Hi I am currently taking this pre u program and I joined march intake. My subject combination are english as second language studies, mathematical studies, chemistry,biology and physics. Currently I am in a bit of dilemma right now and I would like a senior to help me clear my doubts.

1. Is it hard to score and atar of 90 and above? Because one of my course choices require an atar of 90.

2. When you first joined the program did you guys feel overwhelmed while doing the assignments given?

3. Can you please suggest a good study schedule? Currently I am in a big mess and I cant divide my time well.

4.Will the second semester be tougher than the first semester? I heard from my lecturers that second semester is more relaxed compared to the first semester due to less coursework needed to be completed.

I hope that you could enlighten and guide me thanks

I am previous 2014 AUSMAT student. Now currently studying medicine in Manipal.
Sunway Ausmat is somewhere equivalent to Taylor's SAM. Both sit for the same Wace paper in the final. The difference is only in the allocation in internal/external exam.
1. For me 90 isn't actually hard to score in WACE. I got 91.60 , which i could did better if I understand my subject earlier. My friend from the same hometown/secondary school got 97.5, which he could understand the subject faster and efficient. So, if you did your homework, 90 is not a problem.
2. Our internal marks= class test + some assignments. So well, this requires your understanding in the subject well. Otherwise it may pull the marks down. Consistency is required in SAM/AUSMAT.
3. Allocate more time on studies, if you can't cope with your subject. Occasionally, have some fun when there are leisure time.
4. Don't listen to your lecturers, do your part. And you will find the fun in this course.
What I can say from this course, it is more easier than A-levels and STPM if you did your studies. Hope this enlightened you. ;D

1) With constant revision, making sure you understand the syllabus and making sure you do your best in every assignment, 90 ATAR should not be a major problem.

2) Not exactly, I quite enjoyed the assignments but they are kind of a nuisance, taking up time that could be better used for revising what your syllabus. They might be a bigger problem if you started in March and not January like most people as you'll have even more limited time.

3) Everyday after class, try to look through your syllabus again so that you'll be better able to remember what you were taught. There are many quality notes available online, look for them, print them and bring them along with you to class. During class, write down any other stuff you think is relevant but not in the notes, ditto for when you are revising the lesson of the day after class. Do your assignments as soon as possible, especially the weekends, so that when another assignment is assigned, you have already completed the previous one. Oh and there are forums for Australian Year 12s where you can ask any questions about the syllabus or read about tips and stuff. Check out past years as well.

4) The lecturers will usually try to have most of the more difficult and time consuming assignments in the first semester so that you'll have more time to focus on your finals preparations in the second. So yea, I guess you could say that.

Cheers and good luck!

that is not correct....the taylor's sam programme is based on the south australian programme, sace,,NOT wace....

the marking is the same, 70% course work and assessments throughout the year, and 30% final exam....

as to the atar rank, it is a rank, not marks, and means you are at the appropriate percentile amongst all students in that exam....therefore you will get an idea roughly where you are from your positions in school before...

interesting that manipal will take in as low as atar91....

then it is my mistake. I always thought that SAM= AUSMAT.

Then I don't know how tough is your sace exam + sam assessment course since you are implying that atar91 is low.

as in AUSMAT.. 50% is internal exam (School based assessment) + 50% is external exam (WACE final exam)= ATAR ranking

maybe you are better than me..

the wace was only recently changed to a 50/50 assessment/exam format....

paradoxically, the reverse was the case, until about 5 years ago, when sace changed from their previous 50/50 into 70/30, same as wace.....and now wace changed....

atar of 91 for medicine is low, compared to what is required in australia itself....normally you stand little chance of entering with atar of less than 98, and the vast majority enter medicine with atar>99.....

finally, the atar scores across each state in australia are moderated, and cross equivalent....i.e. atar ranks in one state is the same and accepted as such in other states....

This post has been edited by limeuu: May 1 2015, 04:37 AM

Oh I see, did the assignments that the lecturers give you require super detailed answers and explanations? Most of the reports that I've done require very detailed explanation for everything done and happened which is quite frustrating when you need to do it. I'm planning to go for time management counselling next week after the long weekend.

I'm trying my best to have constant revision but my assignments and some procrastination won't allow me sometimes I too actually enjoy doing the assignments but the details needed to complete them makes me feel like dying. It feels like explain every single thing you wrote with how's and why's especially lab reports. English assignments is okay but when it comes to assignments that need you to talk I get a little nervous. My college lecturers also said if we did well during spm then scoring atar 90 would not be much of problem if we are consistent. I'm trying hard to get score consistent A's but I feel suffocating.

I understand how atar works and i'm not aiming for medical courses I've thought of being a pharmacist but kinda dropped the plan now I'm mostly thinking to go down the path of an engineer or economist. I kinda regret taking bio for sace. I actually wanted to take economics or research project but sadly economics time clash with chem and physics and research project is not available for march intake students due to it being the express intake.

Yep atar of minimum 98 is needed for medical courses in aus but here some uni's like imu need an atar of 85 only but I'm not interested in being a doctor. I actually wanna enter monash or nottingham malaysia then do a credit transfer for my final year. Engineering in monash needs an atar of 86.5 and in nott's they need an atar of 90. That's why I hope i can achieve an atar of min 90 (If i achieve anything higher than 90 I would be super duper happy haha).

I didn't do SAM, but I did AUSMAT/WACE which is very similar (though I must confess, that was about 7 years ago). Here are my thoughts:

1. An ATAR of 90 is very easily achievable if you put in some effort. I don't remember how they scale in SACE but for WACE, an adjusted average mark in the low 70s should very comfortably get you beyond the ATAR 90 threshold. No intense studying is required, just be a decent student and revise regularly.

2. Not really. The program is quite reasonably structured. There are crunch times when assignments are due but it's good training for university life. You just need to approach it differently from school ie no last minute shoddy work. As long as you keep your head above the water and not let the workload snowball, you'll do fine.

3. I put in about 2-3 hours of independent study every day, excluding homework time. More during exam season of course. Its hard to give a schedule as everyone copes differently.

4. The first semester is more hectic as that's when most assignments are clustered around. The second semester is light on assignments but you'll be much busier preparing for the external exams.

91 is actually really really really low for direct-entry undergraduate medicine =/ I thought Manipal would have higher requirements given that it's a more established school. I guess I was wrong.

You'll be fine as along as you constantly work at it. I did my assignments as soon as possible and looked through whatever is taught that day once I get back home(sometimes I look through the syllabus before the lecturer starts on it so that I can ask more in-dept questions). I'll up the pace near any quiz or test and managed to pull a 98+ ATAR. Just do it a step at a time.