It’s been a while since I last replied! So many mundane things have occurred in that time span and I’m keen to update you on all of them
SchoolIt’s our last week of school! I can’t believe it in a way and yet it also seems all too real. In four days, we’ll be done with all of it. And that’s what we’ve unconsciously being building up to for the last 13 years and it might just be me but that’s quite incredible! We have muck-up day on Tuesday and we’re going on a whole year picnic or something like that on Wednesday, followed by graduation on Thursday. Then we have formal and after that afterparty, which tbh I don’t know whether I’ll go to or not, there will be little other than our own dedication to one another tying us together. That's quite daunting..
There are people in my year who I know I’ll remain close with, no matter where we will end up or what we decide to do, there are others who I’d be glad to stop for a chat and a laugh if I run into them in the future. Some I might never see again- perhaps reunions and that’ll be it- and it might sound horrible, but I don’t think I’ll miss all the 160~ kids in our year? There were some I was close to back in year 7, others I shared one memorable moment or class with, but there also remain kids I haven’t really known that well and others I don’t really connect with. But that’s life. And after all these years together, I’m proud to say I don’t regret meeting any of them, especially the ones who have and still do play a significant role in the life of me today (somehow that ended up sounding like the acknowledgement of country, but I’ll take it!)
MarksOh dear… I don’t think I really mentioned it, but I had accelerated Advanced and Ext 1 English the year before (ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively) and ended up with a band 6 and E4 respectively. A low one for both, but that’s over anyway, and I recently realised that I was a lot better at English than all my other subjects!
Well, I came first or second in nothing this year, which was somewhat disappointing as I used to be first in maths until this year but I know my marks all improved from half-yearlies and I feel I have a far better sense of the course than before, which I am proud of too. It's too late to mope, I'll just continue to work hard and hopefully it turns out well in the end!
Ranks
Chem: 7/50~
English Ext 2: 5/30~
Maths Ext 1: 6/50~
Maths Ext 2: 5/30~
Physics: 7/45~
That looks like a parabola of sorts haha.
Life Outside of School!So many of my friends are born in this awkward part of the year and it seems my Fridays are dedicated to their parties. I’m slowly growing too old for them and feel tired at 8pm, but that’s okay
Spoiler
I keep on getting dragged by my friends for not wanting to drink, which was kind of a personal promise to myself. My grandfather was something of an alcoholic and I remember him yelling at me in a drunken rage when I was a kid, and I would hate to lose control of myself and act like that. I know realistically that not all people that drink act like him, but that connotation is hard to discard, and I felt more comfortable with not drinking myself. Surely, it should be up to me!
University ApplicationsEven after my UMAT, I made a pledge not to stop myself from applying to everything- I don’t want to regret any chance I could have had! So with that in mind, here are the Unis I have applied to for med:
UAC
1. MBBS at UNSW (unlikely, but more likely than WSU lol- but this would be my dream uni‼!)
2. MBBS at WSU (very very unlikely)
3. MBBS at UNE/University of Newcastle (I had a strong section 1, so I might have a chance here)
QTAC
1. MBBS at James Cook (finished that application and sent it to them by post- and even better, they’ve received it too!)
2. MD at University of Queensland (probably won’t make it in, unless I get a bonded place, which was also on my list)
3. Bonded placement MD at UQ
4. Bachelor of Medical Science, Griffiths (provisional entry to MD, I’m working on this whole ATAR >99.75 thing…)
5. Bachelor of Dental Surgery at James Cook
VTAC
1. CSP MBBS at Monash (hahaha rip my chances)
2. CSP Rural Cohort MBBS at Monash
3. Biomedicine/Dental Surgery at Melbourne (I stand as much of a chance as a moth to a flame)
4. Biomedicine at Melbourne
SATAC
1. MBBS at the University of Adelaide
2. Bonded MBBS at the University of Adelaide
3. Bachelor of Clinical Sciences/ MD at Flinders
4. Bachelor of Dental Surgery at the University of Adelaide
TISC
WA- tbh not too familiar with any of these universities or courses, but it’s still worth a try! Med is still med~)
1. MBBS at Curtin
2. Bachelor of Philosophy at UWA (provisional entry into Doctor of Medicine)
3. Bachelor of Biomedical Science at UWA (provisional entry into Doctor of Medicine)
4. Bachelor of Philosophy at UWA (provisional entry into Dentistry)
5. Bachelor of Biomedical Science at UWA (provisional entry into Dentistry)
I’ve also applied for the Co-op Actuary program at Macquaire and UNSW, and (thought) I finished my responses until 8vefable pointed out both some of my horrendous grammar and the fact I decided that one of my responses was 750 characters, not 1000… I cry every-time.
I’ll leave my responses down below if anyone wants to look over them/wants to find out a bit more about me 😊
Explain what it is that most attracts you to the UNSW Co-op Program and the academic field(s) that you have chosen? 750 character limitSpoiler
My interest in actuarial studies emerges from my love of problem solving, drawing me to a field where I can simultaneously learn and solve real-world challenges. I also valued a career that has a strong interpersonal focus, with actuarial studies best complementing my interest in maths with the chance to explain complex projects to my clients and improve their satisfaction. I believe the Co-op program’s hands-on work experience and professional development program would enhance my potential, providing me with invaluable networking and vital commercial skills for the workplace. The stimulating challenges presented to a Co-op scholar would endorse my continual commitment to improvement, best equipping me to become an all-rounded professional.
Learnings: Select one or two activities from either list in Question 1 and tell us the most important things you gained or learned from these activities. 1000 character limitSpoiler
Debating and public speaking were integral learning opportunities for me, teaching me the importance of having a voice about societal concerns. Through the collaborative discussions endorsed by debating, I learned the importance of critical thinking and cooperation in creating a supportive team environment where we all felt confident in expressing our ideas and adapted to feedback. Committing myself to improving, these lessons were the catalyst for our achievements, including (i had a specific example here but it might reveal my identity too much haha so I’ll add that in afterwards. Hope that’s alright
Through the OZCLO linguistics competition, I appreciated the importance of finding new and innovative solutions to challenges, strengthening analytical skills in face of setbacks and a high-pressure environment. As a team, we developed our work ethics and organisational skills, with the competition taking place during our exam period. By learning to delegate problems to each other and make calculated risks, we were fortunate enough to place (same as above!!)
Personal development: What do you regard as your key strengths and areas for improvement? 1000 character limitSpoiler
I am proud of my dedication and commitment, always willing to put all my energy into making sure everything is to a consistently high standard. My drive to get things done often encourages others to perform at their best as well. I try to remain conscious of everyone’s opinions and enjoy collaborating with different people to express many different opinions and gain a group consensus. I also possess a creative mind and can adapt to different situations and personalities as required, always looking for opportunities for improvement. I am willing to challenge myself and always desire to persevere through the rigours of each job. However, while I always have respected a deadline, I have struggled with my perfectionist nature, which has led me to spend too long on tasks and take on too much myself. To resolve my focus on redundant details, I am careful to delegate tasks in group projects and set individual deadlines for sections of a project, refocusing on the bigger picture.
Leadership and teamwork: Tell us about a situation where you were effective as a leader and/or or as a team player, e.g. describe how you significantly influenced others, or contributed to the effective operation/successful outcome of a situation or team. 1000 character limitSpoiler
As a senior SRC member, I oversaw the annual Shave for a Cure fundraiser and directed the passionate committee of student volunteers. To overcome my inexperience and initial lack of direction, I consulted with previous SRC members and read through past ‘Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threat’ analyses to make the event successful. By deconstructing the mechanisms behind efficient events and establishing aims, we strengthened our strategic thinking skills and effectively communicated these goals to students. I also made sure to delegate roles to the other volunteers and always listened to all their suggestions, which allowed us to implement new ideas such as newspaper coverage and bake-sales. As the leader of this group, it was my responsibility to encourage my team to always do their best and I learned the importance of promoting our team morale through this period. Throughout the entire event, I made sure we could adapt to deadlines, which helped us exceed our initial target.
Decision making or problem solving: Drawing on your experience or involvement in a part-time job, community or school activity, describe how you overcame a challenging situation and what you learnt from the experience. 1000 character limitSpoiler
After accelerating English, I was given the challenging opportunity to peer-tutor a student who was struggling at English. Dismayed by bad marks, this student had given up on improving and was initially reluctant to attend peer tutoring. Unsure of how to change his attitude, I decided to ask him to identify his weaknesses, then comprehensively explained the foundations of essay-writing and each module. Over a two-year period, we developed a shared rapport and I was able to incrementally increase his confidence in the subject by establishing small improvement targets. Working collaboratively to overcome his previous mistakes, he became more receptive to the offered feedback and started to actively participate in class discussions. This was a monumental experience for me, making me appreciative of the need to coherently express my ideas to everyone. Seeing him exceed his personal best throughout the year was very rewarding and it remains a privilege for me to aid him establish his goals.
Significant achievement or project: Describe an achievement in the workplace and/or designing, building, programming or creating something. You might choose to highlight your creativity; the ability to see alternatives; come up with many varied or original ideas; or willingness to try/learn new things 1250 character limitSpoiler
During my role as an SRC member and school captain, I focused on reframing my school’s competitive nature towards academics, wanting students to be recognised for more than their marks. I had always been dismayed at how many of my peers defined themselves by their results, and the lack of clear information regarding support, establishing a committee to fix this attitude. After much consultation with the school community, we firstly introduced a male school counsellor, desiring to change the hypermasculine belief that boys should conceal their struggles. We then introduced ‘R U OK’ mentors for senior students and a lunchtime support group, both providing valuable discussion about mental health issues and personal concerns of the students. All these projects required approval by the school council and SRC, and I often liaised between these bodies, which strengthened my communication and consulting skills through forums, surveys and assembly announcements. This project also taught me the value of delegation, which improved productivity and allowed everyone to play an active role in such a vital issue. I would love to continue my commitment to improving someone’s life by consulting with clients on projects that better their life.
After graduation: What sort of graduate position do you imagine yourself in after university? 1000 character limitSpoiler
My main goal is to adhere to the standards of conduct of a professional actuary, wanting to both be challenged and meet expectations. I would ideally like to work with risk and analysis in the role of an actuarial analyst in healthcare. Ultimately desiring to work for organisations like HCF, Bupa or even governmental health systems, like Medicare, I believe this opportunity to give someone the fairest access to care is both a vital and meaningful vocation. To combine logical insights across numerous disciplines, like an actuarial analyst does, would be a remarkable opportunity to develop a fresh and intensely meaningful outlook on a situation, which would be more valuable for the stakeholders at hand. I am also interested in modelling big data to find a personalised solution and encourage engagement between clients and investors. I believe this would enable me to uncover previously hidden links in data, identifying the connections that complete the picture in a fully productive role.
Personal qualities: Why should you be selected as a UNSW Co-op Program scholar? Describe the personal qualities and values that differentiate you and that you would bring to the UNSW Co-op Program. 1000 character limitSpoiler
I believe I would thrive in the demanding but supportive environment in front of me. As a self-motivated, conscientious student, I enjoy working both independently and in a team environment, eager to learn from and represent other people’s opinions. I am willing to take risks and challenge myself for other people to enjoy it, having a resilient attitude that encapsulates itself in everything I do. I adore persevering through challenges and working to a resolution, with my commitment to improving myself through learning complementing the rigours of the actuary field. My interest in lifelong learning and strong interpersonal skills would allow me to give personalised support to others, my work ethic and passion supplementing my future goals. The invigorating nature of the course would be extremely rewarding, allowing me to simultaneously learn and apply my knowledge to real-world scenarios, which is something I have always desired in my future.
After that very long entry, I'm going to head off to sleep and will reply to Sarangiya's message tomorrow!