1. Build a strong resume
​I was educated under the Malaysian public education system and my high school was one of the best schools in the country, known for its excellent academic results. Admission for my high school is merit-based so I was blessed to be surrounded by peers who were motivated to do well in school and get into college/university. We all know the formula - study hard, get good grades, excel in extracurricular activities. As the saying goes, "You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with" - Jim Rohn. I was very motivated especially during my last 2 years in high school; I was the President of the track & field team, President of the Board of Monitors, represented the school and won several track & field competitions, played the French horn in the school band, was 1st in the commerce class, and scored straight A's in the national standardize exam. I suppose I graduated high school with a pretty solid resume.

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2. Apply for scholarships and grants
Like many of my peers, I aspired to study abroad for college. However, due to financial constraints, I knew that the only way I could fulfill this dream was to receive a scholarship. Taking loans and getting into debt for college had never crossed my mind. While I didn't receive a scholarship to study abroad for 4-years, I did receive a few scholarships that covered most of my college/university expenses, including a year abroad with all-expenses covered:

• Merit scholarship for 2 years of Diploma - 100% tuition (~RM 18,000 / $5,000)
• Merit scholarship for 2 years of Advanced Diploma - 100% tuition (~RM 20,000 / $5,500)

• Full-ride scholarship for 1 academic year in the US - 100% tuition, travel expenses, room and board, book allowance, insurance, monthly stipend of $420 (~$25,000)​

​In addition to the scholarships that I received, which covers majority of my college expenses, I also applied for several grants to cover the cost of the summer program in the UK:

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Study Grant - RM 10,000
• Hallam Special Achievement Grant - £300

3. Apply for low (zero) interest loan to earn interest
I mentioned above that I did not consider taking any loans for college, but my mom recommended I apply for a government education loan of RM 10,000, which did not accrue any interest until I completed my studies. We put the money into the bank to earn interest of 4-5%, and paid off the full amount when I completed my studies. 


4. Study locally
I was disappointed when I found out that I didn't receive an undergraduate scholarship to study abroad. At that time, I considered attending private colleges in Malaysia. However, I ended up choosing a semi-government college because they offered 100% tuition waiver based on my results and I was able to stay at home for the first 2 years of college, which was a huge cost saving. To save on gas, I car-pooled with 3 other friends to college everyday for 2 years. 


5. Live cheaply
I moved to Kuala Lumpur for my last 2 years of college, and shared a master bedroom with 2 other roommates. My share of the rent was RM180 ($50) per month. Even though eating out is not expensive in Malaysia, I learned to cook simple meals to cut down on my expenses. Based on records of my living expenses from June 2007 - Jan 2008, and I spent an average of RM370 ($100) per month. That means my total living expenses for 2 years in KL was approximately RM 8,880 ($2,400).

6. Work part-time
During the first 2 years of college, I taught piano on Friday evenings and tutored primary school students on the weekends. These income helped boost my savings before I even started my first real job.


7. Choose a degree with high ROI
​I'm glad I graduated with an accounting degree, which gave me the opportunity to work in a profession with good job prospect and job security. I could easily find a job anywhere in the world with an accounting degree, as proven with my seamless transfer from Malaysia to the US with the same company. I was also able to grow my salary by 10x within 10 years of working.


8. Take advantage of employer-paid education benefits
My company covered all CPA exam fees and books expenses when I transferred to the US. The husband's company paid for all the tuition fees for his Masters in Biological Science.