Do you remember, or can you imagine, the feeling of submitting your first university assignment? Was it submitted two minutes before the deadline? Did you suddenly realise you had forgotten to include your reference list? Or was it an easy delivery before heading to the Guild for a cheap lunch?
For most students, the university journey begins at 18 or older. But for five students from our Carramar campus, the journey has already begun. At just 15 and 16 years old, Aarya, Harry, Ruhi, Jessica and Hameed are each undertaking their first university unit thanks to Curtin’s Rising Scholars program.
The Rising Scholars Program (RSP) offers high-ability students the opportunity to experience tertiary learning at Curtin University whilst still in high school. At the beginning of the year, St Stephen’s School Head of Learning Enrichment, Anna Cathcart, encouraged students from both the Duncraig and Carramar campuses to apply for the scholarship program.
“They had to write personal statements about why they wanted to be in the program and how they would manage their studies,” Anna explains.
For Year 11 ATAR student Harry, the opportunity was particularly appealing.
“I thought it would be a fantastic way to gain insight into life as a university student, allowing me to see what studying complex courses is really like, as well as lessening my load if I get into the course I want.”
The students are each studying a first-year university unit. If they successfully complete the unit and later enrol in an undergraduate degree at Curtin, they may be eligible to receive a Credit of Recognised Learning (CRL).
Importantly, the academic experience is not simplified for the students simply because they are still at school.
“Units are not watered down, and the university lecturer will not know if the student is a high school or university student,” Ms Cathcart says.
The RSP coordinators told Ms Cathcart that this year saw the highest number of applications for the scholarship program. With five students from St Stephen’s School accepted into the program, their success is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the quality of their applications.
For Year 10 student Aarya, the greatest challenge so far has been keeping up with the demands of university study.
“Staying on top of things like readings, lectures, discussions and essays,” has been the hardest part, she says.
While Aarya is enjoying the experience, balancing her priorities has been a challenge, an aspect that Ms Cathcart is acutely aware of. She checks in regularly with the students and reinforces the importance of communicating with their university unit coordinators.
“If they’ve got camps or a school event coming up and they’ve got an assignment due, they need to prioritise their workload,” Ms Cathcart explains. “But these students certainly have the cognitive ability to manage it really well.”
Harry is balancing the demands of five ATAR subjects, extracurricular activities and now a university unit in Human Structure and Function. Despite the workload, he says the experience is well worth it.
“I genuinely enjoy this unit. It is something really new.”
The units offered through the Rising Scholars Program change each semester, with previous offerings spanning Business and Law, Humanities, Health Sciences, Science and Engineering. This gives students the opportunity to explore areas that align with their interests and potential future pathways.
For Harry, the benefits are clearly evident.
“This opportunity will make my first year of study easier, allowing me to adjust more smoothly as I get used to university life and life outside of school. As this is a scholarship program, it will save me up to $2,000, which will also help me out as a student.”
While university is still a couple of years away for their classmates, these five students are already getting a taste of what lies ahead, navigating university expectations, managing competing commitments and discovering what it means to learn in a tertiary environment.
Applications for the next round of the Rising Scholars Program will open later this year and the School encourages all eligible secondary students to consider applying.
For Aarya, who applied to the program knowing she is considering Curtin University or UWA, her advice to future applicants is simple,
“Try and do a class somewhat related to what you might want to do later in life, or something you genuinely enjoy.”
For further information, contact Anna Cathcart at anna.cathcart@ststephens.wa.edu.au or the Rising Scholars Team at rising.scholar@curtin.edu.au.