taking this course, you will have to manage both the tests and lectures simultaneously, or even submit two different assignments on the same due date. It was difficult to adapt it at first, but slowly you will be fine.

Every cloud has a silver lining. The pros of going for a college life are that you will learn to progress independently as well as to interact with other people. In college, you will have to work on the assignments and answers on your own. Teachers are only there to consult you on your progress provided you have done your own research. Besides, you will have to talk more and participate proactively in group works as the teachers always require the students to learn through discussions. Consequently, you will definitely improve in your speaking as well as confidence.

Like what I’ve just said, my college life is full of fun. I joined my college’s dance club as a member and performed in a lot of internal events, such as celebration for A-Levels orientation, charity run and Club Day’s performance. Another remarkable memory that I have here in my college life was that I participated in a dance cover video shoot along with my dance club members. We began shooting from the morning till night. It was an indescribable experience that I could never find in any other places. Besides that, I even became a member for our Prom committee 2017 under the performance department. One of the most exciting events that I’ve participated in this college was that I choreographed a flash mob performance for the Prom 2017 with my classmates as an event to promote prom. It was these few weeks that our bonds as classmates began to build up. While looking back at all these memories, I admit that I’ve found myself a class of amazing friends and a group of talented people that share the same interest.

As for me, my whole college life is a blessing for me. I hereby want to thank my beloved classmates for all the enjoyable memories and moments that we shared together during these past ten months. We laughed together, practiced together, danced together, had lunch together as well as learned together all in one small classroom. All these remarkable memories, I promised I’ll never forget.

(Taylor's College, Subang Jaya, SAM, Lee Teng Teng)

Hey guys & galsss

Basically I was asked to write some things about college life.
I'll start of by introducing the course I've studied which is the South Australian Matriculation (SAM) aka SACE International that in my case, lasts for a year (approx. 10 months)in Taylor's college Subang Jaya (now in Taylor's Lakeside). It may sound familiar to some, but just to give you a jist of it, the scores are calculated based on ATAR (something like CGPA) with 70% assesment based while 30% exam based. Moreover, students are required to take up 5 subjects be it sciences or humanities. The subjects I took were English as Additional Language (ps. compulsory), Mathematical Methods, Chemistry, Biology and Nutrition (interesting huh? 🤔)

Moving on to college lifeee Before going deeper, my college actually offered an early action scholarship that allow students to apply using forecast/trial results. Hence......it is ESSENTIAL for you guys to work hard and get that thingggg!!! BUT in order to remain eligible for the scholarship, you gotta meet up to the required standards (eg. minimum ATAR of 70) by the offerer(college/institute). For instance, my course fee overall was approximately RM 24,000. So getting a 50% scholarship meant very much to me & my parentss. My first three days were solely orientation (btw I was late on the very first day. AWKWARD....). It may sound absurd & unnecessary to attend a three day long orientation, but FYI those were the days that gives you the chance to make new friends. YAYYYYY!!!!!!!!

Here comes the serious part
classes officially start on the fourth day, but as u know its like kindergarden all over again. So in college we don't call teacher teachers, its either Miss/Sir, but I don't care anyway. We had to introduce ourselves and bla bla bla.........

After like a week or so...... we actually had our respective grp of friendss but one thing differing from high school is that everyone greets everyone because there's only like 30 of us max so its actually much lesser compared to high school where its like a whole 40 of us. However, due to different subject combinations, we had to switch classes almost after every class which can be fun & tiring at the same time. just to let you guys know, you guys can get second hand books and notes from the seniors by asking around or asking your lecturers. Howevern keep in mind that there will be minor syllabus change for physics, biology and chemistry subjects. But overall would most probably be similar.

Now its time tell you about something parents are most concern with ........ RESULTSSS
As 70% of the final score is based on assignments (issue investigations & pratical reports) plus Skills & Application Tests (SAT), it is really IMPORTANT for us to be punctual & attend all classes because you may just miss out a whole chunk of the syllabus by being absent for one day. There will also be SUPER STRESSFUL WEEKS, NOT SOO STRESSFUL WEEKS & SUPER CHILLAX WEEKS . BTW due dates are very important toooo so do make sure you have a planner or something to have everything recorded down just in case .Not only that, as the SAM/SACE course is 70% assessment based, being consistent is as important as getting good results. I've seen many people around me who started out smooth initially, but as time goes by their results start dropping. My lecturers would also always remind us that consistency is very very IMPORTANT here. So be prepared for late night coffees to meet datelines.
The facilities provided in TCSJ is alright (not too good; not too bad) but as ya'll know, TCSJ & TCSH would be moving to Lakeside hence I'm positively sure that the facilities there would be better? Well, the people including lecturers & college mates are generally nice, of coz where their is people, there will be disagreements. However, it is important to always remind ourselves that results are not the most important, but character is what makes us, us. BTW, you can always approach lecturers for one to one consultation sessions if there are any questions that you do not understand during classes.

Love them!

And now for activities aka FUN TIME 

Well my college actually held a few activities for the freshmenssss, they even have a lunch buddy thing which is honestly kinda awkward......☻ but overall it was FUNtastic. They even had CLUBS DAY where we get the opurtunity to join clubs or do community stuffs for those in need.

Honestly, there isn't much pros & cons for this course, despite it being short, which makes you 1 year ahead from your friends, final exams falls around mid Nov so you can enjoy for the entire Dec. But during the 10 month duration, you'll definitely feel stressed & helpless facing all the due dates and stuff. It'll be tough that timen but once its all over, you'll look back and be able to give yourself a pat in the back For TCSJ, at the end of the year, a SAM CORROBOREE prom) was held.

Prom Night aka Corroboree! 

(Taylor's College, Subang Jaya, A Levels, Loh Xi Zhe)

Hello! I hope my experience in Cambridge A-Levels will help you in deciding your future. A-Levels is a British-patterned college qualification. Many may overlook the fact that there are actually different examination board offering A-Levels, but the main ones offered in Malaysia Cambridge A Level (administered by Cambridge International Examinations) and Edexcel International Advanced Level (administered by Pearson International). The curriculum may varies between different boards, so be sure to inquire the college before enrolling. A-Levels is 100% exam-based, so yeah, your examination result will determine your future (Just kidding, college is just a small part of your life, but you will need it for your university). A-Levels exam is separated into two, one is AS, which will be taken during your 2nd semester, and A2, which will be taken on your last semester.

For myself, I started my CIE Cambridge A-Levels on January 2017 at Taylor’s College Subang Jaya (which will be closed down this year and officially merged with Taylor’s University next year), and currently I’m studying in Semester 2. Subjects that I’m taking are Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics and Economics. You must choose at least 3 subjects for your A-Levels. (For further maths, it can only be taken as a 4th subject.) Please note that in some universities, there is a list of subjects that are preferred. So make sure you do your research before you choose your subject combination.

Now let me shows you some of the pros and cons of A-levels (This is purely based on my personal thought.)

Pros:

1. Good facilities and services. Air-con in every classroom, sufficient study place in campus, IT facilities in library etc. These are the facilities you can’t get during your secondary school. Of course, one should expect these by paying the relatively expensive tuition fees. (We will come to this later)
2. A-levels is a universal passport which you can apply to different universities in different countries. Yes, this is true. Almost all uni in different countries accept A-Levels result. So, if you are already determined to study overseas, A-Levels might be your choice. However, sad news is, local university tends to ignore A-Levels, so if you are planning to study in local public university, Form 6 or Matrikulasi is a better choice.

Cons:

1. Expensive school fees. Yes, it is undeniable that the tuition fees for studying A-Levels is one of the highest among other pre-u courses. Besides tuition fees, all the miscellaneous fees such as resource fees, lab fees etc. are not cheap too. Moreover, if you are taking A-Levels and planning to study overseas, the total expenses for your tertiary education will be a lot, so make sure you discuss with your parents. However, you can actually get scholarship offered by respective colleges if your SPM result is good. So make sure you make some research on scholarship.
2. Long course period. A-levels takes 1 ½ year, so it is longer than some pre-u courses. However, the syllabus is also more in-depth and harder than others too.

Pros/Cons: Ok, this might be pros to some, or cons to some, so I will just states here.

1. Study life is almost the same as secondary school. Ok, this is what I feel after almost one year in studying A-Levels. Fully academic-based, study in a classroom with classmates who take the same subject combination as you, homework everyday etc. These are just repetition of our secondary school. Some might consider this as con, but for me, is a pro. I just don’t like assignment (well, I don’t like exams too), I just don’t want to stress myself throughout the whole pre-u in assignments. Why not just stress during the exam period and then you can enjoy your life (I didn’t say there is no need to study after exam tho). I think the only difference between A-Levels and secondary school is freedom. Of course, you can wear your own clothes, no one cares about your socks, hair and nails, you can leave the campus whenever you want for lunch etc.
2. Communication. After years being in Chinese school, I need to adapt myself to English environment. Classes are conducted in English and people communicate with English. It’s a great opportunity to brush up your English.

During your pre-u period, be sure to be active in co-curriculum activities. It will definitely help you in your future and also your personal statement. I hope my personal experience may help you in making your decision after your secondary school. Good luck in your future!

My Classmates!