If you’re struggling to choose a university degree, you’ll likely find tons of generalised advice online (“know your strengths and interests…”)—none of which point you to the exact resources you need to make the best decision.
Essentially, it’s passion + proficiency. Whether it’s fifty-fifty or one weighs heavier than the other is entirely up to you and your priorities in life. There, I’ve summarised it in two lines. (Note: Of course, you’ll also consider your options based on your grades and the course requirements.) Now, let’s move on to the concrete, actionable steps you can take to make this major decision in your life.
Feel free to navigate around the different headings! Each is an idea to help you practically in the process of selecting your ideal course. They are not meant to be followed in any order.
A very quick note (feel free to skip):
#1 Explore courses and subjects
This is always the best place to start, especially if you’ve kept your options open and don’t yet have a set idea of what you want to pursue.
Recommended resource: MySkillsFuture Explore Courses
Website: Explore Courses – MySkillsFuture
Pros (key features)
- It shows you the exact courses offered by tertiary institutions in Singapore (e.g. “Bachelor of Accountancy – Singapore Management University”).
- It covers all courses from all tertiary institutions in Singapore, including universities, polytechnics, ITE, and arts institutions.
- It allows you to “Browse by Fields of Study” (e.g. Business & Administration, Health Sciences etc).
- You can view the Course Key Information, Course Objectives, and Minimum Entry Requirements for each course, with hyperlinks to the institution’s webpage.
- You can “Add to Favourite” or “Add to Compare” to save a particular course or compare it with other courses on the MySkillsFuture portal.
Cons (what’s lacking)
- It does not show you courses offered by overseas institutions.
- It gives you only the key information about a course. This is good when you’re browsing, but if you want to go deep into a particular course, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Who is this for?
You may find this resource especially helpful if:
- you are undecided on a course and would like to browse the possibilities
- you are inclined towards pursuing your degree locally
- you would like to know what are the specific courses available
- you would like to compare courses from different local institutions
Recommended resource: UCAS Subject Guides
Website: Subjects | UCAS
Pros (key features)
- It gives a good overview of what each subject area is about, what it’s like to study that, and the job prospects.
- It allows you to explore different subject areas with a “birds-eye” view.
- There are hyperlinks to courses offered by UK universities. This is particularly useful if you’re considering applying to the UK.
- You can save a particular course by adding to your favourites on the UCAS portal.
Cons (what’s lacking)
- The entry requirements, apprenticeships and courses listed are specific to the UK. This may not be applicable to Singapore.
- It gives only a broad context. To go deep, look for other resources.
Who is this for?
You may find this resource especially helpful if:
- you are undecided on a course and/or field of study and would like to browse the possibilities
- you would like to explore subject areas broadly
- you are inclined towards pursuing your degree in the UK
#2 Go deep into a certain course
Once you’ve narrowed down to a few or perhaps just one course, it’s a good idea to start researching in-depth on that particular course.
Recommended resource: Google
Pros (key features)
- You can easily find countless different resources on a particular course, subject area, or university that you’re interested in.
- You can find both “official” accounts (e.g. the university’s course page) and “non-official” accounts (e.g. experiences of students – could be on blogs, forums, or often the university’s webpage itself).
Cons (what’s lacking)
- It may be difficult to sift through and find the best resources or the information that you need.
- The information overload may render you even more indecisive—especially if you’re choosing between a few different courses.
Who is this for?
Everyone! This is the absolute best way to research and gather information.
Recommended resource: Books, articles, and anything else that interests you
Pros (key features)
- It allows you to go deep and find out what a job in the field is really like, and what it takes to get there.
- It guarantees that you won’t go into your chosen course with any delusions.
Cons (what’s lacking)
- Some accounts may be over-glorified or biased, showcasing only the best (or worst) parts of the profession. This can be circumvented by actively looking for different viewpoints. (Tip: Always look for what’s the most challenging, tedious, or ugliest part of the job. That way, you’ll know if it’s really for you.)
- It may be difficult to find Singaporean representation. However, the resource will still be very informative in terms of understanding the profession itself. (e.g. A lot of American and British doctors have written compelling books documenting their work. You can’t really find any by Singaporean doctors.)
Who is this for?
Everyone! This will truly enable you to make a more informed decision. (If you aren’t an avid reader, it doesn’t have to be a whole book. Tons of articles, blog posts, YouTube videos, and so on can be easily consumed in five minutes.)
Personal Story
Years ago, when I was still in secondary school, I read an article in TIME magazine about physician burnout. (It may have been this one, though I really can’t be sure.) I remember trying desperately to drum into my mind how tough and gruelling and murderous it will be. But here I am now, pursuing a degree in Medicine.
You get to choose what you wish to suffer for. Yes, it will be painful. But when purpose, gratification, and everything else trumps the pain, that’s when you know you’re in the right place.
#3 Attend taster courses
This is when the reading and research become experiential.
Recommended resource: Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
Platforms: Coursera | edX | FutureLearn (and many others – but good to start by exploring these! You can also google MOOCs for your specific course of interest, and see if any highly recommended ones come up.)
MOOCs by local universities: NUS edX | NUS Coursera | NTU Coursera
Pros (key features)
- Many courses are free. You can audit paid courses (i.e. you can access all or most of the course materials, but you do not earn the certificate).
- Most courses are high-quality, since they are created by renowned institutions.
- The MOOC platforms are user-friendly and have great functionality, including mobile apps and access across devices.
- It’s one of the best ways to gain authentic insight into the type of content you’ll be studying.
- You don’t have to complete the course. Since the courses are free, you can literally enrol anytime and browse through the contents.
Cons (what’s lacking)
- Free online courses may not be available or may be limited for certain degrees.
- MOOCs by local universities are limited. The widest range of options are available at NUS edX.
- It may not be reflective of the method of learning in the university. For instance, there may be more collaboration and discussion than is possible to experience through a MOOC.
- You’ll need a bit more time and dedication if you intend to complete the whole course.
Who is this for?
You may find this resource especially helpful if:
- you have some idea of what course(s) you wish to pursue
- you want a first-person experience of studying the course (as opposed to just reading accounts from others)
- you have more time (only required if you actually aim to study or complete the course)
Recommended resource: Taster Course SG
Website: Taster Course SG | TaCo SG (sign up for their upcoming taster courses here!)
Instagram: @tastercoursesg
Pros (key features)
- It is entirely free of charge and open to anyone.
- You can sign up for an unlimited number of Taster Courses.
- They offer a wide range of taster courses across different subject areas, including Medicine, Law, Economics, Computer Science, Nursing, and more. View the full list on their website.
- You can attend the taster courses from the comfort of your own home. All upcoming taster courses (in January 2021) will be held online.
- It gives you great insight into what exactly you’ll be studying in your course of interest.
- The taster courses include mock lectures, seminars, tutorial sessions etc. This allows you to experience what learning could be like in a university, much more than what can be gleaned from MOOCs.
- You will get very specific information that is not possible with MOOCs. This includes the Singaporean perspective.
- It allows you to connect with seniors who are currently studying the very courses you may wish to pursue.
Cons (what’s lacking)
- Unlike MOOCs, you have to attend the courses at a fixed time. However, all the timings are very humane—either in the afternoon (e.g. 3:00-5:00pm) or evening (e.g. 7:00-9:00pm). And all you have to do is turn on your laptop. (Plus, for something as important as deciding your future, you’ll definitely want to make time for it, right?)
Who is this for?
Anyone! This is arguably one of the best resources on this list. It’s completely free and easily accessible.
A bit more about TaCo SG
TaCo was started by a group of passionate students who have undergone the same university application process as you are now (or will eventually be) going through. Their two- to three-hour long taster courses are curated for students who wish to expose themselves to different university degrees. Read their story here.
#4 Work experience
Some work experience opportunities will definitely be limited or unavailable due to Covid (e.g. hospital attachments). However, whenever there’s the opportunity, it’s always worthwhile to engage in some form of work experience.
The cool thing here is, it doesn’t have to be in the field of your eventual university degree. You can experience and experiment. Moreover, the skills you gain and your reflections from the experience is valuable material for your application, no matter which course you apply to.
Recommended resource: Your school and ECG
Pros (key features)
- You need not source for opportunities or make your own arrangements as the school has it planned for you.
- You do not have to commit many months of your time. Often attachments and internships can be just three days or up to two weeks long. (Note: It varies. Some may be longer depending on the nature of the attachment.)
- You will gain invaluable experience in terms of both exposure and skills.
- It can help you to determine if a particular field is for you.
- It will be of great use in your application later on.
Cons (what’s lacking)
- Such opportunities may not be available in all schools, or slots may be extremely limited.
- The school may not offer an attachment in your field of interest.
- The timing may clash with your other commitments during the school year.
- Some opportunities may currently be limited due to Covid. *
- You may or may not be highly involved in the actual work. If you do not yet have the necessary skills or qualifications, your job scope may be limited.
Who is this for?
You may find this resource especially helpful if:
- the school offers an opportunity that appeals to you
- you have the time and can manage your academics and other commitments well
- you are happy to work without being paid
Recommended resource: Google and online job platforms
Pros (key features)
- You can do this after the A Levels, without academics and other school commitments to worry about.
- You will gain invaluable experience in terms of both exposure and skills.
- It can help you to determine if a particular field is for you.
- It will be of great use in your application later on.
Cons (what’s lacking)
- Such opportunities may be difficult to find and arrange. Job search websites can be dizzying to navigate. They may not have many positions open for pre-university students or interns. Your efforts may be futile (i.e. many applications but zero responses).
- It is almost impossible to find short-term stints or part-time (but also meaningful) work. You may have to commit at least 3 months of your time, working nine-to-five. This may not be desirable or feasible.
- Some opportunities may currently be limited due to Covid. *
- You may or may not be highly involved in the actual work. If you do not yet have the necessary skills or qualifications, your job scope may be limited.
Who is this for?
You may find this resource especially helpful if:
- you have not gained work experience before (otherwise, why subject yourself to this?)
- you have time (usually at least 3 months) that you don’t mind sacrificing
- you can find an opportunity that really appeals to you or that you find meaningful
- you are happy to work being underpaid or without being paid
#5 Leverage your connections
Your seniors, teachers, parents, extended family, relatives, friends, and any other acquaintances can help you greatly in the process of deciding on your university course.
Even if you don’t know anyone from a course you’re leaning towards, it’s always eye-opening to speak to anyone about what their university experience was like, and whether they have any advice for you.
Recommended resource: Anyone you know
Pros (key features)
- They can share with you their experiences and first-hand accounts.
- They can give you advice when choosing your course and help you to weigh your options.
- They can help you arrange attachment or work experience opportunities.
Cons (what’s lacking)
- You may not have connections, or your connections may be limited in your field of interest.
- Hearing others’ opinions may sometimes leave you with more confusion than clarity.
Who is this for?
Everyone! But the first point under “Cons” is a big one—not everyone will have connections.
Personal Story
I certainly did not have connections that I could leverage, especially in terms of finding work experience. I didn’t even have seniors I knew personally that I felt I could talk to.
I’m grateful that I had access to opportunities that connected me with a few medical school seniors, who answered my myriad questions with exceeding patience. Still, I hated to disturb them or take up their time. Thankfully, some things are being done to level the playing field, including TaCo SG, mentioned earlier in this article.
That’s really the goal of TLM too. So if you have any questions (doesn’t have to be med school-related at all!), feel free to drop me a message anytime. I read and respond to every message and email.
Bottom Line: What’s the best resource?
We’ve covered both research-focused (#1 and #2) and experiential (#3 and #4) means to decide on your ideal university course, as well as a last piece of advice (#5) that can be leveraged for both.
Looking at the list of resources, you may feel slightly overwhelmed or unsure of where to start. If I had to pick a winner, it would be Taster Course SG.
It’s accessible to everyone, it’s free, and it can give you the Singaporean perspective that you will not find anywhere else. The potential benefits are tremendous.
It’s also one-of-its-kind, an opportunity that simply didn’t exist for previous batches of not-so-certain university applicants.
That being said, feel free to explore and make full use of whatever works for you. University admissions may be a headache, but it can also be great fun. Happy exploring!
Disclaimer: TLM has no affiliation with any of the organisations mentioned. None of the links on this page are sponsored in any way. I simply wish to help you discover the best resources out there. If you have a suggestion or a resource you’d like to share, I’d be glad to hear it! Feel free to ask any questions too, either by leaving a comment below or sending me a message. I read and respond to every message and email.