ASEAN Scholarship thoughts
The ASEAN Scholarship letter came in today for NUS. They offered to pay for my tuition fees and board and also throw in an allowance of SGD 4300 per annum.
The catch? 3 year bond with a Singapore company upon graduation. Yeah, I’ve heard of the argument. Job security in these bad times and all; nothing wrong, all valid arguments. It depends on the person who sees it I guess.
Here are my thoughts on this (in no way intending to play down those who got the scholarship and are going, but just wanna hear myself out):
1) The Singapore Government is very very smart. So many fellow Malaysians bit into this offer already. Indeed it is good, much better in fact compared to most local higher education destinations. But perhaps many do not see that they will actually pay back the Singapore Government in the form of income taxes for their entire lifetime. (How many upon graduation from NUS/NTU/SMU actually come home?)
(I feel a bit sad. Maybe it’s because many of my friends are Singapore-linked and thus going to study in Singapore. I dread the thought that all will start taking up Singapore citizenships and then Malaysia would lose a lot of precious jewels. But it WILL happen, sooner or later in the future.)
2) 3 years bond (5 and 6 years respectively for Dentistry and Medicine) and then you want to come back home? Perhaps you might, but by then it is most likely that you will be so deeply entrenched in the Singapore system (they feed you very very well and pay you extra extra extra that leaving Singapore would be an insane choice) Or you find a girlfriend/boyfriend there and then coming home to Malaysia is just not the option anymore.
Why am I harping on this? Call me stupid, but I think Malaysia needs the manpower and brains more that Singapore does. True, our government treats us like a bunch of stupid idiots, not to mention that they are also acting like idiots too in Parliament. But I strongly feel that the inadequacies and flaws in Malaysia make Malaysia much more lovable than a perfect Singapore. We can improve, but we cannot do so when our brains are all over the place.
My mum asked me why I was adamant that I did not want to study in Singapore despite being given admission and being among (i heard) the 100 students to get the ASEAN Scholarship. Here are what I perceive:
1) From my experience in Singapore I felt like there was this glass ceiling that cannot be seen (duh). I felt stifled in Singapore during Junior College. My thinking was in some way somehow being regulated and structured by the Government of Singapore. I feel pressured and pressed down in school, since I wasn’t a super genius. The whole place seemed like some pressure cooker to me. I find it hard to be creative and have an open mind when my mind is constantly thinking about the person right behind me trying to push me aside trying to get ahead and beat me in whatever. In two words, extreme competition. I love the people there (really nice, no doubt about it) but my fellow Malaysians, Malaysia is where we can call home. Don’t jump ship like that (even if you do, please come back one day).
2) People who do not have a good education in Singapore are generally looked down upon. It’s not so bad if you are not from a top JC, but it gets worse with the polytechnics and ITEs. Somehow the perception of the people at the top of the education pyramid of those at the bottom of the pyramid is”I am better, you are not. Get lost.” I hate that. Elitism in Singapore is breeding. I just don’t like the way people judge others as failures just because they did not do well in their exams etc.
3) I knew that if I went to study in Singapore, chances are that I would not make it back home anymore, given the above argument. Talk about being stuck in the system and in a “perfect” place. Thus, no Singapore uni for me. I want to come home to Malaysia. “Hey, but you’re going to Berkeley right?” Yeah, I am. But it’s too far away from home. Thus I would most likely return home (and that’s what I intend to do).
I can frankly tell all of you how much better I felt after coming home from Singapore last September. I was like, “Yeah baby, this is the real home. Nothing beats home.” I escaped a success-crazy island.
Go and take up that ASEAN Scholarship. Study there and learn all you can. Then come back when you can. We need brains in Malaysia.
(Come on. If your sports team is losing and you are an athlete, you don’t quit your school team and join the triumphing team like that right? Shame on you if you do. Yes, Malaysia seems to be losing to Singapore all the time. You get the point.)
___
Talk about brain-drain. I am currently keeping count of the number of my cousins Malaysia has lost to Australia and Singapore. FOUR. It’s happening. Even in my family. *sobs*
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Ern Sheong, as one of the recipients, I understand your sentiments. In my case, I knew that it was God who has opened the doors for me to study here, as it is His will… I made my decision in obedience to Him, not by vainful logical conclusion, so that sets me free from all arguments.
However, for thinking and intellectual purpose, (and because I like your boldness man =P) I will endeavour to comment on your points:
1. First, let me clarify that the 3-year Singapore-registered company bond is not the bond that comes with the scholarship! It is the bond that comes with MOE tuition grant for all students who are not Singaporeans. The government subsidizes 70% of our tuition fees, and considering the value of the grant (for 4-year undergrad course, that would be roughly $18000*4=$72000… that’s a huge sum of $ going in for us), which is by the way Singapore taxpayer’s $, it is obvious that the Singapore government wants something in return.
The scholarship itself carries no bond, technically.
Okay, yes, I do know that I will be paying back the government in the form of income taxes, but let’s face it, nothing in this world is free. The world we live in is a world of ungrace; they don’t give you something for free.
In fact, let me state it here that yes, I can read that the Ministry offered us Secondary and/or JC ASEAN scholarships with hope that we would remain in Singapore for university and beyond. (As much as they said “go back and develop your own country”.) I find it to be a smart and (hehe) evil tactic, but a valid one nonetheless.
I must point out that the obligation is not much compared to conventional bonds that come with conventional scholarships, which bounds you to the sponsor company for x years, during which time they can use you like crazy. Example: PSC Scholarship, then ends up being a teacher in NJC, hehe. Influences aside (you need to keep your head strong) with only 3-year any-SG-company bond, I think the cost (aside from income tax and expenditure that goes back to Singapore) is not as terrible as you might think.
2. On decision after the bond period, I don’t know, but personally, I feel that it is ultimately the scholar’s choice. I mean, don’t get entrenched by the Singapore system le if you want to go home.
Bf/gf… not an issue for me, because I got none and I don’t think I will have one in my university years. Hopeless with romance. Anyway.
Hehe, idiots in parliament? Thai and Malaysian politicians have something in common. They are more of campaigners and political gamers, than managers and administrators, people who shut up and do their job. =\ One thing that draws talents away. I wonder how to fix that. (We both feel we can run our countries better than the people up there… might as well enter politics? ==” Go be Premier and bump the salary for civil servants to attract local talents back!
)
Your next 1. Yes, I agree that the Singapore gahmen was controlling us, somehow. I agree re: the extreme competitiveness in school, too. Too much time spent in activities, too little time spent with people. NJCians are nice, and we became friends as we went through this gruelling system together.
Furthermore, God in His grace showed me how people who were close to Him could be the difference in a country of competition. People who were really close to God really shone through… light of the world indeed. It was that light that emanated love and grace that draw me back to Jesus. God worked all things out for good indeed. (Oops, preachy again XD)
Patriotism… I take it in moderation. I do want to help Thailand, but with the country being like that, it is a lil’ difficult. After seeing my countrymates being unreasonably patriotic (holier-than-thou attitude) though, I was disgust by it. As a Christian, right now my allegiance lies with God and God alone. I want to help Thailand, but if He wants me elsewhere, (Singapore even, in this case,) that’s it. I’ll take all accusations, but I won’t disobey God.
2. Oh yes, I found this a shocking truth. When I first heard of polytechnics, I thought of them to be a good alternative, since lessons were hands-on and graduates were word-ready. I was shocked to find out how one friend of mine was pulled by her parents to study in JC, even though she wanted to do hospitality in a polytechnic, because her results (6-pointer!) were way to good to go into a polytechnic. I was like gosh, weren’t they just different education systems catered to different needs? I never equated ITE to Thailand’s ITE even… I thouht ITE’s here were better off… turned out that “academic outcasts” were sent to ITE as well… not so different from Thailand, just minus out the fighting, but that’s because the rule of law was very strict in Singapore.
Elitism is pretty much on the rampant in Singapore. I hate it. You definitely can’t judge people as failure by their grades, educational qualifications and whatnot.
3. Hoho… good one. To prevent that, I have to keep my head level at all times, because there are organizations who seek to manipulate me and people behind who seek to trip me or backstab me. Not the nicest place to live in, but let’s face it, it’s the same in Malaysia or Thailand too.
Also, I hate to say it, but there is a huge chasm in education quality between Thailand and Singapore. Singapore university (I mean NUS, NTU or SMU) degrees are recognized internationally, while a Thailand university degree will land you just that… Thailand. Unless you manage to get into an MNC there (and the competition is just as terrible) you are stuck in Thailand for pretty much your entire dear life. Good for some people, not good for others. Your choice.
There is something about Thailand that makes me feel at home though. For one, I feel that I sleep tight when I’m at home. No idea why. Although I will have to make adjustments to stay out of trouble in Thailand to survive, I think Thailand is indeed my home. At least I want to retire there, or minister there, or something.
Indeed, I will study there and learn all I can, and go where God will lead me. I know He can use me somewhere. If God allows, I will return to Thailand.
Ern Sheong, I appreciate your care for Malaysia. I can’t even muster something like that for Thailand. As you rally for others to come to join you, I think the change in Malaysia might as well begin with you. =)
@ome: thanks for the response bro. i typed it out without much thought, it was just how I really felt, but it could also be read the wrong way and taken personally as a potential ASEAN Scholar. i’m glad that you saw it in a good light.
yes, it starts with me and I don’t even know how to begin but making silly noises like this post in cyberspace. feeling so small and wondering whether it is alright to live as a nobody in a world consisting of “them” and “the rest of us”, with “the rest of us” being the 99% majority. sigh not trusting God enough I guess. should be glad if God were to make me a nobody to serve Him better. alright there i go blabbing
oh and make no mistake about it ome, going to Singapore is a tremendous opportunity for you! it’s certainly 1000 times better than Thai unis from what you’re telling me, and it is certainly the best route for you! so all the way man. i suppose I am echoing what I said in this post because I have had alternatives which many do not have. thanks for reminding me of this. not all are as fortunate to have the power to choose otherwise, or to go to the US. if you ask me to stay in malaysia i’d rather go and work straight away and study part time. many here see Singapore as the sole ticket to a better life and future. and that’s all fine with me. but i can’t help but to feel a tinge of sadness for all the brain drain that is going on.
so basically this post is just some grumbles by Mr Lin Ern Sheong which all of you can just take lightly, read, and forget about it. but think about it once in a while, when you think that you have had enough of Singapore
Hi Ern Sheong,
I stumbled upon this blog when reading Moridin’s.
I’m curious about how you described competition in JCs- is it really that cut-throat? Do students take competition to a a personal level?
Thanks.
@M: Hi there!
I would not say on the personal level. It’s more of my own expectations and not living up to it, and constantly struggling to stay at the highest level possible. Nothing to do with others. In fact, Singaporeans do not really show that they are competing with each other. It’s unspoken. Life goes on, but behind the scenes, it’s competition. Face to face, things are friendly, and I really mean it. Singaporeans do not act nice, they are nice. So the competition is not at a personal level.
But hey, it would be a great experience if you get to go there. I found myself seriously studying for the first time in Singapore. And pushing myself to the limits, studying hours every day. In Malaysia, didn’t really feel the effort. But in Singapore, I put in loads of effort that I never did in Malaysia.
Oh make no mistake about it. Junior College life in Singapore is tough. Many say that it is tougher than Uni life, at least that’s what some teacher’s tell us. (also depends on the course u take in uni) You can constantly be pushed forward by your peers (no one likes to lose and be second best) and teachers. It’s move forward or lose out.
Having said all that, you can choose to ignore what I just said and have your mind perceive things differently. Go to JC for an education, and don’t be perturbed by all the competition going on. Do what you enjoy. Study what you like. At the end of the day, it’s not the A level certificate, it’s the friends and experiences along the way. So don’t worry too much about the competition! That’s life I guess. Better focus on other things than worry about the competition. don’t be afraid of getting into competition. it brings out the potential in us humans.
we need challenges to live purposefully and meaningfully.
Re-posted from Chat Box. Guest (anonymous) says:
there is great bias on your part for msia, against sg, that hinder an objective judgement on your part. glass ceilings are more apparent in msia. there is no doubt that msia practices race discrimination. your idealistic notions of equality, of anti-elitism, is certainly unqualified. how many times have you worked with an uneducated rude plebian? would you hire them if you are the CEO of dell? sg is a great home for ppl rich and poor, of all race/religion. stop your diatribe agst the country that provided you a free education. srsly.**** off
@Guest: Hi Guest! Good to hear from you
hmmm did i insult singapore in any way? i apologise if you see it that way. I did acknowledge that Singapore is a very orderly place, much better than malaysia in many respects. in fact, i always make singapore a point of comparison when trying to illustrate malaysia’s incompetencies. yes malaysia practices racial discrimation, and that is regrettable. the ceiling here in malaysia is not made of glass, but rather it is made of concrete. (wrong skin color, too bad for you kind of concrete) and what i posted in my blog is not a diatribe against a country. it is just my PERCEPTIONS on a scholarship and its implications to some parties, especially myself, and yes, a bit was about how i felt in singapore when i was there. and my arguments are for supporting the notion that I want to return home to malaysia, and that is rather unlikely should i study in singapore, no matter how near it is to malaysia. and you have to see that I am also arguing from the point of a Malaysian who loves his country.
and yes, you have just proven one of my points by asking me to f*** off. and also inferring that we malaysians are plebians. but well, to be clear, i don’t have any ill intentions about singapore, and i don’t want to pick a fight with you. every country has its strengths and weaknesses, and singapore trumps malaysia in more ways than i can imagine. but well it ain’t gonna matter who wins the debate. because in the end, what we say here don’t matter anyway. people will leave malaysia, and singapore will still be a “better place” (better governance, higher security, first class in everything) than malaysia right as of now.
peace out man, and God bless. let’s not fight over stuff like these. these are my opinions, i live and die by them, and so you have the right to have yours too, and thrive or suffer by them. sorry if you were insulted by my post, i offer my apologies and i want to be very clear that I do not mean anything bad of singapore. and yes, singapore did give me a free education for 2 years. and i am grateful for that.
make no doubt about it. I think God sent me to Singapore to be closer to Him through City Harvest Church. i was never a committed Christian anytime before encountering Him at this church in Singapore. So at the end of the day i agree with Ome. We should not hold up to governments or countries. God should be our King. I’ll have to trust more in Him and serve Him wherever He wants me to be. And I want to apologize again if I like to argue for Malaysia. I shall now shift my allegiance to wherever God thinks is best for me and everyone else instead of trying to state and justify for myself what is best for everyone. God first, me second. thanks for making me see it ome.
so, to wrap up, my dear guest, we shake hands OK? *shakes hands and adds a hug*
Tsk tsk, thats very rude of you Guest. With that behavior no matter how smart you are nobodys gonna listen to you. You must be a very lonely guy.
Don’t listen to him ernie, nothin proves that his opinion is right anyway.My mom used to live in SG & there was race discrim. they favor chinese ppl. Plus I don’t think you should be apologizing to some random dude of the internet anyway lol.
Your comment is emotionally-driven. Please be decent. While being anonymous might sets you free from the responsibility of what you are saying. you are definitely not a good representative of Singapore. Your anonymity alone already reduces the value of what you say to near to nothing, and I believe Johan’s and my defense of Ern Sheong is justified.
gee guys thanks. nothing beats the feeling of having buddies backing you up. maybe i shouldn’t have been too vocal and should have kept my thoughts as just that- thoughts. anyway let’s stop slamming the dude. we’re getting nowhere. topic closed.
this guy reminds me of the RJC blogger 2 years ago.
Reposted from Shoutbox
Guest: think critically. there is no point flogging a dead horse. you’re the wrong race to change msia :/
@Ern Sheong: It’s alright. As I said, I do feel sad for Thailand’s brain drain too.
Your post is worth reading for someone who’s considering “biting the bait”.
Needa think beyond the lucrative tuition fee waiver and $4300 annual allowance.
@M: Hi! I’d like to add to what Ern Sheong has said re: competition in JC’s. (Cut-throat? Personal?)
Well, writing from my experience, yes, there is competition in JC, but it is not to the level of being personal.
As you know, in Singapore, meritocracy is king, and that means if you want to thrive, you will have to strive. You work hard and stretch your potential. That’s the mindset around here. However, you will find that in the midst of such mindset, students here (at least in our, Ern Sheong and my, JC,) are nicer than you think. Students in JC are friendly, but they are work hard too, and let me tell you that honestly, it’s a good thing. You’d rather have a friend who spurs you on to study than one who parties all day and all night and make you fail your tests. At personal level though, when we all strip ourselves off our uniforms, ranks and decorations, my friends are really nice people. In fact, I found my best friends from my JC years.
Is the competition cut-throat? No, it isn’t. We play it fair here… as far as I know. As much as the higher-ups try to push us, we still look out for each other.
(I cannot say of the same thing about other JC’s though. The culture in our JC is that we study, but we do so openly and that encourages others to study too… in the end we help each other along. I have heard of JC’s whereby students play all day on the face level, just to go home and mug at night alone, and then all score well in the end. Now that’s cut-throat competition… deceive others into losing. Have to watch your back if you go to that kinda place… well, the atmosphere varies with the JC you go too, so choose carefully.
Shall not name JC’s here. For all I know, I might have gotten inaccurate information.)
I’d like to add that although as Ern Sheong said, life in JC can be tough, and depending on what you intend to do in uni, even tougher than uni, I have to point out that it is your choice to pick the level of stress that you are going to have it coming. Your H3 decisions, CCA’s and a few other decisions (like subject combi?) determine that. You can always settle for a less stressful of course, and nobody is going to blame you for doing that. You can be in a Singapore JC and have a happy life, because as Ern Sheong said, the most important thing that I gained from JC are friends and experiences and lessons learned. =)
Friendly competition, if existing in moderation, brings out the best in us.
At times, when it seems that the environment around you is getting competitive, don’t fret, it’s all to push each other on, and in the end, when everyone does better, it’s a win-win. Better than to be on top of a sleeping class. XD
@guest: I was writing out my reply with Ern Sheong asked us to stop. Hence, I rest my case. =)
Decided to come back. Haha I did a same Asean scholarship review. Still worth an experience to suffer/enjoy.
ps: the RJ blogger is in an ivy league school now.
pps: Happy Editing faq for new US undergrad wannabes.
@Passer-by:
Hi!
“Still worth an experience to suffer/enjoy.”
NO doubt about that. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Singapore, despite my grouses.
Maybe the RJ blogger would not even return to Singapore. haha.
you left your email so i actually know that the FAQ came from you! how come you’re in imperial now instead of States? (facebook snooping)
Who knows, maybe that person will come back and join politics? Since Singapore is selecting the next prime minister through A level distinctions… whatever not. Heh.
I didn’t leave that email purposely la. It’s courtesy to reply someone. Though no one replied me. And like I said, it was a clean sweep in my application. Same like my whole batch. That’s another set of moaning if you wanna hear why.
Go ask the asean seniors who will be going for the US fair, bet they will have stories of their own.
And talk about snooping heh, ask your senior asean batch who know me.
wah serious… clean sweep… i think i have heard of that before…
ok i just realised that you commented in my previous berkeley posts. that’s why i was wondering when you said “and like I said.” sorry should have realized the “passer-by” nick.
anyway doesn’t matter does it? imperial is a good school.
Haha, doesn’t matter at all. Life goes on as usual.
And life after Singapore is nice. You can bet on that.
Hi Ern Sheong,
I’m a potential ASEAN scholar for the the junior college. I have been thinking very hard about whether or not I really want to go to Singapore to study. From what I’ve heard, doing it at a local college such as Taylors might beat doing it at Singapore if you count in the immense pressure, the paternalistic attitude of the Singaporean gov towards those it is funding and the rigid, competitive system.
Oh yes, I’m so very glad to see your heart for having a life in line with God’s will. We rarely meet people like that nowadays. I’m sure you will do wonderfully at UC berkeley and the JPA scholarship is a great indication that he will slowly, but surely, reveal your path to you step by step.
Would appreciate it terribly if you could drop me a mail when (or if) you can find a slice of time in your surely very busy schedule!
@Hello!: Haha yup dropped you an e-mail
Hi
I’d like to know which schools in Singapore that these recipients of ASEAN scholarship will be sent to.
My son is in primary now and I’d like to get more details. In fact,I’d like to visit the school (located opp a girl’s school in Sg) which accept recipients from this scholarship but don’t know the name of the school.
Appreciate if you could help.
Thanks.
@Giftedmom:
As far as I know, the recipients of the ASEAN Scholarship will be posted to 8 Top Junior Colleges. (This applies for Direct Scholars only. Flow-through scholars who entered Singapore during Secondary School years may also be posted to other Junior Colleges)
They are, in no particular order:
1) Raffles Junior College
2) Hwa Chong Junior College
3) National Junior College
4) Victoria Junior College
5) Temasek Junior College
6) Anglo Chinese Junior College
7) Anderson Junior College
8 ) St. Andrews Junior College
(Where Raffles and Hwa Chong are widely regarded as the Top 2. Include National, Victoria and Temasek to make it the Top 5.)
I don’t recall any Junior College opposite a girls school at the moment. Hwa Chong and National are opposite each other in Bukit Timah. Raffles is in Bishan. (Both are in Central Singapore) Victoria and Temasek are situated more toward the East of Singapore.
N.B. I am referring to the ASEAN Pre-U Scholarship in this post. I do not have much information on the ASEAN Secondary School Scholarship. They can post you anywhere they like and there are really many many Secondary Schools in Singapore. But if your son works hard he can go to the best Junior Colleges later on after his O levels.
Hi Ern Sheong
Thanks for your prompt reply. I was told that the these visitors are allowed into these colleges. I’d like to bring my son there to take a look. Any idea which one is more open to visitors?
Thanks.
@Giftedmom:
Not too sure… most junior colleges have some sort of security but not too tight… i suggest visiting in the afternoon for any which you want to visit. People roam in and out more freely then. If you want to kill two birds with one stone try Bukit Timah for Hwa Chong and National JC at one glance. Then take bus 156 to Bishan for Raffles Junior Colleges. Then you can say you visited some of the top ones in one go.
Cheers,
Ern Sheong
Hi there.I chanced upon your blog as I was gathering info on the ASEAN Scholarships.
I just went for my selection interview this morning for Pre-U and would appreciate it if you can enlighten me on the chances of securing the scholarship after having passed the selection test.
Thanks =)
@just a passer-by: well i think the chances are pretty good if you carried yourself well during the interview. then again I cannot say for sure so just hope for the best! Cheers!
hey, I’ve been offered ASEAN Pre-U scholarship for year 2009. Since you’re an ASEAN scholar, I would like to ask, what does the Singapore MOE mean by ’satisfactory academic performance’? does it mean that I have to get straight A’s in all my examinations? Thanks in advance for you reply. =)
hey by all means go!!! broaden your horizons! Well MOE has guidelines which are not really high, like maintaining certain amount of Bs and Cs… i certainly did fail subjects before during the school exams, but managed to climb back up in the year-end exams. so yeah good results but not necessarily straight As..
hey fen.where’re you from?i got the letter today too.still considering whether ot not to go.i’ve heard that the workload and pressure is huge.but i’ve also heard that there’s a 3-month trial period for students to get used to the environment.which means if you ever decide to come back to msia during that period, you won’t need to pay back any cost incurred.is this true??
hey fen. where’re you from?i got the letter today too.
btw, i heard that there’s a 3-month trial period for students to get used to the environment.is this true??
Thanks =)
hey passer-by, I’m from Selangor, Malaysia. You’re from? I don’t think that there is a 3-month trial period for students anymore. I read on http://www.recom.com.my that a student went to Singapore for 2 weeks, then he came back to M’sia but he has to pay back the MOE as well. Anyway, I’ve decided to go to Singapore because I think that I’ll definitely gain a lot despite the stressful life there. Thanks to Ern Sheong for answering my question. I hope that everything goes well for you in Berkeley!
To: Passer-by
oops, the website should be http://www.recom.org. =)
To: Ern Sheong
Hey, the JPA IVY League scholarship that you’ve been awarded, is it only open for those who have completed their Pre-U studies? Can those who just got their SPM results apply for it too? So you actually took SAT and gained admission into UC before you applied for the JPA scholarship?
@fen: the JPA Ivy League Scholarship is awarded to those who have already been admitted to the “top international universities,” which is also rather subjective.
the real case was that i was already intending to use parent’s funding for UC Berkeley but then suddenly someone told me about the scholarship and i just decided to give it a try even though i was rejected before after SPM. (I received the scholarship 2 weeks before intended departure date) Those who just completed SPM can also apply for it but they will have to undergo JPA’s pre university program in INTEC and thus u cannot go to singapore. and JPA results after SPM would only be out later in the year so by then u wud have spent many months in singapore already… and also as you may know JPA is rather hard to get for non-bumi… too many uncontrollable factors. I was rather lucky and blessed to have received it.
all the best. going to singapore is a great decision. stressful but very fun and very exciting. many many opportunities to explore, most of which never existed in malaysia.
Thanks a lot! =) Hope that you are able to complete your degree in 3 years, have fun studying in UC! =)
cool. i am from penang. i’ve accepted d offer also.so cya there! ^^
to fen: by the way, can i have your email address pls? =)
To passer-by:
oh great! I hope to see ya in Singapore too!
my e-mail address is peckfen@gmail.com =)
to ern sheong:
hey. may i know which website i should go to in order to obtain the full list of the universities offered under the JPA Ivy League Scholarship?
thanks!=)
i don’t have such a list or a list to a link. next time when such a scholarship offer appears, call them up and ask them about the university that you are intending to go to.
Generally, they are:
US: All the Ivies, Berkeley, Stanford, MIT. (and maybe a few more)
UK: Oxford, Cam, LSE, Imperial, King’s, UCL
And a few other Aussie unis like Sydney, Melbourne, ANU, Queensland, Monash, WA, NSW
cool.thanks!
hi. your posts are very interesting! and i learnt a lot from them! thanks for those insightful posts!! btw, i would like to ask: so you took the SAT exam? when did you take it? was it in your 1st or 2nd year of JC? hope to hear from u soon! and good luck with all the midterm tests!!!
hey there
yeah i took SAT Subjects at the end of my JC1 year
SAT Reasoning mid JC2 year
my advice is that you spread it out and take them early, provided you are prepared. clear it away so you can focus on essays etc.
cheers
wow. thanks for the prompt reply! what SAT subjects did you take at the end of JC1?
hmm
Physics Chem Math2
typical subjects for an engineering kid
hey ern sheong, i read your blog post n i had the exact same thinking up in my brain. i just completed my a-levels in anderson jc. i was an asean direct scholar.
i have to say the education system here is too stifling. it wants to breed creative students but the system here simply does not allow one to happen. reason - the pressure cooker environment. the pressure to pass exams (n the schools make it ridiculously hard to pass them) forces students to put in their 100% all the time into studies. this leaves students with no other spare capacity to explore their other interests. every spare time is used into making sure one really knows the subject well, sometimes way beyond the syllabus. i have to say i sacrificed a lot of my interests, my love to explore the untested etc in my past 2 years because i simply cannot afford to invest time doing it. i had to put in full effort into studying.
perhaps one might argue that at least the students here are really of top quality, ready for university. but seriously why do i really need to study a certain subject so in depth in a-level? uni is supposed to be the place where one really learns the subject that he/she is pursuing in depth.
anyway, your point on singapore uni scholarships n the bond thereafter….i kinda agree wit it too. it is really indeed a very good deal. a chance to obtain a good degree, good job prospects in sg, double the pay in sg, safety n security in sg….one would really be tempted not to come back to msia after being ’stuck’ in the sg system for a long time. no doubt we are inhibited back home by several of our discriminatory policies. but i always believed it is our moral duties as educated citizens to bring about change to our country for the better, not to simply pack our bags n run away.
@bobby: hey there. great to hear from you! where r u studying now? not in singapore is my guess?
hey ern sheong. i just just just finished my a-levels a few days back. i’m in the process of applying for us uni. am busy writing the application essay for berkeley (deadline nov 30) and after that several other ivys. the plan is to proceed to the us to do a liberal arts edu, most likely majoring in econs.
@bobby: hey all the best to you in your applications. would be quite an anxious and exciting time for you now
holler if you need to ask any questions or anything else. just email me at my gmail add.
cheers