The stressful week of putting down your 12 choices for post-secondary school has just passed. I’m not sure how you are feeling. Perhaps you are relieved that the tough decision-making process is over, anxious about the results or worried that you made the wrong choice. 

Nevertheless, the Joint Admission Exercise posting results will be released on the 28 January 2021 and we are waiting in anticipation with you!

There are many ways to go out about the start of your post-secondary school life, and there really is no correct way to do it. If you haven’t checked out our podcast–Poly Unwrapped–where we interviewed a JC, ITE and Polytechnic graduate on their education journey, here is a summary of the different routes you can take after you graduate from secondary school.

Polytechnic Education

Going to a Polytechnic is a great option for people who are better with hands-on learning. Unlike secondary school, courses are not only graded based on examinations but on a combination of projects, written tests, practical tests, presentations, class participation. 

This makes it easy to score if you are not strong in studying and memorising but consistent hard work is especially required throughout all 6 semesters. 

You can look at it in two ways. For some, it is stressful because every assignment, project or exam contributes to the final grade but others are glad their entire education does not depend on how they perform in one final exam. 

No matter which camp you are in, such an educational system definitely has its benefits. What you get out of all the project work, presentation and other graded components are valuable soft skills that would help you handle people and navigate through situations better, giving you a leg up in employability. 

I would say that out of all three routes you can take, Poly offers the best experience and opportunity outside of academics. Here are the other things that the Poly experience provides:

Opportunities

• Most Poly students will get to have an internship experience, and this opens up connections and a network for students, as well as a taste of work life but within a protected environment.

Exposure and student life

• With too many CCAs to count in each Poly, you are bound to find something you are passionate about or have always wanted to try. The key is to not be afraid to put yourself out there. Within these CCAs, you get to meet students from different schools, years and walks of life. 
• If you still are not able to find something you like, there is also the option to create your own interest group (you can also apply for funding to start out). 
• If you do end up in leadership positions or be more involved in these groups, you’d get the chance to enter competitions, represent your school in events and more, these help you improve both technical and soft skills, plus gives you exposure and experience as well. 

Credit: Singapore Polytechnic 

In terms of finance, Poly is the most expensive option of the whole lot at about $2900 per year, and you have 3 years to complete. 

But if you do manage to get into the course in university, or even into the same faculty, you’d be able to get exemptions and potentially save on some university tuition fees. 

There are sponsorships, bursaries and grants not only for school fees but for devices as well. You definitely want to keep your eyes peeled for those (tip: check out the financial assistance on school websites) or speak to someone at student services, they would be able to provide you with more information.

Institute of Technical Education

The Institute of Technology aims to get their students ready for the working life with relevant technical skills. If you are a hands-on learning person, it gives you in-depth training for your future job. What is not commonly known is that there are many ways to further your studies with ITE.

GCE N level or GCE O level graduates may apply for Nitec, which is a 2-year course, and depending on your course, you may move on to Higher Nitec for another 2 years if you hit the minimum GPA required. 

Some courses allow you to shave 1 year off the Higher Nitec if you have a minimum GPA of 3.0. However, If you do exceptionally well like about GPA 3.5 and above for Nitec, you can apply for the Joint Poly Admission Exercise (JPAE) and apply for a course at a Polytechnic. For Higher Nitec students, a GPA of about 2.5-2.7 would allow you to apply for JPAE. 

There is also the Direct Entry Scheme to Polytechnic Programme, DPP for short, for GCE N Level Graduates where you can take a 10-week Preparatory Course and proceed to Higher Nitec and subsequently to a Polytechnic for a diploma.

GCE O level students can consider skipping Nitec and head straight to Higher Nitec if their results allow them to. 

I know, there are so many ways to go about it and it sounds pretty confusing! So we are dropping this image from the ITE website for your easy reference. 

Credit: ITE 

The great thing about ITE is that it prepares you rigorously with the technical skills and the basic knowledge needed for the course and that sets you up very well for whatever path you choose to pursue next, be it work or further studies in a Poly, then University and so forth. 

In fact, some Poly seniors have been telling us that they were the ones helping their friends out in Poly because of what they have learnt in ITE. 

Pro tip from those seniors, joining a CCA helps you shave some point off your GPA as well. So do consider trying one out!

In terms of finance, it is not as expensive as Poly. The school fees are $446 per year for Nitec and $626 per year for Higher Nitec for Singaporeans. There are also bursaries available, so do search those up (tip: check out financial assistance on school websites), or approach the school’s student services.

Credit: The Straits Times 

Junior College Education

JC is more similar to secondary school education where students are prepared to sit for a major exam (GCE A level) at the end of a few years. You would have to choose your subject combination, either the arts of science stream, and whether to take H1 or H2 for the subjects.

For people who are able to ‘chiong’ and score at the last minute, JC might be for you because unlike Poly or ITE where grades are cumulative, all that matters is the major exam that you take at the end of the 2 years. 

Though grades are based more on results of the individuals, there are subjects like Project Work (PW) which is similar to that of a Final Year Project for Poly students. This helps students hone their technical and soft skills through problem solving, teamwork and presentations. 

There is also General Paper (GP) which is compulsory for all students and it helps build critical thinking, awareness of current affairs and evaluation of opinions.

Since 2 years is actually a pretty short runway to cram so many subjects into your head, this rigorous schedule helps inculcate tenacity and a hard-working attitude to push through and reach a goal. 

Many students burn the midnight oil months before the GCE A levels, and through the grind, there is a feeling of confidence, that you know you can get through anything when you set your mind to it. This determination and perseverance will help in university and in life.

Credit: Youth.sg 

It is also the easiest route to take if you are looking to further your education in a local university as the majority of the students that enter are from JC. 

In terms of finance, it is the least expensive option at $200+ per year, plus it is only for 2 years. But considering how many JC students have extra tuition outside, the amount can quickly add up.

Our conclusion is that many roads lead to Rome and it does not matter which road you take or how long you take, as long as you keep your eyes forward, chin upwards and never give up on working towards your goal. 

While some of us may feel shortchanged from our peers because of a few added years to our education, there will be many others who would have taken alternative routes too to get to where they are and or even a gap year.

As you can see in our brief summary, each path has its own pros and cons. The end goal is not as important as the journey because it is the journey that shapes you and makes you who you are today. 

Whatever the results may be for you as 28 January approaches, we believe in you and are cheering you on always!

Credit: Giphy