St Andrew's College, a residential college within the University of Sydney, is visiting Armidale schools on September 12 in a bid to find talented young men and women. The College, which awards $1.5m in scholarships annually, hopes to help students realise their dream of getting to top universities in Sydney.
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Many talented men and women from northeast NSW have been recipients of the College's scholarships in the past, including Sai Sabhanu Abbaraju (Armidale High School), Alex Wright (The Armidale School), Ragavi Jayakumar (Presbyterian Ladies' College Armidale), Harry Wright (The Armidale School) and Sam Wright (The Armidale School).
"We're in the business of helping students reach their potential," said Principal Wayne Erickson.
"Often, this entails awarding substantial scholarships to those who cannot afford to relocate to Sydney without financial support. The best thing about my job is seeing scholarships open doors for bright young people."
When asked why the region was of interest to St Andrew's College, Mr Erickson remarked that the College has had a longstanding commitment to the country.
"More than half of our students are from places like Armidale," he said. "Since the College's earliest days, we have had a steady flow of gifted students from the area, many of whom have won full scholarships."
"But I should add that we're looking for students with potential, not just finished products. Not all students from regional Australia have enjoyed the same opportunities as students from Sydney, and we factor that into the admissions process."
Mr Erickson had a few pieces of advice for students thinking about life after school.
"Students should of course aim for the highest marks possible, but I cannot emphasise how important it is to explore the alternative entry schemes offered by some of Australia's leading universities, including the University of Sydney.
"Even if you don't get into your preferred degree straight away, there are many pathways that will enable you to get there in the end."
Mr Erickson recalled a story about a student from Lake Cargelligo who was accepted into St Andrew's College with an ATAR of 67 and graduated from the University of Sydney with First Class Honours in Engineering five years later.
St Andrew's College will be in Armidale to conduct interviews for 2020 residency on the 12th of September. Interested students, parents and teachers are encouraged to contact St Andrew's College as soon as possible to organise an interview.
St Andrew's College is a residential college within the University of Sydney. It is home to 385 male and female undergraduate students, postgraduate students, resident fellows and graduate residents. The College offers $1.5m worth of scholarships annually, and is committed to helping students from rural and regional Australia realise their potential.St Andrew's College in search of Armidale's top students.
Contact the St Andrew program coordinator: