University Entry for a Poly Grad

[mrhobbit]

Saw the article in the Straits Time's yesterday regarding University entry for Polytechnic students.

Would like to ask the community at large here, just exactly how good do you have to be to secure a place in local university if you are a polytechnic grad? The process doesn't seem very transparent from the way I am seeing things!

How good a GPA is needed? Does CCA really count? What about outside achievements? How do they judge how "tough" a course is in comparison with another and how does that affect the applicants who are applying for a course in a different discipline from the one they studied in the Polys?

In my 2nd year of poly, doing pretty ok, but this lack of proper information is infuriating!

 

[kklee]

Not sure if this is helpful.

http://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/gradeprofile/sprogramme-igp.html

 

[mrhobbit]

Saw the link before! It provides a very general guideline, nothing that is definitive at all!

So its pretty hard to figure out just what combination of GPA, O level results, outside school involvement, CCA do you have to achieve before standing a fighting chance! (Although it must be said you need to hit at least the 90th percentile imo, to even have the smallest of chances!)

Regards

 

[kaixiang]

Saw the link before! It provides a very general guideline, nothing that is definitive at all!

So its pretty hard to figure out just what combination of GPA, O level results, outside school involvement, CCA do you have to achieve before standing a fighting chance! (Although it must be said you need to hit at least the 90th percentile imo, to even have the smallest of chances!)

Regards

I think the indicative grade profile is as transparent as it gets. Back in my time they didn't even have these things, so things are already more transparent now. If you are in the 90th percentile, 90% of those who enter uni have worse grades than you do. That's a pretty big chance. If you are in the 90th percentile, you probably will get in without impressive cca achievements.

The way i see it is: If you are in the 10th percentile, you better have good cca records or something similar to support your relatively weak academic scores. If the course entry requirement include an interview, then being eloquent gives you an edge.

Anyways, just work as hard as you can. There is nothing to be lost from over achieving the gpa required. On the other hand, even when you work as hard as you can and you still can't achieve the gpa required, there is not much you can do about it.

Study hard and good luck!

 

[Gizmore]

entry requirement varies quite a bit. it also depends on the courses applied for.

 

[pchmj]

Depends on which university and course. For my time there is no GPA, I'm not a COM and no CCA points. Can't get in to NUS, end up in NTU a not so popular course. Many poly students in my course compared to others.

Seriously poly students will have hard time getting into local uni, some course has a very large foreign students percentage, singaporeans are minority there. Remaining places for JC and left a tiny percentage for local poly students.

 

[flowerpot]

my time was top ~5% of the cohort you will get in. I think its much much much much easier now...

if u dun get in, there are plenty of alternatives available... ur boss won't discriminate which Uni u came from, oni what quality work u can produce....

 

[brownie01]

It is still as competitive, and has always been.
Not just local students from both JC and polytechnics.

Just do your best that you can.
Best effort = no regrets even though not accepted in NUS or any other.
There are other alternatives.
when you have the heart, you would have it.
Why worry?

 

[UnitedShooters]

As someone mentioned, it really depends on the course you are looking at. For example, I know for school of computing, it's rarely enough to just get a super high GPA. You also need like accolades/awards/competitions relating to the course.

If you are looking at Business, I think high GPA is sufficient. But again all also really very subjective lar.

 

[cks2k2]

I would say the odds are stacked against you. During my short time in NUS almost everyone I met was a foreign student (me also one lah...), never met those from poly.
But doesn't mean no chance, just slim.

 

[cks2k2]

As someone mentioned, it really depends on the course you are looking at. For example, I know for school of computing, it's rarely enough to just get a super high GPA. You also need like accolades/awards/competitions relating to the course.

If you are looking at Business, I think high GPA is sufficient. But again all also really very subjective lar.

Quoted for truth. One of my lecturers was involved in organizing programming competitions among high schools/JCs with the main purpose of identifying the top brains for future admission.

 

[dreaming]

Saw the article in the Straits Time's yesterday regarding University entry for Polytechnic students.

Would like to ask the community at large here, just exactly how good do you have to be to secure a place in local university if you are a polytechnic grad? The process doesn't seem very transparent from the way I am seeing things!

How good a GPA is needed? Does CCA really count? What about outside achievements? How do they judge how "tough" a course is in comparison with another and how does that affect the applicants who are applying for a course in a different discipline from the one they studied in the Polys?

In my 2nd year of poly, doing pretty ok, but this lack of proper information is infuriating!

to be assure of a place in the local uni, you need a MERIT. nothing else matters except poly academic result. the more Distinction you get the better.

you could even get scholarship offer from local firm like shipyard and aerospace. if you get a normal cert, with a few years of working experience, try their part-time studies.