settle for an engineering course or retake exam?

Originally Posted by Money is never enough

During my times in the early 2000, the trend of Engg guys going to Arts/Bizad/Science canteen to bio gals is still there (Every other canteen just seems nicer than Engin Canteen). This trend will always be there. I was one of them too. It just makes your chicken steak tasted juicier. It's just one of our fav pastime in NUS. But so what? It shldn't be a motivational factor to choose your studies. If one is so desperate for gals, he should stay in the Halls of Residence or join SDUs, etc. Know your priority.
What is wrong with working in Tuas, compared to Shenton Way? One should care more about where his career is heading and how much he is earning.

As an adult, he will know his priorities after considering all the factors. I am just listing out some of the not so obvious factors although cheek in tougue. He can ignore it if he thinks it is not impt at all. It's not like I am misleading him.

You should not question what is wrong with working in Tuas just because it doesn't matter to you. He is not you. He shld ask himself what is wrong with working in Tuas. If he thinks it's ok, then it's ok and he can ignore this factor.

I think you are in your early thirties and sounds like a very practical person. Try not to be too fixated on your thinking and learn to see things from different perspective. And refrain from calling people Chee Hong Kias because that is very rude and reflects badly on your upbringing.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

As an adult, he will know his priorities after considering all the factors. I am just listing out some of the not so obvious factors although cheek in tougue. He can ignore it if he thinks it is not impt at all. It's not like I am misleading him.

You should not question what is wrong with working in Tuas just because it doesn't matter to you. He is not you. He shld ask himself what is wrong with working in Tuas. If he thinks it's ok, then it's ok and he can ignore this factor.

I think you are in your early thirties and sounds like a very practical person. Try not to be too fixated on your thinking and learn to see things from different perspective. And refrain from calling people Chee Hong Kias because that is very rude and reflects badly on your upbringing.

No offence. I was just joking.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

As an adult, he will know his priorities after considering all the factors. I am just listing out some of the not so obvious factors although cheek in tougue. He can ignore it if he thinks it is not impt at all. It's not like I am misleading him.

You should not question what is wrong with working in Tuas just because it doesn't matter to you. He is not you. He shld ask himself what is wrong with working in Tuas. If he thinks it's ok, then it's ok and he can ignore this factor.

I think you are in your early thirties and sounds like a very practical person. Try not to be too fixated on your thinking and learn to see things from different perspective. And refrain from calling people Chee Hong Kias because that is very rude and reflects badly on your upbringing.

And taking up accountancy or finance will equip you with the financial analysis skills that you can use in your own investment, financial management skills set. At the very least, you will feel more confidence in picking up value stocks.

I was too young and stupid to look at the big picture, chose engineering and regrets it. Working in engineering industry has its attractiveness. I was so excited when I had my internship, my first experience at a construction project. The sense of purpose, a few hundred men working together to construct a structure that will remain for decades. Something you can show your grandchildren, and say "Hey, I helped built that!" There is also the sense of cowboyness and toughness, working in the wilderness. Some people can't even stand a day in the site!

All this is good when you are in your twenties. However, reality soon sets in:
- Working with a bunch of unqualified foreign morons, some who can't even write a full English sentence.
- Long working hours and days.
- 3 Ds, dirty, dangerous, demanding
- Tight schedules e.g. construct a chemical plant in 9 months.
- Unattractive to opposite sex.
- Your colleagues are most likely the riff raffs of society. Who else would want to work in engineering?
- Poorly paid if you consider the demands of the job.

Engineering can be suitable for you if:
- you are really interested in engineering. I have seen really dedicated engineers.
- you are a foreign talent from Western or Japanese companies. These companies value engineers and pay them well.
- your father owns an engineering company and he wants you to take over him eventually.

[suppertime]

You are right. I did not perform up to expectations for all subjects, but there was a particular one which was far off what I had expected. I was not being unrealistic at all. The past year A level papers that I attempted for this subject, showed a consistent A for at least the papers of the past 3 years. Complacency maybe? That contributed to me, not meeting the "cut-off point" for a course like accountancy. Thank you for the questions that you have posted. They really set me thinking. I am also getting curious of the course which you took.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Take the course that you can score better in. Seeing that you have to retake your A Levels, am I right to say that you didn't do very well? Be honest with yourself. What subjects are you weaker than your peers? Which subjects do you have an advantage?

I had decent but not perfect A level grades. I had peers much smarter than me that went engineering. Looking at the content and workload, engineering appeared considerably tougher than banking finance/ accountancy. Plus, they were constantly outdone by Chinese, Vietnam and Indian talents. Since my uni awarded honors by bell-curve, I knew I had a much lower chance of getting good honors if I had gone to engineering.

Long story short, I took a course in which I had a better chance of scoring in. I achieved a mix of A's and B's and I believe I barely made first-class.

With first-class honors, employers don't really care which course I studied. This really opened many doors for me. I don't consider myself very smart. I honestly believe if I had selected other "popular" courses, I would have ended up with a 2nd upper at best. In engineering I'd probably be a 2nd lower.

I am very sure it was my first class honors that got me my starting job in an investment bank. If you don't get 2nd upper, alot of doors close on you already.

Choose a course where you can do well. Engineering is really tough to score. Accountancy is much easier. This is my 2 scts.

[suppertime]

Yes. I am very sure that it is NUS mech eng and not a common eng. The entry requirements have all gone up.

nus mech eng (ABB/C)
nus eng science (AAB/C)
nus ba accountancy (AAA/B)
nus ba (AAA/C)
ntu accountancy (AAA/B)
ntu ba (AAB/B)

Originally Posted by Money is never enough

Firstly, are you really sure you have secured a place in NUS' ME or just Common Engg. Perhaps's I'm outdated, but during my time in 2001, unless you joined as a diploma holder or you have a place in Chem/Computer Engg, you would only be streamed after your 1st academic yr based on your choice and results. If your Year One result suk big time, you will be thrown to the dumping department (CE was the dumping ground during my time).

Secondly, has the entry requirement for NUS Engg dropped so much? Back in 2001, one requires at least 2 A 1 B to enter NUS Common Engg whereas requirements for NUS Bizad, NTU Accountancy/Biz Studies are less stringent. Given that NUS Engg Faculty is ranked 7th globally in QS World Ranking 2011, it's sad to see my juniors treating it like dumping ground.

My advice is to choose a course that you have confidence you will do well. In this highly competitive world where graduates are in abundance, your degrees are worthless unless you have a 2nd Upper honours and above. But having said that, the class of your honors is only a stepping stone. Getting a 2nd lower honours or 3rd class does not spell the end of the world. You can still succeed in the working world. Just that you will probably face a tougher time at the beginning compared to your peers whom have obtained better honors. Secondy, I would advise you not to buy into the general perception that courses like engineering are dead end whereas finance and accountancy promise riches and wealth. It is true that finance and accountancy can pay very well if you have what it takes to succeed. But behind every success, there is blood and sweat. And the most important point to takeaway is that not everybody gets there. I would describe finance and accountancy as a sugar coated cake coveted by too many eyes. The end result is that you will find yourself competing with an infinite pool of the smartest and most hardworking people. If you believe that you have what it takes to compete with the best brains out there, go ahead to pursue finance and accountancy. At the end of the day, you have to remember that every society will need people to want to work in all kinds of professions. It is not true that you cannot do well in engineering. And it is also not true that most finance and accountancy professionals get paid **** loads of money. At the end of the day, you can succeed in any fields. You just need to have the capabilities, dedications and stamina. Hope my advices helped.

[suppertime]

That does make sense.
I don't think there is a banking finance course.
I was also thinking about the supply of graduates from these courses, being rather, you know, large. I hear people saying that accountants, though getting good paychecks, work long hard hours. Do accountants get a reasonable chance of promotion?

No, I dont have a very very very strong reason to pick Engineering

Originally Posted by Unregistered

If you are undecided, pick accountancy or banking finance. NO REGRETS

Only pick Engineering if you have a very very very strong reason to do so (which I honestly I can't think of any)

Don't need think so much. You'd figure out when you graduate 3 years down the road how lucky you are to have chosen accountancy / B&F over engineering.

Ask yourself this:

How often do you see engineering grads regretting their choice and trying to get into Banking and finance?

How often do you see accounting/B&F grads regretting and trying to get into engineering field?

Answer is clearer now?

[suppertime]

Hello. I did not actually look at engineering as something which I will be involved in. More of using mechanical engineering as a degree that will allow me to squeeze into other sectors. Thank you for giving me an idea of how an engineer, pursuing a career in engineering, will likely face. Hope you do well too!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I was too young and stupid to look at the big picture, chose engineering and regrets it. Working in engineering industry has its attractiveness. I was so excited when I had my internship, my first experience at a construction project. The sense of purpose, a few hundred men working together to construct a structure that will remain for decades. Something you can show your grandchildren, and say "Hey, I helped built that!" There is also the sense of cowboyness and toughness, working in the wilderness. Some people can't even stand a day in the site!

All this is good when you are in your twenties. However, reality soon sets in:
- Working with a bunch of unqualified foreign morons, some who can't even write a full English sentence.
- Long working hours and days.
- 3 Ds, dirty, dangerous, demanding
- Tight schedules e.g. construct a chemical plant in 9 months.
- Unattractive to opposite sex.
- Your colleagues are most likely the riff raffs of society. Who else would want to work in engineering?
- Poorly paid if you consider the demands of the job.

Engineering can be suitable for you if:
- you are really interested in engineering. I have seen really dedicated engineers.
- you are a foreign talent from Western or Japanese companies. These companies value engineers and pay them well.
- your father owns an engineering company and he wants you to take over him eventually.

In NTU, their business school NBS consist of two main streams. Accountancy and Business.
Within Business, you choose your specialisation. There is the most popular Banking & Finance, then there are other specialisation such as HR, Marketing etc.

How much research have you done in this area?

When you refer to "accountants", are you referring to accountancy graduates in general? Or actual professional accountants? Are you referring to auditors?

Audit has long hours but it comes in cycles. Pay check is pretty standard and progression is structured. Shall not dwell into details because this is pretty well covered and I don't want to spoon feed. You can search details easily.

Originally Posted by suppertime

That does make sense.
I don't think there is a banking finance course.
I was also thinking about the supply of graduates from these courses, being rather, you know, large. I hear people saying that accountants, though getting good paychecks, work long hard hours. Do accountants get a reasonable chance of promotion?

No, I dont have a very very very strong reason to pick Engineering