I'm in fifth form right now. I'm planning to take sixth form next year if my SPM results allow me to.

I'm not really planning to go to public universities yet. I just thought maybe it would be a good experience to continue school besides the fact that my family can't afford to support me for college. My choice is either to do nothing at all or take STPM. The STPM might come in handy anyway. If there's anything I want to do in the future, it's writing/journalism or music. So, another way to put it is that I may just need my cert to look good. Besides, I'm not sure of what subjects are required if I really plan to further study in those areas.

May I choose any three subjects besides the compulsory General Paper? I've scanned through the subjects, those that interest me most are English Literature, Mandarin Chinese and Visual arts or maybe Geography. At least, those are subjects I think I can cope with. The only problem here is that I'm not sure any schools offer such a combination.
So- another question, am I allowed to take the exam if most subjects are self-studied? Or is it possible for me to just take it as a private candidate? I know it may be hard without teachers' guidance, but that's the only way I see it.

Please tell me the options available and what you think. A million thanks wouldn't say it all.

For humanities streams Normally school will offering packages like this.

PA+ BM+Sej+ Seni/Eko/Geo/PP
Pa + PP +Eko+MathS

Others like Chinese language/ Tamil language/Literature in English is self studies subject. You may take this at tuition center. For school that has student reaching more than 12. School will conducting a teacher for that classes.

Than, what career path that you choose..

regard your interest in journalism/writing/music suppose to be specific, if you choosing into music, any subject combination will do a take to that courses. The importance is talent and pass interview. CGPA is not a major one.. But better is okay.

For writing and journalism, which path you interest in english, malay or chinese media? Because of your interested in Visual Arts, Geography, Literature in English and Chinese so you must find a school that offering it.. like Geography and Visual arts.. some school offering this subject but is hard to find for English and Chinese..

Geography and Visual Arts wont help you in understanding those courses in universities, maybe a little bit. But taking Sejarah helps you a lot it courses like media/music/writing. BM/LiE/BC will help you a lot in producing idea and composition. So you must take BM plus LiE or BC to enhance your possibilities to take those courses.

So my imo is, take ordinary packages such PA+BM+SEJ+SV/Geo/Eko and than take one outside school. if you dont like BM just drop that subject. Lot student fail that subject.

Good Luck

With good SPM results you could obtain a partial or full scholarship to do the GCE A Level exams, which would allow you more freedom in determining subject combinations. I needn't express the myriad of advantages the A Level provides.

There are many schools that teach the A Level here, to the extent that going to one without a scholarship can be very much affordable, and sometimes even cheaper than going to another with a scholarship. Simply apply everywhere. In Malaysia, brand may mean something to employers, but for education in general brand makes little (if any) difference to the end-user, i.e. yourself. This is just for the others out there - obviously you are not concerned with these trivial things, so good on you.

With good A Level (or IB or SAM or CPU or STPM) results it is possible for you to obtain a scholarship for your tertiary education. Anything and everything is possible, even if sometimes the better students lose scholarship opportunities to inferior students.