[Sri Lanka] What are my options after A/Ls?

We all have goals. Regardless of how big or small it feels for others, those goals often add to the purpose of life. A/Ls are considered to be an important goal for many people. But let's evaluate this.

In this article, I will cover my thoughts on how important A/Ls are and what are the options available after A/Ls, from my experiences and from what I have observed from friends who have both done well (plenty of 'island ranking' friends) and friends who haven't done quite well.

The real question you should ask is NOT 'How important are GCE A/Ls?'. A more useful question to ask is, 'What are the different options I have to achieve my goals?' and choose what fits best with your goals in life. A/Ls are a means to an end. It is NOT the end. Life is much bigger.

Why the Sri Lankan society values A/Ls a lot?

I see two reasons why A/Ls are considered so important. One legacy reason and one 'herd mentality' reason.

Back then, the only available option for a student was the 'traditional' path. Where they had to do O/Ls, then A/Ls and hopefully get into a state university. Axiomatically, this meant that this is one of the exams everyone strives to do well in. This is the legacy reason. However, as education and access to skills have been democratised this reason is no longer relevant in today's world.

Then comes the 'herd mentality' reason. Without intending any insult whatsoever to anyone, the truth is, the highest exam most Sri Lankans have attempted is A/Ls. Of those who have attempted the exam only about 16% get the opportunity to go to a state university. What happens next? Parents who could not get into university want their children to have what they could not have (which is admirable). Eventually, over time, this has turned into the standard as to how worthy we are is being measured. It does not have to be that way. It is just another exam. It is just another means by which you can achieve your goals. 

So what A/Ls really is?

In my opinion, A/Ls is simply a 100% scholarship to follow a bachelor's degree at a state university. While I am grateful for the 'free education' that lifted countless people out of poverty in Sri Lanka, there are so many other avenues available right now. I have reservations about if there is any 'freedom' in that ‘free education’. But that is for a different article. Till that, you can view the TV show episode aired on Jul 21, 2021 titled 'Freedom of Education', on TV Shows & Keynotes for more thoughts on that.

The range of other options is quite vivid. Some of these options are very efficient both in terms of the costs and time involved. Even better than the A/Ls option. Then some options are optimised for 'prestige', migration & settling, etc. I will cover below the ones I know - the options available if you want to build a corporate career (and be financially free).

What are the other options?

1. Most efficient option
Based on what I have observed, the most efficient option is to not do A/Ls at all. I know people who spent more on A/L private tuition classes than most people spend on private degrees (of a reasonable standard). If you want to build a corporate career, you can start working immediately after O/Ls while following a professional qualification like CIMA part-time.

This way, you can gain experience (experience always triumphs over any form of education), earn a qualification and cover some of the costs associated with what you earn. (I understand that the costs to complete the exams are somewhat high after the LKR got de-pegged but I believe there are student loan options and you might have well wishes in the family who may like to sponsor.)

If you are tenacious enough, you can complete CIMA within 1.5 - 2 years. (I completed CIMA in 2 years while following my bachelor's degree & working in a couple of jobs). If you want an academic degree too, upon completing CIMA you can enrol for a master's degree (sometimes with exemptions too).

Disclaimer: This is not a promotion for CIMA. I cited CIMA because I have completed CIMA and now, as a CIMA lecturer I know the dynamics at play. There are other alternatives like CA, ACCA, CFA (for finance), BCS (for computer science), etc. Talk to them to understand their requirements. 

If you have already attempted A/Ls then you can still pursue this route. Do not worry about the fact that you could have done it after O/Ls too. What matters is where you are right now and what you will do next.

2. Optimised for 'prestige'
If you have someone to sponsor for you (like a dozen million LKR), then going for a top foreign university looks good on your LinkedIn profile. Beyond bragging at your family reunions, it also increases your chances of working at a top firm like McKinsey. This option may not be very cost-efficient because it takes, sometimes even decades to cover the amount you spent on such a degree. Especially because it is quite expensive for international students. Not to mention, you will have a few hoops to make this possible (foreign exams, cover letters, applying for scholarships, etc). The ROI (return on investment) for this option did not make sense to me so I did not pursue it. Talk to someone who is in a top-50 foreign university to learn more about this.

3. Optimised for migration & settling
If the above (second) option is too expensive (which I think is for most people) there is a more affordable avenue for you. There are private institutes in Sri Lanka where you can study half of the 3 - 4 year bachelor's degree in Sri Lanka and the other half in a foreign country like Australia. Universities available under this option are not necessarily the highest ranking ones but there are quite decent options.

You might have to work part-time while following your studies there but the good news is, many countries give the visa option for you to remain there and work after you have completed your studies. With time, you can naturalise and become a citizen in that country (provided you find an employer).

You can do the same with the 'most efficient option' too, where you can go abroad for the master's degree but be careful because some universities might distinguish between an academic bachelor's degree and a professional qualification like CIMA.

Ps: should you migrate from Sri Lanka? This might be surprising but might be a NO for most people right now. The LKR has already lost 50% of its value and inflation in other countries is now soaring. Migrating now would not make financial sense for most people. The same goes for the quality of life. Our quality of life is unlikely to be substantially worse than where we are now. Whereas developed countries, there are crises with inflation, energy prices, etc. I will do an article on this later. Till that, you can view the TV show episode aired on Apr 19, 2022 titled 'Migrate from Sri Lanka?', on TV Shows & Keynotes for more thoughts on that. 

It boils down to what you want... There are so many other options. You can self-learn on the internet, start your own company, or gamble on crypto to whatnot. But in my informed opinion, based on what I have experienced/observed these are the most common ones I have seen. Ultimately, it is about what you want in life. 

Regardless of which option you take at the end of the day, all of it depends on you. You can go to the most prestigious university and 'fail in life' or you can go do the least sought-after path and become extremely successful. Look at these as, like I said at the top, options. The key here is you. Doing your best, at whatever you do. Do that consistently for a few years and you will outperform everyone. All the best!

If you were wondering, how did I do in my A/Ls?

I did not HAVE to do A/Ls. In the year in which I were to do A/Ls, I had completed two degrees (computer science & CIMA) and was pursuing a few careers. In the same year, I also got started with my third degree (LLB at the University of London).

It was NOT necessarily because I did not want to do A/Ls. I thought I can do better and took a leap of faith. I developed my first website when I was 11. Started my first degree when I was 13. Started working when I was 17. You can read more about this from the About Me page.

Disclaimer: None of this is 'advice' of any nature, financial, career or otherwise. Do your research. This is merely my opinion about the dynamics at play.