Cornell vs Cambridge vs SMU

Originally Posted by Unregistered

the most misinformed post i've seen in this thread. Career opps for graduates from top-tier schools have never been limited by their field(s) of study.

You should choose SMU over Cornell/Cambridge only if you value a job that is strictly based in Sg.

agree. a number of my friends who have graduated from top-tier foreign universities studied history, literature, science, art teachers, PPE, etc. sure some of them are schoolteachers because they are BONDED to MOE (thus do not take a bond if you do not want to teach). if they're in other professions which are do not pay top dollar like finance, it's because they are bonded (ditto what's in the brackets above) or CHOOSE to do so and can AFFORD to do so as their families well do not need their contributions. yes, not everything is about money--of course, this is a SALARY forum and many who come here do see money as a priority, there's nothing wrong with that, but let's not generalize, it doesn't apply to everyone

of course, money is important and indeed i also do know of a number of top tier university graduates--who studied literature, history, art history, PPE, along those lines--who are in the financial sector

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Sorry but this is also rubbish. Numerous schools in the US and UK simply outrank NUS/NTU/SMU. I dont give a s*** about THES/QS and whatever nonsense. Social capital is the single most important factor in the society today and a simple comparison of the alumni from the respective schools will shed light on how deluded some Singaporeans are about the prestige of the local schools.

In fact, some of my friends from the States have never heard about NUS before, much less NTU and the lesser known SMU.

If you intend to settle down/work/live in Sg go ahead and matriculate into SMU. It wont guarantee higher earnings but certainly a sense of belonging and subscription to herd mentality. Otherwise, Cambridge/Cornell is your best choice.

Take this time to see the world kid.

also true--and i'm a NTU & NUS grad because my parents could not afford to send me to universities overseas (i got the offers)

although some local grads do make good eventually, the degrees are never comparable to one from a top tier foreign university. this is reality--although if you're good enough, eventually do can go onto the same playing field; again, this applies to a small portion of local vs top foreign grads

also like i said before, the local schools do not provide a good learning environment that fosters thinking and discussion. i don't care what anyone else and the authorities may say, i know this as i've studied overseas and universities here are nothing close--they are trying very hard, but it's not there yet. so if you have a chance--and can afford--to study overseas, do that

How many of you advising here went to a top school. Or are you one who thinks "had i gone to a top school, my life would have been much better".

Getting admission to a good school abroad does show good grades and potential, but it hardly shows amazing merit. There are many who mite have got scholarships either locally or abroad. That shows merit in my view.

There was this post on this forum from an IVY League guy who was struggling to find a job. Well, Cambridge is good but what if you graduate at a time when Economy is bad ?? Who would care for a foreign undergrad student.

Unless u have statistics to prove that with 90% chance, a cambridge degree (that too undergrad) will ensure a better career and finances , dont just justify this decision based on Ranking n Reputation.

If he does well in SMU , he mite get a scholarship for higher studies. That in my opinion proves ones talent more.

The western univs have two kinds of talents. One are those who actually are given scholarships and the others who can pay. And I can tell that a scholarship at a 10th rank univ in UK mite have more worth than paying for ur degree at Cambridge.

Undergrad degrees are not all that great. There will be many u will compete against and if economy is down, u will be forced to return to SG and earn less after a huge investment.
And Management and Econ are generic degrees.

U can do undergrad at SMU. And keep that 85k for grad degree or MBA after 4-5 years. It will ensure a grad degree from abroad and with job ex , u may be able to work abroad. People here are overstating the importance of Undergrad. U will need luck, good economy and chances to land a good deal.

If u are good, u can go to a good Grad Program later with this money. U are lucky that ur dad has this money. Use it wisely.

i was the one whose parents could afford so i went to local universities. let me state upfront that i am quite happy with where i am in life and in my career even though i went to local universities. would my life be better if i went to foreign universities? maybe. but i do not regret not accepting those offers from top foreign universities because it would be too much for my parents back then, and i also have no regrets about not considering a scholarship back then because i do not like to be tied down this way.

bottomline in my opinion is this:
if your family can afford it fairly comfortably and you can pay them back in time without causing financial constraints to your parents, go for it. it is not all about how your degree will help you get a fabulous job in the future, it's about how an education will help you in your personal development. education should shape you as an individual, not turn you into another cog in the economy. sure this may be idealistic, but if your family is well-to-do (i'm not talking about filthy rich, but comfortably well-to-do and can afford it, as it sounds like from the person who asked this question), why not?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Undergrad degrees are not all that great. There will be many u will compete against and if economy is down, u will be forced to return to SG and earn less after a huge investment.
And Management and Econ are generic degrees.

U can do undergrad at SMU. And keep that 85k for grad degree or MBA after 4-5 years. It will ensure a grad degree from abroad and with job ex , u may be able to work abroad. People here are overstating the importance of Undergrad. U will need luck, good economy and chances to land a good deal.

If u are good, u can go to a good Grad Program later with this money. U are lucky that ur dad has this money. Use it wisely.

This is HILARIOUS. No prestigious employer (i-banks, consulting, etc) cares more about masters degrees than bachelor degrees, except for MBAs. From the way you type, you probably belong to one of those ahpeks/heartlanders who think that the higher the qualification the better, the more impressive sounding the better (Ph.D > Masters > Bachelors). In the real world, masters' degrees don't add value. Employers continue to look at both your bachelor's and master's degrees when they evaluate you for a job. If they see you went to a no-name school like SMU + some non-selective, cash-cow-for-the-university kind of Masters, they'll think: desperate resume padder who couldn't get into the ivy league/oxbridge on first try. Do you want to inflict that fate on the OP?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

How many of you advising here went to a top school. Or are you one who thinks "had i gone to a top school, my life would have been much better".

Getting admission to a good school abroad does show good grades and potential, but it hardly shows amazing merit. There are many who mite have got scholarships either locally or abroad. That shows merit in my view.

Fool. So you're going around telling every local undergrad that they seem to have merit because they "MIGHT have gotten scholarships". Everybody who applies to scholarships falls under this category, but most are laughably unqualified.

There was this post on this forum from an IVY League guy who was struggling to find a job. Well, Cambridge is good but what if you graduate at a time when Economy is bad ?? Who would care for a foreign undergrad student.

One thread out of hundreds of local farmers who have it worse because they stayed in Singapore. Get some common sense.

Unless u have statistics to prove that with 90% chance, a cambridge degree (that too undergrad) will ensure a better career and finances , dont just justify this decision based on Ranking n Reputation.

Sure. There're investment banks whose Singapore offices have a policy of not hiring local grads because they proved disappointingly bad. Many finance/consulting offices who do interview local grads are still dominated by foreign grads from the likes of Oxbridge and Ivy League, even though there're far more local applicants. Do YOU have the stats to prove that local degree can get you anywhere as far as a foreign degree? Dream on.

If he does well in SMU , he mite get a scholarship for higher studies. That in my opinion proves ones talent more.

Who the hell will give you a scholarship for masters?

The western univs have two kinds of talents. One are those who actually are given scholarships and the others who can pay. And I can tell that a scholarship at a 10th rank univ in UK mite have more worth than paying for ur degree at Cambridge.

Irrelevant. This does not change the fact that either option would be better than staying at a local uni. You can't even form an argument without going off-track. You must be a local grad.

[k3vin]

I agree with you, largely. Save for two points.

Scholarships are quite frequently handed out for masters esp if you have a 1.1 degree.

Also, come on, thats a low blow, local grads cant form arguments without going off track? As much as I disagree with him overrating scholarship holders and overrating a local degree as compared to the ivys of the world. You completely underestimate local graduates.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Fool. So you're going around telling every local undergrad that they seem to have merit because they "MIGHT have gotten scholarships". Everybody who applies to scholarships falls under this category, but most are laughably unqualified.


One thread out of hundreds of local farmers who have it worse because they stayed in Singapore. Get some common sense.


Sure. There're investment banks whose Singapore offices have a policy of not hiring local grads because they proved disappointingly bad. Many finance/consulting offices who do interview local grads are still dominated by foreign grads from the likes of Oxbridge and Ivy League, even though there're far more local applicants. Do YOU have the stats to prove that local degree can get you anywhere as far as a foreign degree? Dream on.


Who the hell will give you a scholarship for masters?


Irrelevant. This does not change the fact that either option would be better than staying at a local uni. You can't even form an argument without going off-track. You must be a local grad.

ok, i believe that being the best in your own country does make u a global talent. i am not a local. but i did study at the best univ in my own country. and that gave me access and opportunities world wide.

now i dont know if NUS has the same reputation as Tokyo or IIT or Tsingua or not. but if u r the best in ur country, u can become a global talent. for that, u dont need to shell out 85k. i bet if he tops in SMU, he will achieve good results in life. a topper from SMU mite be better than a average from Camdridge.

again talking abt all these Consultancy and IB makes sense, but how many of these Cambridge fellows make it. the truth is there is no guarantee. if u tell me that Cambridge guarantees sure shot success, i would say go for it. but it does not. u heard a guy mention people from top schools are earning less, and the excuses are bond, priorities, passion. ********, they cant make it so they talk abt all this. bcus Cambridge with Dad's money does not make u Warren Buffett.


for one cambridge fellow who sucks, u can find a SMU grad doing well and vice versa. thats why i suggested that 85k is not worth a gamble just for a UK univ. bcus a cambridge degree does not ensure IB, Consultancy, etc.

this is rubbish. fact is, if you're a school teacher (or similar equivalents), even a very good one getting grade A at appraisals, you will not make as much as a banker, but you will be comfortable. i'm not saying my friends are paupers; they're earning less than top dollars but at a comfortable level. and they can't make it? some of them left after their bonds/a few broke bonds and are either working in much more lucrative fields, some prefer to do other things. so most people go only for dollars and cents, but some people don't, some can afford not to; the world is not homogeneous, neither is it fair

nothing is guaranteed in life, but if you can afford it, why not go for a better university experience that will give you higher chances of getting a foot in the door? and honestly, $85k is not that all that much for a fairly well-off family in singapore

Originally Posted by Unregistered

u heard a guy mention people from top schools are earning less, and the excuses are bond, priorities, passion. ********, they cant make it so they talk abt all this. bcus Cambridge with Dad's money does not make u Warren Buffett.