Choose the Best Private College in Malaysia or University to Study after SPM or O-Levels
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There are many different higher education pathways for you to choose from after SPM or O-Levels . It can be confusing or even stressful for students to make the right choice with so many advertisements, advise from friends & relatives, agents, counselors from the universities, and phone calls from the universities claiming that they are the best.
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Talk to a Knowledgeable and Experienced Counsellor to Help you Choose the Right University in Malaysia
Choosing a the right university to study after SPM or O-Levels in Malaysia takes time, it is a process in finding out which university in best for you. You need to talk to the right counsellors who are knowledgeable and experienced.
A knowledgeable counsellor would be able to provide detailed information about the course, facts & evidence to support the job prospects for the course and in-depth information about which university would be suit you. While an experienced counsellor would be able to analyse your results, understand your personality & skills to figure out which course and career suits you.
At EduSpiral Consultant Services, I have worked in the private higher education industry in Malaysia for more than 20 years advising students with facts and evidence on how to choose the right course. To choose the best course that fits you, students may fill up our EduSpiral Career Assessment form for evaluation.
Most great things begin with a plan. Your future career and studies should be no different. A plan will give you something to work towards. It’ll also help you make the most of the opportunities that come your way.
Here are some steps to help students after SPM or O-Levels to make the right decision in choosing the best private college or university in Malaysia that fits them
Decide What You Want in a Private College or University
Gan twins, Foundation in Arts at Taylor’s University
Ask yourself what’s important to you, where you want to be and who you want to become. Then you can figure out what types of universities will allow you to achieve your goals.
Here are some important points to consider when choosing a university in Malaysia:
- Accreditation of the University’s courses by MQA and other relevant professional bodies in Malaysia
- What are the courses available
- Reputation & Ranking of the University
- Facilities
- Location
- Amenities near the university
- Tuition Fees
- Student culture – is it an English-speaking students environment
- Makeup of the student body – are there a lot of international students at the university so that you can mix around with them to improve your English and gain invaluable global perspectives
- Hostel choices
- Available extra-curricular activities
Which of these aspects are things you feel you must have to be comfortable at a private university in Malaysia ? Which things are you flexible on?
In addition, think about what you want to accomplish in your college life. Do you want to train for a specific job or get a wide-ranging education? If you have a specific degree programme in mind, is the private college that you’re considering strong or famous in that area of study?
Keep an Open Mind when considering Private Universities and Colleges in Malaysia
Ignatius, Mechatronic Engineering at Asia Pacific University (APU)
While it’s good to have some ideas in mind about what sorts of universities will be right for you, stay open to all the possibilities at the beginning of your search.
Challenge your assumptions about what will work for you. For example, you may not think you’re able to thrive in a large institution because you come from a small town, but … you may actually do better in that type of setting. Choosing a university that would take you out from your comfort zone and develop your potential can be more rewarding in the end.
Talk to people who know you are knowledgeable and experienced. Tell parents, teachers, relatives, family friends and your school counsellor about your goals, and ask if they can suggest colleges that may be a good fit for you. There are many agents in Malaysia offering advise to students so you should choose one that’s reputable and have a proven record of helping students to choose the right course and not simply just pushing a particular university. They may not be knowledgeable or experienced about the courses and career that you are interested in and provide wrong information.
What is the Budget for your Studies in Malaysia?
Talk to your parents first to find out what the budget is for your studies. Having a budget will give you a clear idea on which universities that you could consider by looking at their fees. It would also help you to choose between taking the STPM or going to a private university.
Top students are able to apply for academic scholarships ranging from partial to full scholarships. Students can apply for the PTPTN Loan to help fund part of their studies. In addition, parents may withdraw from their EPF Account 2 to support their children’s studies. After factoring all these, you can then filter which universities that you can afford.
Do Your Homework in Finding the Best University or College in Malaysia
Bryan Yap, Foundation in Business at Heriot-Watt University Malaysia
Once you have a list of universities, it’s time to do research. To learn more about the universities you’re considering, check out their brochures and websites. Jot down your questions and get answers by:
- Talking to an experienced and knowledgeable education advisor
- Talking to your school counsellor or teachers
- Checking out colleges’ student blogs, if available
- Contacting college admission officials or contact EduSpiral Consultant Services
- Talk to your seniors who are studying at that university for their opinion
- Visiting university’s campuses, if possible
Keep Perspective
During your search, keep asking yourself questions about your preferences and goals. You are changing throughout secondary school, so your answers may change during the search process.
And remember that there are many universities that would suit students, and that you can be successful at many types of universities. Therefore, you have to take the time and effort in making a list of criteria in choosing your university and take the time to explore the various options available.
Ask a Knowledgeable & Experienced Education Consultant in Malaysia to Help you Choose the Right Course after SPM
An experienced Education Advisor would be invaluable in assisting you to choose the right course. Students need to talk to the right education counselors so that you get the right information to help you in making this life-changing decision.
Talking to an experienced education advisor would help you to navigate through this confusing time of choosing the best course that fits you.
Experienced education counselors are able to analyse your interests, personality and exam results to help you make a list of possible courses for consideration. EduSpiral Consultant Services staff have more than 15 years experience in counseling students. Having worked in the private education industry, we have in-depth knowledge of each private university and college in what they are good at.
EduSpiral Consultant Services has worked with our partner universities and colleges for many years while the counselors at the private universities or agents’ offices change every few years therefore they would not have the in-depth knowledge of the courses and the university that they are working at.
What am I good at? What am I not good at?
Gi Hang, A-Levels at Taylor’s College
An undergraduate degree course in Malaysia lasts three to five years – that’s a long time to spend studying something which you don’t enjoy, especially at a more intense level! First of all ask yourself what you have enjoyed studying at secondary school in Malaysia.
Your SPM or O-Level results will show what you are actually good at. Having good results in Maths, you can consider Actuarial Science, Accounting, Computing or Finance courses. Having narrowed down to these courses, you can go for the Foundation in Arts for 1 year before really choosing which one to study for your degree.
Alternatively you can also think about subjects you definitely don’t want to study at university level and which you can’t wait to say goodbye to. Crossing these off will make your list of options smaller and less overwhelming.
Your parents and friends would also be able to give you an idea of what you are good at. Looking at your hobbies and interests would help to narrow down the list. Your hobby in drawing could open the possibility of choosing design courses.
What qualifications do I have already?
You may already have an idea of the area you want to study and find a career in, which will have dictated what subjects you’re already studying at school. However it’s good to look at the qualifications and grades you have (or are predicted to have) to see what you are already eligible to study. Some students want to study medicine but in their SPM results, they only managed to get 5Cs. To study in medicine, one needs to have at least 5Bs including the science subjects. Students need to be realistic in choosing their course of study by looking at their actual results.
If your actual results do not meet the entry requirements for your particular course of interest, then you may need to consider other options or to resit the SPM or O-Level exam to get the necessary results.
What are my interests?
Kwang Wei, Business graduate from UCSI University
If you can’t think of an academic subject which you’re especially strong at or one which you would want to pursue at university-level, think about your non-academic interests outside of school. It’s likely that you’re much more passionate about these but you’ve never even thought you could study a course related to these (or pursue a career in this area).
Your hobbies, interests and which clubs & societies that you have joined in secondary school would give you some idea of what you are good at. These, together with your actual results would contribute to your decision-making process in choosing the right course of study.
New courses are being created all the time to prepare and develop talent for growing industries, such as animation or computer game design. Projects, events and knowledge related to these interests can all contribute to show that you’re passionate about this area and eligible to study on a course which can prepare you for a related career.
In other cases there may be several routes to your dream career, some of which may allow you to study something different before transferring or. Talk to those who are already working in this area to see how they got to where they are now, including what they studied (or even what they wish they had studied).
What do I want to do for my career?
Justin Moo, Mechanical Engineering graduate from Taylor’s University
You may have a clear idea of what you want to do for a career which makes choosing a course to study easier, particularly if you want to become a doctor or lawyer. You can search our articles section to see if we’ve already written about your dream graduate career and how you can achieve this.
When making a decision about your career, it is important to take into consideration the average salary. Starting salaries in Malaysia is about RM2800 to RM3000 for most careers while starting salaries in Singapore is about SGD2714. Although starting salaries is generally the same level for everyone, what you do in the following years of your job will determine how much higher you would get.
Therefore, it is also important to choose the right university that would equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to move up in your career. Many students make the mistake of choosing the cheapest university for their studies and then later realise that they cannot get the promotion or salary increment because they did not get the skills needed. English is one of these skills that most students do not take seriously about its importance for promotion and salary increments in future jobs.
Think about it, if you are unable to write a report or email in proper English or do a presentation smoothly, how would you be able to become a manager or CEO eventually?