Life@Kaplan: Interview with Intensive Academic Semester Students

Kaplan's Intensive Academic Semester courses are really popular in Australia. Back in November, I was lucky enough to visit our Sydney schools and whilst I was at our Sydney City school, I met three students who take this course.

LeeSungJun from South Korea, Mika from Japan and Maria from Vietnam all shared their experience with me and told me what they like about the course, about the school and Sydney in general.

Why did you choose to study Intensive English?

LeeSeungJun: I would like to go university next year, so I need a high IELTS score.

Mika: I wanted to travel to lots of different countries and to make friends with people from all over the world. Studying English is a great way to meet people. It is a language that unites people.

Maria: For my career. In Vietnam, studying English is so important. If you want to find a good job you have to be able to speak English.

Why did you choose to study at Kaplan Sydney over other English schools?

LeeSeungJun: Australia is the closest Kaplan destination to Korea. My friend studied in Australia and really enjoyed it, which encouraged me to go. My agent also recommended it to me.

Mika: My agent told me that Kaplan has lots of classes available to students to suit everyone levels, as well as a good activity program. First, I chose to study in Perth for one month and then I moved to Sydney, because there are lots of things to do here. There are lots of great sights.

Maria: I also have friends who studied in Sydney and recommended it to me. Sydney has so many nice qualities. The weather is hot and there are lots of beautiful places and the people are friendly.

How has your English improved so far?

LeeSeungJun: I have only been here for three months and I already speak English more often with my friends.

Mika: I speak in English a lot more. For me, speaking is the most important language skill to have. Writing and grammar skills are very important for business, but for everyday life, it’s important to be able to communicate with people when you meet them face to face.

Maria: Before I arrived, my English was so bad. I started four months ago and I’m improving day by day I am always speaking in English. My reading and writing skills are also both a lot better since starting at Kaplan.

What do you enjoy most about the course?

LeeSeungJun: I especially like the writing section of my class. I like that we get tested every Monday for the IELTS exam. It sounds crazy but I need to know my level of English and find out if I am learning enough. In Sydney, it’s expensive normally to take the IELTS exam, but with Kaplan I can do it!

Mika: I like my class because my teacher Casey finds ways to make learning more interesting. We all practice conversation a lot together. I also like studying grammar.

Maria: My teacher Jasmine is really helpful to me. I really get on with all of my classmates, you’re not afraid to make mistakes, everyone is supportive.

What do you like most about Sydney?

LeeSeungJun: The people of Sydney are really kind. I also like the climate, the weather is great, especially now in November!

Mika: I love the architecture; it is so historic and interesting. I am from a town close to Tokyo and our buildings are completely different.

Maria: Everyone in Sydney is so friendly. The tourist places are also really safe. Where I’m from in Vietnam, the traffic is crazy, but I like the drivers in Sydney. You can walk on the street and feel safe.

What will you do after you have finished studying?

LeeSeungJun: I’m going to study a Master’s Degree in Air Transportation. I want to do this in Australia.

Mika: I will travel around Australia and see the different cities here. I would like to eventually find a job and stay here. I work in online marketing and there are lots of opportunities for Japanese people here in Sydney.

Maria: I want to stay in Sydney and study at university.

If you would like to know more about our Intensive Academic Semester courses, you can contact us here for more information. If you'd like to see more photos of our Sydney school, they have an awesome Facebook page too!