Here's just a quirky list of JC stereotypes I've compiled based on my friends' experiences, enjoy!
1. Anglo-Chinese Junior College
Literally where all the popular kids go! People in ACJC have on average, the most amazing JC life/experience! They'll be the friends flooding your Instagram with pictures of cool birthday celebrations, sports events and random quirky moments. Feeling bored? Their snapchats will always be a reliable source for entertainment and there, no two days are the same. It doesn't matter whether you're a jock, a dork or an artsy kid (though most of them do seem like jocks), you'll find your circle of people there and you'll never be out of place. And the best part? Moving out of your circle of friends will never be a chore because everyone's extremely open and accepting of one another.
It's utopia for socialites though it may be dystopia for the quieter souls.
2. St. Joseph Institution
With their small batch size (only about 300 students per cohort), everyone at SJI is like family. There won't be a single person you've never seen round campus and it isn't surprising that everyone knows well, everyone. A project oriented grading system, SJI provides boundless opportunities for their students to work together both within and outside the classroom. Many IP students (6 year programme) would've known each other from year 1-4 and JAE students also seamlessly integrate into the school's easy going and fun culture. With the average student being a part of 7-12 clubs, it's little wonder why they're such a tightly knit bunch. There will never be the fear of "finding your place" in the school because after awhile, it will no longer be just an institution for learning, it'll be home, where your extended family is.
3. Jurong Junior College
The hierarchy game is strong in this school. From the moment you enter, students from schools like Nan Hua High often dominate the initial social scene in the school (because a large majority of their students are from that school, plus the NH community is a close one). But no need to fear! Everyone will soon fall into their place. JJC is a great place for fresh beginnings as opportunities are often not restricted by past achievements/academic results. That's to say that regardless of your OLevel score or CCA records, most, if not all, doors will still remain open for you. You could join the student council, run for house cap, join their quirky CCAs, and basically revamp yourself. It's a land of fresh beginnings and largely depends on how you want your JC experience of go. It's a goldmine of opportunities awaiting for you to seize them.
4. Hwa Chong Institution
Now I hesitated writing this one, not because I don't vaguely know what the culture there is like, but because most of the people I know who had gone on to Hwa Chong vanished! Well not literally. But the mugging culture there is undeniable. These are the friends whom you'll only see on Instagram or snapchat during special occasions like Mid-Autumn Festival and maybe once or twice in December. There's a strong mystery that shrouds the school and I quote from an anonymous insider that, "Once you step in, you won't see light till graduation." Hwa Chongrians are a driven bunch who know what they want and how they're going to achieve their goals. And they'll make up a majority of the successful professionals we look up to in the future.
Let's take a moment to appreciate how admirable it is that these people have their lives in order. Not completely, albeit better than most of us.
This'll probably be a 4 part post (because there are just so many JCs). So do look forward to the rest!
Friday, 30 September 2016
Post OLevel Prelim Mortem
Prelims are coming to a close! And the race for O Levels is moving into full gear. Seeing my juniors' snapchats does wonders in taking me back to my own O Level rat race last year.
This is around the time when everyone starts worrying about their grades and their future in our education system. And the big question no doubt surfaces every once in awhile - JC or Poly?
Below, I'll address some common questions secondary school students often have surrounding the mystery that alludes the JC system (as most of my friends are currently going through it) and hopefully I'll be able to shed light on some of your doubts in the process:
1) Work, work, work
This is the one constant that will follow you from secondary school to JC. If you think that the workload right now is crazy, then you might want to reconsider continuing on to JC. I'm not trying to be pessimistic but this is the harsh truth. There are so many capable students out there, and grades in our age will be by far the weakest indicator of one's abilities.
We often forget the IP (integrated programme) kids who by-pass OLevels. This was a fact that I had to learn to accept when I entered JC. It's a whole new ball game with these students and the competition steepens. In top-tier JCs like Raffles, majority of students take 4H2s and 1 in 4 take at least 1H3 by the time they enter year 6 (or JC2). This is a stark contrast to other colleges where a vast majority of students grapple with 3H2s and 1H1. Furthermore, over 50% of students from Raffles will eventually graduate with the perfect score. That sums the total candidature with the perfect score to over 600 students. And that's from just one of the top schools alone. We shouldn't forget other equally competitive institutions such as Hwa Chong, NJ, Dunman etc.
Thus, how do these kids then choose to stand out since perfect grades are now the expected norm? Through extra curriculars of course. And no, I'm not referring to CCAs. Aside from leadership roles in their CCAs, many capable students take the initiative to bolster their university application through volunteer initiatives, research programmes, notable job attachments, and national/international competitions. And the sad truth is that many of these opportunities vary depending on the institution you're in. Many OLevel students I know find it difficult to even maintain their grades upon entering JC, and partaking in so many extra activities is definitely out of the question. Hence, it's pretty difficult (though not impossible), to compete with the top students and in such a case, you may want to reconsider JC.
It really voices down your academic abilities. You know yourself best.
2) Your Choice of JC
Many people tend to choose the "best" JC they're eligible for, based on their L1R5. And that is a big mistake. Your choice of JC really matters! You should choose a place that fits who you are and where you think you'll best be able to shine.
I know of friends who went on to that-school-at-Bukit-Timah, only to transfer out a month in from the enormous pressure and monotony of the school. It really depends on what you expect out of your JC life and the environment will make a huge impact on your interest and attitude towards school as a whole. Hence it's important to consider whether you'll be able to fit into the culture and keep up with the "societal expectations" set by the school. This again, varies depending on the school's competitiveness and culture. You could read this post on what the typical cultures are like in various JCs.
3) Are you doing this for yourself or because it's expected of you by your teachers, peers and family?
It's an utter lie to say that the people around you ultimately don't influence your decision. I had a friend who scored a raw score of 17 and was rejected by the JC of her choice. Her posting was to a polytechnic computing course (which was her ideal course. She only added in the JC in her application to please her parents). And she had the most miserable 1st year experience in her JC when she appealed and got accepted. She's struggling to get promoted and lives in fear of retaining.
"During OLevels, it wasn't as scary because regardless of how you do, you move on to JC or Poly. But here, if I fail, I'm going to remain where I am and I'll have to repeat the J1 all over again."
The fear is real and a constant thought lingering at the back of every JC student's mind. Trust me, ask your seniors if you think I'm exaggerating.
You might find more success and happiness pursuing a course of your choice in poly.
I'm not preaching that JC is a bad place to be in. This post was just a pre amp, a warning of sorts. At the end of the day, it largely depends on the type of person you are and how you'll react to the stressors that'll surface during your time in JC should you choose to walk down that path. In 2016, it's becoming increasingly accepted that poly can bring about equal opportunities as JC. So maybe it's about time we changed our sterile mindsets regarding post-secondary education in Singapore and explore our other options.
This is around the time when everyone starts worrying about their grades and their future in our education system. And the big question no doubt surfaces every once in awhile - JC or Poly?
Below, I'll address some common questions secondary school students often have surrounding the mystery that alludes the JC system (as most of my friends are currently going through it) and hopefully I'll be able to shed light on some of your doubts in the process:
1) Work, work, work
This is the one constant that will follow you from secondary school to JC. If you think that the workload right now is crazy, then you might want to reconsider continuing on to JC. I'm not trying to be pessimistic but this is the harsh truth. There are so many capable students out there, and grades in our age will be by far the weakest indicator of one's abilities.
We often forget the IP (integrated programme) kids who by-pass OLevels. This was a fact that I had to learn to accept when I entered JC. It's a whole new ball game with these students and the competition steepens. In top-tier JCs like Raffles, majority of students take 4H2s and 1 in 4 take at least 1H3 by the time they enter year 6 (or JC2). This is a stark contrast to other colleges where a vast majority of students grapple with 3H2s and 1H1. Furthermore, over 50% of students from Raffles will eventually graduate with the perfect score. That sums the total candidature with the perfect score to over 600 students. And that's from just one of the top schools alone. We shouldn't forget other equally competitive institutions such as Hwa Chong, NJ, Dunman etc.
Thus, how do these kids then choose to stand out since perfect grades are now the expected norm? Through extra curriculars of course. And no, I'm not referring to CCAs. Aside from leadership roles in their CCAs, many capable students take the initiative to bolster their university application through volunteer initiatives, research programmes, notable job attachments, and national/international competitions. And the sad truth is that many of these opportunities vary depending on the institution you're in. Many OLevel students I know find it difficult to even maintain their grades upon entering JC, and partaking in so many extra activities is definitely out of the question. Hence, it's pretty difficult (though not impossible), to compete with the top students and in such a case, you may want to reconsider JC.
It really voices down your academic abilities. You know yourself best.
2) Your Choice of JC
Many people tend to choose the "best" JC they're eligible for, based on their L1R5. And that is a big mistake. Your choice of JC really matters! You should choose a place that fits who you are and where you think you'll best be able to shine.
I know of friends who went on to that-school-at-Bukit-Timah, only to transfer out a month in from the enormous pressure and monotony of the school. It really depends on what you expect out of your JC life and the environment will make a huge impact on your interest and attitude towards school as a whole. Hence it's important to consider whether you'll be able to fit into the culture and keep up with the "societal expectations" set by the school. This again, varies depending on the school's competitiveness and culture. You could read this post on what the typical cultures are like in various JCs.
3) Are you doing this for yourself or because it's expected of you by your teachers, peers and family?
It's an utter lie to say that the people around you ultimately don't influence your decision. I had a friend who scored a raw score of 17 and was rejected by the JC of her choice. Her posting was to a polytechnic computing course (which was her ideal course. She only added in the JC in her application to please her parents). And she had the most miserable 1st year experience in her JC when she appealed and got accepted. She's struggling to get promoted and lives in fear of retaining.
"During OLevels, it wasn't as scary because regardless of how you do, you move on to JC or Poly. But here, if I fail, I'm going to remain where I am and I'll have to repeat the J1 all over again."
The fear is real and a constant thought lingering at the back of every JC student's mind. Trust me, ask your seniors if you think I'm exaggerating.
You might find more success and happiness pursuing a course of your choice in poly.
I'm not preaching that JC is a bad place to be in. This post was just a pre amp, a warning of sorts. At the end of the day, it largely depends on the type of person you are and how you'll react to the stressors that'll surface during your time in JC should you choose to walk down that path. In 2016, it's becoming increasingly accepted that poly can bring about equal opportunities as JC. So maybe it's about time we changed our sterile mindsets regarding post-secondary education in Singapore and explore our other options.
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