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I'm usually quite shocked at asian educaion systems tbh, my parents emigrated from Hong Kong so I was educated in a western system and there wasn't the type of pressure that's generally placed on kids and teens. I don't feel that I've been disadvantaged heh.
With regards results, yeah they're important but then you realise that your bachleors results arn't the be all and end all while personal recommendations from lecturers can play a greater role along with the researchers and such you meet along the way. I didn't do a particularly prestigious degree, I'm currently starting my PhD at UCL in the UK even though my grades are definitely not the best but I did an excellent master's thesis with a few publications coming out of it and some follow up work that the company asked me to stay on to do.
As for your paper, don't write on what you think. Write on what you can most successfully argue, personal opinion doesn't matter for this tbh. GL
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Singapore293 Posts
On February 01 2012 00:52 NeoSlicerZ wrote:
As for your paper, don't write on what you think. Write on what you can most successfully argue, personal opinion doesn't matter for this tbh. GL
Yup.
If you can put forth a convincing argument with sufficient points about the topic it doesn't actually matter what you personally feel (although personal anecdotes can provide some depth in terms of elaboration). So you should just research thoroughly whatever you can about that project of yours and piece it together in the most logical and organised manner.
Also, it sounds like your school is being a tad bit too gungho. I mean, it's good to give students exposure to outside material to broaden their understanding and mindset about the world around them, but to give a 50% marked project based on something that is so out of curriculum sounds like a waste of time to me, even if it's just for one week. I would rather they have given something more relevant to the course and make it 50%, or give something out of syllabus and make it like 10%. They can't realistically expect sec school students to come up with something in one week given that most students wouldn't have enough prior knowledge about said topic and it would take time to research, meaningfully understand, and write about it.
-edit-
Also, it seems like our standard of education has jumped a lot since I was a non-tertiary student. I see some of the things my students are learning at sec 1 / 2 and to be honest, I don't think I can solve all of them anymore (hah).
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What you aren't going to go to Raffles Jr College? trolololol
Jk, Asian education systems are just so messed up, but it's really hard to move up in life in SG I've heard without going to a good college. Unless you have connections in sg, the only way to succeed is to study abroad and come back as a banker or consultant.
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It's sadly extremely different here. They up averages and make classes easier to make sure pretty much everyone passes everything in high school. Otherwise parents bitch and blame the schools for their kids being lazy idiots.
Even in university they dumb things down so hardcore (even in 3rd year of a 4 year program, teachers have to make exams easier than expected because people are fucking stupid; at least not as bad as 1st year but still...). In 4th year you finally get real tough classes that one would expect from the start; but even there, some of them are quite easy as well. And that's in a science program... in things like education and social sciences it's a fucking joke like the teacher giving exam questions BEFORE THE FUCKING EXAM! Yes that happened in one of my first year random credits classes -- sociology. Yes I finished in 20 minutes and got 100%. Yes several people failed the exam and the class.
I'm not saying you have it better, but I hope that puts it into perspective. Either have it be a bit too hard, or way too easy. I'd rather be mentally stimulated when I started university or even in high school, not 4 years later. The power of stupid children and their parents forcing universities to dumb down stuff to keep them coming to school... sigh.
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On February 01 2012 01:38 Kurr wrote:
It's sadly extremely different here. They up averages and make classes easier to make sure pretty much everyone passes everything in high school. Otherwise parents bitch and blame the schools for their kids being lazy idiots.
Even in university they dumb things down so hardcore (even in 3rd year of a 4 year program, teachers have to make exams easier than expected because people are fucking stupid; at least not as bad as 1st year but still...). In 4th year you finally get real tough classes that one would expect from the start; but even there, some of them are quite easy as well. And that's in a science program... in things like education and social sciences it's a fucking joke like the teacher giving exam questions BEFORE THE FUCKING EXAM! Yes that happened in one of my first year random credits classes -- sociology. Yes I finished in 20 minutes and got 100%. Yes several people failed the exam and the class.
I'm not saying you have it better, but I hope that puts it into perspective. Either have it be a bit too hard, or way too easy. I'd rather be mentally stimulated when I started university or even in high school, not 4 years later. The power of stupid children and their parents forcing universities to dumb down stuff to keep them coming to school... sigh.
Then universities get paid by dummies completing 4 year degrees in 6 years when they never should have been there in the first place. Thanks for the $40k. ;o
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On February 01 2012 00:25 wbirdy wrote:
OP, you're still young, enjoy secondary school while you can. 2 days away from enlisting into the army after 2 extremely tense and stressful JC years isn't exactly what I'm looking for, but I'm sucking it up because I can't escape it. You should do the same too.
Don't have such a negative attitude to NS. You'll enjoy it more that way.
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I wish I was pushed that hard in school. I always had straight A's. I remember I skipped 92 days my senior year and still graduated with a 3.8. It was such a joke. I used to skip school to smoke pot and then show up on exam days.
If I was pushed harder, college wouldn't be as hard as I find it now because I'm on my own an I have to be my own motivation
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On February 01 2012 01:21 kakaman wrote:
What you aren't going to go to Raffles Jr College? trolololol
Jk, Asian education systems are just so messed up, but it's really hard to move up in life in SG I've heard without going to a good college. Unless you have connections in sg, the only way to succeed is to study abroad and come back as a banker or consultant.
Honestly I would agree with such an opinion. Despite how much people complain about the competition in Singapore, the bottom line holds - the majority (not just the rich and powerful) value the simplicity (and lazy way) of examining a job applicant's certificates and tagging a price to said person. In the civil service it goes like First Class Honours (magna cum laude) +$500 , Second Class Upper/Lower (summa / cum laude) + $300 / $100 or so. Combine that with an amazingly stagnant construct of businesses (large businesses like transport, power, real estate, communications have large government shareholders in them) confines the majority within boxing ring bound by the education system.
Re: your essay, I could recommend Energy from Thorium, a North American/Canadian initiative to use an alternative nuclear fission chain (using Thorium instead of Uranium oxide as fuel) which is intrinsically safer both to run and to dispose of (waste). Add that to the potential political effects of Singapore turning nuclear and the old assumption that running nuclear power = nuclear weapons capability and you should have on your hands a relatively refreshing, if not tried and tested (and of a strong track record -_-) essay/presentation
+edit: apparently China is also racing to build a commercially viable Thorium reactor, which could see a shift in power in the scale of the original atomic race, steam power, electricity, radar, gunpowder etc. which could define the next century of global power (not just electrical) distribution.
Good luck
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going through the singapore education system sucks, yes, but it really gives you a MASSIVE head start later on. i was in singapore from primary school to JC, and after completing my A levels i did a BSc and am now doing an MSc in London.
during my undergrad years, 13/120 students in my class were singaporean. there were approximately 15 firsts, and out of those 12 were singaporean. three years later, i'm doing a degree i have absolutely no background in, and because of the way i'm used to doing things (i.e. mugging my ass off) i'm doing relatively well even compared to other students who have been learning this stuff their whole lives.
in the papers here, you read about how the UK is trying to model their education system after singapore, hong kong...etc (ironic, since we imported it from them anyway) because some secondary school children here don't know their multiplication tables.
so yeah, going through it now is hell, but it eventually works out for the best! gl with the project as well 
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Sometimes I kind of wish I was in a school system like this =/. I wish that I could test into a high school, instead of testing into this program which they placed in another high school - so it's a small group of talented students among a bunch of not so talented ones. Even so, we're probably still not at the level of an average Singaporean school. I guess the grass is greener on the other side, but I actually don't know too many people who share my opinion 
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On January 31 2012 23:08 stkblee wrote:Show nested quote +On January 31 2012 22:42 ElusoryX wrote:Enjoy studying, no matter how shit your projects are. I'm going into the army in 2 days time. No more SC2 (consistently) for two years  Dont worry, I am in the army for 1 year, and I still can play SC2 everyday. Dont give up hope!
But I'm PES B Don't think I can book out everyday lol.
On January 31 2012 23:26 JMave wrote:Show nested quote +On January 31 2012 22:42 ElusoryX wrote:Enjoy studying, no matter how shit your projects are. I'm going into the army in 2 days time. No more SC2 (consistently) for two years enjoy it man. even though you don't have that much time for yourself, home is home and work is work. you never bring work home. when you are outside, all the time there is yours and the only thing you have to worry about it going back.
Yeah, I'll probably be spending a lot of time with friends and family. That's why I feel I won't be SC2-ing much. Gotta place priorities right :D
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On January 31 2012 21:24 DoX.) wrote:Show nested quote +On January 31 2012 21:21 theBALLS wrote:On January 31 2012 21:20 DoX.) wrote:lol u guys i stuck to narrative compos for sec school and it was so much fun for my O levels topic "Power" i wrote an abridged altered version of Enders Game where the dude becomes intoxicated with power as he kills the aliens and in the end doesnt realise he's wiped out an entire race Heard of the rumoured story of the O level topic "Bravery"? Someone wrote "This is Bravery." And ended there. lol when my teacher told the story the topic was "Courage" Also if there really isnt anymore narrative essays then fuck MOE
Haha I heard the same story in my high school in the US, except the prompt was "Define Courage", and the student simply wrote "This."
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On February 01 2012 01:38 Kurr wrote:
It's sadly extremely different here. They up averages and make classes easier to make sure pretty much everyone passes everything in high school. Otherwise parents bitch and blame the schools for their kids being lazy idiots.
Even in university they dumb things down so hardcore (even in 3rd year of a 4 year program, teachers have to make exams easier than expected because people are fucking stupid; at least not as bad as 1st year but still...). In 4th year you finally get real tough classes that one would expect from the start; but even there, some of them are quite easy as well. And that's in a science program... in things like education and social sciences it's a fucking joke like the teacher giving exam questions BEFORE THE FUCKING EXAM! Yes that happened in one of my first year random credits classes -- sociology. Yes I finished in 20 minutes and got 100%. Yes several people failed the exam and the class.
I'm not saying you have it better, but I hope that puts it into perspective. Either have it be a bit too hard, or way too easy. I'd rather be mentally stimulated when I started university or even in high school, not 4 years later. The power of stupid children and their parents forcing universities to dumb down stuff to keep them coming to school... sigh.
Ya, from what I've seen university isn't to really test yourself, they just teach you the basics of whatever you're doing and then give you a piece of paper.
Not a very efficient system. Plus high school being so easy made me so lazy, so it's probably a good thing for myself. In my last semester of university right now, i have 6 hours of classes a week. I miss like half the classes, and will expect to get 85-90 in everything. Then get some job that's only marginally harder. Whoo. >.>
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I envy you a litle b1t, i did not go for a top school here in brazil cos we just could not afford it (public school overall is too sh1t), i was in public sh1t school all my life, and ofc, i was "normal", just average grades and bla bla, i do a sh1t university today, but when i finish it I wanna start study again, so maybe i can go to the bests universitys of the country. That system that you refer in Singapore looks good, you dont rly need to pay and etc, right? its equals to every1? every1 have the same opportunity? Ofc its cruel, but its fair.
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I'd say if you are only concerned about your o level grade , just focus on your textbook , all these sec 3 projects ( i'm assuming you're sec 3 since you're 15) are probably just small assignments teachers give to fill up time.
What I actually do recommend, if you're planning on furthering your studies in poly ,is to pick up a talent. So you can apply for JPSAE if your results don't meet the Cut off point. The course i chose and my o level result only differed by one point but I didnt manage to make it in through regular JAE. Thankfully I picked up an exceptional talent and managed to get in through JPSAE. Ofc the course i chose was a popular business course so that might've been the reason why.
It wouldnt hurt to pick up a skill especially when you're sec 3. You're developing as a male while you have a lot of free time which gives you opportunity to get good at sports and compete nationally. Enjoy yourself now because it'll only get tougher ans tougher
Hopefully this will help you even if its in the slightest bit
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Photosyntesis etc. is standart in primary school, just saying im wondering why its not obvious for You guys.
Poland have very good level, we are learning like one/two year ahead stuff than western. But its quite easy to pass.
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Singapore education system is ridiculous.
I'm Canadian, but I lived in Singapore for 3 years (one of which I was a student, the other two teaching at a uni/poly), and my wife (Singaporean) used to teach there. She loves teaching but I think she really disliked how the administration/government is always breathing down teachers' necks, controlling absolutely everything, how it's always so results oriented rather than about actually learning how to learn/question/be inquisitive, how creative thinking is crushed into the ground in favour of creating mindless working, government-supporting, unquestioning drones.
so to answer your question, yes. It's very very different.
But there are problems with the system here too, and the Canadian system is moving in that direction. It's just not so far along the road. People are waking up though.
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The people who actually like the asian system, I find kind of confusing. Do you really need to be driven forwards like that? To be forced to either excel or fail rather than being ambitious enough to excel. Also, reading ahead is kind of pointless, know what you need to know for the exams. Excel at those, critical thinking can come a bit later in university but first of all you need to get into uni and you need to not burn yourself out. I was back visiting in Hong Kong and I saw 8-10 year old kids having to go to grind school on saturdays, shocking tbh. While it might produce more excellent students, it also breaks more and I don't regard that as being good at that stage of education.
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come to the west, where knowing about nuclear power and being able to debate it are two different professions, and you'll make a lot more here in either of them rather than knowing both in singapore..
also there was a kid from singapore in my highschool who had a 100% without studying at all, and spent all of his free time tutoring white girls then having sex with them. you're wasting your time in singapore, come enjoy life!
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keep it at, its gonna pay off
never touched math since secondary school, was pleasantly surprised calculus I in US university = additional math lol...
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EPT
