After my parents relocated to Australia so that my father could take up a diplomatic post, I had to evaluate the education alternatives that Sydney presented me. In my evaluation I found that La Trobe ACN in Sydney offered the most flexible options for me, and the quickest path to a degree. My descision was based on the compatibility of my ambitions and La Trobe’s specialised courses on offer.
My first impression of the university was that it was small and its office type layout was unconventional for a university. However I found that it embodied the specialized nature of this university, effectively making it much easier to stimulate a business type atmosphere and better prepare my eventual transition into the workplace.
For a person such as myself, who came to live in a cosmopolitan city such as Sydney from overseas the location is perfect. I can save time by going to many of the city’s attractions directly after or between classes. Or I can use the central transport system to get out to other places such as the famous Bondi beach. Because I want to experience as much of this city as possible in the short period that I stay here this is a HUGE advantage. I don’t think I would have been able to do this if I had gone to a university in Sydney’s outer suburbs.
Another advantage that me and other international students agree on is the small class sizes. ACN has a really good lecturer to student ratio. I feel that I am able to ask for help and get to know all of my lecturers. This has helped me with some of the homesickness that I experienced earlier in my stay and has ensured that I get the best possible chance at succeeding in my studies (which are challenging for an international student such as myself).
Lastly at ACN I have been able to make so many friends. The small size of the campus means that everybody knows everybody else and the diversity of the student body means that I can now say that I have friends from countries as far away as Nepal and Spain. Just yesterday I learnt how to play rugby for the first time in Hyde Park. In my spare time around the campus I surf the net in the computer lab, play chess with some of the other students, or since I come from a country that takes pride in its café culture I got to one of the CBDs many cafes. Ive nearly been to them all!
At the end of this amazing trip I will be able to say that I will have a degree from a leading university, and the business understanding to succeed when I return to a job back home, and that most importantly I had fun and made friends. |
