What’s next after A levels results day

by StudyMalaysia on August 12, 2020 | Top Stories

What’s next after A levels results day - StudyMalaysia.com

So after all the built up anxiety of results day, you finally get your results and now you might be wondering—what’s next? Most students enrol for A levels with the aim of going to university but now that you’ve earned your A levels, you might be looking for some guidance on planning your university education.

1. Should I study locally or abroad?

Particularly during this time of Covid-19, many of us might have to change our plans. If you’re planning to study abroad, you’d need to check if the university is allowed to enrol new students at this time. Also, you’ll need to find out when the next intake starts and if there will be face-to-face classes. If you decide to stick around Malaysia for university, you’ll have plenty to of courses to choose from. Most if not all private higher education institutions have an ongoing intake now. Do an institution search here to find out where you can study.

2. What degree can I study with my A level subject combination?

Generally, the subject combination you picked for your A levels would fall either under the arts and humanities stream or the science stream. The table below give you a rough idea about the typical areas of study at university level for both the arts and science streams. Do note that it may still be possible to pursue an arts-based degree even if you were a science stream student at A levels but the reverse could have more restrictions. The best way to find out is to check the specific course entry requirements with the university you’re interested in.

Arts stream courses available to Arts Stream candidates	Science stream courses available to Science Stream candidates	Arts & Science Stream courses available to both Arts and Science streams candidates
Disciplines: - Literature Religious Studies Performing Arts Fine Arts Others ** Might require proof of portfolio	Disciplines: - Applied Sciences Life/Biological Sciences Physical Sciences Medicine Dentistry Pharmacy Engineering Health Science Others	Disciplines: - Accounting Art & Design Architecture Business Administration Banking & Finance Communication Studies Education Environmental Studies Humanities History ICT Geography Graphic Design & Multimedia Production Language & Literature Law Management Mathematics & Statistics Marketing & Sales Quantity Surveying Social Sciences Sports Science

Arts stream courses available to Arts Stream candidates

Science stream courses available to Science Stream candidates

Arts & Science Stream courses available to both Arts and Science streams candidates

Disciplines: - Literature**

Religious Studies**
Performing Arts
Fine Arts
Others

** Might require proof of portfolio

Disciplines: - Applied Sciences

Life/Biological Sciences
Physical Sciences
Medicine
Dentistry
Pharmacy
Engineering
Health Science
Others

Disciplines: - Accounting

Art & Design
Architecture
Business Administration
Banking & Finance
Communication Studies
Education
Environmental Studies
Humanities
History
ICT
Geography
Graphic Design & Multimedia Production
Language & Literature
Law
Management
Mathematics & Statistics
Marketing & Sales
Quantity Surveying
Social Sciences
Sports Science

3. What should I do if I haven’t decided on a course of study?

If you still don’t know what you should pursue at university or college, don’t worry. It’s natural for many students right after A levels to feel unsure of their study plans but do take a moment to ask yourself why you want to pursue higher education. What are your skills and interests? What subjects did you enjoy the most at school? If you’d like more guidance on choosing the right course so that you can achieve your educational and career goals, try out this Course Interest Test.

4. I know what I want to study but how do I decide which university to enrol at?

Some of you may already know what degree programme you want to study but perhaps you’re not sure which college or university to choose. Although two different universities may offer a degree programme with the same name, the course structure, subjects offered and even the assessment method could differ significantly. Before you enrol for a course, check out this handy checklist. And if you prefer to do a university or college tour remotely, why not start with virtual campus tours?

5. I did badly at my A levels

Whatever results you get for your A levels, please know that all is not lost even if your results did not meet your expectations. While you might have been aiming for straight As, there are many degree programmes that do not require straight As for admission. Speak to an education counsellor to assess what your options are—they are likely to be better than you thought.

But what if you still don’t meet the minimum requirement for university admission? You still have options. You can re-sit the exam to improve your grade but before you do that, take a moment to ask yourself why you did badly. Were you unwell or were you going through a rough patch in your life? If you’re in a better situation now, then you might decide to re-take the exam. Do also consider if you did badly because you dislike the A level subjects you took? If that’s the case, you might want to change your subject combination when you re-take your exams. Speak to a student adviser before you decide.

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