Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program

iui

I have recently been selected by my school to apply for the KLDYS Class of 2025. I just finished filling in the application form. But I still need find a teacher from school to write a recommendation letter for me.

I’m thinking of asking my Maths or English teacher. I’ve had them both for two years and they like me. Although I do well in both subjects, I am intending to peruse a science-related career. Who should I ask? And what type of things should they write about me?

Please let me know and thank you🙂

aved

Hi iui , I currently got into the Monash scholar "class of 2025 cohort" and am also hopefully going to try out for KLDYS. Honestly, I would get a recommendation letter from a teacher that really knows me/is comfortable with me/ ask a lot of questions and get GooD GRADes from - Weigh out options from both. However, in terms of specializing it based on your future pathway, maybe stick with math teacher (STEM).

In terms of what they write, include your leadership skills in class, sophisticated learning abilities, achievements, progress/development, and just general characterisitics
GOOD LUCK and best wishes!

hungrycat505

iui hi, i was wondering if you ended up getting accepted to KLDYS? 🙂 i applied as well

iui

aved Thank you for your insight! I think I will ask my Maths teacher to write the reccomendation letter for me.

I was given a sheet by my coordinator which I will fill in to help my teacher write the letter. It has subheadings such as academic achievements and leadership roles. However, no subheadings for things like learning ability (so I'm guessing it should be judgement from the teacher not from myself). I will definitely request for him to write about my contribution in class, learning abilities etc. when I give him that sheet and ask him to write the letter.

Good luck with your KLDYS application too!

Joey

Hi there! I'm in the KLDYS class of 2024. The BEST things for your application/letter of rec is ABSOLUTELY community engagement. Have you been a school leader? Been in any council programs (I've been in a few and it totally carried my application)? Have you been in a sport club? And remember you can twist shit any way you like. For instance, I'm in a lot of music stuff, and I talked about how though I do not have a dedicated role as a music leader/band captain etc., I show leadership by coming to other ensembles with younger kids to help them out. If you're in ANYTHING, milk it.
At my school, the teachers just asked us what they wanted us to have on it, so I'm lucky lol.
Good luck! It's a great experience. Also I'm not sure if you guys'll get a Discord server but we did (we're the first cohort to do so) and it's wild

iui

Hi Joey! Thanks for your reply. On my application, I basically focused on my leadership skills/experience since I didn't have a whole bunch of community involvements. I asked my teacher to write my reccomendation letter today and I asked him to write about my work ethics and class contribution. Hopefully, I'll come out as a strong candidate!

May I ask, how many people at your school applied for KLDYS and how many got accepted? Also, what exactly do you do at KLDYS events?

Ash444

Joey is the scholars program useful for your cover letter. will the universities you apply for like it if yioy are in a scholar's program ?

Joey

I'm glad to hear my response was helpful, iui! Sounds like your application is good, I wish you luck!
My school is honestly not the best in terms of academics, but we (by some crazy miracle) had 4 Monash scholars, and we were all called up by the coordinators to apply. Presumably similar to AngelWings, it wasn't really an opt in thing. Also I'm still confused by this but I think the coordinators also gave letters of recommendation to other students but those students never filled out an application?? I don't know how that worked. Only I got in which is actually quite unusual, typically it's 2 people (or more if the school is super smart).
In terms of KLDYS events, to be honest, we haven't done much so far. We did the welcome event, which was actually really fun. I met some cool people. There were campus tours, which I wanted to attend, but unfortunately I was not free. It seems like it went well! There are also revision lectures for unit 3/4 subjects (though the selection is limited). I also did not attend these as I am actually not completing a 3/4.
Like AngelWings said, you get access to the UoM library which is really cool. I seek to undergo Extended Investigation next year and foresee that I'll be using that a whole bunch.
And again, as AngelWings said, the networking is absolutely invaluable!! I'm not super active in the Discord server, but I coincidentally met someone from KLD at a local program we have since become great friends! People also share subject resources and opportunities (nerd stuff, like camps, Model UN etc.) and I always keep an eye out for those. You can also receive support and support others regarding your subjects, which is super helpful.
Also, as I have stated, I'm a Monash Scholar, and tbh what you get out of KLD is much better, but the Monash Scholar events are much more fun.

AngelWings

I’m from an older KLDYS group (Class of 2014). Back in the day, only a handful were invited by the school to apply (something like 3-5) and 1-2, and on rare occasions 3, would make it in.

There are several types of events, but most centre on leadership and soft skills e.g. teamwork and group activities, academics (VCE revision materials), future pathways/ careers with UoM (e.g. I recall doing some law case studies in a law session) and so forth. There are also perks like an open day lounge for KLDYS only, special course pathways if you get 95/90+ ATAR and using UoM’s library. I remember several other KLDYS students in my year ended up in relationships together, working together, studying together or becoming friends. If nothing else, the social networking is probably the best part.

P.S. I don’t know what changes COVID brought though and not super updated.

iui

AngelWings Thanks for sharing your experience! I applied mainly because having access to UniMelb's library sounded quite beneficial for my studying. However, it sounds like KLYDS is much more fun and useful than I had expected.

My coordinator essentially picked 5 well-performing students (me being one of them) and gave them a letter that talked about the benefits of joining KLDYS. The other 4 students are quite keen on joing the KLDYS Class of 2025. I know there's a policy where at least 1 student will be accepted from each school so I was wondering what are the chances of all of us getting accepted. I suppose it's highly unlikely😐

iui

Joey Hopefully, I'll get a chance to experience what yall have from KLDYS! Out of the 5 students at my school, I don't think I'm the strongest applicant but we'll see...

Are all the activities/events complusory like will they mark rolls or something? I'm worried that I won't have time to go to all of them.

AngelWings

iui Yeah, unfortunately not. As I said, typically just 1-3 students only are accepted per school, though I’ve heard that the KLDYS cohort has been gradually getting bigger each year. Btw, I finished school before the Monash Scholars existed; there were more regular cohorts starting from the Class of 2015 from my understanding. Both programs are great for your resume too and it still exists occasionally on mine if it’s related to a job I’m after (and I’ve been out of high school for about a decade).

iui Are all the activities/events complusory like will they mark rolls or something? I'm worried that I won't have time to go to all of them.

Nah, none are compulsory. It’s all rather optional. The only rolls they mark are if you’ve registered for events that have limited seats and even then, they aren’t compulsory to attend.

iui

AngelWings It seems that KLDYS is such a great opportunity for networking. Are you still in contact with your KLDYS class after all these years?

Sorry for all the questions, I wish my school gave me more info not just a flyer and a letter😭

AngelWings

iui Actually most uni programs like this are great for networking and you’ll find more opportunities as you get older, make more friends and branch out. I also went on a Year 10 Japanese immersion camp by La Trobe and the Department of Education where I met lots of people, and then went to plenty more events and activities in uni.

iui Are you still in contact with your KLDYS class after all these years?

Unfortunately not so much these days, just Facebook friends (yes, it was before Insta was really a thing). I went to Monash (more convenient personally) and then I ended up having classes with many KLDYS people but since gone separate ways. But I still remember the program with fondness.

iui Sorry for all the questions, I wish my school gave me more info not just a flyer and a letter😭

Nah it’s all good. I didn’t get much more than a flyer and a short introduction by my careers teacher as well. And it’s what this forum is for! Please feel free to ask as many questions as you want! 🙂

iui

AngelWings I don't have any experience with uni programs. Hence, I have no clue what I should write in my application, what should I ask my teacher to write in the reccomendation letter etc. If I do manage to get into KLDYS, it will be my first. The application process itself has already made me learnt so much😂

All there is left to do now is hand in my teacher's reccomendation letter and wait for the results.

Once again, thank you so much for sharing your experience!

aved

hey iui
good luck with the final proceedings of your application!
I'm currently working on my application and i can't see any mentions of a teacher recommendation. Will it come up after i submit the first page?

iui

aved Yes, the reccomendation letter part was not mentioned in the application and will not come up after submission of the form.

I was told by my coordinator to ask a teacher of my liking to write a reccomendation letter. Looking at the flyer, I think the reccomendation letter will act as the school's endorsment? Honestly, I'm not quite sure. I just did what I was prompted to do.

I suggest that you ask your coordinator/teacher whether you need a reccomendation letter, just to be sure.

Best wishes!

aved

Hi Newbie
Yes, you should apply - it's a great opportunity for a taste of uni life, etc.
However, to apply you need to get the application recommended and sent by your current school so it is important that you register after asking if your school is a partner- maybe talk to your coordinator?
Right now, the Unimelb: Kwong Lee dow young applications are open (until September), Monash has already finalized its 2025 cohort, and I'm pretty sure other unis in Victoria do it as well

Ash444

aved is scholars program only available for year 10 ?

AngelWings

Newbie I did find that the majority of schools are included, even those in underrepresented lists.

Ash444 I think so, but it’s also not the end of the world if you don’t get in. It’s closed for this year already. Here’s the website for it: Monash scholars program.

Ash444 It is helpful for your resume and more as a “the uni knows you”, but won’t give you extra brownie points when it comes to uni applications, for example. It is also helpful for networking, making friends, experiencing some things at uni, and have some perks if successful. (I assume the Monash Scholars Program works similarly to KLYDS.)

aved

Ash444
According to what I know: most uni scholar program applications open in yr 10 so that your senior years are spent in that program (leading up to uni)
But like what AngelWings said, the program doesn't give you any sort of advantage in uni applications- Monash specifically told us that it's a scholars program and not a scholarship with any additional benefits whatsoever, except it being an extracurricular/networking/uni program. Mainly, as a Monash scholar i am learning a lot about uni, double degrees, vce tips, and future pathways so that is really interesting. BUT DONT LOSE HOPE YET!!!! KWONG LEE DOW YOUNG APPLICATION IS STILL OPEN SO PESTER YOUR COORDINATOR ABOUT IT (KINDLY)

Ash444

aved so is it basically like work experience ? Also I couldn't do that now its already term 3 🙁