Students share secrets to getting top scores

The Star

24-04-2025

Proud smiles: Lhekha (second from left), posing for a photo alongside (from left to right) mother Meenaloshini, sister Tasha Raviendran and father Raviendran Sarasanantharajah, after collecting her SPM results. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star
KAJANG: While the road to success may be different for everyone, the ingredients are often the same.
Determination, faith and a belief in one's own potential are what will lead to good grades, said the 2024 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) top scorers from SMK Convent Kajang.
Lhekha Raviendran, 18, said scoring 9A+ was the fulfilment of a long-standing dream.
'I honestly wanted this for so long, and I worked really hard for it.
'I tend to set really high expectations for myself.
'So when I feel like I might not meet them, I get anxious. And I was worrying that I wouldn't achieve the 9A+ I was aiming for,' she said yesterday, adding that despite this, she stayed motivated and wanted to make her parents, teachers and herself proud.
Her mother, Meenaloshini Satgunam, 47, attributes Lhekha's academic success to her unwavering commitment.
'She's a very hardworking and consistent student,' she said. Lhekha advised students preparing for the SPM to stay consistent and never give up.
'And always pray. Have faith in God that you can do it.'
For Maya Devi, 18, receiving 8As for SPM was no easy feat, as her daily schedule often stretched from 6am to 9pm, packed with school and tuition classes.
'I feel so happy and proud. I honestly didn't expect these results, especially for Bahasa Melayu and Maths – those were always my weaker subjects.
'It was a really tiring year, but I kept going because I wanted to make my parents and teachers proud,' Maya Devi said.
Her secret to pushing through was seeing the exam as part of a larger journey.
'Treat it like a game, not a challenge. That way, you will enjoy every process of it,'
Her father, Aravinthan Manogan, 42, shared how proud he was for his daughter, who will be pursuing business law, and said that her exam results were well deserved.
Meanwhile, Nurqistina Muhammad Fattahillah, 18, who scored 9As shared that she always listened to her teachers and diligently did past year's papers.
Teo Jia Ern, 18, who scored 8As and 1B+ said one of her biggest challenges came during midterms when she fractured her hand, but her determination to acquire a scholarship kept her going.
'I wanted a scholarship – that goal pushed me to try harder,' she said, adding that she is now considering applying for a scholarship with PETRONAS and advised future SPM takers not to procrastinate and start revising early.
Another student, Darsha Ravichandar, said her main motivation after obtaining 7As and 1B+ came from wanting to make her parents proud and fulfilling her goal of entering college.
'Study hard and whatever results you get, just accept it. It is not the end, you still have more to go.'
Overall, the school saw 23 students who obtained straight As in the 2024 SPM.