I would chose Poly as it does not seems to be so boring like JC.
Originally posted by Poh Ah Pak:I think they teach too much worthless subjects in JC.
I have no regrets about going to Ngee Ann Poly at all.
Best three years of my life so far.
I was politicised during my poly years.
If I was in a JC, I would probably be too busy studying worthless subjects to be politicised.
That would mean I would still be hoodwinked by PAP propaganda and vote for them.
My god, that was a close one.
Colleges all around the world teaches the same subject. If they are really that worthless, mankind's advancement would be doomed.
The problem isn't really with weather or not the subject are worthless per se, but rather on how much application these subjects can have on our own life.
doesnt matter where you go. theres no better or worse. people who are meant to succeed are born with the attributes to succeed (eg. determination, creativity, etc.)
whatever route you take, is just meant to open the door to the working world. other than that, the so called "skills" dont really matter. Its more of innate personal ability.
so if the premise is long term success, theres no reason for comparison
As one poster mentioned, it's now very hard for a uni grad to get jobs. And it's getting tougher to enter even our local uni via JC; seems like more and more people failed to get into local unis, either that or more and more places are allocated to foreigners. Whatever, if one fails to enter uni via JC, that's 2 years wasted, because the 'A' level certificate alone is almost as good as the 'O' Level cert - it doesn't make that much of a diff. A Diploma from Poly, however, is a different thing. Going Poly means you still can get into uni. Even if you don't get in, the Diploma can help you land jobs while uni grads without a Diploma sit around twiddling their thumbs.
Hi. im one of those who can go jc but chose to go ngee ann poly. personally its mainly due to interest in the course and also because poly is not as fast paced as jc so its sort of very likely to get my diploma compared to a A lvl cert. and also because of empolyment opportunities should i get rejected by uni at the end of 3 years.
Oh, and 1 more thing: one can't really compare a Poly to a JC. Going thru uni, and hearing from friends who have gone through poly, I would say Poly is more like a mini-university. JC follows more of the Secondary School style, while trying to mix in a lil bit of uni style.
I chose JC because i have many friends going JC also, so, i'm a follower. Even though, i feel that a diploma is enough already.
In JC, one of my tutors said the 2yrs in JC is also the time you start thinking what you want to study in Uni, because many students blindly enter JC without thinking about what they wanna study in Uni. I'm also one of these students, but even now in Uni i'm still not sure if i got into the right course. Blindly accepted the course offered to me by Uni, and I'm heading into 2nd year this August.
As a result, i'm suffering the 'Degree=Good Prospect' stigma and giving myself tons of unwanted pressure to the extent of depression....i feel my GPA not very safe, considering the competition...
Thinking back, i think there many students enter JCs because they just followed the trend without knowing what they want to study. Not saying that all are like that, but still a substantial number, my guess.....just a guess!
Whether a person is a degree holder or Poly diploma holder doesn't affect whether he lands his jobs. There are job opportunities for both sets. Of course, as a diploma holder, there are some companies that think they have a "legitimate" right to offer less pay, cap your promotion rate, and limit your "potential."
Naturally, Diploma vs a JC A'Level cert, the Diploma wins hands down due to more "specialised" training in a particular industry.
Finally, I think its totally a myth and bullSh1t that degree holders cant find jobs simply cos they are over qualified or whatever nonsense. I believe there are a whole range of factors that are contributing to undergraduate employment.
1. Massive influx of Foreign Talents. 100k (estimated) came to Singapore alone last year. Most of them are here to seek for employment. I know, I have 2 Burmese colleagues. THese guys are really cheaper to hire.
2. Singapore undergrads or workforce's tendency to desire much and output little.
3. Singapore employers tendency to expect high production yet low cost from employee. Its pharkin stupid, but sad to say, its true.
So where does this place diploma holders? I'm sorry, but you guys are actually below the FTs, cos most of them who come over have degrees from recognized universities from wherever they come from.
JC folks, I'm sorry, you guys better work hard for your degree. Without it, you'd be sitting below the Poly peeps.
With a degree, you get to climb up to the top of the pecking order, IF you display the necessary skills can capabilities that Employers want.
Originally posted by SBS2695H:I would chose Poly as it does not seems to be so boring like JC.
The grass is always greener on the other side...Cherish you time in JC, i really enjoyed my PAE days and up till now i still cant forget the pple, the eonvironment and the cca. If i was given a second chance at JAE i may choose back TJ.
Shotgun:
Overqualified? Not so. Rather, it's due to an overpopulation of degree holders. It's not overqualified or what similar nonsense.
But you got the explanation quite right, which I was trying to explain too: Diploma beats 'A' levels anytime.
Originally posted by Durotar:Shotgun:
Overqualified? Not so. Rather, it's due to an overpopulation of degree holders. It's not overqualified or what similar nonsense.
But you got the explanation quite right, which I was trying to explain too: Diploma beats 'A' levels anytime.
Well, this over population of degree holders (which has foreign contributions btw) doesn't mean a thing. It can mean that the degree is now recognized as a base level of education.
The unemployment is due to OUR degree holders not landing a job. And about half of them went to PRs and FTs. Of course, there is still a healthy level of lower/diploma level jobs out there, but most companies wont hire a degree holder take those jobs due to overqualification.
There are very valid concerns in managing a local degree holder's expectations. I've had the opportunity to interview some of the local grads, and I have to say, they really do expect a lot. Some of them come in with a resume that shows they've been slacking for a good 2 years after they grad, running odd jobs, part time this n that... and come in expecting a $2.8k starting...
Graduates need to have a greater sense of urgency and competition when hunting for jobs!!
Originally posted by Shotgun:
Well, this over population of degree holders (which has foreign contributions btw) doesn't mean a thing. It can mean that the degree is now recognized as a base level of education.The unemployment is due to OUR degree holders not landing a job. And about half of them went to PRs and FTs. Of course, there is still a healthy level of lower/diploma level jobs out there, but most companies wont hire a degree holder take those jobs due to overqualification.
There are very valid concerns in managing a local degree holder's expectations. I've had the opportunity to interview some of the local grads, and I have to say, they really do expect a lot. Some of them come in with a resume that shows they've been slacking for a good 2 years after they grad, running odd jobs, part time this n that... and come in expecting a $2.8k starting...
Graduates need to have a greater sense of urgency and competition when hunting for jobs!!
Actually is quite natural for them to give that demand. Cos its like you spend so much on your education and you should recoup back your "losses". However that thinking is quite old school...i feel that uni grads should learn how to adapt. When almost everyone has a degree, it doesnt make anyone outstanding to be a degree holder. but sadly and obviously that does not seem to be happening
Comparing Diploma vs JC is comparing a 3 year course vs a 2 year course. -.-
In addition, for the engineering degree in NUS, I do see much much more JC peeps doing way better than poly grads any time. At least I haven't really see any from poly scoring 1st class honours in this area (even if there is, there's very very little). The main reason, I believe, is because NUS uni course is structured very similar to A levels.
Thinking back, i think there many students enter JCs because they just followed the trend without knowing what they want to study. Not saying that all are like that, but still a substantial number, my guess.....just a guess!
Very true... At least for me, I decided on engineering right after O levels, so my course and education was caterred all the way towards that.
Difference with poly is, when going to poly, you are already forced to decide on which area you want to go into right after Os.
But you got the explanation quite right, which I was trying to explain too: Diploma beats 'A' levels anytime.
Yes, but a uni degree beats a diploma degree anytime too. If the final destination is still to the university, what's the matter with As or Dip cert?
Haha. Rain-coat, I guess that's what I meant. More and more degree holders = less outstanding = less demand.
Eagle: haha yeah I know. It's just that I was comparing on the basis of the topic of Poly vs JC. And also thinking for those who are borderline cases, not really sure if they'll eventually make it to uni.
Again. Thanks for the replies. Although next time please refrain from using chio bu and stuff like that. We'll talk about that later on. So from what im seeing, actually poly and jcs are pretty well equal? If you do not agree do give your own opinions and why. It seems that people are getting wrong ideas that in polytechnic, you can 'slack' more than in jc. Maybe it could be because of the freedom given? But from what im seeing, to actually do well in both poly and jcs, everyone has got to really study and put in effort (obviously) and maybe it could be that students in polytechnics are given the freedom and expected to manage their time well and to me personally, more than that of jc students because of the system which defers in both polytechnic and jc? On the other hand, It could actually be easier to go to universities as junior college students compared to polytechnic students who has in one way or the other, 'specialized' in their field but has to make the top 10% mark.
You can slack in Poly, because its easy to pass but difficult to maintain good GPA scores over 5 semesters.
and yeah 10% seperated out into the 5 different polys, thats abit pathetic.. I've friends who scores GPA of 3.3 but can't get into uni. Its really sad..
So. from my experience, the reason why now these days students are choosing polytechnics over junior colleges could be because that they did not do enough research on both types of pre-universities? or could they most of them have just blindly listened to advice of friends who said things like, "poly is very slack one" and have a general idea that since i specialize in poly, i can find a job, since poly life is very carefree and i can have fun all day, while not considering other downsides of polytechnics which, if anyone could, please do kindly post in this topic.
there r poly ppl who dont just stop their studies after graduation and go out into the workforce. they go overseas to study and with exemptions due to related course they study for 2yrs. n the unis they study in r not any tom dick or harry uni. some of these unis r even better than NTU or SMU.
Originally posted by eagle:Yes, but a uni degree beats a diploma degree anytime too. If the final destination is still to the university, what's the matter with As or Dip cert?
a dip-degree route will win a Alvl-degree route..
Originally posted by purpledragon84:
a dip-degree route will win a Alvl-degree route..
Sounds exactly like what my lecturer said. Him having experience as a teaching assistant in Uni mentions the noticeable difference between Poly students and JC students during practicals (Life Science). And the obvious maturity disparity between the two, but that's irrelevant.
The point he tried to tell me is, Poly students can make it to Uni and do better than the JC students. (something about them having deadbrains)
I chose the poly route because I saw the JC curriculum and went "Meh".
(and maybe partly due to the brainwash from the govt.)
I am disturbed by how people here are putting down the JC students and the system.
Many of the people I know who is now in poly chose it not so much because they "know what they want" and thus go to poly. A number of them also actually chose a JC as their first choice, but since could not get into their choice JC, they decided to just go for a poly. Also, many of those people only have half-hearted aims to get to a university; they simply want to work after getting a poly diploma. Adding on, many of those people really did choose poly because they were very influenced by the advertisements everywhere and went in without doing full research. They think poly is easy, poly is slack but these people i know are actually beginning to feel the heat.
I don't deny that a Poly-Uni cert will be more valuable than a JC-Uni cert but reality is, in poly, currently only 15% will actually make it to university while in the JCs, rate is still at 90%. And poly diplomas, no matter how much people glorify it, in the current Singapore context, will still be inferior to a University Degree. The 75% of the poly grads will end up earning much less than university graduates.For example, a starting teacher who teaches primary school comes from a poly earns a basic salary of around $1400-$1600, while a uni grad will earn ard $2300-$2500. This is reality as of 2007. Don't talk about those once in a blue moon cases whereby poly grads become millionaires etc.
Please don't go assuming that JC students are shallow minded, govermnent influenced individuals. If you ask me, it is SOME of the poly students who are so; look at how they get easily influenced by the ads and articles about how great polys are. From what I have heard, currently the polytechnic is being made popular due to the shortage of university places currently. This current policy will ensure that the current universities will still be able to take in students and not be overloaded. (This is just something I heard, so cannot confirm)
Students who go to JC choose to do so because they do not want to decide their paths so early in life. I don't know if you guys know this, but currently, the JCs are actually so popular that they are overpopulated. Go to any JC, and you will realise that the JCs have student populations of around 900 students for JC1s alone. The number in the early 2000s were only around 700+. So, it is a misconception that JCs are losing the appeal.
Seriously, I mean no offence to anyone. I just don't like the way conclusions are being made here without a 360 view.
Originally posted by purpledragon84:
a dip-degree route will win a Alvl-degree route..
Originally posted by DrTech:
Sounds exactly like what my lecturer said. Him having experience as a teaching assistant in Uni mentions the noticeable difference between Poly students and JC students during practicals (Life Science). And the obvious maturity disparity between the two, but that's irrelevant.
The point he tried to tell me is, Poly students can make it to Uni and do better than the JC students. (something about them having deadbrains)
I chose the poly route because I saw the JC curriculum and went "Meh".
(and maybe partly due to the brainwash from the govt.)
I cannot say for life science.
But I can say for sure that in my graduating batch for engineering, none of the poly pple got 1st class honours or are on the path to getting one. In addition, none of them got the innovation and research award for their final year projects. All were from JCs. I'm pretty sure is because when the time they have in uni is too tight. No matter how you plan your modules, it is almost impossible for them to embark on programmes like what I have done, just because I have 4 years and they have 3 years.
Personal experience is, yes, for projects that requires hands on, for the hands on section, the poly students win hands down. But these projects require analysis too, and in the end, for one of the projects, the poly students built a very solid structure, but was too big to do a figure 8 as required by the module. The programming and the algorithms were also not done properly... At the uni level, the analysis to make the structure to run is much more important. In the workplace, it will be you who will be coming up with the plan; you will then command those under you to build it, not you.
There are also things that were taught in A levels, and retaught in first year uni. For poly intake, they did not learn it in poly, and being able to skip most of the modules in the first year, they did not get to learn too. In the end, in the 4th year, they lose out.
So, no matter a dip-degree route or a Alvl-degree route, just think... The Alvl-degree route results in a 1st class honours or 2nd upper with enrichment programmes like industrial attachments done (of course not every one la... too many A lvl students as compared to poly students), compared to a dip-degree route, which is harder to get a 1st class honours or 2nd upper mainly due to lack of time.
Then again, a cert is mainly used for employment. If you are not seeking one in the long term, but using it merely as a form of education, a form of investing in yourself, a step/passport to the working world, then it doesn't matter as much.
Originally posted by simnatic:Students who go to JC choose to do so because they do not want to decide their paths so early in life. I don't know if you guys know this, but currently, the JCs are actually so popular that they are overpopulated. Go to any JC, and you will realise that the JCs have student populations of around 900 students for JC1s alone. The number in the early 2000s were only around 700+. So, it is a misconception that JCs are losing the appeal.
Seriously, I mean no offence to anyone. I just don't like the way conclusions are being made here without a 360 view.
Depends. For those who want to be doctors, they have already decided before they enter JCs to take triple sciences.
FT or no FT the issue comes
Are Singaporeans choosy over jobs?
i think it will be based on interest, not because of anything else.
a top students will not neccessary be choose JC if he or she has interest in a particular diploma that he or she wans to enrol in.
i dun see the link to government's propaganda, but rather i think it is the power of open house and advertising of each poly that attracts more n more students to join poly. from what i noe, polys have been putting more n more money for advertising and open houses.
you should also go to various junior college to do surveys also.