After 'O'
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Originally posted by eagle:
Fyi, YJC has a modular system for maths ;)
but I do agree that poly students will be very at home with lab... I saw it with my own eyes...
I just grad about a year ago only, so I don't think the system has changed much. But because year 1 modules were easier, I cleared extra supplemetary modules such that by year 4, I had only a few modules left, leaving me much more time to focus on my FYP, on top of having gone on student exchange and industrial attachment. For my friends who didn't go for attachment, they had only like 2 modules left for 4th year, leaving much more free time to concentrate on their FYP.
You can't do the same if you are from poly, because one year on easier modules has been lost on loading up extra modules (I maxed out in the first year). Also, you don't entirely skip the whole 1st year syllabus. So to me, it's not exactly fair to poly students, and it creates an unfair ground between poly and jc students, which to me, is of a disadvantage to poly grads. I mean, you are really drilled very deep in calculus and physics in jc, and most of these are repeated in uni first year maths and physics, and even 1 of EE's 2nd year module. In fact, I didn't even spend much time on both maths and physics in my first year, rather re-learning everything before class by giving tuition to A level students in these 2 subjects. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone ")
Anyway, foreigners do score As, I agree. But me and a number of my friends in uni still can equal them. ;) It's not as hard as you think when you understand the system; you can score more while doing less
Even if YJC has a modular system for maths, the final A's is still everything tested at 1 go so its not like the actual A's is modular if you get what i mean.
Its a choice whether to accept the 1 yr exemption or not and for me since my course didn't allow us to take 1 yr off, i'm actually very free to plan my timetable and have been taking 1 module less than the usual workload since i took more in yr 1 so i'm now juz clearing 15 AUs a sem and just nice will graduate.
I'm lossing interest in chem so i'm just waiting to finish my degree and go on to do psychology since i could not do it with my dip and its only recent yrs that psy dips are being offered. I'm leaving the top for people to fight and just stay where i am without caring about the catfight at the top :p
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Originally posted by dkcx:
Even if YJC has a modular system for maths, the final A's is still everything tested at 1 go so its not like the actual A's is modular if you get what i mean.
Its a choice whether to accept the 1 yr exemption or not and for me since my course didn't allow us to take 1 yr off, i'm actually very free to plan my timetable and have been taking 1 module less than the usual workload since i took more in yr 1 so i'm now juz clearing 15 AUs a sem and just nice will graduate.
I'm lossing interest in chem so i'm just waiting to finish my degree and go on to do psychology since i could not do it with my dip and its only recent yrs that psy dips are being offered. I'm leaving the top for people to fight and just stay where i am without caring about the catfight at the top :p
Erm... but for YJC, you really have to pass the module before you can go on. No mid year tests or anything, but tests based on individual chapters that you have to pass
Well, if it's a choice whether to accept the 1 yr exemption, still at an disadvantage
1) Accept and spend 1 extra year in life for a uni degree as compared to JC students
2) Don't accept and have the disadvantage which I mentioned earlier.
Either way, still doesn't work out well in my opinion. That's the main reason I tell my O level students not to go poly if they want to end up with a uni degree. But the catch is, they have to work hard in JC. There's no point going JC and playing, then retaining and spending one extra year, of scoring badly in the end, and still have to go JC.And also, if the mentality is that going poly is safer because if you die in JC, you still go poly leading to wastage of time in life... that's putting a failure mindset in the head before one even begins their journey.... And that's bad...
And anyway, the modular system isn't to me anything far apart from JC system. I didn't see many JC students having problems adapting at all. ;) I mean... you only need to chiong for half a year for the exams after which you can forget about it... In JC, you rush for 2 yrs to have 1 major exams that determine your fate........much more dangerous cuz u just need to screw up 1 exam to die...
Then again, for group projects that include lab work, poly students will shine in their handiwork. I know of a group who worked with such project; they had 1 poly grad + 3 JC grad in a 4 men team. Superb A+ performance.
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Originally posted by eagle:
Erm... but for YJC, you really have to pass the module before you can go on. No mid year tests or anything, but tests based on individual chapters that you have to pass
Well, if it's a choice whether to accept the 1 yr exemption, still at an disadvantage
1) Accept and spend 1 extra year in life for a uni degree as compared to JC students
2) Don't accept and have the disadvantage which I mentioned earlier.
Either way, still doesn't work out well in my opinion. That's the main reason I tell my O level students not to go poly if they want to end up with a uni degree. But the catch is, they have to work hard in JC. There's no point going JC and playing, then retaining and spending one extra year, of scoring badly in the end, and still have to go JC.And also, if the mentality is that going poly is safer because if you die in JC, you still go poly leading to wastage of time in life... that's putting a failure mindset in the head before one even begins their journey.... And that's bad...
And anyway, the modular system isn't to me anything far apart from JC system. I didn't see many JC students having problems adapting at all. ;) I mean... you only need to chiong for half a year for the exams after which you can forget about it... In JC, you rush for 2 yrs to have 1 major exams that determine your fate........much more dangerous cuz u just need to screw up 1 exam to die...
Then again, for group projects that include lab work, poly students will shine in their handiwork. I know of a group who worked with such project; they had 1 poly grad + 3 JC grad in a 4 men team. Superb A+ performance.
I am not sure about the engineering side but for mine, we can take modules exemption and not the whole yr so for me at least, i took exemptions for those courses that i hate taking like physics and didn't take exemptions for modules like my chem core that i can score in so i still got my As for them yet i have to take less modules than my JC peers. Generaly ppl in my course from poly can grad in 3.5yrs but for me i prefer to just take it easy or you can say slack.
Regarding whether to promote JC or poly to my students, i will depend on their current results and how hardworking they are. Most of mine are unfortunately not the studious kinds who would survive JC so i normally recommend poly. No point giving them false hope if i don't think they can do well and there is no need for them to waste 1 yr in JC to fail promos etc then make the switch which is what i have seen every so often.
Another thing may be that my students are not exactly academically strong and uni might not even be possible for them so at least the dip gives them an option to work rather than die with an A's cert that is rather useless if you don't qualify for uni.
The modular systems means that you have major exams after 3 months of studying which is unlike 2 yrs in JC. I've classmates who especially in yr 1 slack too much at the beginning and its the exams before they know it and suffer but i guess thats their fault.
Poly students do tend to fare better on the practical aspects of the course since thats what we are trained in and even FYP is not so scary to us since poly we already done 1 and thats alot more practical than the crappy PW that JC have to do i would say since all my JC classmates used to complain n chat about how stupid was their JC project work during yr 1.
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Interesting viewpoints that I agree as well :D
What's your major?
I guess I have said all that I thought of. Guess the points we raised should be enough to give TS a headache over what to choose again
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Originally posted by eagle:
Interesting viewpoints that I agree as well :D
What's your major?
I guess I have said all that I thought of. Guess the points we raised should be enough to give TS a headache over what to choose again
Chemistry and Biological Chemistry with a minor in Psychology
TS is still young and no real hurry for him to really make a decision now. Its better he focus on his studies now and aim to do well then to think what he wants to later on since results will have to be an important deciding factor.
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Originally posted by OHSheet:
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Hehe.. yo tony. okok.. just to explain to you.
I left SG after my olevels. in dec 08. I am a SG citizen and an Aus PR.
Id reccomend that you rather go to a private school COMPARED TO FOUNDATION. trust me. you pay abt the same $$, but its better.
consider it like this. Private school .. you do your Alevels equivilant and you can choose ANY uni you like. But for foundation is only 1 uni, but you stand a better chance. Unless you DAMN sure you know what course you wan, from a specific uni, den take up foundation. YUP! :D
oh yup. your Olevels PRELIMS is freaaaaaking important. i did great in my O levels prelims thats why they allow me to skip year 11 and do y12( Alevels equivilant) straight away. oh yep-must sit entrance test also. but shud be ok la :D.
1 more impt note. if u wan to study in aus, leave in dec.. jan you will get your Olev results- but dont care abt it. just ask you fren/ neighbour or whoever post it to you. NOTE! CAUSE the second you receive the Olev cert, along with it comes the notice that you CANNOT LEAVE THE COUNTRY without an exit permit.
( I left without an exit permit)- thats why its impt to leave B4 you get your cert back!!!!
studies here diff. not spoonfed. gotta look up stuff by your own. hehe..
and yea, you're right. Olev---high school---NS---> uni. buut. well. it depends. hopefully by your time PAP no longer in rule and they'll abolish compulsary conscription! XD( pls la. im praying for this also)!!!
hahaha.. consider your options. 2 years more. pls choose your subjects wisely based on what your aspirations are. :D
OHsheet...what u mean...Private School? in Aus? such as....? Are there foreigners or mainly locals?....am not do not really know what i want in my life...maybe work in oil rig sector....I love to deal with machine...not humans...
I want to work hard...to score well...but never seem to make my grade....am also love computer games....maybe that is distraction...trying to overcome...I ve got tutors..which is very taxing to my parents...but am still scoring 50+...I am forgetful...and careless....and do not like memory work...
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Originally posted by Tony.chang95:
You still have time to think about what you want. Don't need make a decision so soon.
Regarding your work, memory work is unavoidable and i myself dislike it as well but still have to deal with it. Carelessness can be reduce with practice and checking so don't slack and sleep after you finish your exams. Work with your tutors and if you feel they aren't really helping u, request for a change or just go without them and try to work on your own if its taxing on your parents.
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Originally posted by dkcx:
Chemistry and Biological Chemistry with a minor in Psychology
TS is still young and no real hurry for him to really make a decision now. Its better he focus on his studies now and aim to do well then to think what he wants to later on since results will have to be an important deciding factor.
ahh... I see
radically different from electrical engineering :D
I presume you teach Chem and Bio tuition? Do you teach those for A levels as well?
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Originally posted by eagle:
ahh... I see
radically different from electrical engineering :D
I presume you teach Chem and Bio tuition? Do you teach those for A levels as well?
I give maths n chem tuition. Can't give bio since i never done bio all my life so i'm unfamiliar with the school requirement, syllabus and marking style.
Mostly teaching sec sch level and not A's since i didn't really do the A's syllabus
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Actually you can download the syllabus from SEAB to take a look
A lot of pple still need help at As... :(
It's a pity I can't help in chem at all :( -
Originally posted by eagle:
Actually you can download the syllabus from SEAB to take a look
A lot of pple still need help at As... :(
It's a pity I can't help in chem at all :(A's work is abit too close to uni work which i'm getting sick of :p
Sec sch work is still generally of the easier level which i dun really need think too much.
You can't help in chem but your physics and maths knowledge seriously surpass me by alot especially physics which is a subject i disliked since sec sch.
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Oh...by the way, I also heard some ITEs are collaborating with overseas univ as well for joint diplomas.....perhaps in the very close future, the students could also gain direct admission to overseas university depending on the programme, or something like ITE ==> Poly (2nd year) etc. Just some thoughts. With all JAE, and rising relevance and practicality of polys with their higher standards of knowledge, I think the MOE needs to rethink the structure of JC curriculum, else risk loosing its relevance in modern society. They had the Pre-U seminar in order to link JCs students to Univ to understand more and have JC students doing special engineering, science or biomedical projects with NUS/NTU professors, these are good. But they need to do more. I also see that in order for different types of institutions to survive, there is a need to have a distinct strength/feature/novelty for the institution, which the polys are doing, e.g. some polys focus on engineering, some polys focus on life-science and healthcare, some poly focus on computing and computer science, etc.