Year 10 to Year 12
Bachelor of Applied Science (Diagnostic Radiography)
Hi everyone, I am Polly Ou Yeung and I have just finished QCE (Queensland Certificate of Education) at St. Aidan’s Anglican Girls School in Brisbane. Graduating with a satisfactory OP, I am glad that I have gained an entry into the Bachelor of Applied Science (Diagnostic Radiography) at The University of Sydney in 2019.
My early days in Australia were tough yet exciting as it was my first time to leave my comfortable home and live independently in another country. Everything was new to me and the cultural environment is so different e.g. having to speak in English at all time no matter at school or after school (as I lived in a homestay family). Fortunately, my academic consultant, Joshua Tang, has always been thoughtful and supportive by regularly following up my status and giving me lots of professional advice when I had any issues either in my study or my life in Australia.
Doing high school in Queensland was not easy but rewarding. Despite not having to sit a public examination as intensive as HKDSE, students doing QCE had to be critically accessed based on school assignments and examinations, which is comparable to the system of academic assessment at university. Coming from a non-English speaking background, I needed to be extremely attentive in class to catch up with the curriculum content and be courageous to ask questions when I had any confusions. While it may not be common for students in Hong Kong to write long essays and articles, I was required to write one to two essays in DIFFERENT SYTLES AND STRUCTURES for each subject each term (I was doing six subjects). This has greatly enhanced my English writing skills in a variety of styles including scientific articles, literature analysis, speech, personal reflection and film review etc.
I am truly grateful that my experience studying in Australia has prepared me to become more independent and resilient when coping with stress and challenge. I hope that my sharing is helpful if you have any hesitation about studying in Australia and I wish you a joyful study experience in this beautiful country.