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Blogs > konadora
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konadora *
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
Singapore66364 Posts
May 18 2009 01:05 GMT
#1
TL, I need your opinion/advice.

I missed out quite a lot of lessons because of my illness two months ago, and I'm having difficulty catching up with my lessons (almost 5 topics behind per subject). Because of that, the college told me that I have a high chance of being retained this year, and have to repeat my year 1 next year. I am thinking of switching over to 'polytechnic' and start all over there, because my school life in the junior college is pretty messed up (no co-curricular-activities, lack of attendance, difficulty catching up to lessons). What should I do?

I pretty much decided which course to go for if I am going to the polytechnic.

[image loading]

Poll: Should I switch to polytechnic?
(Vote): Yes
(Vote): No

Any advice and help is greatly appreciated. Will check this after I return from school, thanks.

POGGERS
ieatkids5
Profile Blog Joined September 2004
United States4628 Posts
May 18 2009 01:11 GMT
#2
sure why not?
are you going to school in singapore?
Archaic
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States4024 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-05-18 01:14:53
May 18 2009 01:14 GMT
#3
Sure, I don't really see a problem with that. Unless you feel your current one is better, than switch!

EDIT: You need some way to keep yourself occupied so you don't pull off an obnoxiously large number of posts per week.
gzealot
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
Singapore238 Posts
May 18 2009 01:34 GMT
#4
just ask ifyou can be retained for 1 year. J1 - J1 - J2. If you want to go to Uni faster than stay in JC.. which JC you in?
pangshai
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
Chinatown5333 Posts
May 18 2009 02:23 GMT
#5
I think this is not a good question to ask an international population like tl's that isn't intimately acquainted with how polys and jcs work.

I think the overall consensus is, if you're not going to bother with university (which is not a good idea), then go to poly, else you should do JC.
#1 midas fan
punt
Profile Joined August 2007
Singapore50 Posts
May 18 2009 02:57 GMT
#6
poly is what i would advice since you already know what course you want.. but do remember to exercise during your time in poly ( if you go there ) as come NS it's gonna be a bitch due to the fact that in poly generally ppl tend to slacken with the exception of motivated individuals..
Random_0
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
United States1163 Posts
May 18 2009 04:17 GMT
#7
On May 18 2009 11:23 pangshai wrote:
I think this is not a good question to ask an international population like tl's that isn't intimately acquainted with how polys and jcs work.

I think the overall consensus is, if you're not going to bother with university (which is not a good idea), then go to poly, else you should do JC.


Hi konadora. You're a major contributor to TeamLiquid.net, so I would like to give you advice, but don't know enough about the Singaporean college system.

If you could explain more, that would help people who might have good advice for you.
konadora *
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
Singapore66364 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-05-18 05:17:49
May 18 2009 05:17 GMT
#8
@Random_0

The system is like this:

There are two types of schools in the level before university - Junior College and Polytechnics.

In Junior College, you just study the main grasp of a few different subjects, while in polytechnics, you study the main field that you want to study (Engineering school -> Mechanical Engineering, Marine Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, etc. Different courses). JC takes up 2 years, Polytechnics take 3.

However, I have a high chance of being retained, meaning I might have to repeat another year in JC. Might as well go polytechnic huh.

@gzealot: Going to SAJC.

@pangshai: still want to go university though. Preferably NUS.

@punt: Lol can tell from all my poly friends...

@ieatkids5: Yeah, I live in Singapore lol
POGGERS
Ilvy
Profile Joined September 2002
Germany2445 Posts
May 18 2009 05:41 GMT
#9
To be honest i do not think it was your illness that makes you gonna fail this year, it´s rather your motivation that killed you, at least it looks like that for me.
You got 60 posts average per day only on TL..., means many hours of not spending time to learn.
Whatever you change you also should change your scedule of learning and not only the school

(or take Steve to slap you when beeing lazy)
konadora *
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
Singapore66364 Posts
May 18 2009 05:46 GMT
#10
Whenever I'm not offline I do study hard, but the gap in knowledge is really quite a lot to handle. Especially when there isn't anybody you can ask for help, since my class have already formed their 'cliques' and no matter how hard I try to ask them for help, it's kinda hard :3
POGGERS
Random_0
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
United States1163 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-05-18 06:37:39
May 18 2009 06:36 GMT
#11
Konadora -

It sounds like you're maybe high school age, and thinking about how your education will best prepare you for the future.

From your description, it sounds like Junior College is more flexible, and perhaps more prestigious than Polytechnic. From pangshai's description, it seems that junior college is better for getting into university as well.

If that assessment is correct, I would lean towards Junior College, because flexibility, prestige, and the ability to go to university are important factors in considering your education.

The reality is that most people, even most college graduates, don't really know what they want to do with their lives. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but I know I thought I knew what I wanted going into university (pre-med) but had no idea what I would really want to do when I was an adult (Ph.D. economist).

So preserving flexibility is important, because it's much easier to "slide down" (say, if you decide you want something less difficult later) than to "work up" (if you discover that your education hasn't prepared you for something special that you really want to do.)

Making up for squandered time can be a painful and multi-year process if you're not prepared when you do decide what you want to do, as I and some of my friends have discovered.

Good luck.
pangshai
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
Chinatown5333 Posts
May 18 2009 08:12 GMT
#12
If you think about it this way, entering poly in june/july/august (not sure when poly starts), means you'll start in mid year 2009 and end in mid year 2012. Generally what happens then is, people enter army, and have 2 years to process their applications, and then they enter university in august when they're done with army in may/june/july.

If things have not changed from my time, university applications are done in april, before you graduate from poly in mid year 2012. Not sure how it works for poly students though, they might be able to apply before knowing their final score. But if you can't, you'll have to wait till april 2013 to apply and then get accepted into the august 2013 intake.

By comparison, if you get retained in JC, you have graduate in 2011, and you apply for the intake of 2012 which would be the same as poly anyway.

Now you should weight the benefits of poly and JC. poly is like a vocational institute, so it'll be more in depth in what they teach, while lacking a lot of breadth. This is ideal if you already know what you want to do, ie engineering or opthamology etc. Once you're into a certain field, it might be hard to make a switch out into something else if you decide that you don't like it (hard in the sense that universities might not accept you). Polys do not have the "elite" professional subjects like accounting/medicine/architecture that you might want to go into.

On the plus side, the environment in poly (if similar to university) is a lot less stressful, cause you just don't have people breathing down your neck. Attendance, homework is all optional. Basically, a lot of the learning is up to you. Some people function better this way, but I personally thought that I benefited from the JC style.

Perhaps you can inform us what your choice of subject will be, and why you're considering poly.
#1 midas fan
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7581 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-05-18 09:00:46
May 18 2009 09:00 GMT
#13
On May 18 2009 14:46 konadora wrote:
Whenever I'm not offline I do study hard, but the gap in knowledge is really quite a lot to handle. Especially when there isn't anybody you can ask for help, since my class have already formed their 'cliques' and no matter how hard I try to ask them for help, it's kinda hard :3



I <3 you konadora but even your e-persona is charming as all hell, I just can't imagine that you couldn't do alot better if you really wanted to.

Consider a career in translating, since that more or less covers every single subject in every single part of the world.

I have never heard of a translator that can produce fluid and structured translations at the speed you do.

Take some of that amazing teamliquid productivity and share it with your studies, I'm sure that you will flourish.

about changing your drive, after reading the thread I still don't fully understand the implications of changing to polytechnics so my opinion would be useless
konadora *
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
Singapore66364 Posts
May 18 2009 09:59 GMT
#14
@Pangshai:
Now polys starting earlier, they started last like month? They are still taking new transfer students though, as far as what I'm hearing from my poly friends.

If I get retained a year, then it'll be the same as going to poly right now.

Considering going mechanical engineering (my dad's wants though, I personally want to go to the media side :< ). Considering poly because of 1) if I just remain in JC right now and get retained, I'll just be wasting a year. I don't want to waste a year doing nothing... and 2) JC environment is stupid IMO. People breathing down your neck, nagging at you all along like we're still little children. Gah, can't take such people.

@Random_0:
Yeah, it is true that the prestige and all is much higher, but I personally don't think I'll benefit that much from what I learn in JC. I would rather spend three years studying a field of my personal choice.

I'll check this blog once again when I return from my Japanese classes, thanks all~ (lol and thanks AttackZerg )
POGGERS
pangshai
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
Chinatown5333 Posts
May 18 2009 10:40 GMT
#15
I'm not 100% sure about media, but for mechanical engineering, you're better off staying in JC. My dad teaches mechanical engineering at NUS and my neighbour (who I'm very close to) takes mechanical engineering, and I've learnt that JC students always do better, and poly students always struggle to cope. So if you're thinking that poly will give you an education that is more focused and directed towards the subject, that might be so, but it seems the benefits when compared to a JC education are negligible.
#1 midas fan
Ilvy
Profile Joined September 2002
Germany2445 Posts
May 18 2009 12:37 GMT
#16
On May 18 2009 14:46 konadora wrote:
Whenever I'm not offline I do study hard, but the gap in knowledge is really quite a lot to handle. Especially when there isn't anybody you can ask for help, since my class have already formed their 'cliques' and no matter how hard I try to ask them for help, it's kinda hard :3



Hm, still i think you should stay where you are. If you have to do that class again don´t you think you get a chance to find a "clique" that welcomes you and you could learn together? Or do they come already in groups to the new school?
konadora *
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
Singapore66364 Posts
May 18 2009 13:41 GMT
#17
@pangshai:
Ah.. I see... but right now it's so damn hard and shitty. Gah.

@Ilvy:
Most come from the same schools, while I'm like one of the 5 from my school, and we all don't know each that well + not in same classes.
POGGERS
pangshai
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
Chinatown5333 Posts
May 18 2009 13:53 GMT
#18
Its actually only may, so you have plenty of time to try to catch up over the june holidays, and eventually pass your promos. That would be the ideal solution. There's no reason why they won't let you promote if you do decently well. Just need to put in more time during the june holidays (which always sucks), but some sacrifices have to be made.
#1 midas fan
konadora *
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
Singapore66364 Posts
May 18 2009 14:05 GMT
#19
June holidays AAAAAAAAAH

Daaamn stresssssss



Because I take 4H2.. then in my class, I'm the only one not taking econ AND I'm the only one taking Knowledge and Inquiry. Wth!
POGGERS
konadora *
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
Singapore66364 Posts
May 18 2009 14:38 GMT
#20
On May 18 2009 14:41 Ilvy wrote:
To be honest i do not think it was your illness that makes you gonna fail this year, it´s rather your motivation that killed you, at least it looks like that for me.
You got 60 posts average per day only on TL..., means many hours of not spending time to learn.
Whatever you change you also should change your scedule of learning and not only the school

(or take Steve to slap you when beeing lazy)


[image loading]


This is the amount of drugs I have to take thrice a day. >__>
POGGERS
pangshai
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
Chinatown5333 Posts
May 18 2009 14:45 GMT
#21
On May 18 2009 23:05 konadora wrote:
June holidays AAAAAAAAAH

Daaamn stresssssss



Because I take 4H2.. then in my class, I'm the only one not taking econ AND I'm the only one taking Knowledge and Inquiry. Wth!


Well, in my opinion, poly should be completely out of consideration, especially since there is still a rather significant chance that you get promoted at the end of J1. Should focus on that, rather than take the easy way out by going to poly.
#1 midas fan
konadora *
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
Singapore66364 Posts
May 18 2009 14:47 GMT
#22
Aah.. should I just repeat a year?
POGGERS
Random_0
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
United States1163 Posts
May 18 2009 15:32 GMT
#23
konadora, I'm emphasizing flexibility. Flexibility in education is very important.

Prestige gives you more flexibility. If JC gives you more flexibility, that's key.
pangshai
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
Chinatown5333 Posts
May 18 2009 15:38 GMT
#24
On May 19 2009 00:32 Random_0 wrote:
konadora, I'm emphasizing flexibility. Flexibility in education is very important.

Prestige gives you more flexibility. If JC gives you more flexibility, that's key.

In addition to prestige, JCs are also more recognised. Its impossible to go anywhere else with a poly cert, its basically only recognised in singapore, but with A levels, you at least get a choice of commonwealth countries.
#1 midas fan
Ilvy
Profile Joined September 2002
Germany2445 Posts
May 18 2009 16:01 GMT
#25
On May 18 2009 23:38 konadora wrote:
Show nested quote +
On May 18 2009 14:41 Ilvy wrote:
To be honest i do not think it was your illness that makes you gonna fail this year, it´s rather your motivation that killed you, at least it looks like that for me.
You got 60 posts average per day only on TL..., means many hours of not spending time to learn.
Whatever you change you also should change your scedule of learning and not only the school

(or take Steve to slap you when beeing lazy)


[image loading]


This is the amount of drugs I have to take thrice a day. >__>


not good ;(

with "lazy" i ment the motivationproblem... was not ment as a draw down

I know how you feel since we moved to germany last summer and my kids needed to change school and the system is totaly different in germany then it was in norway. It´s like from heaven to hell, and they are far from doing well this year and one probably needs to take a "turnbackintime" ;(.

It´s just one year in your young life and you should try to get the best education needed to prepare for life and not the easiest, you are smart enough
Dante08
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
Singapore4179 Posts
May 18 2009 19:26 GMT
#26
Hmm, I think this is a matter of preference for you at this stage. If you have the confidence to pass your J1 then you should continue on, but as u said, if there is a high chance of getting retained, then you could consider going to poly. Studying in a polytechnic is more relaxing than in JC and if you score well, you could go into the local universities as well. But JC still is the more straightforward path to university though.

And one thing I feel that is an advantage of studying in poly is that they better expose you to the working industry with the attachments, projects, presentations and so on.

But in the end, still depends on what you want though good luck!
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