Beyond Paper Chase in Singapore

Traditionally the emphasis has always been on paper qualifications- it's like a passport to a good job, good pay etc... Well at least it gets you a foot in the door, an interview at the very least. But should it be the only criteria to define one's ability?

There has been a shift in the mindset of many employers, or so I've read. We often heard of success stories - people without a degree armed only with personality ,skills & experiences making it BIG. Academic qualifications became only one of the multi criteria that determine one's ability.

My dad stress very much on job performance & attitude . He has a mid size company & he often come back complaining of the  "youth of today". Paper smart but nothing other than that! Is he being too critical & harsh? Cant blame him though, I sometimes help out in his office & got to know some of the workers.

We have some new comers, who quit after like only a week. During interview some will complain it's too far, or the hours are not what they want (& we are talking of normal working hrs) what were they thinking???? My dad gave up & he ended up hiring a poly grad.

So the question is, is a degree enough? After all unlike olden days, everyone has a degree now. My dad said the present degree is the past "o" levels (roll eyes.....) . So what will set you apart during an interview? The results don't seem to matter also , unless its govt section ( they are still 'old school' I guess, still think good grades = good performance & ability) . Maybe it's safe to choose someone base on grades. But we all know, often good grades = only good memory/exam smart or good tutor (who is good  in spotting exam questions for you....lol...).

Back to results & interview. It seems the personality is very impt- during an interview, the one with the better personality stands out. The one who only could code from books & without some creativity & originality pales in comparison with some one who's more interesting but not so good results.

Conclusion, yes study hard but get some experience, travel a little if you have the budget, expose yourself more .... get a personality !!!!

With Rising Costs of an Overseas Education , is it still worth it?

You read the news? A Singapore student claimed her tuition fees at King's College London's law school increased from £14,000 in 2012-2013 to £15,000 in 2013-2014. A jump of £1000- within such a short time- mind blowing right???  Apparently the main excuse for  these institutions is rising costs Also you don’t expect them to charge their local students more right? It’s easier to pass the buck to “rich” international students. Sadly not many Singaporean students who go over are that richL .

So why do students from middle income families go abroad then? Many do it because they didn’t do all that well & couldn’t get into local universities or popular courses like medicine and law. For those who could afford it, they might just want the kids to experience more to expand horizons – well why not if you can afford it right?

The report I read noted that , tuition fees for undergraduate engineering courses is around $55,000 a year. Medicine courses can go up to $80,000 a year. Minimum living costs in London, can easily hit $2,000 a month, or $24,000 a year or more. A three-year UK university education can thus easily cost $250,000 today. And that cost will definitely go up in the future due to inflation & fluctuations in exchange rates. In Australia, costs are slightly lower, probably at above $200,000 for a three-year education today. In the US, costs will also vary widely depending on the school, course and location. A typical four-year education there can thus cost $200,000 to over $300,000 today.

By contrast, local Singapore university tuition fees for citizens are currently at just $8,000 a year. Most students would probably stay with parents. With no rent & food is much cheaper here. So when parents sent kids abroad, it’s really all about the ability to splurge- the numbers tells all !

How about those who barely could afford it? If you take a student loan, you’ll take ages to repay it, unless you end up with a cushy job with high pay. But how many of us will be that lucky? Heard of parents who give it all up even selling the house so that junior can go abroad? Is it worth it? What about unexpected circumstances like parents getting retrenched, parents getting sick, unexpected fee increases & exchange rate fluctuations? Think about it.

The top 3 most stressful colleges :

According to a poll, these are the top 3 most stressful colleges!

1. Stanford University (Stanford, CA)

2. Columbia University(New York, NY)

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)

Why all the interest now? My baby brother is applying to these 3 ! Is he trying to be funny? Who knows? my dad is encouraging him, my mum is worry & I'm sorta pissed!

Bank Intern Dies After Working 72 Hours Straight

The death of an intern working at the London offices of Bank of America Merrill Lynch (August 2013) has prompted calls for city firms to take more responsibility for the ambitious graduates who push themselves to the limit to secure jobs at the world’s top banks.

Attracted to the glamour world of finance in London, New York, Hong Kong  and Singapore by the prospect of securing a full-time job and hefty wage, they often face 20-hour days in some of the most adrenaline-soaked offices on earth. But serious concerns about interns working long hours and even through the night were raised on this Ausgust after the death of Moritz Erhardt, 21, who was found dead late last week at his London accommodation towards the end of a seven-week internship.

The German intern allegedly worked for 72 hours without sleep in the Bank of America’s investment banking division. The cause of his death was unknown pending post-mortem tests.

Some criticis condemned the culture at investment banks  : Calling it  “slavery in the city” this exploitation of youth is unacceptable.  But interns doubted it would possible to change the culture, saying they were never explicitly told to work such long hours but imposed this on themselves in their desperation for a job. “People push themselves because they want an offer with the bank and the chance of a great career and great money,” said one former intern from a major U.S. bank who secured a job after the summer. “This is a golden path.”

So friends are we still aiming for these bank jobs ??? Worth it?

Chinese student vandalises 3,500-year-old Egyptian relic !!

The Chinese tourist/ student who defaced a 3,500-year-old Luxor temple relic unapologetically posted, "What's the big deal about writing just a few words?"

He had scratched the Chinese words, 'Ding Jinhao was here' and the vandalism was uncovered by a Weibo microblog user who visited the Egyptian temple on May 6 and posted it online.  Netizens hunted down the perpetrator, 15-year-old Ding Jinhao, a middle school student in Nanjing. They also hacked his school's website to shame him.

According to a report, they also hacked his school's website, forcing users to click on a sign parodying Ding's graffiti on the ancient sandstone relic on the banks of the Nile River, before entering.

"We want to apologise to the Egyptian people and to people who have paid attention to this case across China," Ding's mother said in Modern Express, a China newspaper.  They also said their son had "cried all night" after learning of the cyber attacks, which prompted them to issue the apology. However, what their son has posted online does not seem apologetic.

Mr Wang Yang, one of China's four vice premiers, condemned behaviours "talking loudly in public places, jay-walking, spitting and wilfully carving characters on items in scenic zones". He also lamented that  some Chinese tourists overseas are harming the country's image.

Thank God the damage to the temple has since been successfully removed by curators. What you guys think, do you vandalize too when you are abroad ?

Have you been confessing online?

This is the favourite pastime of  many  university students now!!! Many are going to  certain Facebook pages to anonymously reveal  EVERYTHING…. !!!!! NUS, NTU & SMU all have their own sites now!!!

Anonymity  is the issue here,  it gives all the courage to bare their inner most secrets & obsessions , vent out their anger or declare their love…. You have to read some of these, it’s really quite interesting!!!

The flip side is, some of these entries are a tag too much, some could be fabricated as well. It’s the page  administrators job to filter with some discretion I guess. It’s not easy- They probably need to establish some sort of guidelines. Still everyone should engage  it with discretion.

Young person’s Mental Health Problems

What Are The Warning Signs

The teen years can be tough for both parent and child. Adolescents are under stress to be liked, do well in school, get along with their family and make important life decisions. Most of these pressures are unavoidable and worrying about them is natural. Most of us have periods where we are feeling extremely sad, hopeless or worthless-  these could be warning signs of a mental health problem.

Mental health problems are real, painful and can be severe. They can lead to school failure, loss of friends, or family conflict. Some of the signs that may point to a possible problem are listed below. If you are a Parent or other caregiver of a teenager, pay attention if your teen:

Is troubled by feeling:  very angry most of the time, cries a lot or overreacts to things; feel  worthless or guilty a lot;  anxious or worried a lot more than other young people; grief for a long time after a loss or death;  extremely fearful-has unexplained fears or more fears than most kids;  constantly concerned about physical problems or appearance;   frightened that his or her mind is controlled or is out of control.

Experiences big changes, for example:  does much worse in school;  loses interest in things usually enjoyed;  has unexplained changes in sleeping or eating habits;  avoids friends or family and wants to be alone all the time;  daydreams too much and can't get things done;  feels life is too hard to handle or talks about suicide; hears voices that cannot be explained.

Is limited by: poor concentration; can't make decisions;  inability to sit still or focus attention; worry about being harmed, hurting others, or about doing something "bad";  the need to wash, clean things, or perform certain routines dozens of times a day; thoughts that race almost too fast to follow;  persistent nightmares.

Behaves in ways that cause problems, for-example:  uses alcohol or other drugs;  eats large amounts of food and then forces vomiting, abuses laxatives, or takes enemas to avoid weight-'gain; continues to diet or exercise obsessively although bone-thin;  often hurts other people, destroys property, or breaks the law;  does things that can be life threatening.

To find help, discuss  concerns with your  teacher, school counselor or others such as a family doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker or religious counselor .