Need advice, retained in jc..

• VictoriaQ

  13 Nov 12, 15:00

  im thinking whether should i remain in jc or just go to poly.. 

  if i remain in JC--i may have to transfer school (to get the combi i want to change to,current sch do not offer)  is this possible? :/

  but what im thinking is that i will have a higher chance now that the combi i wanna take still remains somewhat similar to my current one, except a few changes from h2 to h1 maths and taking up a new h2 subject. but im worried about gp and whether th h2 could work..

  if i choose to go poly--im deciding on business admin( ngee ann/sp) or possibly tourism and resort(sp/np)..

  if possible, can ppl studying in these areas provide me on details like how ur lessons are like what are the relevant modules u took or even how different these courses are (sp vs np?) and i heard the chances of getting into uni is like you need a gpa of 3.8? what about private uni? :x thanks

• eneirdacalista

  14 Nov 12, 12:27

  definitely go to poly!! though i can't advice you on the poly courses, from personal experience you shouldn't waste your time in jc anymore. i was stuck in the same situation years back but i managed to change my combi in the same school. i totally regret that decision.

  after i completed jc, i went to uni and that's where i met many others who had the same sentiments-that jc was a wrong decision from the start. we had few waivers but students from poly were wavied off many credits and modules because of what they studied there whereas students in jc took longer to graduate because we had fewer waivers. 

  i had some friends who retained also but they went to uni (university in buffalo in SIM) immediately. they've already graduatuated and are doing well in their jobs. one is a celebrity agent in los angles now. 

  just my two cents worth :)

• fudgester

  14 Nov 12, 15:52

  Ask yourself once and for all: do you want to go to a local uni?

  Because regardless of what people may tell you, the JC route is still the more sure route to uni. If you think you can learn from your mistakes and work harder next year, and you are dead set on a local uni, then you should stay in JC.

  But if you think you will be better off at poly, then by all means move on to poly. Just take note that it would be harder to go to a local uni from there.

  Do NOT go to private uni except as a last resort, because they are generally held in lower regard by employers.

• Audi

  15 Nov 12, 11:28

  Both are good options, as long as you have no regrets in making them. But make sure you choose to prioritise your studies first should you decide to redo your JC year 1. I am actually doing my 3rd year in JC (I redid my year 2) and for me, it was definitely easier to cope in my 3rd year since I already mastered most contents earlier on. But bearing in mind that you are redoing year 1, please also know that you must work as hard in year 2 because most likely, you won't have seen year 2 materials and by the time you enter JC2, you are still competing on a level ground with your peers. You have a point in saying that it's easier for you to do the SAME subject combination since you know most of the materials already. If you think that your current subjects are manageable ONLY IF you start working hard from now, then I don't see the need to change subjects. If you are really NOT interested, by all means, go ahead. After all, you are still competing on level ground with the new incoming batch of year 1s.
• VictoriaQ

  15 Nov 12, 18:40

  Originally posted by eneirdacalista:

  definitely go to poly!! though i can't advice you on the poly courses, from personal experience you shouldn't waste your time in jc anymore. i was stuck in the same situation years back but i managed to change my combi in the same school. i totally regret that decision.

  after i completed jc, i went to uni and that's where i met many others who had the same sentiments-that jc was a wrong decision from the start. we had few waivers but students from poly were wavied off many credits and modules because of what they studied there whereas students in jc took longer to graduate because we had fewer waivers. 

  i had some friends who retained also but they went to uni (university in buffalo in SIM) immediately. they've already graduatuated and are doing well in their jobs. one is a celebrity agent in los angles now. 

  just my two cents worth :)

  hmm may i know what degree u went for in uni? but i heard poly students were at most only given a few semesters waiver off? :x thanks for ur advice anyway! =)

• VictoriaQ

  15 Nov 12, 18:56

   

   @audi and @fudgester thanks for your advice. I do know that JC is a more sure route to uni, which is why im really considering whether sld I go JC/Poly, as poly is somewhat safe but jc I hold a greater chance to go uni..   (umm had no idea why is th font so small here:/ new user haha:x)

  and i think i will continue in jc, as i have alr gotten used to the studying environment in jc so i felt i will be able to handle it earier. :)  hmm however, do you guys know whats the difference between h1 and h2 maths?
  coz i took h2 maths and i felt it is kinda tough, which is why i considering to drop it to h1 maths, as i heard it is like amaths(i took amaths b4) . is that it? would the statistics be hard?(its higher % right? and consists of previously learnt topics like probability..) 
  do u guys mind telling me ur sunj combi? haha coz im wondering if it is advisable to take 3h2 Arts subjects! 

   

   

   

   

• Audi

  15 Nov 12, 19:19

  Hi. Yes I suggest you search for A level H1 mathematics syllabus. You should be able to see the materials you will be studying for (the objectives, etc). As a general advice, I will say try not to drop H2 Math. I have a friend who used to fare really badly for O level math and she got 17 points for the L1R5. She got into a neighbourhood JC and still managed to get by with a B for H2 Mathematics. I will say you just have to do more practice. I know when school starts, it's difficult for you to do 1 Math paper per week alongside the tutorials. Why not try this, do ONE Mathematics question PER day from different topics. I am sure you will see the result in the long run. Mathematics is one of the subjects where you can get an A or B easily. To give you that added advantage, probably do ONE Mathematics question once your school holiday begins. This gives you an edge over the Year 1s right? My H2 subjects are Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Hmm 3 Arts subject is way too heavy. Most arts student I know only take 2 H2 arts subjects: Economics, Literature, Mathematics, History (for H1). So I'd suggest if you want, take 2 H2 Arts subject, 1 H2 Science subject and another arts as H1 if you like it. Choose according to your interests. The above is merely a suggestion based on what I have seen from my friends' subject combi.
• Azalea Hatake

  15 Nov 12, 20:55

  Hey. I retained JC1 too.. I really don't know what to do. I have been considering poly but my parents are against it. It's depressing for me 'cos they just told me 'It's your fault that you retained. You make your own choice'. Not that I'm whining or anything but I don't know where else to go for advice. 

  I took H1 Bio (which I deeply regretted), H2 Chem,Econs & Maths. 

  The thing holding me back from repeating JC1 is the humiliation. I was in council and I got kicked out the moment I retained.. Also, there are a handful of teachers in my school who humiliate the JC1 seniors (aka retainees) during lectures and being a complete softie, I don't know if I can handle that. Otherwise, I would have been a happy retainee because I wouldn't want to dive into A levels with a shaky foundation like my peers who scraped through. 

  My teacher thinks that I do better in languages. I got a B for GP (first in class too. But only because my class is horrible in the first place) and says that I should consider changing my subjects to Arts. I really don't want to. All my life, my parents steered me towards science subjects so that I would have a better chance of entering Medicine. I did triple science for O levels and that leaves me with only combined humanities (SS,Geog) as my arts subject. The only subject with no prerequisites is Literature which I don't mind taking. 

  So my dilemma is, should I change my subjects or should I just stick with my current combi? Would really appreciate the advice! :)

  P.S. If you are a Sec 4/5 student choosing subjects to study at A level, DO NOT take Biology at H1. It's a waste of time and effort. If you desperately want to study Bio, take it at H2.

• Audi

  15 Nov 12, 21:22

  Originally posted by Azalea Hatake:

  Hey. I retained JC1 too.. I really don't know what to do. I have been considering poly but my parents are against it. It's depressing for me 'cos they just told me 'It's your fault that you retained. You make your own choice'. Not that I'm whining or anything but I don't know where else to go for advice. 

  I took H1 Bio (which I deeply regretted), H2 Chem,Econs & Maths. 

  The thing holding me back from repeating JC1 is the humiliation. I was in council and I got kicked out the moment I retained.. Also, there are a handful of teachers in my school who humiliate the JC1 seniors (aka retainees) during lectures and being a complete softie, I don't know if I can handle that. Otherwise, I would have been a happy retainee because I wouldn't want to dive into A levels with a shaky foundation like my peers who scraped through. 

  My teacher thinks that I do better in languages. I got a B for GP (first in class too. But only because my class is horrible in the first place) and says that I should consider changing my subjects to Arts. I really don't want to. All my life, my parents steered me towards science subjects so that I would have a better chance of entering Medicine. I did triple science for O levels and that leaves me with only combined humanities (SS,Geog) as my arts subject. The only subject with no prerequisites is Literature which I don't mind taking. 

  So my dilemma is, should I change my subjects or should I just stick with my current combi? Would really appreciate the advice! :)

  P.S. If you are a Sec 4/5 student choosing subjects to study at A level, DO NOT take Biology at H1. It's a waste of time and effort. If you desperately want to study Bio, take it at H2.

  
  Hi, I would understand what you are going through. Don't worry. The humiliation part is only felt by ourselves. Initially,when I told my parents that I want to redo my Year 2, all my teachers, parents and siblings are against it. They were like,"Stop wasting one year of your life". But I told them that this is my life and I felt that this was the only right decision I could make at that time.Just like you, before I began my new semester, I was worried about how the new peers would think of me, etc. However such fears were unfounded. The peers were ok. I am in a retainee class so everyone in my class belongs to the 1993 batch. Sure, most of the teachers scolded us, checked our homework individually, etc. They did specifically "humiliate" our class during lectures as well. But deep down, the teachers want to help. The reason why they are harsh is because they assume most retainees are lazy, playful and uncompetitive in JC, to quote the words of one of my tutors. They take the hard approach because they dont want us to waste another year since, as I said, they assume retainees won't take the soft approach. However, along the year, you will meet encouraging tutors as well, who tell the class to never give up. There is nothing humiliating about it. No one will laugh at you. The only enemy of yours is your own pride and self-esteem. Deal with it. For me, I treat it as a rare opportunity that only a minor portion of each cohort get to experience. After all, only a handful out of the hundreds of students retain. Take it as a learning process. Retaining is only a small setback. If you can swallow down this "humiliation", you will go a tad further in life than the rest. Don't worry too much. If you need help, talk to a school counsellor. There is nothing shameful with that. All the best!
• Audi

  15 Nov 12, 21:23

  -
• Audi

  15 Nov 12, 21:32

  Do your best and don't give up! Retaining is not the end of the world! What does matter is that you feel that you have made the right decision (in either choosing to redo JC or to go to a poly). The rest... we just have to let things unfold and life goes on, as per normal.
• Azalea Hatake

  15 Nov 12, 22:13

  Thank you! That really helped :) I've decided to continue on and repeat JC 1. I really hope I won't repeat the mistakes I made this year...

• fudgester

  16 Nov 12, 08:16

  Originally posted by Azalea Hatake:

  Thank you! That really helped :) I've decided to continue on and repeat JC 1. I really hope I won't repeat the mistakes I made this year...

  Good for you; take it as a chance to excel.

  After all, while the rest of your classmates next year are seeing the syllabus for the first time, it will be all familiar territory to you.

• Mrs K

  20 Nov 12, 17:59

  I know someone who is in the similar situation. How about taking preparatory courses? Like going to A levels next year as a private candidate. Its a ten month prog. Anyone has any ideas about this prep courses? I mean what are the diasadvantages or advanatges to be private candidates...Well if you take prep courses, you can change your subj combi but beinga private candidate is gonna be hectic cause you gonna handle evrything yourself...and no cca for that matter...so should take prep course?

• VictoriaQ

  23 Nov 12, 00:18

  Originally posted by Audi:

  Hi. Yes I suggest you search for A level H1 mathematics syllabus. You should be able to see the materials you will be studying for (the objectives, etc).

  As a general advice, I will say try not to drop H2 Math. I have a friend who used to fare really badly for O level math and she got 17 points for the L1R5. She got into a neighbourhood JC and still managed to get by with a B for H2 Mathematics. I will say you just have to do more practice. I know when school starts, it’s difficult for you to do 1 Math paper per week alongside the tutorials. Why not try this, do ONE Mathematics question PER day from different topics. I am sure you will see the result in the long run. Mathematics is one of the subjects where you can get an A or B easily. To give you that added advantage, probably do ONE Mathematics question once your school holiday begins. This gives you an edge over the Year 1s right?

  My H2 subjects are Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.

  Hmm 3 Arts subject is way too heavy. Most arts student I know only take 2 H2 arts subjects: Economics, Literature, Mathematics, History (for H1). So I’d suggest if you want, take 2 H2 Arts subject, 1 H2 Science subject and another arts as H1 if you like it.

  Choose according to your interests. The above is merely a suggestion based on what I have seen from my friends' subject combi.
                    

  thanks i find ur suggestion good. guess i will try to do one maths queston per day!

  however, what im worried is actually GP... is there a way to improve gp while doing my other subjects well too? im asked to read a lot, but does it help? what i need is to memorise those argument made?

   

  also, anyone too h2 history? would appreciate if u could give some advice on the subjcect like  is it manageable and how to improve? what im worried is actually GP, as my language is not very good... B3 for o level :x

• fudgester

  23 Nov 12, 08:28

  Originally posted by VictoriaQ:

  thanks i find ur suggestion good. guess i will try to do one maths queston per day!

  however, what im worried is actually GP... is there a way to improve gp while doing my other subjects well too? im asked to read a lot, but does it help? what i need is to memorise those argument made?

   

  also, anyone too h2 history? would appreciate if u could give some advice on the subjcect like  is it manageable and how to improve? what im worried is actually GP, as my language is not very good... B3 for o level :x

  Don't memorize. Understand.

  On my part I never had to study for GP. I credit that to my parents for having inculcated in me good reading habits since young. They would make me read the newspapers daily and take me to the library every Saturday morning. Whatever general knowledge I have was never memorized. Rather, I would read a lot, and some of it just rubs off on me.

  So please go forth and pick up good reading habits. By that I mean good, proper books and magazines, not Cosmopolitan or CLEO.  

  Also, make a conscious effort to use proper English every chance you have. That includes things like SMSes, WhatsApp messages, and yes, forum posts. If your friends want to laugh at you for using 'your' instead of 'ur' in your WhatsApp messages, you can always laugh back at them when your A Level results come out.

  So the next time you post in this topic (or any other topic, for that matter), please don't write the way you have been writing.