Poly or JC rt?
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I have my doubts for this statement.Originally posted by vIn.Warrior:no matter what, pple are still looking highly at JC students. -
The fact that most of them who received scholarships are JC students doesn't help.Originally posted by stellazio:yes i wouldn't mind letting those RJC,HCI etc students have their glory as being the cream of the crops..
but why do i have to stand in awe of those ****ing lousy JCs that i shunned..
the problem here is that once people hear the word JC and they think its good without even probing more.. -
That's not true too.... in fact poly students are more prepared for uni education, especially when the field of studies are similiar/the same. Thats why some poly students get exempted from yr1 in certain courses offered by local unis.
Does getting exempted means that we are more prepared? I don't think so. That would be short-sighted on our part
I felt that being prepared means being able to cope, being able to learn independently, questioned doubts, etc.
Skipping a year means we understood what is taught in Year 1, but doesn't mean we are prepared. You can skip, but if you can't cope with university's life, you are not prepared. -
Nowadays, both poly grads and 'A' level grads can enter the Universities to obtain the same degree.
I disagree. If a poly graduate is not in the top 5%, he won't be able to do the same degree with an A Level graduate with average results. The A Level graduate could do a degree in Geography, but the poly graduate can't. Singapore education system says as long as you get a merit for diploma, you can get to choose more courses, with certain courses still off you, like medicine and law. An A Level would be able to do so. -
I disagree. What you say doesn't apply to ALL Courses either. There are certain courses where you do not have to be in the top 5% of your cohort to gain entrance to a degree program.Originally posted by ndmmxiaomayi:I disagree. If a poly graduate is not in the top 5%, he won't be able to do the same degree with an A Level graduate with average results. The A Level graduate could do a degree in Geography, but the poly graduate can't. Singapore education system says as long as you get a merit for diploma, you can get to choose more courses, with certain courses still off you, like medicine and law. An A Level would be able to do so.
And, you quoted ONE PARAGRAPH from my post, and omitted the earlier paragraph where I specifically mentioned that :
"Academics should never be belittled - afterall, it's the basis where Research and certain fields like Medicine is built upon. You cannot do without academics in any field."
That was after I had established that it's via 'A' levels that one gets stringent training in the Academics. So, by Academic being the basis for 'certain fields like Medicine', the implication is already there that one has to have the 'A' levels to enter into certain faculties. -
You have a point there, but I do not wish for flame wars to start in my forum. So please express your opinions, by all means, but do exercise a little tact - calling someone else's idea 'too shallow' isn't exactly diplomatic.Originally posted by ndmmxiaomayi:Does getting exempted means that we are more prepared? I don't think so. That is just too shallow.
I felt that being prepared means being able to cope, being able to learn independently, questioned doubts, etc.
Skipping a year means we understood what is taught in Year 1, but doesn't mean we are prepared. You can skip, but if you can't cope with university's life, you are not prepared.
Your points are good and valid, but please do not insult the people you quote in the process of expressing your opinions. That is not necessary. -
That's my viewpoint from the academic aspect. and if u're talking about university life, it's totally a different point there.Originally posted by ndmmxiaomayi:Does getting exempted means that we are more prepared? I don't think so. That is just too shallow.
I felt that being prepared means being able to cope, being able to learn independently, questioned doubts, etc.
Skipping a year means we understood what is taught in Year 1, but doesn't mean we are prepared. You can skip, but if you can't cope with university's life, you are not prepared.
Being able to cope with university life is just a test of an individual's flexibility & ability to adapt, irregardless whether he/she's from poly/JC. -
I agree!Originally posted by silv3rgal:That's my viewpoint from the academic aspect. and if u're talking about university life, it's totally a different point there.
Being able to cope with university life is just a test of an individual's flexibility & ability to adapt, irregardless whether he/she's from poly/JC.
Exam results have nothing to do with how well a student acclimatises to University life. -
I couldn't find a better word. I did think try to think, but cannot find. I have no wish to start flame wars either.Originally posted by Rhonda:You have a point there, but I do not wish for flame wars to start in my forum. So please express your opinions, by all means, but do exercise a little tact - calling someone else's idea 'too shallow' isn't exactly diplomatic. Your points are good and valid, but please do not insult the people you quote in the process of expressing your opinions. That is not necessary.
I think I found it. If still cannot, then you edit. My vocabulary very limited. -
In the past, poly student hardly any enters UniOriginally posted by Rhonda:I'm quite surprised too... because I'd think that with all the publicity about this issue in the newspapers and in the News on TV, the parents would realise by now that more people are choosing the Poly's over the JC's. The demand is clearly for Poly's so why is there still an apparent stigma?
Hmm... could it be that in the past, it used to be much easier to enter the Poly than the JC? And they haven't updated their knowledge and perceptions so they continue to think that way?
Today 1 JC prinicipal said "If you want to plan to go Uni, come to JC"... That's why with such comments, the stigma is still there
Anyway, an 'A' cert can't get you a job these days -
As I see the 5% issue, my stance is this
This creates a braindrain in Singapore, many bright poly students just because of this then cannot enter Uni... -
The 'A' levels cert was never meant to get you a job anyways! It was always meant as a stepping stone to University.Originally posted by sbst275:In the past, poly student hardly any enters Uni
Today 1 JC prinicipal said "If you want to plan to go Uni, come to JC"... That's why with such comments, the stigma is still there
Anyway, an 'A' cert can't get you a job these days
To be truthful, having gone through both systems, I feel that the JC one is considerably tougher. I know of a few smart friends who all didn't do well in their 'A' levels because it's extremely rigorous. Only the really smart and really diligent sorts can survive the 'A' levels.
Poly wasn't exactly a breeze either, but in terms of intensity and difficulty, I'd definitely say that the 'A' levels was more of a torture overall. -
It's not a matter of vocabulary - you don't have to have a fantastic vocabulary to be a tad more gentle in your tone.Originally posted by ndmmxiaomayi:I couldn't find a better word. I did think try to think, but cannot find. I have no wish to start flame wars either.
I think I found it. If still cannot, then you edit. My vocabulary very limited.
And anyways, I guess you meant no harm. -
I foresee the situation changing in the near future as JC's see a dwindling intake whilst Poly's receive the bulk of each year's 'O' level graduates.Originally posted by sbst275:As I see the 5% issue, my stance is this
This creates a braindrain in Singapore, many bright poly students just because of this then cannot enter Uni...
Just be patient... the situation shall have to change soon. -
Actually if you are not the very academic inclined, never try JC rt.. Waste your time esp for guys because of NS.. Society dun wait for you, sad but trueOriginally posted by Rhonda:The 'A' levels cert was never meant to get you a job anyways! It was always meant as a stepping stone to University.
To be truthful, having gone through both systems, I feel that the JC one is considerably tougher. I know of a few smart friends who all didn't do well in their 'A' levels because it's extremely rigorous. Only the really smart and really diligent sorts can survive the 'A' levels.
Poly wasn't exactly a breeze either, but in terms of intensity and difficulty, I'd definitely say that the 'A' levels was more of a torture overall. -
The problems is that the changes are not coming that fastOriginally posted by Rhonda:I foresee the situation changing in the near future as JC's see a dwindling intake whilst Poly's receive the bulk of each year's 'O' level graduates.
Just be patient... the situation shall have to change soon.
JC's are already facing fall in percentage of student captured while poly is getting pop as the year goes -
the statistic's no longer at 5% of course ...Originally posted by sbst275:As I see the 5% issue, my stance is this
This creates a braindrain in Singapore, many bright poly students just because of this then cannot enter Uni...
but frankly, I do feel that a poly education doesn't quite prepare oneself for the rigors of uni life ... two things poly doesn't do very well in terms of prep for uni are essay and report writing, and also maths ... the latter in particular is very important ... I think the average poly chap simply doesn't have enough grounding in mathematics for many science and engineering disciplines ....
(or perhaps it's just the system ... poly modules look spectacular on paper, perhaps that's why unis are so eager to grant excemptions to poly grads, but just like the rest of the Singapore "system" it's all a case of meaningless benchmarking ... I know how to differentiate and integrate pretty well from O's and poly I think, but I never knew the meaning and knowledge behind calculus until I came to uni ... knowing how to perform laplace transforms etc is meaningless if you don't know FTC, and cannot derive the relationship between differentiation and integration eh ....
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My exact sentiments!!Originally posted by Fatum:the statistic's no longer at 5% of course ...
but frankly, I do feel that a poly education doesn't quite prepare oneself for the rigors of uni life ... two things poly doesn't do very well in terms of prep for uni are essay and report writing, and also maths ... the latter in particular is very important ... I think the average poly chap simply doesn't have enough grounding in mathematics for many science and engineering disciplines ....
That's why in my posts, I highlighted the fact that in JC, you are rigidly trained in Academics whilst the Poly offers a more competency-based learning program.
As for Maths, I cannot comment because I'm Math-phobic and a consistent failure in Math. 
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Actually as far as I know, my neighbour at NP takes communication skill module as part of his non academic modulesOriginally posted by Fatum:the statistic's no longer at 5% of course ...
but frankly, I do feel that a poly education doesn't quite prepare oneself for the rigors of uni life ... two things poly doesn't do very well in terms of prep for uni are essay and report writing, and also maths ... the latter in particular is very important ... I think the average poly chap simply doesn't have enough grounding in mathematics for many science and engineering disciplines ....
(or perhaps it's just the system ... poly modules look spectacular on paper, perhaps that's why unis are so eager to grant excemptions to poly grads, but just like the rest of the Singapore "system" it's all a case of meaningless benchmarking ... I know how to differentiate and integrate pretty well from O's and poly I think, but I never knew the meaning and knowledge behind calculus until I came to uni ... knowing how to perform laplace transforms etc is meaningless if you don't know FTC, and cannot derive the relationship between differentiation and integration eh .... )
As for Maths, it all depends on your course -
I mean to find a better word so that it won't sound like I am flaming.Originally posted by Rhonda:It's not a matter of vocabulary - you don't have to have a fantastic vocabulary to be a tad more gentle in your tone.
And anyways, I guess you meant no harm. -
my experience tallies with yours too. when i was in uni, my classmates who are from poly have a lot of difficulty in deriving equations from the first principle but they are extremely competent in lab session and project work. those from JC, on the other, still faced problems in first principle derivation but to a much lesser extent, and they generally are less skillful in lab. btw, it was an engineering course.Originally posted by Fatum:the statistic's no longer at 5% of course ...
but frankly, I do feel that a poly education doesn't quite prepare oneself for the rigors of uni life ... two things poly doesn't do very well in terms of prep for uni are essay and report writing, and also maths ... the latter in particular is very important ... I think the average poly chap simply doesn't have enough grounding in mathematics for many science and engineering disciplines ....
(or perhaps it's just the system ... poly modules look spectacular on paper, perhaps that's why unis are so eager to grant excemptions to poly grads, but just like the rest of the Singapore "system" it's all a case of meaningless benchmarking ... I know how to differentiate and integrate pretty well from O's and poly I think, but I never knew the meaning and knowledge behind calculus until I came to uni ... knowing how to perform laplace transforms etc is meaningless if you don't know FTC, and cannot derive the relationship between differentiation and integration eh .... )
Rhonda also stated a very good point abt academic vs competent training and the importance of both. i can't agree more than that! we need both types of talent. from my experience as a observer of annual project exhibition held in various polys and JC and sometimes in unis, i can spot a trend: poly students are more well versed in APPLYING existing theory, methods, technologies to solve real life problems while JC/uni students are more well versed in solving basic science problems which might not have direct applicable to real world. poly training tends to ask "WHAT can this theory, methods, technologies do?" while unis tends to ask "WHY". the basic science and social sciences are like tools for the polys to use to make useful products and services. to add-on, only less than 10% of the academic papers that are published are applied in real world solutions. we need more poly trained talent to unlock the treasures in these tools!
everyone has a purpose in society. the collective contribution (be it small or big) from us is what makes the human race progress for the last thousands of years, everyone is important, poly vs JC or ITE shld not be used as a criteria of judgement
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I guess that's why polys started to offer electives to make sure that poly students are not only well-versed in their respective fields, but have knowledge of other fields as well.Originally posted by sherling22:my experience tallies with yours too. when i was in uni, my classmates who are from poly have a lot of difficulty in deriving equations from the first principle but they are extremely competent in lab session and project work. those from JC, on the other, still faced problems in first principle derivation but to a much lesser extent, and they generally are less skillful in lab. btw, it was an engineering course.
Rhonda also stated a very good point abt academic vs competent training and the importance of both. i can't agree more than that! we need both types of talent. from my experience as a observer of annual project exhibition held in various polys and JC and sometimes in unis, i can spot a trend: poly students are more well versed in APPLYING existing theory, methods, technologies to solve real life problems while JC/uni students are more well versed in solving basic science problems which might not have direct applicable to real world. poly training tends to ask "WHAT can this theory, methods, technologies do?" while unis tends to ask "WHY". the basic science and social sciences are like tools for the polys to use to make useful products and services. to add-on, only less than 10% of the academic papers that are published are applied in real world solutions. we need more poly trained talent to unlock the treasures in these tools!
everyone has a purpose in society. the collective contribution (be it small or big) from us is what makes the human race progress for the last thousands of years, everyone is important, poly vs JC or ITE shld not be used as a criteria of judgement
I am not a university student, so I can't compare what's the difference. But as a poly student, I seen the importance of electives, despite having no relationship with my diploma. The electives other than helping us gain more knowledge, make our diploma more general so that we can excel in other fields. -
i always say...
so what if you're highly educated but you have a lousy work rate? people will still despise you, that's not the way to live is it?