SAM another popular Pre-u
Published on: Monday, June 03, 2019
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It is equivalent to Malaysian Matriculation, STPM, A Levels and the Canadian Pre-U.
You may also have heard of AUSMAT sometimes known as WACE (short for Western Australian Certification of Education).
This is also a pre-university course that’s based on the Australian education system.
Similar to South Australian Matriculation, you can pursue this after completing SPM.
SAM and AUSMAT are the same level of qualification as A-Level and STPM.
Both courses have a combination of coursework and final exams, and lead to an Australian Year 12 qualification.
The main differences between the two are the assessment structure and the governing body:
(i) South Australian Matriculation (SAM), or SACE International
Administered by the South Australian government, and
You’ll be graded on 70 per cent coursework and 30 per cent examination.
(ii) Australian Matriculation (AUSMAT), or WACE
Administered by the Western Australian government, and
You’ll be graded on 50 per cent coursework and 50 per cent examination.
Both programmes are 10 – 12 months long and require you to take 5 subjects. Students who take up this programme generally start their studies in January or March, and take their exams in November.
What Can You Expect For School-Based Assessments & Coursework?
Australian Matriculation’s coursework includes things like summative assignments, lab reports, tests, monthly quizzes etc. It will differ based on different subjects and fields.
How Will You Be Graded?
Your final results will be a single score, called the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).
It is derived from your best four subjects, plus 50 per cent of your weakest subject.
ATAR shows your ranking relative to your peers, e.g. 99.0 ATAR score means that you performed better than 99 per cent of your peers.
Why Should You Take SAM / AUSMAT?
If you are planning to head to Australia for your university degree, SAM / AUSMAT is the obvious choice. But if you’re not sure of your plans yet, here are some reasons why you should still consider studying SAM / AUSMAT.
(1) Both SAM & AUSMAT are recognised by many countries overseas.
Many local private universities and institutions also accept SAM / AUSMAT.
(2) SAM / AUSMAT keeps your options open.
While Foundation programmes may limit you to certain degrees at certain universities, SAM & AUSMAT allows you to pursue a wide range of degrees upon successful completion.
This is especially great if you’re not sure what degree to study yet!
(3) Prefer continuous assessment instead of one major exam to determine your fate?
A-Level is famed for having only two exams to determine the fate of your entire college education.
If the 100 per cent exam system brings back nightmares from your SPM days, then Australian Matriculation is a good choice for you.
(4) SAM / AUSMAT gives you good foundation in your chosen subjects.
With 5 subjects, SAM / AUSMAT will help to build and equip you with good foundations in your chosen subjects.
This is great for those who want to cover as many different subjects as possible without going too in-depth.
In fact, you will also have the flexibility of choosing subjects from different streams, including both science and business.
What Subjects Should You Choose For SAM / AUSMAT?
Most colleges in Malaysia offer a wide range of subjects that will enable you to get into various fields, including Business, Finance, Law, Accounting, Engineering and Science.
It will be up to you to choose which combination of subjects you plan to study in order to move forward with your degree.
This is a VERY important stepping stone to ensure that you qualify and meet the entry requirements of the programme you plan to pursue as part of your tertiary education.
Where Can You Study SAM / AUSMAT?
If you want to study an Australian Matriculation programme, these courses are mainly offered at private colleges in Malaysia.
Note: Before you sign up for the course, also find out if this Pre-u is accepted by the universities where you intend to study. If it is not accepted you will have problems later on.
