Ersatz

1. Why did you choose to study in Singapore?

A promethean way of thinking is how I started to look at things from the age of fifteen. Choosing to study in Singapore was also one of my decisions, which was arguably the best option at my fingertips after I completed my 12th grade at the DAV Matric Hr.Sec. School, Chennai.

I was never fascinated about studying in one of the 239 colleges in Tamilnadu (July 2005), work for a year with IT giants and fly to the USA to complete my masters. I just hope it is an obsolete expression regarding education at present. The reason why one should pursue a bachelor’s degree, for e.g., an Electrical Engineering degree or why he should choose a bachelor of sciences in Physics is in oblivion. Being sentient about scoring well in examinations, a political apparat and personal ambitions lead me to fax my mark sheets late to the National University of Singapore. Now when I think about, what was my situation, a quote from the movie Matrix seems apt – “I do not see coincidence in any of the events, I see providence, I see purpose.”

Ergo, I am in Singapore, having successfully completed three years of my B.E. Electrical Engineering at the National University of Singapore and starting my final year in August.

2. What do you think are the major advantages / disadvantages?

A diversified conglomerate cosmopolitan, Singapore is an amalgam of the learning infrastructure existing in both worlds together with a feeling of at-homeness and a strong sense of community.

Being a vignette for education, healthy competition in academics between Chinese, Indians, Malaysians and students from other nationalities, easier student visa rules, better student hostels and several bursaries and scholarship opportunities are some of the major advantages of studying in Singapore. Also, major institutions around the world are to set up campuses or chapters in their South-East Asian mega-polis.

Government-funded institutions make it mandatory for foreign students to stay and work in Singapore for three/six years after graduation, a provision which denies he/she from pursuing a higher degree course in different parts of the world immediately after undergraduate studies even though he might have a degree plus job experience in hand after three/six years. Continuous fee hike, be it tuition fee or hostel fee or travel expenses within Singapore is another major disadvantage for students aspiring to study in Singapore. Recently, there is a hike in food prices too, due to the discontinuation of rice export from India.

I personally feel it is difficult for most of the middle or lower class Indian families to afford the education rates with the increase in Singapore Dollar rates from INR 25 to INR 32 within the span of three years and is increasing further. But, there is always a positive way of looking at things, most of these disadvantages can be made to work completely in your favour, all you need to do is make a choice.

3. How did you pick the university you’re studying in now?

Being in the best helps, it surely did in my case. DAV spoon fed ( pun intended ) its students by providing an opportunity for all to meet with the Admissions officer linked to the National University of Singapore, the place I study in. In a place which is critiqued about possesing the cream of the student population in Chennai (DAV), one would expect students to have stubborn ambitions. Interaction between classmates also lead me to know about other universities one could apply to. Basically getting to know stuff is quite a networking thing.

4. Overall …..?

Choice. The problem is choice. Once I made it I never thought of altering it but I am trying to justify as to why I made it. I hope when the dust settles, more number of students would aspire to study in Singapore!