Now all that is done and over, and I got back my results about a month ago. I believe that everyone has a set of expectations for themselves and we should not judge when someone who got perhaps 85 rank points say that they are not pleased with their score, even when in the eyes of others the results are already very good and more than capable of securing a place in most university courses. The amount of hard work and effort everyone put in is different, and hence the difference in results. They themselves know how hard they worked for A levels, and I'm sure they are many who feel like their results do not reflect their effort.
As for myself, I was not entirely happy with my results. B for H1 chem when I put in so much effort even after downgrading from H2 chem, makes me feel like I wasted my time on it when I could have spent that time on my H2 subjects instead. On the other hand, B for H2 maths was a complete relief and felt like a present for me, so much that it made me cry after seeing my results. I've been to the pits of hell and I made it back alive. I'm not exaggerating when I say pits of hell haha. I can't find a better phrase than that for 0.3 percentile. Hall of shame maybe? LOL. I can say that I'm not the happiest person with my results, but I can't be more grateful for some grades.
Most typical kiasu people will apply for all the 3 universities in Singapore, get accepted in all 3 and then choose 1 by 1 June. Until then, many places will be hogged and some will only get a place after 1 June. But then again, they have every right to "chope" the places since they worked hard for their results to secure a place, right?
What schools did I apply for?
I was not THAT kiasu and only applied for NUS at first. I was torn between Environmental Studies (my passion, but 70% employment rate plus so limited job scope in SG), Business (stereotyped as the course that if you have good grades just go there for a good paying job in the future) and FASS (econs/geog/global studies/political science/sociology), but eventually I put FASS as my first choice and I got accepted 2 days later. At that point I was contemplating applying for SMU because hey, already got place at NUS right? What for apply for SMU and have to reject NUS/SMU later on and waste $10/$15 respectively? Everyone tells me that the fee is peanuts and nothing compared to what it entitles. But I applied for SMU not because I want to hog 2 places or go around boasting that I got into smu and nus, but because I really couldn't choose between SMU and NUS. I knew from the start that I could not decide yet so I just applied for one, with the intention that maybe getting accepted into NUS will make me give up on SMU or vice versa. But 4 years (and my future) isn't something to play with so here I am writing this post because I got accepted into SMU too and I'M QUITE LOST ON WHICH TO CHOOSE NOW.
SMU Discovery Day
My first thoughts are the same as anyone reading this, "Discover what?? Means you accept me anot??"
I only applied for SMU on the last day of application at 11.30pm and I did not get any news until around 7 days later. I was kind of panicking because I knew they wouldn't reject me as my results were way above the cut off. But hey they are about holistic education right? I thought that this year's pool of applicants were also full of achievements and I was pushed aside by them. But the call came and I was informed that my application was successful and I did not need to attend any interviews, instead I was to attend this SMU Discovery Day that lasted 3 hours. I was about to send in an email to say I wanted to change my first choice to biz but they called me to say I was accepted into School of Economics (SOE) just before I sent in the email. Talk about timing haha maybe its fate. I think that this is their first year of implementation and I found some information on their website at http://admissions.smu.edu.sg/content/smus-commitment-holistic-admissions-faqs !!
To sum up what they mean, interviews are still compulsory except for a select group of shortlisted applicants.
And don't try to fluff your application because I'm very sure that they are more than capable of seeing through what's real and what's not.
So what did we do?
ANYWAYYYYYS, it lasted from 130-430 and it started off with a short talk by the Dean of SOE. It was followed by a 45min mock lecture. The lecture was about auctions and it was pretty interesting. I even got the chance to participate in the lecture as he picked me to be a participant in mini game which was like mock english auction. I think the lecturer was Italian and I did not understand what he was saying at first because of the accent, and hence I was LOST about the first game lol and I over-bidded. When he asked me why I bidded $9.10 when I would lose money (I think I could only resell at $9, I still don't know HAHA) , my mind was literally blank so I said I just want to win the bid LOL. I hope the people there will not remember me as the girl who bids too much because when he gave out acceptance letters, the Dean told me not to overbid next time HAHAHA well now I understand why embarrassing moments can become good memories later on eh :) I understood the second bid better and put my hand down at the right time haha and I'm quite grateful for him picking me because it gave me an experience of how a real lecture would be and my "I just want to win the bid" brought laughter to the room so it wasn't so sian I guess HAHA
We then had a short break and a sharing session by 2 alumni and 2 current students, and it ended with a tea reception.
SMU or NUS?
Before I went for this Discovery Day thing I was actually more inclined to go NUS. Being someone who is easily swayed, SMU did a good job in swaying me...ALOT. (maybe that's what the Discovery Day is supposed to do lol)
The pros of NUS are the inverse of the cons of SMU. How I wish I can take their respective pros and cons and make a new school haha. You know, be Hannah Montana, and get the best of both worlds. Hahaha but I ain't no Hannah Montana and I can only choose one :( I feel that no matter which school I choose, I'll definitely have some regrets.
NUS
+ More globally recognised if I ever want to work overseas (which I really do...)
+ Easier to get honours (3.2/5 vs SMU 3.4/4)
+ Variety of majors to choose from if you still do not know what to major in
+ Hall/College life
+ Read modules outside your faculty (idk if this is a plus or minus point actually)
+ Grade-free 1st sem
+ Feels more homely/friendly? idk
+ Cheaper by arnd $10000
+ Near to fries, can work there after school hehe
- The perceived dumping ground lol
- Lecture-tutorial style is boring. I skipped lectures in JC that were taught by horrible lecturers , and I'm sure I will in university too. Even if I don't, I might be zoning out 50% of the time oops.
- Increasing class participation. They may be trying to learn from SMU, but I've read lots of blogs where people complain that this makes others talk for the sake of talking and it wastes alot of time.
SMU
+ More opportunities for overseas exchanges/OCIP/internships
+Very interactive pedagogy that forces you to focus in class so you don't waste money skipping lectures unlike NUS (I experienced it first-hand HAHA)
+ 7 Modules = 2ND MAJOR in SMU vs MINOR in NUS (what even nus??)
+ Each lesson is 3hr long, and mostly only 5 lessons per week = 3/4 DAYS OF SCHOOL per week only (might be same in NUS if cram lecture/tutorials or skip lectures lol)
+ Become more confident and articulate because of endless presentations
+ Best career centre
+ Very accessible location in town
+ Interesting modules like grooming and CAT that NUS does not have and are pretty essential in the working world
- Too focused on career (but it's a management uni afterall, and it's realistic I guess)
- Cut-throat competitiveness (but everywhere is competitive right?)
- Social sciences not as strong as FASS but if I'm doing only 2nd major in sociology/political science I think it's ok?
- More ex by $10000
SMU may be more ex but the extra $10000 will be balanced out if I stay in NUS hall/college, and I feel really blessed when my parents tell me not to worry about the school fees or let it be a factor to consider. Distance from my house to both NUS and SMU is about the same so that's out too. I guess it really boils down to what I want to gain from university life, which I am not really sure yet sigh. If I want to do econs, then I will just choose SMU and do it with something I like (pol sci/psych/socio). But the global studies in FASS is still calling out to me......haiz IDK. Guess I'll know by 1 June eh. Don't wanna hog my place until then but I really need some time to think. Another thing is I didn't manage to convince my mum about SMU :( She says is still more conservative and if she was me, NUS will be her choice. Which makes me really conflicted because she kind of chose my sec sch and supported my jc choice (actually she wanted me to go Anderson but I brought her to the open house and showed her the haunted house LOL so glad that I went to NYJC really), both which I have zero regrets. So either she is right about NUS this time and I should stick to the "safe" route (but dumping ground :( ) or I follow my instincts and choose SMU, and cross my fingers that I don't regret it.
SMU Discovery Day
My first thoughts are the same as anyone reading this, "Discover what?? Means you accept me anot??"
I only applied for SMU on the last day of application at 11.30pm and I did not get any news until around 7 days later. I was kind of panicking because I knew they wouldn't reject me as my results were way above the cut off. But hey they are about holistic education right? I thought that this year's pool of applicants were also full of achievements and I was pushed aside by them. But the call came and I was informed that my application was successful and I did not need to attend any interviews, instead I was to attend this SMU Discovery Day that lasted 3 hours. I was about to send in an email to say I wanted to change my first choice to biz but they called me to say I was accepted into School of Economics (SOE) just before I sent in the email. Talk about timing haha maybe its fate. I think that this is their first year of implementation and I found some information on their website at http://admissions.smu.edu.sg/content/smus-commitment-holistic-admissions-faqs !!
To sum up what they mean, interviews are still compulsory except for a select group of shortlisted applicants.
Applicants are selected on the basis of their strong academic and co-curricular records as well as evidence of qualities such as critical thinking, communication skills and positive attitude.They feel that after 15 years of interviewing students they have found the secret formula (HAHA just kidding) to finding applicants who do well at interviews and after admission, do very well in SMU, just by looking at their applications. It's written in your face on the website.
Thus, for this group of students, they will be shortlisted on the basis of the quality of their submission, and be invited to visit SMU on “SMU Discovery Day”.All I can say is that this just shows how important your application is and to treat it very seriously, don't think that grades are everything because grades are just one factor, in addition to many other factors (which I also believe are more important) like your CCA achievements, life experiences and attitude.
And don't try to fluff your application because I'm very sure that they are more than capable of seeing through what's real and what's not.
So what did we do?
ANYWAYYYYYS, it lasted from 130-430 and it started off with a short talk by the Dean of SOE. It was followed by a 45min mock lecture. The lecture was about auctions and it was pretty interesting. I even got the chance to participate in the lecture as he picked me to be a participant in mini game which was like mock english auction. I think the lecturer was Italian and I did not understand what he was saying at first because of the accent, and hence I was LOST about the first game lol and I over-bidded. When he asked me why I bidded $9.10 when I would lose money (I think I could only resell at $9, I still don't know HAHA) , my mind was literally blank so I said I just want to win the bid LOL. I hope the people there will not remember me as the girl who bids too much because when he gave out acceptance letters, the Dean told me not to overbid next time HAHAHA well now I understand why embarrassing moments can become good memories later on eh :) I understood the second bid better and put my hand down at the right time haha and I'm quite grateful for him picking me because it gave me an experience of how a real lecture would be and my "I just want to win the bid" brought laughter to the room so it wasn't so sian I guess HAHA
We then had a short break and a sharing session by 2 alumni and 2 current students, and it ended with a tea reception.
SMU or NUS?
Before I went for this Discovery Day thing I was actually more inclined to go NUS. Being someone who is easily swayed, SMU did a good job in swaying me...ALOT. (maybe that's what the Discovery Day is supposed to do lol)
The pros of NUS are the inverse of the cons of SMU. How I wish I can take their respective pros and cons and make a new school haha. You know, be Hannah Montana, and get the best of both worlds. Hahaha but I ain't no Hannah Montana and I can only choose one :( I feel that no matter which school I choose, I'll definitely have some regrets.
NUS
+ More globally recognised if I ever want to work overseas (which I really do...)
+ Easier to get honours (3.2/5 vs SMU 3.4/4)
+ Variety of majors to choose from if you still do not know what to major in
+ Hall/College life
+ Read modules outside your faculty (idk if this is a plus or minus point actually)
+ Grade-free 1st sem
+ Feels more homely/friendly? idk
- The perceived dumping ground lol
- Lecture-tutorial style is boring. I skipped lectures in JC that were taught by horrible lecturers , and I'm sure I will in university too. Even if I don't, I might be zoning out 50% of the time oops.
- Increasing class participation. They may be trying to learn from SMU, but I've read lots of blogs where people complain that this makes others talk for the sake of talking and it wastes alot of time.
SMU
+ More opportunities for overseas exchanges/OCIP/internships
+Very interactive pedagogy that forces you to focus in class so you don't waste money skipping lectures unlike NUS (I experienced it first-hand HAHA)
+ 7 Modules = 2ND MAJOR in SMU vs MINOR in NUS (what even nus??)
+ Each lesson is 3hr long, and mostly only 5 lessons per week = 3/4 DAYS OF SCHOOL per week only (might be same in NUS if cram lecture/tutorials or skip lectures lol)
+ Become more confident and articulate because of endless presentations
+ Best career centre
+ Interesting modules like grooming and CAT that NUS does not have and are pretty essential in the working world
- Too focused on career (but it's a management uni afterall, and it's realistic I guess)
- Cut-throat competitiveness (but everywhere is competitive right?)
- Social sciences not as strong as FASS but if I'm doing only 2nd major in sociology/political science I think it's ok?
SMU may be more ex but the extra $10000 will be balanced out if I stay in NUS hall/college, and I feel really blessed when my parents tell me not to worry about the school fees or let it be a factor to consider. Distance from my house to both NUS and SMU is about the same so that's out too. I guess it really boils down to what I want to gain from university life, which I am not really sure yet sigh. If I want to do econs, then I will just choose SMU and do it with something I like (pol sci/psych/socio). But the global studies in FASS is still calling out to me......haiz IDK. Guess I'll know by 1 June eh. Don't wanna hog my place until then but I really need some time to think. Another thing is I didn't manage to convince my mum about SMU :( She says is still more conservative and if she was me, NUS will be her choice. Which makes me really conflicted because she kind of chose my sec sch and supported my jc choice (actually she wanted me to go Anderson but I brought her to the open house and showed her the haunted house LOL so glad that I went to NYJC really), both which I have zero regrets. So either she is right about NUS this time and I should stick to the "safe" route (but dumping ground :( ) or I follow my instincts and choose SMU, and cross my fingers that I don't regret it.
hi!!! im suprisingly in a very similar situation as yours as i applied to smu business and nus fass, and am now debating between the 2 unis. May i kno wwhat u chose and if you regret it or not? Im also from nyjc btw!!!!!
ReplyDelete