A SEAL Student Journey

Charlotte's story

I started year 7 in the general cohort in 2015. I had decided not to apply for the SEAL program as my primary school teachers were concerned that my maths skills were not proficient enough Also, my parents were concerned that the SEAL program could foster a competitive environment. However, throughout the year I found myself finishing my work early and not feeling challenged. As a result, I applied to join the SEAL program.

Despite the fact that I was only in the SEAL program for two years, I feel I gained so much. While English was always my strongest subject, I was able to significantly improve in maths to match my peers. This was cultivated by the strong relationships in SEAL that encouraged us to learn from each other as well as our teachers. I was able to continue maths into VCE.

As someone who thrives off challenges and consistently sets high expectations for myself, the SEAL program fuelled me to develop strong study habits. These study habits and self-motivation set me apart from my peers at university, who often struggle with completing tasks on time and managing stress. By developing these habits from year 8, I felt more prepared for VCE and subsequently university.

While people can be apprehensive about a competitive environment a selective program could develop, I never felt pressured or judged by my peers. Instead, it was only enough to encourage us to perform better and value the educational opportunity we were being provided in SEAL. Many of us also participated in the music program and other extracurricular activities which developed a strong bond between us. The ability to work well with others is an integral component of university programs and participating in the workforce.

COVID presented a very challenging work environment, but I was still able to continue studying and achieve an ATAR in the top 5% of Victoria. Ultimately, the study habits, self-motivation and ability to complete self-directed learning that I had developed through SEAL supported me to achieve a high ATAR. I was able to receive an offer for my first preference, Bachelor of Vision Science / Master of Optometry at Deakin University. This course is extremely competitive, as only 10% of overall applications are typically accepted.

The skills provided in SEAL have also allowed me to achieve beyond the scope of academics. I have always been focused on taking all opportunities as they come and working as hard as I can. This has led to many employment opportunities, as well as a scholarship with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. As part of my scholarship, I went on a week-long placement to rural Gippsland, where patients cannot easily access eye care. The financial component of the scholarship assisted me in purchasing my ophthalmoscope set for clinical use.

My university course is also an accelerated program, where five years is content is provided in three and a half years, with significantly fewer breaks than a typical uni course. While many of my peers struggle with this, I feel comfortable with an accelerated workload due to SEAL. While it is challenging, I am able to see the benefits for myself in the long term. Additionally, as I accelerated in two 3/4 subjects in year 11, I was able to complete a Deakin University subject via Deakin Accelerate in 2020. This provided me with university experience, as well as completing two university subjects during year 12. Deakin Accelerate also contributed to my ATAR score.

I feel incredibly grateful that I was able to be a part of the SEAL program, and the skills I was provided with support me on my journey to becoming a healthcare practitioner. I would encourage high-performing students to consider applying for the SEAL program.

Charlotte Mullens

Former SEAL and 2020 Head Prefect Wangaratta High School