Education is costly, and you might need a study loan for your further studies. But if there is anything in the world worth spending on, this is it. I’m sure most of us dreaded studying one point or another in our lives, and maybe you still do. However, if you are reading this article right now, you probably understand how important it is. Education is an investment in yourself, and if you promise to be dedicated and disciplined, then investing in yourself is the best thing you can do.

Here are some of the best study loans you can get in Singapore:

OCBC FRANK Education Loan (4.5% Interest)

This education loan has the lowest interest rate and covers degree & post-graduate programmes at local private or overseas institutions (AU, NZ, US and UK). The maximum loan amount is impressive, up to S$150,000 or 10X your monthly income (whichever is lower) and you can repay the loan for up to 8 years.

Pre-Requisites:
• Citizenship Status: Singapore Citizen or PR
• Age: 17 years old and above
• Employment Eligibility:
Salaried Employee, Variable Income/Commission Based Earner, Self Employed
• Minimum Annual Income:
Annual income S$24,000 and above (individual or with joint applicant)
• Guarantor / Collateral:
Guarantor required if the applicant is not working or loan amount cannot be supported by applicant’s income. Guarantor must be 21 – 60 years old
• Loan Amount: Up to S$150,000 or 10X your monthly income

Features:
• Minimum Loan Amount: $1,000
• Maximum Loan Amount: $150,000
• Max Loan Tenure: 8 years
• Interest Rate: 4.5%
• Approval Duration: 1 – 2 weeks

POSB Further Study Assist (Exclusive Promotion 4.60%)

POSB has an exclusive promotion of only 4.60% at the moment, which makes it the 2nd lowest interest rate for study loans. However, this exclusive promotion is only available for selected institutions that include almost all local schools (universities and polytechnics) as well as some international private institutions. Otherwise the interest rate is 5.88%. The maximum loan on this however, is rather limited at only $80,000. The full list can be found in the link below.

Pre-Requisites:
• Citizenship Status: Singapore Citizen or PR
• Age: 17-50 years old
• Employment Eligibility:
Salaried Employee, Variable Income/Commission Based Earner, Self Employed
• Minimum Annual Income:
Annual income S$18,000 and above for applicant and $24,000 for Guarantor
Guarantor / Collateral:
Guarantor required if the applicant is not working or loan amount cannot be supported by applicant’s income. Guarantor must be 21 – 55 years old and be an immediate family member.
• Loan Amount:
6x the combined monthly income of you and your guarantor (max.S$80,000).

Features:
• Minimum Loan Amount: $2,000
• Maximum Loan Amount: $80,000
• Max Loan Tenure: 5 years
• Interest Rate: 4.6% / 5.88%

Full Info: http://www.posb.com.sg/personal/promotion/study_assist

RHB Education Loan (4.78% Local, 4.88% Overseas)

Although this education loan requires you to be 21 and above, you don’t necessarily have to meet this requirement. With RHB Loan, you can have a family member or even a non-related person sign this with you as a Joint Applicant. If you don’t meet the minimum annual income of $12,000, no problem, this is most definitely understandable as many students study full time. As long as you have a joint applicant that meets the requirements, you are good to go. However, do note that this education loan has to be for a minimum of $3000.

Prerequisites
• Citizenship Status: Singapore Citizen or PR
• Age Requirement: 21 – 62 years old
• Minimum Annual Income: $12,000
• Guarantor / Collateral:
Guarantor required if loan amount cannot be supported by main and joint applicant’s income. Minimum annual income of S$30,000 for Guarantor.Must be an immediate family member

Features
• Minimum Loan Amount: $3,000
• Maximum Loan Amount: Up to 6 times monthly income, capped at $100,000
• Max Loan Tenure: 10 years
• Interest Rate: 4.78% – Local, 4.88% – Overseas
• Approval Duration: 1 – 2 weeks

Repayment Options
1. Standard Repayment – basic scheme where you pay your monthly installments (principal and interest) once your loan is disbursed.
2. Graduated Repayment – pay only interest for the loan disbursed until completion of your studies, monthly installments will commence thereafter.
3. Deferred Repayment (for full-time local study only) – pay your monthly installments only after completion of your studies; no payment is required during your study period.

Maybank Monthly Rest Education Loan (4.78%)

This education loan is available for students seeking to expand their education both locally or abroad. It has a decent interest rate and what is impressive is the huge maximum loanable sum of $200,000.

• Citizenship Status: Singapore Citizen or PR
• Age Requirement 18 – 65 years old
• Employment Eligibility:
Salaried Employee, Variable Income/Commission Based Earner, Self Employed
• Minimum Annual Income: S$18,000 p.a. (for local part-time studies only)
• Guarantor / Collateral:
Full-time studies – Guarantor(s) are required at all times, a maximum of 2 Guarantors are allowed for deriving loan amount.Part-time studies – Guarantors are required only when the student’s income is less than S$18,000p.a.
Up to 2 guarantors may be provided to determine the loan quantum.Guarantor must be 21 – 65 years old (Must not be bankrupt) upon loan maturity. Singapore Citizen or Singapore PR only and have a minimum income of $30,000 per annum.One of the guarantor(s) must be a spouse, parent, parent-in-law, sibling or legal guardian

Features
• Minimum Loan Amount: $5,000
• Maximum Loan Amount: $200,000
• Max Loan Tenure: 8 years
• Interest Rate: 4.78%
• Approval Duration: 1 – 2 weeks

There are 3 repayment options for this loan.
• Interest Servicing Scheme
Pay only interest, for up to 3 years or till the end of your course, whichever is earlier. Standard monthly instalments (principal + interest), will commence thereafter.
• Partial Repayment Scheme
Pay partial instalments for up to 3 years or till the end of your course, whichever is earlier. Standard monthly instalments (principal + interest), will commence thereafter
• Standard Repayment Scheme
Pay your monthly instalments (principal + interest), once your loan is disbursed.

CIMB Monthly Rest Education Loan

This education loan has a significantly higher interest rate than the rest. However it has a rather high maximum loan amount of $200,000 and a long repayment period of 10 years, but I doubt you would like to drag your repayment that long. Nevertheless, here is a breakdown of the loan.

Prerequisites
• Citizenship Status: Singapore Citizen or PR
• Age Requirement: 16 – 50 years old
• Employment Eligibility
Salaried Employee, Variable Income/Commission Based Earner, Self Employed
• Minimum Annual Income
Minimum annual income of S$24,000 for Principal Applicant
• Guarantor / Collateral
Minimum annual income of S$24,000 for Guarantor. Must be an immediate family member

Features
• Minimum Loan Amount: $1,000
• Maximum Loan Amount: $200,000
• Max Loan Tenure: 10 years
• Interest Rate: 5.39%
• Approval Duration
1 – 2 weeks

Interest Service Repayment*
• Repay only the Interest during the course of study (“Interest Servicing Period”) and the Principal and Interest of the loan thereafter.
• Interest Servicing Period will be determined by the duration of the course provided that the Interest Servicing Period shall not exceed 4 years. The Interest Servicing Period will be rounded up to the next 6 month mark, e.g. if the course is 3 years and 7 months, the Interest Servicing Period will be 4 years.
• Repayment of Principal + Interest will start at the end of the Interest Servicing Period.

Conclusion:
Which loan is right for you? There is no perfect loan, but factor your own circumstances in terms of interest rate, age, loan tenure and maximum loan amount and you should have a good idea. Usually loans with higher tenures and maximum amounts come with a higher interest rate as well, no surprise there. Make sure you make the right choice. Education is a costly endeavour, but if you work and and make it worth your while. these loans won’t mean a thing once you make it.

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Watched some of USA’s Suits and want to put on a fancy suit to become a “closer” like Harvey Specter? Here’s what you need to know to practice law in Singapore. Before we get into the technical details on what it takes to become a lawyer, you should really consider if law is your cup of tea.

Law isn’t quite what television series make it out to be. You don’t waltz and swagger around courtrooms and high-risk skyscrapers all the time. The bulk of your time is probably going to be spent doing really dry paperwork, drafting legal memos for your senior partners and associates late into the night while chugging down copious amounts of caffeine. However, if you have a true passion in law, and are dedicated to uphold justice and order, then the challenges posed to you in this hectic life is not going to stand against your immeasurable drive.

A Quality Education

Studying law is no easy feat. Qualifying itself is extremely difficult. You need straight As for your A levels to meet the academic requirements. Even if you do, there is no guarantee of admission. You have to prove your worth in your interview at the universities so you need to be able to speak up and impress the interviewers, something all aspiring lawyers should be able to do.
There are 2 local schools that offer law in Singapore., NUS and SMU, both of which have very limited places. Hence, some may consider the option of going overseas for their education. The number of law schools recognised by the Ministry of Law has been drastically cut, probably to ensure we get quality graduates and to deal with the oversaturated law market. Please ensure that the law degree you get is recognised by Singapore. You can check out the list of foreign degrees accredited by Singapore here.

Singapore
National University of Singapore
Singapore Management University
United Kingdom
University of Birmingham
University of Bristol
University of Cambridge
University of Durham
King’s College, London, University of London
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London
University College, University of London
University of Nottingham
University of Oxford
University of Warwick
Australia
Australian National University
Flinders University
Monash University
Murdoch University
University of Melbourne
University of New South Wales
University of Queensland
University of Sydney
University of Tasmania
University of Western Australia
New Zealand
University of Auckland
Victoria University of Wellington
United States of America
Columbia University
Harvard University
New York University
University of Michigan

Studying Hard

You aren’t guaranteed a job in law once you graduate from law school. Law graduates must attain at least a Lower Second Class Honours from one of the above prescribed universities and complete a course of study of at least three (3) academic years as a full-time internal candidate from that approved university according to the Ministry of Law. Nobody said it was going to be easy, but good things don’t come without tremendous effort.

Making the Cut

Achieving good grades in law school isn’t sufficient to make you a full fledged lawyer. You still have to pass “The Bar”. Not everyone has to take the same exams in the bar.
For students who studied law locally you only need to take Part B of the exam.
For overseas students, you have to complete both Part A and B.

Part A: Qualified Degree Obtained Outside of Singapore

Part A of the Bar Examination lasts 6 months and is offered by the National University of Singapore (NUS)’s Law Faculty. If you feel unprepared for the exam, NUS also offers a 3-month optional prep course.
There are 5 compulsory subjects in total:

• Criminal Law
• Singapore Legal System & Constitutional Law
• Land Law
• Company Law
• Evidence Law

; in which you must pass all of them.
Schedule wise, it isn’t too hectic. There are 3 hours of classes per subject per week, conducted during regular working hours.
Following the course, you need to meet at least 6 continuous months of “relevant legal practice, work or training”.
A certificate of completion will be awarded to candidates who successfully complete Part A of the Bar Course. Candidates holding the certificate from completing Part A must then complete Part B with other local law school graduates.
Course and Examination fees for 2014, inclusive of GST are as follows:
Singapore Citizens – S$3,500;
Singapore Permanent Residents – S$3,800;
International Students – S$7,360.

Part B of the course is conducted by the Singapore Institute of Legal Education

Just for your information, candidates may not engage in any employment, whether full-time or part-time without the prior consent of the Director of the Course.

The 7 compulsory subjects are:

• Civil Litigation Practice
• Criminal Litigation Practice
• Insolvency Law and Practice
• Real Estate Practice
• Family Law Practice
• Ethics & Professional Responsibility
• Professional Skills

Getting Some Work Exposure

A practice training period is a requirement for admission as an advocate and solicitor. It is the period during which you are required to receive supervised training related to practicing Singapore law.

Application

Firstly, you must obtain approval of the Singapore Institute of Legal education as to how you are serving your practice training period.

In order to do so, you must send to the Institute’s Bar Admissions and Examinations (Part B) Office a written request (not an email) stating 1) When you are starting your training 2) How you are serving your training period, your supervising solicitor’s name and other details as well as the organisation and department of that officer. The nitty-gritty details on drafting the letter can be found here.

Requirements

The duration of the practice training period is 6 months. However, there is a catch. If you
receive supervised training by working as a Legal Service Officer or working under the supervision of a qualifying relevant legal officer, 6 months of such supervised training will only count as 1 month of his practice training period. Sadly, that means if you serve your entire practice training period that way, the duration of the training period is a whopping 36 months.

Practice Training Contracts

To officially certify your training, you need to draft up a training contract with the relevant law practice in Singapore. There are several legal and technical requirements in which you can obtain more details here as well.

Once you have passed the bar and completed your training period, congratulations, you are a full-fledged lawyer certified to practice in Singapore, all that’s left is finding a good job, upholding your integrity and remembering why you chose law in the first place. Hopefully, its not because of the money, because the working hours (up till the wee mornings don’t really justify the pay). More importantly, it’s because those who truly excel in their field of expertise are incentivised by passion and not pay.

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Studying overseas can be an amazing and eye-opening experience. If you don’t want to study locally for one reason or another, looking at some opportunities abroad is most definitely a good choice. Of course, going abroad is a scary thing. Venturing into the unknown always is. Then there is also the issue with the insufficiency of information that hinders you from doing so. So here at Digital Senior, we are here to help!

United Kingdom

The UK is an extremely popular choice for Singaporeans to go to to pursue their tertiary education. Applying to the UK requires the use of the UCAS system which can be rather complicated. Lucky for you, I have came up with a step-by-step guide on how to use the UCAS system right here.

The UCAS system is rather consolidated and the thing is, you can only choose 1 course of study since your personal statement which will be sent to all schools is tied to the course of study you pick.

Duration
Most UK courses last for 4 years. Some courses are even shorter(3 years) and some are longer, spanning up to 6 years. The length of study isn’t an indicator on how good or prestigious the course is. Take for instance Economics at the London School of Economics which is 3 years only. The longer courses are clinical science courses like Medicine and Dentistry that last for about 5 years (University of London’s course last 6 years).

Fees
Most UK courses will cost around $30,000 a year not counting your foundation year (which you may or may not need). Assuming you have relatively good grades from Polytechnic or just decent grades from Junior College, you really don’t need a foundation year. Bridging year and foundation year will probably only be needed if you didn’t do well. So if you multiply $30,000 by 4, that comes up to $120,000.

For clinical courses such as Dentistry, Medicine and Veterinary Science, each year can cost about $60,000. Multiply that by 5 and you get about $300,000.

This doesn’t even include rent and living fees, which differ largely between the different cities. Of course, London is absurdly expensive. If you don’t live in London, your living cost comes up to about $25,000 a year. So make sure you have the financial ability to make it through your degree!

Study Life
Your study life in the UK is probably going to be fairly exciting. If you live in a big city like London then you would be close to many sources of entertainment and social events that might help you with your career and not to mention recreational life. However, that represents a higher living cost. Even living in a campus town like Oxford will be really awesome and chill. Overseas universities in the UK places a great emphasis on study life balance so generally, you would have more free time to yourself. Please don’t use that as an excuse to skimp on work though.

Getting Help For Your Applications
There are several organisations in Singapore that can help you with your UCAS application, with the most famous one being IDP Singapore. They can help you vet your personal statements and give you career counselling advice. Of course if you need any help or want some opinion, you can just contact Digital Senior as well, we would be more willing to help out with any queries you have.

Student Visas and Accommodation
Universities generally inform you on the proper procedure to secure a visa once you get accepted, so you don’t have to worry about getting one. Just wait for their email and follow the relevant instructions. Add for accommodations, most students will opt to stay in the university whereas some might rent a house with friends. It’s really up to you for the UK!

Australia

The land of the Roo. Australia is another popular destination for students in Singapore. Unlike the UK, Australian universities don’t have a centralised application portal so you have to apply to them individually.

Popular Courses
Most students would go to Australia to pursue the sciences, more specifically the health sciences. Think Medicine, Dentistry, Physiotherapy etc as Australia’s health science courses are world renowned and generally well recognised. Of course do check with the appropriate Singaporean authorities on whether your degree will be recognised.

Fees
Studying in Australia is most definitely costly. The issue is that course fees differ greatly across the different courses and different universities. For instance, studying medicine in a large city like Sydney can cost 2x as much as studying medicine in a smaller city like Tasmania (about $200,000 more). So do take that into consideration. Fortunately for you, course fees can be found readily on university websites. Remember to check the fees for International students and not local ones.

Studying in big cities like Sydney or Melbourne would have your annual course fees come up to around 30-40,000 AUD a year, with clinical sciences course being around 70,000 AUD whereas universities in smaller towns like Newcastle or Tasmania may only cost 25-35,000 AUD for normal courses and 60,000AUD for clinical courses such as Medicine.

If you would like a consolidated table on course fees for say medicine and dentistry, you can check it out with IDP Singapore that consolidates course fees and summaries in a table form, which you have to go down to IDP and talk to their college counsellors about it.

The biggest issue with studying in Australia is the high living cost. Usually students will rent an apartment with friends as it can be cheaper than a hostel. The further the house is from the university, the cheaper the rent of course. Eating out is also really expensive. So learning how to cook will serve you well, really well if you want to save some money.

Duration
Australian courses usually last for 4 years at the degree level and the only courses that are 5 years long is medicine, dentistry and veterinary science. However, if you are required to take a foundational or bridging year, then your course duration will take an additional year.

Admission
Most degree courses require the GCE A Levels as a minimum requirement and polytechnic diplomas may be accepted on a case by case basis. However since it is not an international qualification, such diplomas must be checked with the respective universities individually. If you don’t take GP in the A levels, you might need to take the IELTS and score about 6.0 as proof of your English language proficiency.

Study Life
In Australia, where you study affects your study life…a lot. If you live in the suburbs, you will lead a very quiet life, mostly. Supermarkets and sources of entertainment might be quite far apart and some of our seniors have quoted many Australian cities to be “boring”, but I choose to see it as being calm and relaxed. If you crave the constant buzz of the metropolis with events happening all around you, then try going to the larger cities s like Sydney which will be more exciting.

Universities of course have sporting events, clubs and societies which you can join, so I don’t think that differs too much across cities or even countries across the globe.

Student Visa and Accommodation
Student visas have to be applied with the Australian government but universities will send you the necessary procedure via email and you get something called the eCOE which you will need for the application. If you get into a university, there is no need to worry about it since the university will help you out mostly.

Accommodation wise, it is cheaper to rent a house than stay in a hostel. As mentioned before, rent prices depend on the distance of the house to the school. However, that also means no catered meals like in hostels, so you have to be really independent should you choose to live in a house in Australia since eating out costs a bomb.

United States

The land of equal opportunities, or at least that’s what they claim to be. The USA is another popular place for Singaporean students to study at. Applying to the US may be a little more difficult and troublesome as compared to the rest. Here’s why.

Popular Courses
Most would apply to the US for courses such as Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) or courses like Law, Business or Engineering at the Ivy Leagues. There is a huge range of courses available in the United States. That being said, not many students choose to pursue clinical courses such as medicine and dentistry due to the fees and duration (6 or more years required) as compared to the UK and Australia (5 years).

Duration
Most US courses are 4 years, that’s pretty standard. The only thing different about the US (vs SG, UK, AU) is that you don’t have to choose your course of study upon applying for the university. Most students will do the same thing in the first year and then decide on their major in the second year onwards. This gives you exposure to more courses and help you find your passion, which is something I can appreciate about the US educational system.

Fees
Unlike the UK but similar to Australia, the US doesn’t work on a consolidated system whereby fees are generally the same across universities so you have to figure out the cost yourself by calculating it on the university’s website. It depends on how many credits you take per semester since universities such as New York University charge its fees based on credits (modules) per semester. Of course, in cities such as New York and for schools in the Ivy League, course fees tend to be higher than community colleges. For instance, a year at Harvard costs an estimated $45,278 (USD not SGD) and with the appreciating value of the US Dollar against the Singapore Dollar, this could amount to a huge cost for students to bear.

This doesn’t even begin to include living fees just FYI.

Admissions
Unfortunately for Singaporeans, most schools in the United States do not recognise the GCE Cambridge A levels certificate or even the O level certificates. Hence, students who wish to study there are required to take the SATs to qualify for tertiary education in the United States. The SATs, unlike the ISAT, UKCAT, BMAT or other international exams, is not an aptitude test but rather a content test that can and must be studied for. There are several SAT guidebooks out there, all of which have the pros and cons as well as many preparatory classes. Many of my classmates have taken the SATs without external help, but some who did attend preparatory classes also do say that they help, at least a little. You can find out everything on the SAT here.

In addition to taking the SAT and getting a good score, you need to write a personal statement that reflects who you are as a person, not so much as why you should get the course of choice but what makes you…you. Getting advice from teachers and college counsellors (if your school has one, will go a long way in helping improve your chances of admission into your dream school).

Unlike the UK and Australia, Admissions into the US rely heavily on your extra-curricular activities as the US seeks students who are all-rounded and display holistic development in their studying years.

Application
Applying to the US is somewhat complicated and you need external help from your old junior college counsellors or get help from external parties such as www.studyabroad.sg because you need them to set up a Naviance account for you and help you with your personal statement.

Study Life
Perhaps out of all 3 countries, the US had the most active student life. US places a huge emphasis on holistic education so you need to be good in your sport, club, community services and so on. College life is probably a huge part of education and since most students will live in hostels, you still have a blast with your friends over there.

Conclusion

No matter where you choose to study it is going to be really expensive abroad, so make sure you get the money well spent by working hard. If you are pursuing a tertiary education right now, then you are probably a grown man or grown woman. Work hard and the future is yours.

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Art Schools in Singapore: Art in an Urban Jungle

“Earth”, without “art” is just “eh”. It just simply couldn’t be said better. However, art has never really gained much prominence or even attention in Singapore. In this urban metropolis, numbers are all that matter. In an attempt to quantify everything, to see achievements and life in terms of just numbers and quantifiable metrics, we fail to realise that it is the intangible aspects of life that ultimately makes it worth living. Your parents and your friends might discourage you from pursuing the arts for it isn’t a very lucrative endeavour, but if you have a passion in the arts, be it dance, piano or even sculpting, it may be worth it for you to note that there are several educational institutions right here in which you can pursue your passion. Afterall, if you love your work, you never have to work a single day in your life eh?

Most schools here require a portfolio so do prepare them in general for your applications.

NUS School of Design

Let’s start of with a more traditional sort of school what most of you would be acquainted with. The National University of Singapore is without doubt a familiar name and prestigious university that is renowned throughout the world for its academic reputation and rigour.
Unbeknownst to most, NUS actually has a school of design that doesn’t just train you to be a good artist, but an entrepreneur. This institution claims to be able to bring together the creative 3D design culture of design, advanced technologies of engineering and the entrepreneurial spirit of business to create the ultimate artist that’s able to survive the harsh realities of modern Singapore.

Programme Offered

Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Design – B.A. (ID)

Admissions

For candidates with ‘A’ Levels certification: Pass in at least 2 subjects at H2 level, Pass in General Paper (GP) or Knowledge & Inquiry (KI), H1 pass in Chemistry, or Mathematics, or Physics, or pass in ‘O’ level Add Math.

For candidates with Polytechnic Diplomas: Any acceptable Diploma.

For candidates with International qualification: Year 12 or higher level Chemistry, or Mathematics, or Physics.

Curriculum

Based on NUS’s website, this programme is divided into 3 main progressive levels, namely Design Fundamentals, Design Platforms and Final Year Thesis. Students learn fundamental design knowledge, skills and capabilities in the first 3 semesters (Design Fundamentals), put these into practice in the next 4 semesters through a series of conceptual and industry projects (Design Platforms), and finally demonstrate their proficiency with a thesis project in the final year (Final Year Thesis).

Exchange Opportunities

NUS has a very well-established network with universities overseas, so as a NUS ID student, you can go for a one-semester exchange programme in the following universities!

• University of New South Wales, Austrlia
• DuocUC, Chile
• Tsinghua University, China
• Zhejiang University, China
• Aalto, Finland
• ENSCI, France
• ENSAD, France
• Institut Superieur Design, France
• Folkwang University of the Arts, Germany
• Politechnico di Milano, Italy
• Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan
• TU Delft, The Netherlands
• TU Eindhoven, The Netherlands
• Seoul National University, South Korea
• KAIST, South Korea
• Lund University, Sweden
• ECAL, Switzerland
• University of Leeds, United Kingdom
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
• Georgia Institute of Technology, USA

Cost Fees & Duration

Fees:
7,950 (Singapore Citizen), 11,150(PR), 15,900(International) 37,200(Without Tuition Grant)
Duration: 4 Years Full-Time

NTU School Of Art, Design, Media (ADM)

NTU is one of Singapore’s leading university. Normally famous for its rigorous engineering courses, what many don’t realise is its ADM courses. This traditionally Asian university brings more than meets the eye.

Programme

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Art, Design and Media is a four-year degree programme for undergraduates interested in a major in Art, Design and Media. The degree has been offered since 2005/2006.

The course combines new and old. Training students in their foundation for traditional art, design studio disciplines, as well as innovative development in new media that incorporates contemporary art, design and media studies.

Substitution for coursework from the Art, Design and Media, Engineering, Communications and Information, or Business disciplines in the University is possible and necessary. Thus, each degree ensures range in a specific discipline while encouraging interest in interdisciplinary areas.

Majors Available

• Digital Animation
• Digital Filmmaking
• Interactive Media
• Photography and Digital Imaging
• Product Design
• Visual Communication

Admissions & Fees

The admission requirements differ as you need a substantial portfolio that would be too long to list here. Here is the link to check for what you need to enter NTU ADM.

For Undergraduate Programmes

• Singapore Citizens: S$7,950
• Singapore Permanent Residents (SPR): S$11,150
• International Students: S$15,900

Reputation

NTU is fairly famous for its academic rigour, so university reputation should be the least of your concerns. As for the ADM course, it has already been around for 10 years, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

LaSalle College of the Arts

A private university new to Singapore, Lasalle was established in 1984. Although LaSalle is a private university, the Singaporean government does subsidise the education at LaSalle in an effort to encourage Singaporeans to pursue the arts. LaSalle, a dedicated arts college, has several programmes available and it offers them as diplomas or degrees.

Programme

Lasalle has very diverse programmes so it is hard to go into details what the structures are like, but you can head over to their website and check out your course of interest.

Diploma:

• Animation
• Audio Production
• Broadcast
• Dance
• Design Communication
• Fashion
• Fine Arts
• Interior Design
• Music
• Performance
• Product Design
• Technical & Production Management

Degree – BA (Hons)
Acting
Animation Art
Arts Management
Damce
Design Communication
Fashion Design
Fashion Media & Industries
Film
Film Arts
Interior Design
Music
Musical Theatre
Product Design

Masters of Art
Art Therapy
Arts Pedagogy and Practice
Arts and Cultural Management
Asian Art Histories
Fine Arts

Admissions & Fees

Diploma Admissions:

• O Levels – Grades (A-C) including English
• IP Programme – Complete Year 4
• Higher NITEC/NITEC Cert

Diploma Fees (PA):

• Singaporeans: $5,400
• PR: $7,150
• International: $9,300
• Singaporeans: $19,000
• PR: $21,250
• International: $23,800

BA (Hons) Admissions:

• A Levels – 2 ‘A’ Level/H2 subjects and a pass in General Paper. Alternative English
• Polytechnic Diploma in a relevant discipline
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma

*Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)

• Minimum Requirements for Entry into a BA(Hons) Level 2 Programme
• A relevant diploma in the field or discipline.
• Your portfolio or audition must be exceptionally strong and demonstrate prior formal training in the relevant arts discipline. The transcript from your diploma course must demonstrate that you have read and passed the equivalents of essential LASALLE modules.

BA (Hons) Fees (PA):

Masters of Arts Admissions:
The entry in the the M.A. course is rather complicated as each course requires a different portfolio requirement so you can find it here.

Masters of Arts Fees;

Reputation

I understand if some of you have hesitations when studying at private universities. Well, it is most definitely a valid concern. However, 90% of local LaSalle degree graduates are employed within 3 months of graduation so finding a job isn’t difficult if you work hard. Most importantly, in Lasalle, you will truly live and breathe art. Your education would surely be an enjoyable one if art is your one true passion.

Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

Established in 1938, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) is Singapore’s first arts institution. It is fairly recognised in Southeast Asia due to its innovative curriculum and pedagogies as well as diverse artistic creations. NAFA is a fairly international community with more than 2,400 staff and students from over 20 countries,

Programme

NAFA focuses on 3 components – academy requirement, course-specific requirement and student-specific requirement. In fulfilling the academy requirement, students are introduced to literature in the arts, the local and Southeast Asian arts scene as well as career skills. Students also have the option and flexibility to choose electives across disciplines based on their interests, needs and aspirations in fulfilling the student-specific requirement. Interdisciplinary Studies, with its focus on Southeast Asian arts, is a unique feature of NAFA’s curriculum that offers a synergistic platform for students from various disciplines to experiment with and develop their ideas collaboratively, increasing the possibility of creating innovative works.

These are some of the programmes they offer

Study Trips

There are numerous exchanges for arts and music students available, you can find them here. In terms of study trips, NAFA certainly isn’t lacking at all.

Admissions

Diploma
All applicants are to demonstrate their artistic potential through portfolio submission/admission test/audition as specified in each course, in order to be considered for admission.

• Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘O’ Level: Aggregate score of 25 points or better in 4 GCE ‘O’ Level subjects, excluding English.
• Applicants who are active in their Secondary Schools’ Co-curricular Activities (CCA) may gain up to 2 CCA points. The CCA points can be used to improve their EQ aggregate score for admission consideration.

• Singapore Integrated Programme (including the School of the Arts): Should have successfully completed Year 4 or higher.
• Institute of Technical Education: Higher Nitec or Nitec.

For Diploma in Art Teaching:

• At least 5 GCE ‘O’ Level passes, or its equivalent, including English as a First Language
• Good grades in Art at the GCE ‘O’ Levels. Applicants who have external Art qualifications and Art portfolio are welcomed to apply
• Pass admission test or portfolio interview

For Diploma in Music Teaching:

• At least 5 GCE ‘O’ Level passes, or its equivalent, including English as a First Language
• Good grades from acceptable music examination boards or a pass in GCE ‘O’ Level Music. Applicants
• who are involved in musical groups and play a musical instrument are welcomed to apply
  Pass music audition

Degree
The specific requirements of admission into a degree programme differs largely between the different courses available so it is better for you to source for your specific course of interest here.

Fees

Diploma

Degree

Wrap Up

These are the top 3 schools in Singapore that you should look out for when it comes to pure aesthetic arts and perhaps a tad of music. Art schools don’t just teach you the fine arts, drawing and painting that the average practical Singaporean might deem to be “useless”. It teaches you art management and education as well. As Singapore seeks to develop itself into a more refined city with the government dedicating more funds to the art scene, your career prospects in art might not be as bleak as you once thought. So if this is truely your passion, then I suggest you gain the support of those around you and go for it. Just make sure you work hard and excel!

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2015 has been a Battlestar Galactica roller coaster ride for me. As we start chanting “New year, new me” for the next few days like we always do every year, hoping that our fairy godmother brings it to fruition, here’s some things that I learnt — though not for the first time per se, but definitely lessons that hit me real hard.

1. Shit always happens at the same time.

Growing up complicates life. Life was so much simpler in the past. While we used to freak out over a spelling test, drama is now pretty much part of our typical day. At best, I’m worrying about multiple project deadlines and pop quizzes. At worst, throw in some of the following; catfights, group fights, family squabbles, falling sick, boyfriends, girlfriends, grandparents, missing the train, and a pathetic bank account… I shall just stop here.

It can be very overwhelming. This semester was indeed very much so for me due to some not-very-smart decisions I made, but what kept me going was realizing that I’m not alone. I have family and friends by my side who keep me going. I’m not the only one fighting battles and chasing dreams. I became much happier when I realized I wasn’t on a solo trip as I found like-minded people along the way.

2. If it’s meant to be, it will be.

So don’t chase people who do not value you as much as you value them. Learn to let go. And always remember the people who stayed by your side during the rainy days.

This is the best time to make the most out of our lives —ironically— by doing crazy, stupid things because YOLO, because we just have to accept that this is when we ARE supposed to screw up, to pour our heart and soul into something or someone only to have it not amount to anything at all in the end.

You win some, you lose some.

3. Everyone needs a life anthem.

I love listening to rap, hip hop and the latest pop songs just to make myself feel cool when I’m doing house chores.

Whether you’re on the go, cleaning your room, running, in the shower, traveling, crying, studying, partying, or waking up for school, a good playlist can get you through anything in life.

My anthem of 2015 is hands down CROOKED by GD. It used to be Basket Case by Green Day, and many years before that it was Pork and Beans by Weezer. Find what works for you.

4. Life never goes according to plan, so just follow your gut.

I was all ready for a semester of chasing my dreams, raise my GPA while I ace the most interesting modules that would change my life forever… Nope. Didn’t happen.

My GPA dropped (if you must know, by 0.07. Try applying the same operation on your own GPA). Dreams died. Did I regret it? A little. Would I do things differently if I had the chance? Definitely. But I have to admit that the risks I took and the things I tried this semester has taught me so much.

While I wouldn’t advise others to do the same, I just wanted to know what was the worst that could happen if I did things on my own terms. The worst thing you can do to yourself is to end up with regrets that you can blame others for.

5. The best self-protection mechanism is confidence.

Good vibes attract good people, and vice versa. How to avoid drama? Keep away from toxic people and bullies. While nobody seeks them out voluntarily, they do inevitably cross paths with us at some point in our lives.

I used to spend much time and effort dealing with them in the past, but I realized how I carry myself can be really helpful in taking control of the situation. Bullies feed on insecurities and toxic people thrive on manipulation and guilt. So, believe it or not, it is possible to turn them off just by being confidently happy with your life and who you are. (You will repel them like how garlic does to vampires!) No one can coerce you into doing anything else or feeling otherwise.

6. There is nothing wrong with being quiet

… or loud, overly expressive, too shy, too weird, crazy, awkward and so on, and so forth.

At best they can be just tactless comments by friends; at worst they become spiteful criticisms that people throw at each other because of insecurities.

Who ever decided that (so-called) “nerds” can’t get multiple piercings, that (supposed) “jocks” can’t love pink and pretty ladies have to be demure? There will be many judgemental people around. But, if you are surrounded by a genuine, loving crowd, you will never have to worry about the hatin’ and judgin’.

While it’s good to listen to people with rich life experiences, and people who only wish the best for you… otherwise, you can pretty much choose to tune out everything else. Only we can decide what kind of person we want to be. Self-improvement is a must, but only if it’s carried out on our own terms, for the right reasons and for people who are worth it.

7. Learn how to charm and sweet talk adults (i.e. parents, teachers). You’ll thank me.

Once you learn the ropes, you’ll never want to let it go. There are many perks to getting on the good side of authority figures. For one, you get more leeway to explore possibilities and exercise creativity with the rules. Say your P’s and Q’s, smile. Don’t forget to “por” your dear senpai’s too, who are constantly passing down cheat codes and survival guides to clueless freshies. Making them feel good is the least we can do for all the guidance and life experience they are willing to share with us.

8. Time to grow up

Children look at me all starry-eyed. Juniors from school ask me for advice. More situations and people are popping up, expecting us to have the answers.

We all have that big sister or big brother figure we used to look up to in our childhood. It could be anyone — teachers, older cousins or siblings etc. Call it a life debt, there’s no where to hide but it’s our turn to be that person for someone now.

9. If you can’t love them, befriend them.

This works wonders in almost any aspect of life from homework to the weather to relationships. It works on practically everything as long as you are able to find the silver lining in every cloud. Hate studying? Make it more enjoyable with music, good food and great company.

10. You can’t choose your family, but you can learn how to deal with them.

There are thousands of articles online teaching us how to get rid of toxic people. But it gets real iffy when they are actually family members. It’s a personal choice but there are people who choose (with good reason) to cut off contact completely to protect themselves.

I know I would be much happier if I had a heart strong enough and a good enough reason to do that too. But I don’t. And sadly, I do think my family takes advantage of it sometimes.

Is it morally right? Is it fair? Will it make me happy? And who’s to judge? These questions haunt me almost everyday.

But not all hope is lost. Growing up means we become smarter and more resilient. We see what we love and hate about family dynamics. We are at the age now where we know how to treat others right and vice versa.

Believe it or not but we do get better at learning how to love others without losing ourselves.

11. Age is really just a number.

This can work both ways. On the flip side, this is the time when we realize age does not really make a person more mature, which explains our disillusionment with adult figures, with how unfair and inefficient the world can really be. I don’t really have any advice for this. This is life. Though I do wish I can play a part in making it better for as many beings (human and non-humans) as possible in future.

It took me a one year to get over the age barrier in university because I couldn’t see my batchmates as anything other than “my sister’s friends”. It was just really weird for me to be in the same classroom as the people who used to pinch my cheeks and chased me around school. Just. No.

But I got past that eventually, and now the age gap between some of my closest friends and me range from 0 to 5. I guess what makes people click really depend on many other factors like personality, life experiences and compatibility in values and beliefs.

12. How lucky I am to be surrounded by people who let me be me.

I am so spoilt by the people in my life that it kind of kills my motivation for any personal development.
This is why I still cannot find my own way around school. It’s also why I never have had to back down from a fight. They give me courage to stand up for others, because I know I am spoilt for choice with people who will do the exact same thing for me given the situation.

13. What it means to live for myself

What’s something I would stay up all night for? What do I love to do even when I’m alone? For years, the only thing that was able to motivate me was people. I took very long to find ways to make myself happy that didn’t involve people in my life. I thought maybe I’m just a people-driven person… till I realized one day I was very, very wrong.

And as cliche as it gets, I went on my first independent trip to Japan with a friend. It was very liberating and therapeutic experience for me. I was ticking off my bucket lists, indulging myself in a place so foreign yet so familiar. Clothes and shoes fit me here, and depending on how I dress and how I speak, I can choose to stand out or just fit right in. I got to know myself better. Turns out, deer whispering, navigation (with prior preparation), conversing with friendly Japanese are just some of my newfound talents.

14. When I fake it, I do make it.

Shakespeare once said, “All the world’s a stage”. There will be so many personas to adopt and so many roles to play. There’s the intern, the leader, the babysitter, the teacher, the tourist-who-knows-nothing, the tourist-who-must-make-it-back-home, the negotiator etc. etc.

Learning how to handle life like it’s hollywood is a skill that will last for life. It’s like how you can never forget how to ride a bike. If you can internalize these roles and make them your own, your oscars moment in life will come in no time.

15. Somehow, things just works out in the end.

Life makes you want to pull your hair out, jump off a cliff and occasionally kill someone. Let nature take its course. Everything happens for a reason, but it does get better every single time. When one door closes, another one opens. When one person leaves, someone better will come along. But the bottom-line is, all that will happen only if you keep going. So, don’t do stupid things to hurt yourself.

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Just completed your O or N Levels? Unsure about what’s next? Should you choose JC or Poly? I’m sure you have heard that JC is the better choice because it gives you a higher chance to enter local universities, which is without doubt true, but are you sure you are ready to commit to the heavy workload and rigorous academic requirements of the A level? Or do you prefer a more autonomous, independent and hands-on student life in Poly?Here’s a complete breakdown of the facts that should help you make this very important next step to decide whether to go for an education in JC or Poly.

Duration

JC: 2 Years

Poly: 3 Years

Cost Per Month (For Singaporeans)

School Fees:

Normal JC: $6

Independent JC (e.g. Raffles Junior College): $300

Poly:  approximately $200+

Transport Fare:

JC: Concession fees – Flat $0.45c per trip

Poly: Adult Fares unless concession scheme is bought

Number of Institutions:

Poly (In No Order of Merit): 5

1. Singapore Polytechnic
2. Nanyang Polytechnic
3. Ngee Ann Polytechnic
4. Temasek Polytechnic
5. Republic Polytechnic

JC: 19

1. Anderson JC
2. Anglo-Chinese Independent
3. Anglo-Chinese JC
4. Catholic JC
5. Hwa Chong Institution
6. Innova JC
7. Meridian JC
8. Jurong JC
9. Nanyang JC
10. National JC
11. Pioneer JC
12. Raffles JC
13. Serangoon JC
14. St-Andrew JC
15. Tampines JC
16. Temasek JC
17. Victoria JC
18. Yishun JC
19. Eunoia JC

Workload:

JC is obviously notorious for its hectic and stressful academic life. Managing your studies and CCAs can be a real difficulty, considering how much content is tested for the A levels.Students in JC spend on average 40 hours a week studying,

Polytechnics are known to be less busy. The average number of hours spent on studies are probably about 25 hours a week. Some courses even less. Of course, there are more rigorous courses that can be just as busy as JC, however, in Poly, you likely have more free time to pursue your recreational activities unlike in JC.

Courses and Subjects:

JC offers many different subjects and allows you to do a mix and match of different subjects, for example, Bio, Chem, Math, Econs, GP, PW. All these subjects are very theoretical  and less “applied” than Poly. What JC seeks to impart isn’t exactly real world skills, but to train you to have an analytical and sharp mind by drilling you on content and analysis. There are less project work and most of your studying is independent and solo.

Poly has even more specialised courses, instead of just Biology, they offer Biomedical Science, Biomedical Engineering etc. These courses are meant to give you real world applicable skills so that you can find a job in the relevant sector once you graduate. Hence Polys also offer internship opportunities for you to boost your profile. There are lots of projects for you to work on too. Hence there is more collaboration and teamwork needed in poly.

Student Life:

JC: Much like in secondary school, you get to know most people in the same batch. You belong to a close knitted community. Life is innocent. Oh and of course, you wear that uniform to school everyday. If you are stuck with a uniform you hate then….good luck. The student life in JC is basically:  a student life.  And its a phase in your life that I guarantee you will miss when you enter workforce. If you like to have more of it, go to JC.

Poly: You can really get a glimpse into university or even adult life when in polytechnic. No one will call you up when you play truancy(no such concept) or score badly in school. The greatest perks of Poly is getting to wear whatever you want to school (sensibly of course). To most, this is freedom, however, it may be a headache if you are too conscious about your looks or find the need to spend excessive amounts of money on clothes. If you are eyeing for a university space, make sure that you are the type who has the self-discipline to study on a saturday afternoon when your friends are having fun.

Come university , JC and poly student groups each has their own challenges in adjusting. Both have advantages as well as handicaps against each other.  Check out the differences between JC and university, as well as between poly and university.

Chances of University Admissions:

JC leads to your A levels, which is meant as an entrant examination for universities. Universities tend to prefer JC students over Poly grads. Even if you don’t do well (below average) for your A levels, your chances of entering a university is higher than a poly graduate whose results may be above average.

JC University Admission Rate: 75% (into Local Unis)

Poly University Admission Rates: 17% (into Local Unis)

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/is-a-degree-really-all-important

For detailed information on university entry requirements, check out Poly IGP and JC IGP.

Which Should You Choose? JC or Poly?

JC:

• Not sure what you want to do in the future
• Academically-inclined and willing to put in hours poring over books
• Enjoy schooling life
• Aiming for universities and getting a degree

Poly

• Want more freedom and time to enjoy
• Love working on applicable skills
• Prefer projects over exams
• Know what you want to do in the future

The choice between JC or Poly is not an easy one. This decision will definitely have a toll on your future. If you really are gunning for a seat in university, then JC might be a safer bet. If you know what you want, go for poly.  You even stand a chance at a university scholarship if you are prepared to work hard. All roads lead to Rome ultimately.  Whatever the case is, don’t be swayed by your friends!  Think hard and have no regrets!

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So my birthday arrived a few months back and I was pretty much reflecting on my personal growth over the past 19 years. What made me, me? What did I learn over the years, was I a better man than I was a year ago?

The last 19 years of my life has have it’d ups and downs, its challenges and difficulties, but I’m grateful for them and the life lessons I’ve learnt.

1. Happiness is found within

   a. Material possessions don’t make us satisfied. We grow weary and tired of them easily. You can have as much money and possessions as you want, but ultimately, happiness comes from your mental attitude, morality and it is drawn from your relationships with others. Buying myself an iPhone didn’t nearly give me as much satisfaction as buying my friend a decent meal and just chillin’

2. Relationships matter

   a. Don’t let your friends and family take a backseat in your pursuit of greatness. Even when you stand on the top of the world, if you have no one to share it with, it is pointless. Every relationship, friendship, romantic, or otherwise—is a series of gives and takes For a relationship to work, both people must contribute to it. If you just give but don’t get, you’ll feel used, exploited, taken advantage of; if you only take but don’t give, you’re a leech, a freeloader. I’ve always pursued personal excellence as my utmost priority, as I got better at my studies and my sport, I didn’t feel great, I felt hollow and empty, because I was above it all, but I stood alone

3. The world doesn’t revolve around me

   a. It is incredibly difficult to see the world from someone else’s view, walk a thousand miles in someone else’s shoe. We are so concerned about our own lives that we fail to see the difficulties and battles our friends around us fight, We fail to be good friends, good family to those who love us. I have never been to concerned with the opinions of others, just doing my thing and trodding along life with tunnel vision. Never did I realise how neglected my friends and family felt when I left them just to study for the exams I had. To those who I have “dao-ed”, here’s a heartfelt apology.

4. Helping others will give you a greater satisfaction than anything else

   a. Contributing to someone else, or a community, will make you feel good, no, not good, great. Contribution will make you feel more alive than any other thing. Contributing is what keeps us going, gets us up in the mornings, and what makes life worth living. Seeing the smiles of the dementia patients I helped when I wrote their life stories and layed it out there for them to read brought me even more joy than receiving straight As for my A Levels. It made me feel as if I made a difference

5. You can count your closest friends on one hand

   a. Friendly people are everywhere, but they aren’t necessarily your friends. The term “friends” is often used to liberally. Most people, will at some point or another give you up for their own interests, but there are a select few who will always put your interest above theirs. I used to trust almost anyone that shook my hand or smiled at me, until they turned their backs on me in my time of need to further their own interest. Yet when I turned cynical, I saw hope in friends around me who were willing to shoulder my mistake for me and take the punishment for me. If you have these friends, cherish them,

6. Learn the difference between letting go and giving up

   a. I was also a determined person, perhaps to the point of stubbornness, There are some things in life you can’t control or influence. Fretting about it or trying to do something when nothing can be done will just add unnecessary burden to stress you out. Everyday, I could choose to rant about how my superiors wronged me, or how my circumstances can’t be changed for the better, but just let it go, The day will seem a lot brighter.

7. Status is a misnomer

   a. Status and money. Our society places an absurd amount of emphasis on wealth and power. Yet none of these truly matter. Even with all the money and power in the world, you can feel miserable, trust me, I have seen  CEOs who have told me about how empty their lives truly are. Your worth doesn’t have to be tied to your social status.

8. Pain can be turned into fuel

   a. Pain lets us know that something isn’t right, something’s got to change. It drives us to change, for the better, such that our suffering may end. Don’t see pain as something inherently negative, see it as one of the most powerful motivations in this living world. I don’t come from a stellar and happy family, but I don’t blame the world for my troubles, I know that I must make it out myself, to forge a future for myself such that I don’t feel the pain I feel right now.

9. Sincerity and honesty is important.

   a. Telling the truth is simple, yet at the same time, rare in this crooked world. Honesty, at the simplest level, is telling the truth—not lying. The only people who will believe your lies are those who trust you, so don’t ever lie, to those who care about you.

10. Work Hard

    a. “Genius is 1% talent and 99% hard work” – Albert Einstein. Take this from a guy with a 150 IQ. Talent is overrated. You can’t control how intelligent or talented you are, but you can control how much effort you put in. No successful person slept his way to success. Every single one of them slogged their guts out to get to where they are now. Telling yourself you aren’t where you want to be because you weren’t good enough is just pathetic. You aren’t where you are because you didn’t want it bad enough. I knew I was never intelligent like my peers at Raffles Junior College, those guys that played PES Soccer and had perfect scores. People around us may outsmart us, but we can make sure that they will never outwork us.

11. Self-discipline is the secret to success

    a. People often fail because they give up what they want, for what they want now. It really couldn’t be put better than this. When you are tired and you don’t want to study anymore, what keeps you on your books and off the bed? Discipline. When you friends want to party and you have got a test tomorrow, what keeps you at home studying? Discipline. When you want to lose weight and there is a cookie staring at you begging to be eaten, what keeps you on your diet? Discipline. Without discipline, you would give into the boundless temptations that will hinder you from achieving your dreams

12. Motivation Is A Lie, It May Get You Started, But Habits Keep You Going

    a. We have all watched motivational videos on youtube, read articles on how to be great, felt all empowered and awesome, ready to kick ass. But how long after these videos ended, did you start scrolling through Instagram and Facebook instead of preparing for the test next week? About 15 minutes for me. Motivation might get you started, but habits keep you going. I didn’t do well in school because I watched Eric Thomas’ Secrets To Success, I got my results in my academics and my sports by putting in hours into my work, dry boring hours. Establishing habits to train for 2 hours a day and study for 8 every single day, no matter how difficult it was.

13. It is not about how many hours you put in, but what you do with those hours

    a. Work hard, but more importantly, work smart. Claiming to study for 2 hours when the bulk of that time is spent chatting on WhatsApp isn’t really studying. Why not study for an effective 1 hour, rest and then study again with full force? Personally, turning my phone off for 45 min and resting for 15 min in a continuous cycle made me a lot more productive than claiming to study for hours on end whilst I was constantly distracted by my surroundings.

14. Time is the most valuable asset

    a. I used to spend a lot of time as a child just staring at the sky, lazing around, watching Hamtaro and Spongebob Squarepants and of course, I didn’t do that well in Primary School. However, as time went by and I met people who were smarter and more capable than me, I realised the one thing they had in common; how much they cherished the time they have. Money can be earnt back, but time lost, is lost forever. So whenever I feel like just slacking the day away, scrolling through Facebook and what not, I think twice about it, and what else I could be doing, that could help me succeed in the future, to become a better student, and a better man.

15. Stop procrastinating

    a. This is a huge one for teenagers and youths. Just like everyone, I don’t enjoy doing homework, especially flipping through that huge textbook on European history. Nobody likes doing mundane work right? So in my early secondary school years, I always threw these humanities at the back of my head, delaying humanities homework as long as I could. But I realised procrastinating doesn’t make that mundane task go away, That boring tough social studies assignment that you have been avoiding is just going to linger in your head and on to the next day, if you don’t settle it once and for all. So might as well just clear it first so you can enjoy the rest of your day!

16. Get at least 7 hours of sleep a day

    a. Rest isn’t for the weak. Resting gives us the strength to walk the longer and more arduous journey ahead. We all love lying in bed checking WhatsApp and Instagram. However, I realised that sleeping late made me groggy and less focused during the day. Getting more than 7 hours of sleep a day is tough, but doable as long as you  shuffle some activities around and with slightly better time management skills, all of us can do it. It’s just about making it a priority

17. Exercise consistently

    a. Not having enough time to exercise is probably not a good excuse. Throughout my A levels (yes during the examinations) I dragged myself to the gym for about an hour a day as a means to relieve my stress and sweat it out. Initially, it was tough and um well, sian. However, it soon became a hobby and habit. In fact, I went for a heavy squatting session right before my Biology paper and I felt great!. There are numerous studies showing the benefits of exercise for cognition so that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Health is the one of the few things you shouldn’t neglect. You can have all the money in the world, but if you don’t have the years to spend it, it is not going to be worth it. Just try committing 10 minutes a day, then 15, then 20. Progressive work can get you to where you want to be!

18. Slow down

    a. I continue to struggle with this everyday. Every waking moment, I feel as if I got to do something. I have to work, to improve myself, to step my game up. Being hardworking is great, but failing to appreciate the world and people around you in that pursuit, is just going to leave you tired, empty and hollow in the long run,

19. I’m still trying to figure life out

    a. I don’t necessarily speak the ultimate truth or principles that apply to everyone, these lessons are just a culmination of the 19 years I have lived on this beautiful Earth. I still have a long road ahead of me, in which I hope to learn more and continuously develop myself as a better person, I implore you to do the same.

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Want to study in the land of the free? Live the American dream? Study in Harvard, MIT, Stanford and walk amongst legendary historical figures? The SATs is your first step.

What is the SAT

The SAT is the entrance exam for all US universities. Think of them as the A levels for the US. In Singapore, since SMU emulates the US university system, it also allows admission using SAT results.  

You apply for the SATs here. The SAT is a general admission test and there is also the SAT subject test that isn’t a definite requirement but can enhance your college admissions (or if your particular university requires it).

When to Apply

You can take the SAT anytime throughout the year, it is recommended you do so 1-2 years before you apply to a US university. The SAT is offered at least 7 times a year in the U.S. and 6 times worldwide. It is offered in October, November, December, January, March (U.S. only; SAT only), May and June. You should do them only when you are free because these tests need to be studied for.

Where to take the SAT

Once you have registered for the SAT at a specific test date, you can choose any of these centres to take the SAT.

SAT Components

• Reading Test
• Writing and Language Test
• Math Test
• SAT Essay
• Key Content Changes

The Reading Test

It includes:

• One text from a classic or contemporary work of U.S. or world literature.
• One text or a pair of texts from either a U.S. founding document or in the great global conversation they inspired. The U.S. Constitution
• A selection about, sociology, psychology, economics or some other social science.
• Two scientific passages (or one passage and one passage pair) that examine basic concepts and developments in Earth science, biology, chemistry, or physics.

When you take the Reading Test, you’ll read passages and interpret informational pictorials. Then use them to answer some test questions.

Some questions ask you to find a piece of info stated. But you’ll also need to understand and infer the passages’ ideas.

Writing and Language Test

To answer some questions, you’ll need to scrutinize a sentence. Others require reading the full essay or even interpret a graphic. For instance, you might be needed to choose a sentence that corrects a misunderstanding of a scientific fact or chart and even something that better explains the importance of the info.

The passages you improve will range from arguments to nonfiction narratives and will be about careers, history, social studies, the humanities, and science.

Math Test

The Math Test will focus in depth on the three areas of math that play the biggest role in a wide range of college majors and careers:

• Algebra, which focuses on the mastery of linear equations and systems.
• Problem Solving and Data Analysis, which is about being quantitatively literate.
• Passport to Advanced Math, which features questions that require the manipulation of complex equations.

The Math Test also draws on Additional Topics in Math, including the geometry and trigonometry most relevant to college and career readiness.

Essay

This is arguably the hardest part of the SATs.

• Read a passage.
• Explain how the author builds an argument to persuade an audience.
• Support your explanation with evidence from the passage.
• The Essay Prompt (The Question)
  • As you read the passage below, consider how [the author] uses
  • evidence, to support ideas.
  • reasoning to develop notions and to connect hypotheses to evidence.
  • styling skills, such as word choice or appeals to emotion, to add impact to the ideas expressed.
• What You Must Do
  • Write an essay in which you explain how [the author] builds an argument to persuade [his/her] audience that [author’s claim]. In your essay, analyze how [the author] uses one or more of the features above (or features of your own choice) to provide logic and convince readers. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage. Your essay should not explain whether you agree but instead explain how the author builds his or her case
• The Topics
  • All passages have these things in common:

• Written for a broad audience
• Argue a point
• Express subtle views on complex subjects
• Use logical reasoning and evidence to support claims
• Examine ideas, debates, or trends in the arts and sciences, or civic, cultural, or political life
• Always taken from published works

How to Prepare

You don’t really need a prep class for SAT, but it could most certainly help….if you had the cash. If you don’t, there isn’t a need to worry about it either. Just grab some prep books and that should be sufficient. Getting “The Official SAT Study Guide” should be a good place to begin. Downloading the SAT app on your phone to test and learn new vocabulary everyday would be good, since vocabulary is a tough section most students encounter difficulty in.

1. Do practice tests

Take time off your week to take a full-length, timed practice test. This doesn’t just build your test-taking “endurance.” Sitting through a 3h 45min worth of exams is physically and mentally tough.  It’s also important to learn how to deal with test exhaustion and pace yourself. After taking each practice test, evaluate how well you did and then prepare yourself such that your next round of prep works on your weakest areas.

2. Understand the test format

Usually, the questions in the SAT are in ascending order of difficulty. So the easier questions are in the front and the more difficult ones are at the back. Hence, don’t spend the same amount of time on every SAT question. For critical reading questions that aren’t arranged in order of difficulty, answer detail-oriented questions (i.e. the ones that refer to specific line numbers) first. By the end, you’ll already be familiar with the passage and can answer broader questions with ease

3. Read widely

Practice reading articles on foreign subjects before the test. Read a few paragraphs, then stop and try to identify the author’s argument. This will help you tackle boring SAT passages that are almost always be about strange subject matters.

4. Master your vocabulary

Most vocab questions in SAT are words you never ever use. I’m not sure why they test it but well, just study it. It is a really easy way to increase your SAT score, especially if you study smart. Knewton’s SAT course provides students with plenty of vocab prep, including a list of the 120 vocab words most commonly tested on the SAT. They help on Sentence Completion questions and aid Reading Comprehension sections as well.

5. Write practice essays till you buy new G2s

Cramming and squeezing out quality essays in 25 minutes is not be easy. It’s the first section of the test. Your prompt is always a broad issue like justice, success, failure, honesty, the value of knowledge. Doing trial runs of the essay will help familiarize you with this formula, ensuring you don’t waste any time on test day. Allocate time for reading the prompt, brainstorming, outlining (a rough outline is fine), writing, and proofreading. Decide on a clear, unambiguous thesis, then make sure you have two or three relevant examples to back it up. Finally, conclude that essay with a bang succinctly whilst restating your main argument. Remember, structure is king.

6. Calculator Buddies

Mental math is overrated. Calculators save you time, and help prevent careless errors. Try using your calculator while you prep, so that typing in tough equations like [(16 +37)/3]^5 is coming naturally to you on test day. Familiarize yourself with shortcuts, like the TI-83s ability to display a decimalized answer as a fraction. Every trick counts.

7. Remember your formulas

Don’t rely on the geometry formulas at the beginning of the test. Remebering your area formulas, the Pythagorean Theorem, the average formula, special triangle rules, and exponent rules will save you precious time and give you the extra edge.

8. Understand how multiple choice works to your advantage

The SAT is largely a multiple choice test. This format does give you some important advantages. On Identifying Sentence Errors and Improving Sentences questions (on the Writing section), you can often see what grammatical concept is being tested by looking at the differences between answer choices. On math problems, you can often eliminate answer choices by plugging them back into the equation in the question. This will help you identify which kind of error you should be on the lookout for.

If you liked these general tips for the SAT, like our Facebook page and check out some of our other guides. Taking the SAT in Singapore isn’t easy, but it is the first step to your dream school. Don’t waste it and study hard!

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Want to know how your life will look like in the next 5 years?

You don’t have to consult a fortune teller or study your horoscope to know that.

Just take a look at the 5 friends that you spend most of your time with when you are at school.

Guess what! Your health, level of happiness, income, grades and even what you wear is going to be exactly like the 5 people that you spend most of your time with.

Pick the wrong kind of friends, you are setting yourself up for a major failure.

Pick the right ones, it can provide you with a life never imagined possible.

3 years ago, I have managed to turn my life around, from a depressed and lost person to speaking in front of thousands, just by changing the people that I spend most of my time with.

I did not believe that it will change my life at first. All I can say now is, it was the best decision I have ever made in my entire life!

Here are the 3 types of people that you should absolutely avoid.

1.The leech

You have seen them. They only appear when exams are around the corner because that is the perfect time when they need your help!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about helping and serving others. 

But whenever somebody just pretends to be really nice and constantly take……take and take more from you, you’ve got to be careful.

I’m talking about those times when you turn around and ask for a simple lunch with them during the holidays.

All of a sudden they are always “too busy” to meet you. What a coincidence!

Oh. They are also going to talk badly about you behind your back.

Put it straight forward, it is because they don’t need you anymore. That’s the harsh truth.

Here is the bad news.

There are tons of people, who no matter how much you have helped, they will not give a heck care about giving anything back to you when it is your turn to ask for help.

The good news is there are other people who deserve your help and attention much more than these leeches who suck your blood dry.

Those are the people who appreciate and remember every single time that you have helped them.

They are the ones who will buy you coffee or will go all lengths to hang out with you unconditionally.

They are the ones you should spend more time with.

It is better to devote your precious time with people who appreciate you rather than trying to impress people who forever can’t be impressed.

Of course, it will attract you some haters.

But I think that your happiness is more important than trying so hard to obtain raving fans.

Don’t you think so?

2.The complainer

 To these people, every day is like the end of the world for some reason.

They are going to be the first to tell you how boring the lecturer was, how annoying his/her partner is (as if it is your problem!) or how much of a crappy day it is today.

And guess what, the mental garbage he/she throws at you will also become your garbage.

So if you are with them the whole day, you can wake up feeling at the top of the world and go home at night feeling like a completely useless person.

Ordinary people will talk about other people. Successful people will talk about ideas and dreams.

If you want to become miserable for the rest of your life, you can continue chilling out with the complainers. Sooner or later, you will become a world-class complainer.

If your dreams matter to you more than anything in the world, do yourself a favour and hang out with people who see the positive in everything.

I’m talking about people who despite getting an “F” in the exam, they will tell you that it is a blessing in disguise.

They are the people who will pick you up when life slams you down onto the pavement.

They are the people who will tell you that despite all the crap that you are going through in university, everything will be fine and that you will come out a better person.

They are the kind of people who you know is a WhatsApp or call away during your worst times.

If you find a friend like that, cling onto him or her and never let that person go.

They are your life angels.

3.Friends with criteria

These type of people behave just like human resource executives.

Yes, like the ones that you see in the interview rooms.

You have to meet a certain criteria to be “accepted” as their friend.

If you don’t have straight A’s just like him/her, guess what, you aren’t their friend anymore.

If you haven’t won any awards at school, you aren’t going to be part of their exclusive award-winning group.

If you are fat, slim, ugly, straight, gay or too good looking, heck no are they going to be friends with you! In other words, they aren’t going to accept you for your flaws and imperfections.

They aren’t going to accept you because you are DIFFERENT.

Which also means that they are in fact a bunch of insecure people who appears to be hyper confident on the outside.

Before I started speaking to youth groups, I was hanging out with a group of friends whose lifestyle is all about enjoying life and having fun.

To them, hard work is something that is extremely not cool. They would constantly complain about how unfair life is, how their teacher sucks and how their parents are so annoying for constantly telling them to study. Their life priorities are all about looking good and being cool to attract the perfect life partner.

And yet they still pity themselves and complain about why they aren’t successful, rich and famous.

I mean, wasn’t the reason obvious!?

So, in order for me to fit in to them, I had to dress and think like them even though I hated the way I look.

I would also have to also complain about my parents, teacher and my life even though I have nothing bad to say about it. I would also have to act cool (because I’m not cool to begin with) to avoid being the outcast. I had to fit their so-called criteria to be part of their group.

Deep down inside, I knew that I had to work on my dreams.

So it came one day where I plucked up the courage and posted something on Facebook.

I announced that I will be giving a speech in Toastmasters. I also pointed out that I was working hard to prepare to get into university.

You can imagine what happened the next day.

Yes, I lost all of my friends. I became the hot topic in their conversations. I thought that the world came to an end.

But it later turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

If you have friends just like that, don’t take it personally.

The truth is, it is not your fault that you are not accepted by them. It is just because they most likely hate themselves. So they have to hate others to provide themselves with a false sense of confidence.

Only people who hate themselves or have low self-esteems will behave in that manner. They will not accept others who are different from them.

On the other hand, there are tons of people who are liberal and open-minded enough who deserve your time and energy.

They will talk to you as if they have known you forever and won’t hesitate to make friends with you.

Surprisingly, you will also realize that they are extremely genuine people who won’t pretend to be somebody that they are not.

In that case, you will also not have to pretend to be somebody you are not. These are the people that you should spend your time with.

By now, you probably would have realized that university life is not about impressing everybody but more about devoting time to those that deserve your attention.

Face it, university life is not a popularity contest.

Our happiness is not determined by the amount of friends we have. It’s the quality of the friends that you have that matters most at the end of the day.

It is better to have 3 to 4 friends that are supportive, encouraging and inspiring than to have 10,000 friends who are negative, insecure and sometimes really mean.

Life is too short to immerse yourself in so much toxic.

If you really want to become massively successful and happy in the next 5 years, you have to do whatever it takes to remove these toxic people from your life.

Yes, it will be hard at first and you will get haters.

But if I were given the chance to go back in time, I would have made the same decision: Associate with people who constantly support, encourage and inspire me to pursue my dreams and eliminate those who don’t.

It is a decision that I will never ever regret.

And I am sure that it will be same for you too.

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We have always uphold our aim to make University life easier or if not easier, enjoyable and at the same time memorable for all. Why ? Being in university  is the best stage we will ever experience in our lives(at least for most).  It’s the phase where we learn more of ourselves and formulate much of the principles we hold dear to in the later part of our lives.

With that said, we have here our top 15 University hacks that will make your life easier in the University;  in studying, project work or just socializing.

1. Don’t just quietly read your notes when you are studying, Read it aloud.

Because you’ll likely remember 50% of the things you say aloud than read in your mind. Just make sure you don’t do this in the library.

2. Save up GPA in the starting semesters.

The beginning semesters of school are always the easiest part of Uni. Why? Because most of the topics are on the introductory part of the courses. This is the best way to balance out the harder courses that you will be encountering in the junior and senior year. Also, you will learn that having higher GPA at the start will provide you with perks that make it easy for you to retain the GPA.

3. Friend commentator

Set up a friend to ask you questions that you already know the answer to in your report/presentation. This is a sure way to give your professor an impression that you know your thing. Just make sure the question is tough enough.

4. Use different colored pens.

Ever wonder why some people take 10 hours to memorize a stack of notes while others take only 1hour? They use hacks ! One of them is using different colored pens. This not only makes your notes very colorful and nice to look at(which improves your mood), but it will fire your visual memory on the points or topics that you need to remember, like the names of the English author, dates and events. It is a proven way to memorize. For more tips, check out here.

5. Increase the speed of your recorded lectures.

You can use Audacity or VLC media to do this. You’ll save half the time. Trust me.

6. Turn your laptop bag into a backpack.

When the project work starts trickling in, you will likely end up bringing your laptop everywhere you go. So to ease the pain that laptop bags are causing, turn it to a backpack.
How? See the photo.

7. When exam time is approaching, block distracting sites.

You can install Cold Turkey for PCs or Self Control for Macs. This will stop you from checking out your status and newsfeed in FB and new videos in youtube. Trust me; this is very useful especially when you’re the all nighter kind of student.

8. Can’t follow the lecture? Why not try using the Cornell Notes method.

Most students favour this type of note taking because it helps them remember more of the lessons. It’s because you are synthesizing the lesson learned.

This is an example of the Cornell Notes.

This is the format.

9. When studying, do the Pomodoro technique

We can only truly focus on studying for about 25 to 30 minutes. After that, our brain gets tired and can’t really remember all the stuff. So the best way is to apply the Pomodoro Technique. Set the timer and do some serious studying for 25 mins. Reward yourself with a five-minute break afterwards. For more productivity tips, check out here.

10. No more borrowed pens

As you might notice by now, some of you classmates like to borrow your pen and not return it. Well, worry no more for we have a hack for that.
– Place your blue or black ink pen in a red empty pen. Let’s face it, nobody likes to borrow a red pen.

11. Alarm not audible?

Put your smartphone/alarm in a glass. This will amplify the sound and thus will make your alarm sound louder. Goodbye late mornings!

12. Short Term Reward

This can be helpful especially when you have a lot of chapters to read. You can do this by rewarding yourself with chocolates every time you finished reading a whole chapter of the book. Or you can put gummy bears in every paragraph for motivation. Just make sure you watch your sugar intake at the end of the semester.

13. For group projects: Divide projects evenly

The rule of thumb in doing group projects is to divide things evenly. As early as possible, divide the responsibilities to avoid conflict as you do not want to be hated by everyone because you did nothing. Brainstorm together and communicate as much as possible to get the projects done. For more project tips, check it out here.

14. Use Google Docs to collaborate note taking.

This is the most high tech and efficient way to borrow notes from your classmates.

15. Use Hoodie to store munchies while rushing through those long report papers

There you go.  Our 15 Uni hacks! If you have more hacks in studying and in anything that relates to university, you can share it below by commenting.

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DO’S:

1. Dress for success.

Dress in accordance to the occasion. Usually for universities’ open houses, you can come in your smart casual wear. A t-shirt and jeans should suffice. However, if you are invited to an exclusive scholarship reception, dress as if you are going for an interview. Come in your formal attire so that you show respect to your hosts- the HR managers, for instance, who would be similarly dressed.

2. Do your homework.

Brainstorm a list of questions that you want to ask. Direct your questions to the appropriate target audience. If you would like to know more about the vibrant hall life in university, approach the student helpers. On the other hand, if you wish to find out more about the curriculum design, go directly to the professors. Don’t ask questions that you can readily find online. We know that’s what all students typically do; they are there to find out about the different courses. But what better way is there to distinguish you from the rest of your peers than to ask quality questions! For example, you may ask “What would you say is a key characteristic for success in this course?”

To create an even deeper impression, conduct a research on the important figures in your interested faculties. Find out who the deans; the directors; and the key decision makers are. These people like to have their significance recognised. So you stand to impress them if you could just make reference to a few of their key accolades and projects and show an interest in it. For example, you can start off by saying “Hi Prof (Insert name), I saw your project on (insert title) online and I would like to know more about…”

3. Come with confidence

After all that preparation, you are ready to set the stage. Approach your professor or host with a smile, an eye-contact, a firm handshake, and a powerful self- introduction. This creates a lasting first impression that put you ahead of other potential applicants. Top it off with your quality questions and you are on your recruiter’s first mind. Nonetheless, we understand that confidence does not come naturally. Practise this with your friends or parents in your free time and actively seek feedbacks from them.

4. Listen to everyone around you

If you find yourself waiting in line to speak with a professor, make your time count. Listen intently and show that you are interested, so that the professor knows that you want to speak to him. While listening, you can always learn something new through the questions that other students ask.

5. Network

Remember that each reception or open house is a good opportunity to network with people, so come in with an open mind. Always plan to spend at least half a day at open houses so that you have enough time to go around and talk to people. After establishing rapport with your “intended key figures” on your target list from point 2, chat with other people who happen to be available. Ask for business cards from the people whom you networked with, and follow up by sending a thank-you note after the session to show your appreciation.

You may think that the 5 tips are an overkill and alittle uncomfortable, but if your small little effort can give you a headstart in life, then why not ?

Now for the don’ts.

DON’TS:

1. Don’t be late.

Do not come in at the final few hours of an open house because that is when professors would have left and students would be packing up to go home. Never, ever turn up late for a formal reception because that is certainly going to leave a bad imprint on others! You are also not showing respect for your hosts who have taken off time from their hectic work schedule to spend time with you.

2. Don’t go from booths to booths with a large group of friends.

In fact, your interests may be so diverse that it makes no point for you to stick together and accompany each other at different booths. Be brave, step out of your comfort zone, approach people independently and make your own lasting impression.

3. Don’t be shy

Remember these people are there to answer your questions for the whole day(or at least half the day). They will be really bored if you don’t go up to them. So get ready to bombard them shamelessly with whatever questions you have in mind.

4. Dont go to just one

The best way to get a feel of the school or scholarship provider is to experience it yourself. As much as the online world provides all sorts of information these days, you do want to go down, meet the people and tour the place as much as you can. Afterall, you will be spending a good amount of years there. If the people or environment doesn’t give you good vibes, then skip it.  Trust your guts.

5. Don’t focus on food or freebies.

This is the biggest social faux pas and a big no-no that you should absolutely abstain from – Piling food on your plates and hiding in a corner to eat. You are here to network with people, to explore your career opportunities and not to eat free food or get free goodies! If you do so, you are too focused on the momentary pleasure but you lose sight of your long-term goals.

If you go by the 10 tips above, you will be almost certain to gain the most out of your time at the reception and/or open house. Remember, it is a once-in-a-year opportunity and you don’t always get to meet so many university personnel at the same time,  so give it your best shot!

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“Choosing your university degree course is one of the two most important decisions that you are going to make for your life. The other decision is your choice of spouse for marriage.” Do you feel like you are at a crossroad of your life as you ponder over which university course(s) should you pick? In this section, you will hear insights from seasoned experts or fresh graduates in their first few years on job. These would be presented in the form of quotes “ ” but do exercise judicious judgement in assessing their opinions!

1. First question to ask: where does my passion lie?

Rather than following what your parents says, follow your heart because you are ultimately the owner of your life. Ask yourself what you truly like, because

“There is no point sticking with a job or a course that you don’t like, when you know you are going to leave it sooner or later at some point in your life!”

With the passion come the drive, and with the drive come success. Let’s hear what a manager at HDB has to say:

“As a Chinese saying goes, 行行出状元, or Every trade has its master. If you know your passion, go for it and be the best of the best. Be the cream of the crop.”

In fact, if you already have a clear sense of what you are passionate about, you are one of the lucky few whom can proceed ahead with little qualms.

But if you are just like any other college graduates out there, confused as to where you are headed to and where your heart lies, consider the next question:

2. What are MY job prospects?

Quoted from Professor cum Associate Chair(Academic) at NTU:

“Passion cannot be used to exchange for your rice bowl.”

“Ultimately, if you are going to do the same old job over and over again for the rest of your life, you are bound to get sick of it. You can’t say that I am going to love ______ for every living second of my life, because that is just not possible.”

If you do not have a compelling sense of passion and still feel undecided, consider what your strengths are and which are the potential industries you can excel in. For example, if you love math and excel in it, find out which industries cater to your strengths. Examples would include engineering, accountancy, economics, etc. You may want to make use of MOE’s e-careers portal. They even provide an aptitude survey for you to find out your possible career tracks.  https://ecareers.sg/G_Login_SG/ecareersLogin.asp

Notice that I used “MY job prospect” rather than “THE job prospect” in the sub-title. Even if a certain industry is lucrative, it doesn’t mean that you will be valued in the market if you are not the cream of the crop. For example, law students would tell you that you need to be more than above average before you can proceed to work in a law firm.

3. What is expected of me?

Go for job shadowing programme, internships, industry visits and university open houses. Talk to your seniors, ask as many questions as you can and find out what you should expect to face should you devote yourself into this course. Are you willing to put up with sleepless nights before the submission of a major project? Architecture may not be for you. Are you prepared to work long hours during peak seasons, and even staying overnight in the office just to crunch in some numbers and perform meticulous analysis? You may not be suited for accountancy.

Make sure you fully understand ALL the options available, what each job entails so that you make an informed decision.

4. Why did others choose this job?

It is sometimes enlightening to hear from people in the industry how they decided on their job. It takes the pressure off you to know that many chose their degrees via “the method of elimination”. For example, an RSP Architect mentioned this:

“There were several options for me on my list. Medicine, Business and Architecture. I did not pass the test for medicine and was rejected. So that option was out. I hated desk bound jobs, so I struck business out of my list. Then I was left with architecture.”

While this may not sound inspiring, it is nice to consider different perspectives. It is up to you to decide how you want to combine these “methods” or whether you want to adopt these suggestions at all.

5. What is the difference between what is learnt on campus/in university, and how it is really like in the real world/ on the job?

This question plays a lesser role in helping you to choose your courses. Instead, it helps you to manage your expectations after conducting your research (from point 4).

“Whatever you learn in university, be prepared not to be able to apply it on the job. It’s all about communication, working with clients and government, managing people.” –Samwoh contractor

“Depending on what you study, the course may or may not be relevant to your job scope. For me, as a designer, I find that the technical skills I learnt in university are highly relevant to my current job. However, university doesn’t teach you a great deal about working with people and handling projects” –Arup engineer

“I would say, university prepares you for nothing. Granted, it gives you the foundation required to perform your job well, but much of the technical details are learnt on the job itself. University education gives you breadth rather than depth.

I feel that university is more about the training of the mind. For example, it trains me to think of business and social issues from the architect’s perspectives.” – CPGarchitect

To sum it up, depending on your job, working in the real world and studying in the university may or may not present a stark contrast. Ultimately, the soft skill of working in team and effective communication is common prerequisites across all jobs. Throughout your university, it is essential that you take on internships and gain real working experience so that you are able to draw the links between what you learn in school and how can it be applied in the real world.

You may want to use the Venn diagram below to help you map out yourchoices.   So in short, choose a discipline which you

-are confident of doing well in

-are able to stick on with for the rest of your life

If you like to read more, check out our guide to choosing your major

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After all, students are only ordinary human being. Other people can expect students to be diligent, cool, smart, hard-working, and whatever-good-terms-imaginable. These expectations kinda make us students sound like demigod, or as they said “People whose hands hold the future of the society”.

But you know us students are not even close to those expectations. In reality, we are suffocated: paying high tuition for years, doing exam at least twice in a term, having difficult quizzes every week, and being all-nighter almost everyday to get the tasks done before deadline is up. That suffocated feeling, for some students, lead to (from the school’s point of view) rebellion acts like skipping classes, rarely showing up in campus, doing something no one knows about, getting border-line GPA , and even dropping out in some cases.

I hear people call these kind of students outcasts. Weirdos. Not fitting in with the norms. You’ve also heard this story a lot.

We students know very well that we don’t do those acts without reason. Everyone of us have different complex situation since we hail from different backgrounds with varying  economical, religious, ethnical , family and life conditions. Even our dreams are different.

The only thing unites us is the fact that sometimes or more, we want to stop and start doing what we think is better suit. Some of us may come from not-so-good financial background, so we need to earn pocket money by working part time. The others may have something big going on, like joining the football club, campus choir, or marching band that takes up much time for practice, or maybe some voluntary activities that consumed the time originally used for studying. Or building startup! We come late for classes, do less homework, not participate in the group presentation, take leave of absence, and study only few hours before exam. People wonder whats wrong with this delinquent student ?

The good news is, we don’t need to regret, as long as we know what we want and how to make us more valued. They say university is like a jungle where we can get lost many times before we find the way out. What kind of lost and the way out, I never have a chance to hear their explanation, so I guess I need to decide on my own. For me, being a diligent student with excellent grades can’t always be considered as “the right way”, and graduating from university is not always called “the way out.”

We talk about life here, and graduating with good grades is not a guarantee for success in the future even though it is a savvy investment and obviously safer bet. Remember Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, don’t you?

Other side of the story tells us that many people use the fact that people like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have been successful after skipping classes and even dropping out from university. Some people use already-successful-people’s story to give excuse for their laziness. Sometimes I do that too, if I felt too lazy to get up early or too tired after organizing a campus event. My thought was like, “Alright. I’m quite sure Zuckerberg skip classes too and he has tons of money now. I take him for example” and pull the blanket over my head. I know some of you ever have that thought too (or not?)

 Seems we forget one thing. Gates and Zuckerberg brag their delinquent or rebellious acts after they become successful. So did Einstein. Steve Jobs. You can name the others. We forget that before their success are acknowledged, people called them “outcast”. People only see the result and hardly understand process. If we tell people now that it’s okay to have bad grades because we have something bigger to pursue, they will just see it as an excuse even if we believe it is not.

The funny thing is no matter how bad and weird we were, as long as we succeed, society will see it as an interesting complement to the main story about how many dollars we can earn in a year. But if we don’t succeed, those days of slacking will be the main culprit to blame.

So the question is, is it really okay if we skip classes? The answer lies in the future. If we turn out successful, of course it doesn’t matter if we opt out or drop out from  college.  If you go by statistics, then you should go to university and do well in it. However, if we don’t, I believe we still have the chance to turn things around.  We always have chance to make the things right. Who knows someday in the future you’ll be the owner of a bigger-than-Apple company? Or a writer of books more popular than Harry Potter?

Only after we’re successful, we can brag these “not-very-good” doings. Hard work is always the key. Following Frank Ocean, work hard in silence and let the success make all the noise. Shall we?

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You’ve arrived at the crossroads of university and lets imagine that you want to become ’successful’. Maybe you’re sick of people telling you that you can’t do it. Maybe you’re sick of hearing all the self-help woo woo. Maybe you recently got a shock after learning what your favourite hero Elon Musk had to endure to get to where he was today, and you’re thinking…who in the right mind would choose to go through that?

Now, if you approached finding a career like most people do, here’s how you would conceptualize it:

– Start out by applying for the BIG 4 or some-other high paying firm.
– OK, great, you got in, let’s try to climb the corporate ladder.
– Shit, that was hard, but now let’s try to aim for a managerial role.
– You eventually get there. But now it’s 10 years later and the mere thought of being married to your job for the first 5 makes you wonder who the hell said it was ‘glamourous’ in the first place.
– You say “heck it” and buy a new BMW. Ahh, that feels better.
– Dreams of travelling and changing the world evaporate. Along with most of your time.

That’s how most people try to do it. And if you haven’t noticed, most people aren’t happy. In fact, most people are quite the opposite. This is not a coincidence.

In case you haven’t read a few books on how to build a fulfilling life, this is how people who actually are happy do it:

– Decide that they aren’t going to stand for a life solely of material pursuits & mediocrity.
– Observe the career opportunities that overlap with their talents, values and passions.
– Choose the most aligned path and work their asses off in a niche they want to master
– Gain experience from constantly exploring new business/career ventures
– Finally discover their true passions and how they want to contribute to the world
– Build highly successful business/career around it that leverage their experiences & talents

Pleasure Vs Fulfilment Mindset??

These are the two mindsets of crafting a career. People who are always complaining about their bonuses see a career as medium for pleasure. People who become truly fulfilled see their careers as a medium for
fulfilment. Call it the “Pleasure mindset” versus the “Fulfilment mindset.”

One gives you lasting happiness and one keeps you treading water, always fighting to keep your face above the surface.

Most people with the ‘pleasure’ mindset tend to focus on more practical things like job stability, size and prestige of the company, monthly salary and how far up the ladder you’ve climbed relative to your peers.

Most people with the fulfilment mindset tend to focus on more emotional things like their passions, travelling the world, building great experiences, and doing work that gives you fulfilment.

People usually don’t focus on their fulfilment because having the power to purchase the latest car or the biggest house, provides a lot more tangible benefits in our minds. They feel more attractive in the moment when we think about them. There’s a clear image of a certain result in our head instead of that fluffy route of passion.

But here’s the kicker.

Pleasure however is a constant cycle of ups and downs…The more you feed it, the more it grows. “I will spend X amount of energy to receive Y reward.” And when you don’t, you feel a restless urge to find the next
shiny object. Fulfilment on the other hand is more of a continuous process. It requires one to focus on creating a life of alignment to ones strengths, values and passions. Combine that with the factors of
opportunity and environment, and what you can expect are incremental wins over a longer time as you adjust and tweak your trajectory along the way.

This is why you’ve heard stories of professionals who end up committing suicide or going into depression. They focus on filling their ever ballooning short-term desires rather than finding out what they stand for
and building a life around it . So when they eventually realise that money doesn’t actually bring them happiness, (and it doesn’t because happiness is a choice) they break down because they don’t want to admit living life as a lie.

With fulfilment, on the other hand, its about seeing your career as honing your craft for a form of self-expression. Just like how a potter slowly sculpts his master pieces, levelling up his skills in his chosen niche,
while being able to still make a comfortable living and savouring each moment – because he finds joy in the process.

Therefore, it is a better investment of one’s finite energy and discipline to focus on developing fulfilment in your career. It’s fine to still have pleasure. Hell, I’d like to travel with my family to Japan, but that’s not
what my mind will focus on this year. Instead, I’ll be looking at how I can add more value to the people around me, how I can improve in my strengths and which direction they are pointing me, how can I impact more people and innovate — and then focus on those. The money then naturally flows in as a side effect.

You are far greater than you could have ever imagined.

Most youths don’t know their direction simply because they do not carve out the time to sit down to do the inner work. Because of our upbringing and education system, most people only do so during major crossroads – University/ Graduation. Even when they do, they have no idea how to.

When you set aside time and learn the right skills to uncover what truly inspires and motivates you, you can start experiencing massive growth for both your career and personal life. For the past 2 years, I’ve been
obsessed on devising a universal system that allows anyone to build a career from their passions.

After studying the traits of hundreds of highly fulfilled and successful people, I’ve boiled it down to 3 things…

1) SEEK: You must know yourself to the core to live fully everyday

You must be able to uncover and throw out your baggage, and find out what matters most to you to find your inner fulfilment. Doing so will help you see the possibilities of the world and live true to yourself. Not doing so means you will always be in self-sabotage and feel an emptiness in you. I have developed exercises to help you develop true confidence, and connect the dots of your past. Its like laying out the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle of your strengths, passions & values from the box to see how they fit.

2) EXPLORE: You must take a targeted approach towards discovering your
passion

To accelerate the discovery of a passion that is sustainable as a career, you need to be able to narrow down on the sweet spot of inspirations, strengths and opportunities. You must get clear on your “hidden values” to
create a mission statement that embodies your value proposition to the world. It is so important to understand and have the ability to create your “purpose statement” because that is your trump card to both success and fulfilment. Without this… you’re as good as navigating without a compass.

3) TRANSFORM: Leverage on your purpose statement to explode your network and personal brand

You must be able to find and secure opportunities for valuable career experiences & mentorships. Doing so will help you get into high income careers you love. Once I found the internships and mentors in my life that
are aligned to my purpose statement, I could easily go out and create products and messages that had an impact on people. This led me to be able to coach & run workshops for people older than me and establish
partnerships with other companies as well.

When you’ve got these 3 pieces down… you will experience massive growth in your career & personal life, period. This is exactly what I teach in the workshops I run, which is happening on this saturday. Check out the details below!

Saturday, March 12th

10am -12pm (Networking and Registration start promptly at 9.30am)
Venue: Redis Learning Centre, 154B Rochor Road, Singapore 188429
Speaker: Sheng Wei, Founder, Pursue Your Passion
Entry is FREE, but there are only 20 seats available which are going out
fast, so do reserve them quickly!

[contact-form-7]

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Conventional careers that involves sitting down in front of your computer all day may not be your cup of tea.

You are considering something stimulating and varied in its job scope, yet with a pay that is decent and secure.

In choosing a course(and prospective career), one of the worst mistakes is to go into a sunset industry. For example, Singapore is no longer a manufacturing hub, for goodness sake.

So what’s hot these days? While everyone is focusing their attention on IT, its easy to overlook many trends, one being Singapore’s aging population. With increasing demand, healthcare industry is expected to grow by more than 10%, in a time of fledging economy. Pretty decent.

Ok relax, you don’t need all As on your report card. Healthcare is more than just being doctors (or nurses) as what we commonly know.

Have you heard of Allied health professionals? Read on if you haven’t. A word of warning first; if the idea of helping others and making a difference in peoples’ lives makes you cringe, healthcare is probably not for you. In this article, we explore allied health professionals in diagnostic radiography.

What is Allied Health and Diagnostic Radiography?

If you want the best of both worlds between operating high tech machines and interacting with other humans, this is one possible career path you can consider.

Diagnostic Radiographers areexpert handlers of high-tech medical equipment which produces radiographic images of the human body. These Allied Health Professionals, including Psychologists, Physiotherapists, Diagnostic Radiographers and more, are part of the healthcare team along with doctors and nurses to provide care to patients.

3 facts about being a radiographer in Singapore

#1 do what ?

Facing people all day.i.e. customer service may be overwhelming for you. On the other hand, fronting machines all day sounds like it will turn you into a robot. Being a radiographer is a hybrid. It entails a combination of both. You work with the equipment as well as liaise with patients, nurses, doctors and so on. Therefore,you get to practice and develop your soft skills. On top of that, you also learn how to go about conducting image evaluation and interpretation which enhances critical thinking ability.Sounds fun? It might not be an easy job but one thing for sure,it’s not goingto be boring.

#2 I can’t find any roundabout way of saying this… but the pay and future prospects are really gooood

In the public healthcare sector, the annual starting salary for Allied Health Professionals is about $45,200 for degree holders.

According to the MOH in 2014, 20,000 doctors, nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals will be needed in Singapore by 2020 to cope with our ageing population. This means you have to be really unlucky to not land a job after graduation. You have better chances striking lottery.

#3 What else can a radiographer do besides being a radiographer?

If you think that career ladder only exists in the office, you can’t be more wrong.

Healthcare providers in Singapore enjoy a steady career progression path as shown below. Our pro-healthcare government also offers ample opportunities for continuous education and personal upgrade.  Depending on your strengths & weaknesses, you climb up different ladders.

http://caretogobeyond.sg/ahp/

Okay, tell me how can I become a radiographer?

NYP used to offer a diploma in Radiography which is open toA level graduates. A recent check with them found that the course has stopped running.

Does it mean that your only option is to go overseas?

Well, a UK university has collaborated with a local college to offer this course in Singapore!

Introducing Parkway College’s Bachelor of Science degree programme (with honours) Diagnostic Radiography and Imaging.

What is Parkway College ?

So the story goes; we went down on a recce to Parkway College to find out what’s the deal behind one of the largest private healthcare providers in Singapore. We dug out some insider news and juicy information that you definitely will not want to miss out!Here are 5facts :

1. Not an ABC degree

Startedin 2008, Parkway College of Nursing and Allied Health is the educationarmof Singapore’s largest private healthcare provider Parkway Pantai, which also manages Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital and Parkway East Hospital (How can you ever run out of clinical placements?)

Bachelor of Science (Honours) Diagnostic Radiography and Imaging is awarded to students upon graduation by the University of Hertfordshire in UK. So this is an accelerated Honours programme (3 years) that is recognized globally.

2. Unconventional learning

Education system in Singapore has repeatedly been pointed out as being too theoretical. It is not uncommon to find graduates saying that there is disconnect between what was taught in school and what is required at work. Students learn theory in classroom and go for internship to use Photostat machines.

In the programme, we found that students spend a large amount of time on-the-job itself in hospitals/clinics. Studying is integrated with “internships” known as clinical attachments, interesting, uh? On average, it amounts to 16-21 weeks per year(almost half the time!). It is not surprising that 100% of past batches land a job within 6months after graduation.

3. Highlights of the course

Lecturers shared with us that the seniors look forward to year 2 in Radiographic Practice and Image Evaluation 2 module, where students have a choice to do their clinical attachment at a hospital locally or overseas. Seniors have gushed about their experiences in countries such as Australia, UK, Taiwan and many more.

4. Extra plus points studying here

Boys, the gender ratio is in your favour. Each batch is kept small at about 30 students, with an average of 4 to 6 males every year. However, the lecturers, all radiographers by training, noted that males are apt to become radiographers — especially those who feel a close affinity with technology, machines (and being surrounded by caring ladies)

5. Supply and Demand

Did I say that there is a high demand for radiographers and a lack of supply ?

So ?

It is time to apply what you learn in economics.

As most,if not all developed countries around the world are facing the problem of an aging population; radiographers are one of the professions in high demand globally due to increasing demand for radiological services.

This means that you can not only choose to work in Singapore in any one of the various fields that require imaging services eg. Healthcare institutes, specialized clinics, Dental clinics, equipment manufacturers etc, and you can also work overseas and expand your horizons.

If you are really good at what you do,financial incentives to study this course arealso available by various hospitals that have sponsored many students in all 6 batches.

So what can I do now?

Don’t just take it from us… or others.  Find out more information from the horse’s mouth(sorry lecturers)

And here’s your chance:

On 18 March 2016,the University and Parkway College are holding a FREE preview session of their Bachelor course in Diagnostic Radiography and Imaging. Details as shown below:

In Digital Senior, our golden advice to juniors is to go and get a feel of the people and the environment of the course before taking the big plunge. Reading can only provide you with so much intelligence. Stay open to options, as you never know what your interests truly are, until you have seen enough.  Who knows? The eye-opening session may give you more ideas on what you really want(which may or may not be radiography)!

So do head down on 18 March (free one leh)

Only 80 seats (only a few seats left!) are available so do register early in the form below

Register

Written by: Shi Man and Ted

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This is the period of the year when scholarships bodies open up their applications to students who have just received their A-level/poly results. Before you jump on the bandwagon, spend some time to think through the following questions. We recommend that you pen down your answers to the following questions (listed in order of priority) on a piece of paper so that you reap the most benefit from this exercise.

1. Why do I want a scholarship?

Addressing this very fundamental question helps to narrow down your search to a specific type of scholarship. Do you want a scholarship because you need funding for an overseas education? If that is the case, you may want to consider bond-free university scholarships.  Even for local tertiary education, schools like NUS, NTU, SUTD and SMU provide plenty of bond-free scholarships with varying monetary value for you to choose from. On the other hand, if you have aspirations to work in a particular dream organisation (e.g. you want to be a public servant), you should be looking at specific government or corporate scholarships. Brightsparks is a great one-stop portal for you to mull over your buffet list of scholarships and send in your applications.

2. What field of study am I looking at? What kind of industries do I want to work in in future?

Before you go scouting for scholarships, you must first consider what are your passions? Different scholarship bodies provide grants for different disciplines of study. Even though your scholarship application may close before your university deadline, you need to decide on your course(s) before you choose your scholarships. To make a well-informed decision, refer to 5 things you must ask yourself when choosing your university course of study.

3. Who are the available providers?

After you have determined your course of study, go back to Brightsparks to shortlist the possible organisations that are of interest to you. For example, if you are want to study civil engineering, possible scholarships could be JTC, URA, BCA and HDB.

But hold your horses…don’t apply to all of them YET!

 4. Why am I interested in that organisation?

From the (hopefully) short list of scholarships that you have eyed on, ask yourself why do you envision yourself working for that organisation 4-5 years down the road. Conduct a research on each organisation by simply browsing through their corporate website and reading reviews online. Some of your answers could be, you have a passion to serve the public; you feel aligned with the organisation’s corporate culture; you see plenty of room for personal development within the organisation.

 5. What are the terms and conditions?

There is no free lunch in this world. All entitlements come with responsibility.Frequently, this duty manifests in the form of a bond period of 4 years for local studies, or 6 years for overseas education. Ask yourself; am I so certain of my interest that I would willingly commit 6 years of my youth in this organisation? Some graduates like to spend their first few years of graduation exploring different kind of jobs to find their true calling.

What happens if I break my bond? Not only do you have to compensate the monetary loss, you may get a bad name for it. Your job interviewers can possibly grill you on it ten years down the road. Consider the case of Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) scientist, Eng Kai Er, who  started an arts grant, partly to protest against her six-year bond tying her to a job she was no longer interested in.

Here’s another point for consideration: you don’t have the option of changing courses in university should you decide that your passion is not in your current field!

6. What developmental opportunities do I get?

Of course, if you are steely certain on your career, we would say, go for it! Scholarships are wonderful opportunities for you to gain a head start ahead of your “competitors”. Find out whether your scholarship offers you opportunity to do internships during your term-breaks. These internships will give you a good grounding on what it is like to work in the organisation. To top it off, many scholars enjoy fast-track career progression upon graduation. So, do your research; talk to your seniors; and find out who are the scholars you can approach. Scholarship tea sessions

 7. Can I wait?

Do you have to apply now?Will there be future opportunities for you to apply to the same scholarship? Many scholarships offer undergraduate and mid-term scholarships. Mid-term scholarships are usually for those in their first two year of undergraduate studies; for those who have a clearer sense of their career inclinations. You may not want to be too hasty when it comes to making your (possibly) life-long decision. Assess your financial situation too, so that you have a clearer sense of whether you really need that scholarship.

 8. What is the monetary term of the award?

Does your award only cover tuition fees, or does it also encompass living allowances and travelling expenses? This becomes especially important if you are looking to fund your overseas study. Nonetheless, we cannot stress enough that the higher the value of your scholarship, the larger your obligations.

9. Does your scholarship allow you to apply for other grants?

Some students leverage on the flexibility of university scholarships to take up more than two scholarships. Other scholarships could be more limiting, i.e. they may prohibit you from participating in other activities, such as running a business.

10. Am I just following the crowd?

Last but not least, question yourself,do you really want the scholarship or are you just blinded by its prestige? Make sure that you are not succumbing to peer pressure. Additionally, don’t bank on scholarships because you want to have job or financial security. Plenty of jobs await you after you graduate! In fact, it is riskier to restrict your career choices now because better opportunities would come along your way as you explore your major.

All in all, exercise prudence as you apply for your scholarships.At the end of the day, it boils down to one sentence: Just follow your heart. Once you decided on the scholarship you want, check out the ultimate scholarship guide.

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Let’s admit that everyone has preconceived notions about what it’s like to be a communications student. Mass media sounds fun, after all – you get to work with celebrities, write articles or be involved in film and broadcasting, you could be a news anchor…but trust me, it sounds cool until you actually get into the course. Then you might start to wonder if you really made the right choice.

Here are eight common ideas about Communications Studies that may or may not be wrong. Of course, I’m just one person so I have limited perspective on this. If you’re really weighing the pros and cons of coming to Mass Media, I’d recommend you do some further research as well.

So here we go: The Confessions of a Mass Communication Student

1. Mass Communications has no work to do and you just get to party and have fun all day.

Really common misconception. Sadly, it’s not true. I’m from the NTU Communication Studies course – Wee Kim Wee School of Communications and Information, it’s the top-ranked in Singapore by the way, check it out if you’re interested at www.topuniversities.com, remember to use the QR stars ranking – and while there are plenty of events and activities going on in school, it’s simply not proportionate to the overwhelming amount of work we have.

Mass Media does not equate to just fun and games. Mass Media comprises a whole range of fields – journalism, advertising, Public Relations (PR), research, broadcasting…and you need to specialise in a field by the time you’re a Year Two student. You need to learn the basics of almost everything, and then you need to go further in-depth as well. Oh, plus both NTU and NUS have this requirement for “holistic education”, meaning you need to clear a number of modules that are not related to your course at all. So every semester you learn things from your own course and stuff from other courses, like science or business. Overall, it can mean a pretty packed schedule unless you’re a poly student who is exempted from taking a certain number of modules. Not so much for a JC kid.

Of course, it doesn’t mean that you just mug and mug and mug all day – there are plenty of opportunities to have fun. Point 7 does address this in a more general sense, so check it out later. Plus one good thing about Mass Communications is that overall, we take less modules per semester compared to other courses like engineering, business or medicine. Ultimately you’ll have more free time than your friends in these courses to participate in school activities or whatnot.

E.g. in NTU I take a total of 18 Academic Units, or AU, meaning about 6 modules, which is the maximum I can take per semester – I can take fewer if I want to, like I have friends with 4 or 5 modules. My engineering friends have an average of 21 AU minimum, so at least 7 modules per semester.

2. Mass Communications is really easy, anyone with brains could do it.

Whoever decided to perpetuate this misconception deserves to be shot. Communications Studies is in absolutely no way easy. Yeah, people think you go around interviewing others for your news articles or that you can just be a radio deejay or something. It’s not easy to do all this, all right?

There’s a lot to study when you’re in mass communications. You need to understand how people think, why they think a certain way – you need to know how to appeal to the mass public, and because of that you need to learn about certain theories of communication. You need to explore and find your own particular distinct style of writing or speaking. And you need to be able to balance all your different modules because you’re hardly ever taking just one communications mod at a time.

Furthermore Mass Communication is such a subjective thing. It’s classified under “Arts and Humanities” (art faculty people understand the pain of this), so everything you write in your essays can be interpreted differently by anyone reading. The problem of humanities subjects is that they aren’t fixed like science subjects – there’s no concrete “yes” or “no” answer, it’s always just a “maybe, could you argue that?” thing they have going on and it’s so depressing because as a student, this just means you have no idea whether you’re actually right or not. So yeah, Mass Comm. isn’t as easy as it sounds.

However, being a humanities student (back in JC I was from art faculty and I loved Literature), Mass Communications is quite fun – it’s not that different from any other humanities subject if you have experience with those. Plus you get to take other modules, as mentioned in the first point, so people who are more science oriented can minor in Science or Engineering, etc. as well due to the holistic education promoted by NTU and NUS.

3. Mass Communications got a lot of chiobu and hot guys.

I wish. We barely have any guys, my cohort has around 200 people and there are maybe 12 guys? There are plenty of pretty girls though, and popular ones as well. So I guess guys can try their luck here…?

4. Mass Communication students all take OOTDs all the time and are super outgoing, but also really superficial.

Not true. This writer here is already an exception (I don’t even have an Instagram. Well, I do, but it’s for class only, not for personal use). There are many of them who are like this actually, but not all.

It leads up to another point – that we are all superficial people who only care about partying and drinking et cetera. You might be surprised but actually a great majority of the students here (at least, in NTU) are really hardworking and they all want to do well. So if you wanted to come to Mass Communications under the assumption that “Oh, everyone else will be off getting drunk so I can get easy As”, that’s not true.

Brace yourself for people who do go to clubs and drink, but can wake up the next morning and suffer through their hangover just to get an A for their assignments. Don’t decide that now you’re in university you can slack off and do whatever you want – you still got to work as hard as you did to get here, sometimes perhaps even harder, since it’s really the final stretch.

Of course, being a media course, plenty of people here are either popular, trendy or just famous for one reason or another. They can probably sing and dance and do all those artsy performance things, or they have mad skillz at filming or taking photos. Rumours spread fast here, and there will always be this clique of “popular people” who just basically dwell in a world of their own and kind of seem really fake and self-absorbed. But hey, this isn’t a Mass Communications-specific problem, most schools have this going on. It’s just slightly more obvious in a Mass Communications school. You can tell who is popular with just one look, they’re generally the noisier and more outgoing people.

Alternatively you can simply disregard the social politics that come with school (because let’s admit that this isn’t a course-specific problem most of the time) and stick with a bunch of good friends, because I do that. It’s great to have a group of people to hang out with because in Mass Communications, there’s lots of project work so you can always just rely on that same group of friends to finish all your projects.

5. You can’t do anything with a degree in Mass Communications, it’s too general.

Then people with Business degrees can’t do anything either, because that’s even more general. Point here is, Mass Communications is a professional degree. With it, you can become an advertiser, a graphic designer, a journalist, a film-maker etc., or you can become a businessperson. You can do any general job you want and have the option of doing something media related, so why not?

People think that a Communications degree will only let you become a journalist. But as mentioned earlier in this article, there are different fields in Communications. Besides journalism, “Advertising and PR” or “Broadcasting” are quite popular options as well. Advertising and PR is basically coming up with campaigns and advertisements for clients, while PR is just managing the relations between a company and the general public.

Meanwhile, Broadcast includes film, image and sound production, how to speak and present yourself to the public, music…basically, it’s the production and distribution of media. If you want to be a news anchor, radio deejay or any of those cool jobs that might get you famous, Broadcasting is definitely a route for you to consider.

A major plus point to Mass Communications is that you can get a job in practically every company in the world. I mean, Mass Communications (the PR and Advertising field) is related very closely to marketing and definitely PR itself, and which company doesn’t have a PR or Marketing department? You can get internships or jobs in fashion, F&B, retail, management, real estate…virtually anything you’re interested in.

6. I’ll have to change myself to become cool and maintain a certain image if I go to Mass Communications.

In a way, yes. Since all the people here are really trendy and fashionable (they all dress really well, trust me) if you’re too shoddily dressed they will just look at you and make faces of disgust. That means no flip-flops by the way, unless you’re a non-conformist who just doesn’t care what other people think.

(For me, I continue wearing my expensive havaianas to school and when people go, “Why are you wearing flip-flops?????” I just tell them that my slippers are more expensive than their covered shoes. It usually shuts them up.)

Of course, image is important to maintain. At the university level, your cohort-mates are no longer just your friends, like they were in JC or poly. They’re potential future work contacts. This is especially so in a fast-paced industry like Mass Communication, where you need to be in the right place at the right time and have access to the right locations and the right people. Building up a large social network isn’t just good for us, it’s practically necessary. And obviously, if you’re walking around dressed like a slob, you’re not going to make a favourable impression on anybody.

On the other hand, you just have to make sure you dress slightly better than you do usually (no shorts, no singlets, no FBTs etc.) and then you can just laugh and talk the way you usually do. People won’t notice anything other than your appearance (sad fact) but it’s also a blessing since, once they see that you fit their image of “well-dressed”, people will leave you alone and you can just get back to doing whatever you want. It’s a small problem, easily addressed – don’t let this small thing turn you away from wanting to study this course.

*Note that dressing well here doesn’t mean you have to show up in a maxi dress/blazer every day. Just don’t dress like you’re going to eat at your neighbourhood hawker centre, and you’re good. Think “going out to some high-class area of Singapore, like MBS or Orchard or something”.

7. First year students should just have fun and party for their first year since it’s the only time you can enjoy yourself.

This is a more general idea I want to address. It’s both true and false, depending on your perspective.

For the JC kids, university basically runs on the GPA system, meaning your work is cumulative. Gone are the days where you could fail the whole semester and mug like crazy for the final exam to push your grades up. In university, consistency is key. If you fail just one graded assignment, it can really pull your grade down – and when that happens, down goes your GPA. Hearing this, of course it makes sense to study from Year One so that you can score and maintain a good GPA.

On the other hand, it’s true that Year One has less to worry about compared to the later years. It’s really the one year you have to get involved in school events and chill with your friends and generally do fun stuff, because from Year Two onwards after specialisation you start constantly dissolving into a pool of tears and frustration. But again, that doesn’t give you any excuse to get wasted every night and skip classes because of your hangover or because of your friend’s 21^st birthday party or whatever. You need to be able to sort out your priorities in university.

It’s best to find a balance, I suppose – and given that I personally don’t drink or club, I’d say keep that to a minimum. If you want to socialise, you can do other things like supper or late nights out chatting with your friends. You don’t have to constantly go to a club and get high or whatever, because that takes away rest or work time, reduces productivity if you have a hangover the next day, and quite possibly increases the rate at which your brain cells die. So don’t do that to yourself.

8. Will I ruin my life if I take Mass Communications and decide halfway this doesn’t suit me? Will I still be able to find a job even if I screw up my GPA real bad?

Yeah, you will. No worries. Having an honours degree is much better than being stuck with an “A” Level certificate. And given that Mass Communications is both a general and professional degree, anything goes, really. You can always take up another job in the future if you decide you don’t want to continue with mass media.

Besides, honestly despite being possibly superficial at first glance, majority of the people are normal people like you and I. They’re not vicious, they just dress very well (it’s Mass Media, there’s a definite link to the fashion industry so no surprise here) so don’t worry that you’re not “popular” enough to fit in or whatever. You’ll definitely find a group of people here just like yourself.

This is basically the end of my eight points. I hope that really clarifies some questions that people have about this course. It’s getting more and more popular in recent years, so it might be better for you to understand what goes on behind the glitz and glamour of communications students and see what it’s like to actually study this course before you decide to pursue it in university.

Don’t forget, in university if you really feel like you can’t do this course anymore, you can always apply to switch to a different major. Of course, it’s tedious and troublesome, so definitely not something I’d recommend. Choose your course wisely!

If you have a passion for talking to people, understanding how they think and how the world thinks – if you have words to say you want to get out into the blogosphere, or if you just like to chill with like-minded people who would gush over your Instagram OOTDs – just come to Mass Communications. We have everything.

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You may want to study abroad, but with the grades of yours, you don’t know which university would accept you. You see your friends do a lot of voluntary activities, like taking part in gender equality campaign, looking for donation for Green Peace activities, joining movement for peace in Middle East, or feeding the poor. Some other friends are even building startups. Seems cool, working on their laptop all the time, hanging out in cafes, talking about tech or some languages you don’t understand. You hear they got a huge investment. All of them are cool, but you can’t decide which one really suits you.

I have so many to celebrate in my 20s: graduation, first job, first love, first anniversary, first promotion and many others. I thought graduating from university is the gateway to adult independence and freedom. Here comes the problems. Disappointment takes shape in the form of ended relationship, competitive job market, friends fading, money dwindling and so on. The worst is I’m forced to acknowledge the fact that my life doesn’t look like what I had thought it would be.

Why do I think it’s stressing?

Sociologists call this “the changing timetable for adulthood”. Jeffrey Jansen Arnett, a psychology professor at Clark University in Worecaster, prefers to call it as “emerging adulthood”. In the age of 20s, people start changing their view about adulthood. For example, in secondary school, we might think being an adult meant to have proper job such as being a doctor, lawyer, journalist. We also thought to settle down,marry before 30, and have children. But look at us now. Do we still think that way?

Realize it or not, we slowly change our view of being adult. We face many choices. We’re affected by what’s happening in the surrounding environment. Arnett calls this the stage of identity exploration, possibilities, instability, and self-centeredness. This might be the explanation why young people like us crave for new experience, challenge, and chance. At the same time, we need attention and acknowledgement from others.

This “emerging adulthood” or more popularly, “twentysomething syndrome” is happening everywhere. The generation prior to us also had to face the same thing when they were around our age, but being twentysomething in 21st century is more stressing than decades ago. Why is that?

1. I always look out for my freaking phone only to see how happy other people are

We’re born in the millenial generation which makes us feel insecure when our phones aren’t in our hands. We can’t ”connect” to rest of the the world if we don’t go into Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. You’re an alien if you don’t have a Google account.

Newsfeed becomes our daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner. People are overwhelmed with the chance to share. When you’re given chance to show anything about yourself, which one will you share: the good things or bad things? Of course I’ll choose the good ones. I’d like people to know that I have lovely family, went to Phuket for vacation, hang out with friends in cafes, join nonprofit organization to prevent woman-abuse, and graduate with suma-cumlaude. Broken heart, canceled scholarship, hellish thesis revision:no one needs to know.

That’s the problem. Others also think that way. My newsfeed is filled with photos of happy people. Their expressions, the backgrounds, and the captions will make anyone envy. I’m busy scrolling to see what my friends have accomplished. They seem very happy with everything going well for them. I’m happy for them..maybe not so. After closing the apps, I feel bothered. I started making goals that look like theirs.

2. I probably go to too many gatherings

There are many successful youngsters in the last decade. They practically dominated the limelight of all successful people. Ultimately, they increase people’s expectations of youngsters. At age 20s, we’re supposed to do great things or at least start doing something. We also expect ourselves to do the same.

I often go to social gatherings since I like meeting new people. The most frequent question I hear is “What are you doing now?”. Anything like “I’m eating, don’t you see?” could be the answer. Me being overly sensitive, I hear it as “What’re you doing for living? Where do you work? Are you making a lot of money? Any boyfriend? When are you planning to marry?”

Gathering event is the place where people expect to be asked about their doing. It’s like a formal procedure when meeting people we never or rarely meet. Those who have “something” going on in life, the event is a chance to share. It’s very similiar with newsfeed. I’d hear many story about how people living their life spectacularly. On the way home, I found myself more pressured.

3. I always compare myself with someone who has already succeed

If you often do this too, I suggest you to stop. That’s the worst for your mental health.

When I was in the final year of college, I saw my friends getting jobs and internships in some significant companies. Since we were in the same major, almost all of us had the same dream companies. I remembered how happy they were. I imagined them already having orientation in their companies while I and other unlucky friends still needed to brawl finishing thesis proposal. In the graduation ceremony, some of us already had salary (they have began working) while others were still looking for job.

What did I do different? That was the thing I’d always thought. I didn’t want the reason to be just “lucky”. I found many: I skipped classes when they attended, I can’t do statistics when they can, I joined voluntary organization when they didn’t, and so many more.

When I thought about the mistakes I made in college, I found nothing but regret. I wish the time can be turned back. However, that was stressing me alot, until I decided to start over. Instead of comparing myself to other people, I focus on doing something I like and starting to build my own career.

If you also find twenty something is stressing, let’s turn the table!

Seems scary when we’re in 20s but still can’t figure out what we want to do. That’s not true! As time goes by, the need to do more and greater things than the prior generation is getting higher. It’s caused by the amount of possibilities that also increases.

Before 21st century, being a writer wouldn’t be considered as a proper career. Now we can find writers anywhere through online media. Companies are looking for copywriters, digital marketers, social-media strategists, web designers, and many more jobs. Our parents have never heard of them when they looked for job.

Chances are everywhere. The best time to explore those choices is when we’re in the college. There’re many priviledges that avail students, one being the freedom to build dreams and restart every time we fail. The most successful men today started when they were students. But most of them didn’t succeed the first time. Angry birds’ founders failed 51 times before they came out with the winning game. We all have setbacks in our 20s, but its about how we manage our journey of disappointments that matters.

You’ve graduated and now are facing twentysomething syndrome? First, start filtering information. Follow only them who give you motivation and lesson by experience, not just talk big. Don’t go to social gathering too often. It can be a time drain unless you’ll meet someone who can provoke you to do better or you’ll die if you don’t go. Comparing yourself to others is acceptable. You need rivalry to improve, but do it in reasonable measure. Lastly, try to take a break sometimes.You’ll see yourself clearer and more composed. Trust me, it works.

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Plot-twist: I have always been a science student since the day I learnt about photosynthesis from my brother’s textbook, all the way until the A levels.

No kidding, the first day I stepped into art school, I was feeling apprehensive inside out and was thinking to myself if I should make a U-turn. I have never been formally trained in art, apart from compulsory lower secondary school art classes, where I was a consistent B student. So taking that first step into art school,to learn about art and design, was more than a little terrifying.

Just a little background about me: at ‘O’ levels, I took the triple sciences combination. At ‘A’ levels, I was in the science stream, studying H2 biology, chemistry and mathematics. Although I have always been a science student, it didn’t stop me from nurturing my passion for art. Instead, it drove me to seek outlets and opportunities to fulfill my creative ambitions, whether it was to design t-shirts or to animate the ketones on my chemistry notes.

So, it wasn’t a sudden, random ‘jump’ from the science stream to an art school, but it was a leap nonetheless. If you’re like me, I’m writing this article for you, to help you with the same dilemma I faced last year with offers into business schools on one hand, and a chance to pursue a Bachelors of Fine arts (BFA) at NTU’s School of Art, Design and Media (ADM) in another. I was accepted into ADM in the end, and I haven’t looked back since.

I will be specialising in Visual Communication in ADM, so you might find overlap when I talk about art and design, but I believe that they are interlinked.

The three reasons why I chose art school and why you should too

Inclination

First of all, it’s not because I hate studying science or math or any other subject! In fact, science still remains fascinating to me. You don’t have to hate bananas to know that you like eating apples; you can like both of them. It has always been an inclination to me, being someone who has always lived a second life in my mind with melodramatic music playing in the background on train rides. I’ve always learnt by amplifying my experience of the world – visualizing reactions between chemicals to be like particles embracing one another, or writing poetry about the mysterious life of the pigeons I see at Raffles Place. So it seemed most natural for me to study what I was inclined towards.

Developing your eye

Secondly, I recognise that the Internet can school you, via tutorials on YouTube or other websites. But what an actual school offers is a 4-year (or how many years the course you’re looking at takes) mentorship program that teaches you to teach yourself, think critically about visual decisions (e.g. whether a certain element in a design should be red, blue or black), all under the guidance of an experienced teacher with a keen sense of aesthetic and design. Being a good artist or designer often involves more than ground-level skills – to know how to solve problems means knowing whether it should be red, blue or black, not just knowing how to change it on a software.

Collaborative environments

Last but not least, being in art school allows you to meet more like-minded peers and connect with an extensive network of alumni. Through the school, you will also get more opportunities to attend shows or conferences you might not know of otherwise. Being in the same room as great artists or designers and having your perceptions challenged consistently for 4 years is a truly invaluable experience that cannot be replicated.

My experience in school

As someone who has never been in an art school, it has definitely been very eye opening. My mind was blown in virtually every lesson. Of course, my brain has since learnt to buffer the shock and excitement, though it doesn’t lessen my fascination.

Foundation year and specialisation

It is daunting to have little background in art, but the curriculum of my course is such that we go through a year of foundation studies before specialising. This is especially important for someone like me who doesn’t have a background in art, as it has provided me room to explore what I might be good at, before I make a decision on what I would like to focus on.

Grading

I was also quite worried about grading because (1) I’m not as strong as other students in terms of technique, and (2) I would overvalue the grade. But I’ve realised that most of the teachers have emphasised on how much I’ve developed as an artist, rather than simply how good I am at my art. This puts me on an equal playing field as my friends from polytechnics or the JC art elective program.

It makes me believe that if you’re willing to be steadfast in your pursuit of knowledge and application, being in school has a lot to offer. As someone without a background in art, this pushed me beyond simply wanting to get an A – which is not the point of school (although if you learn and do good work, grades become a reflection of that). The school environment is like a trampoline – you can and should fall and make mistakes, for it helps you to reach greater heights.

Choosing your modules and electives

The plus point of being in NTU would be the electives that we can take. For example, you can be an art major, but take a minor in business, which can give you a better understanding of how to market your work and understand your rights as an artist.

Also, when you choose your modules in ADM, you can also decide which teacher you would like (though it is on a first-come-first-serve basis). Different teachers are better in different areas because of their experience, so being able to choose is helpful when you’re deciding on what area you would like to focus on.

Nature of content

It is interesting to be studying art in Singapore, actually. To have professors from the region and beyond means that you will get a good mix of Eastern and Western principles in art (yes, there is a difference). This helps you to understand art closer to home better – if you use a Western perspective on Eastern art, it probably wouldn’t make as much sense and it alters the experience.

Also, I’ve always had a notion that design and art are different fields, but I was convinced otherwise by my professor from drawing class. He strongly believed that the same design principles are applied across the various fields in art – making good compositions in film, orunderstanding visual paths in animations and graphic design.

It’s about arming yourself with an array of principles and techniques, and then knowing which to use to achieve the outcome you want. And that’s what school offers.

“But if I take a degree in art, it’ll be too difficult to find a job.”

The preconception of being an artist often is attached to the word ‘starving’. I, instead, believe in the flexibility of an art degree because of the mentality and other skills you might pick up in the process. To be honest, whether you are pursuing a degree in business, art or in other fields, not knowing how to apply that knowledge will also render it useless.

Fluidity

Here I’m not talking about software skills – it’s about developing the eye for visuals. It’s also about learning how to solve problems by seeking information, handling feedback with grace and also, creative confidence, something that Julie Zhuo has explained more eloquently than I can. The person who possessescreative confidence “understands and accepts that uncertainty, false starts, and mistakes are part of the creative process, but she also projects a sense of stability and progress to those around her.”

Through doing projects, we are trained to not just make things beautiful, but to solve visual problems. This applies across the different majors and so there will be an overlap in the skills picked up regardless of the major you pick. What this means is that product designers can become graphic designers, film majors can go into photography and those majoring in visual communications can still go into film.

Internship

Internships are a great way to get to know norms in workplace culture and how you can bring your creative edge to it. The school offers it for the third year, but it doesn’t stop you from looking for other internships during your summer break (May to July). This means, if you’re interested in similar fields – for example, you can look up editorial internships, brand management or marketing internships, or even internships in social media management.

Of course, this is not for the sake of being armed with a wide array of “experiences” on your resume.I’ve found a stronger direction in editorial and graphic design after going for an editorial internship, because I’ve discovered that it was a good way to merge my love for text and visuals. Internships are a good opportunity to find out how you can utilise the knowledge you’ve learnt in school and how it ties in with the rest of the world.

Jobs, jobs, jobs

I was concerned about job prospects when I was considering pursuing an art degree, and so were my parents. If you are looking at fine art, the local art scene is definitely blooming, with the number of art fairs, art markets and related events growing. You can always do research on the possible companies related to the field of your interest you can seek learning opportunities at.

If you require statistics, according to the Graduate Employment Survey 2016, the overall employment rate of ADM students is 79.3%, with a median gross salary of $2,800. Among that 79.3%, 56.9% are employed full-time. In comparison with other degrees, this may be considered to be less attractive, but one must consider the nature of the course, as a number of graduates start their own businesses or have decided to freelance.

Apart from that, I realised that internships are a great place to find a job. Many have been employed after their internships. Treat it as a serious learning opportunity, exercise the skills you’ve learnt and generally be a nice human being – you might just be offered a job.

Conclusion

While I would recommend art school for the above reasons, I am not implying that art school is for everyone. Art school is not designed for everyone, but rather only for the people who are interested in being in this field. So if you’re interested in accountancy or engineering, then go for it! My only intention in writing this article is to convince those who might be considering going into art school but are worried about its prospects.

Yes, passion cannot feed you or put rice on your table. You will have to learn how to market your work – which is part of presenting in school. There is so much that school can offer, apart from software techniques.

To conclude, university means that you’ll be spending a lot of time, effort and money, hopefully on something that is purposeful enough for you. Make the most out of it, and I hope that whatever you decide to go for in the end provides you with a fulfilling learning journey. All the best!

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What is Jeyam doing now ?

ChandrasekaranJeyamkannan, age 27, who landed a job before his official graduation ceremony in June, is an audit senior at a local auditing firm. He draws a comfortable salary ofbetween $3 – $5k.

How did he do it ?

Jeyamkannan admitted that he would not have been able to complete ACCA in record time of two years through his own effort. He had helpers, a team of helpers in fact. His secret weapon was the ACCA tuition provider he chose to go with in Singapore- London School of Business & Finance(LSBF) who provided an excellent student support network and innovative teaching methodology. Jeyamkannan confessed that he would regularly pursue the ACCA lecturers and bombard them with questions of all kinds. ”Never had lecturers so accessible in my study life. I could actually check their timetable and easily find their free time to approach them!” said Jeyamkannan.

Why ACCA at London School of Business & Finance(LSBF) ?

It was already clear to Jeyamkannan that he wanted a career as a chartered accountant right from the start. Pursuing ACCA is one of the fastest way to attain that accreditation in Singapore. As to why LSBF? Jeyamkannan recalls that he didn’t want to take any chance with his career and chose to go with an ACCA Platinum Approved learning partner like LSBF. He happily tells us that he got more than what he bargained for, having experienced a fruitful campus life as a member of the student council and ”Go Green” Club. He even volunteered in the Chingay and SEA games with the school!

Tips for ACCA students

Of course, we wouldn’t miss the chance to squeeze a tip or two from Jeyamkannan, and lucky for us, he is not your typical top student who credits everything to ”hard work”(like we didn’t know that).  Jeyamkannan revealed that the revision classes helped him to focus on the most important areas highlighted by the lecturers, thereby saving a lot of his study time. In fact, he took revision classes for all papers he sat for.  There was also the mock exams in which he received feedback from his lecturers on his mistakes made. It proved to be tremendously beneficial by helping him to uncover his blind spots.  Lastly, Jeyamkannan advises juniors to never follow more than one book in ACCA.

Any regrets ?

It does seem like Jeyamkannan has had a smooth-sailing academic journey in LSBF Singapore and we sure are curious about whether he has regrets like any student does? And true enough, Jeyamkannan said that if he was to do it again, he would have planned the sequence of his papers better, so he would be eligible for the BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting degree at Oxford Brookes University. Having completed ACCA leaves him just one research paper away for a bachelor degree! What’s more, he would have had the chance to tap on the resources at LSBF once again to complete the last paper. (For readers, important tip is to plan your papers at the start!)  That said, Jeyamkannan is looking forward and making plans for future.

 Whats next ?

”I look forward to coming back to LSBF to get my CFA qualifications. By doing so, I can value-add my clients by providing financial advice, on top of accounting ones”, said Jeyamkannan

Jeyamkannan comes across as an individual who is very clear about what he wants in life. When asked about where he derives his motivation, he attributes it to his father. His father wanted to be an auditor when he was younger but couldn’t continue due to financial constraints. He works hard so that the next generation can have a better life. Indeed, Jeyamkannan has done his family proud now !

More about ACCA  

ACCA is short for Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and is the most popular professional accounting qualification in Singapore that is recognized by employers worldwide. With 110 years of history, ACCA is even older than Singapore!

Source: http://news.efinancialcareers.com/sg-en/212016/acca-cpa-aca-cima-which-accounting-qualification-will-get-you-a-job-in-asian-finance/

ACCA examinations are administered by the London body and comprise a total of 14 papers including 9 fundamentals and 5 professional papers with an average passing rate between only 31 – 53 % for the professional ones. Failures would no doubt have to retake the exam.  In a year, ACCA runs 4 exam sittings allowing students to take a maximum of 8 papers. Therefore, the fastest duration possible to complete ACCA is 2 years. Most people take 3 years but some can go on for 6-7 years.

ChandrasekaranJeyamkannan, whom we have the privilege to talk to, completed ACCA in just 2 years!

More about LSBF

London School of Business & Finance (LSBF) in Singapore was established in 2011 with the support of LSBF in UK, under the royal patron, His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent GCVO.

As a global institution, the School has grown exponentially; receiving numerous awards and accreditations in Singapore and boasting two impressive campuses, right in the heart of the Central Business District.

LSBF in Singapore equips its students with the requisite knowledge and skills through 6 unique business units – School of Professional Education, School of Business, School of Hospitality, School of English, Chinese Business Department as well as Executive Development and Online unit.

With good lecturers, holistic student support services and resources, LSBF in Singapore is committed to providing the highest quality education to students from every corner of the globe.

Check out more information about ACCA ! 

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