For university applicants: personal thoughts on NUS, and more

A forum discussion thread online (involving mostly Singaporean youths) about which universities are well-recognised in the world eventually trained its focus on the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Reproduced below is my initial response to someone declaring NUS to be ranked amongst the top internationally:

"NUS likes to imagine it is amongst the big boys on the international stage of varsity education, unfortunately imagination and actual reality are miles apart.

It embraces the statistical metrics which cast its academics in good light, on the other hand becoming extremely defensive against those which provide cutting yet valid criticisms. This is the National University of Singapore for you.

That said, NUS is still very much a decent place to get your degree.

Peace. "

A forumner therefore further queried:

"Would NUS still be the best option for a Singaporean student not looking to study overseas though? I've always wanted to enter NUS due to its fairly impressive place in the worldwide rankings, but what you said has got me thinking a bit. "

I replied :

"If you are looking to study locally, NUS should definitely be on your list. (I won't say it is the best option in the absolute sense though, because this is a situation of "to each his own"). After all Singapore is so tiny, the choices available are extremely limited. Needless to say, you can also consider NTU and SMU, as well as the newly up and running SUTD.

Interestingly though, NTU is seen in a less favorable light compared to its peer institutions NUS and SMU, or at least this is the trend I have observed amongst my charges who apply for local universities over the past 5, 6 years. Most of them would rather settle for a course they bluntly dislike in NUS/SMU, than pursue something they are crazily passionate about in NTU. Some food for thought here.

Above all, while the education system in Singapore is no doubt evolving and self-renewing, the learning atmosphere here is still rather stifling IMHO. So if you can afford to uproot, fly far, far away to the US or the UK to secure your Bachelor's. A different country, a different schooling experience altogether will help you mature faster.

Good luck. Peace. "

Mr Koh (18 December 2012)